Articles

Logistics

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Celebrates Our Unsung Heroes of the Road

More than 80 percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities. In this country, we all rely on truck drivers in some way or another. Whether it’s to enjoy basic modern conveniences, receive life-sustaining medical supplies, or keep businesses thriving, our lives depend on the transportation industry and […]

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Low Bridge, Everybody Down!

Low Bridge, Everybody Down!

As the historic Erie Canal celebrates its 200th anniversary, it’s also enjoying another milestone: commercial traffic volume that’s five times higher than in recent years. Built in 1817 to transport goods and people from one side of New York to the other, today the canal is primarily a recreational waterway. Commercial volume on the state’s […]

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Supply Chain Commentary: Stop Reacting to Problems, Start Predictive Planning

Most planning systems deploy a reactive strategy rather than a predictive one. When a problem is identified regarding a capacity shortage, material shortage, or arrival of a high-priority order, the system addresses the issue by rearranging the plan. This is not optimal. It’s a Band-Aid solution that should be avoided. For example, if you release […]

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Timothy G. Taylor

Supply Chain Commentary:
Freight Transportation in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey

Harvey’s impact is being felt throughout the Southwest as transportation spot market pricing is expected to spike. The consumption of transportation resources through the combined effects of idling labor, equipment damage, and relief efforts will have ramifications for many months. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, spot market pricing jumped 20 percent and […]

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The Next Transformational Technology for Terminal Operations: Simplified and Integrated Systems

The terminal operations sector we serve is in constant motion. The tools and systems necessary to run marine and rail facilities are vast and disparate. Once upon a time, if one of those systems failed, you’d pick up a clipboard, record the tasks, and calculate deltas. When everything was back up and running, you’d sit […]

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It Happens Automagically

I heard the phrase “it happens automagically” not long ago, and it reminded me of an editorial I wrote in 2000, when I mused that one day we’d have “a global internet without wires, melded with interaction free detection—finding something without looking.” Today, it is real and it happened sooner than I expected. The Internet […]

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Rob Kriewaldt

Recent Industry Disruptions Challenge, Improve Retail Logistics and Supply Chain – WSI

American consumers are now living in an era of supply chain domination, in which we sometimes sacrifice privacy for convenience, or a few extra dollars for speed. Amazon drones drop small packages on our doorstep the same day. Meals arrive on urban doorsteps via tiny robots moments after placing the order. Naturally, the retail industry […]

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Chris Makowski and Nisa Moore

Insights into Complexities of Managing Secure Global Transportation for the Government – General Dynamics IT

Operating one of the largest supply chain and logistics operations on behalf of the government, General Dynamics IT, a 2017 Inbound Logistics Top 100 3PL Provider, functions as a 3PL provider and is responsible for the shipment of goods around the world to high-threat and isolated posts. In addition to meeting contract door-to-door terms and […]

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U.S. Online Shoppers Click With International Retailers

U.S. Online Shoppers Click With International Retailers

Nearly half of avid U.S. online shoppers bought items from international retailers, demonstrating the need for retailers to offer more personalized services as a way to compete against lower prices, according to UPS’ sixth annual Pulse of the Online Shopper study. Almost all avid U.S. online shoppers (97 percent), made purchases on marketplaces, up 12 […]

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Global Supply Chain Suffers Disruptions Amid Diplomatic Crisis

Global Supply Chain Suffers Disruptions Amid Diplomatic Crisis

Disagreements in the Middle East left the supply chain reeling as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen cut political and business ties with Qatar and accused the small Middle Eastern nation of supporting radical Islamic terrorism in the region. As part of efforts to sever contact, the countries shut down […]

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