Articles
Partnership
SaaS TMS Facilitates Carrier Management
Q: How can shippers navigate today’s tight capacity market? A: For companies to have the assurance of consistent, competitively priced, service-oriented capacity through the ups and downs of the transportation marketplace, being a shipper of choice is imperative. Here are a few tips to get started: Go beyond rates. Best practice suggests taking a multi-tiered […]
Read More
Partners and Process Management: Freight Business From the Inside Out
Q: What is the key to managing freight spend in today’s supply chain? A: Efficiency at every level of the supply chain is of the utmost importance in controlling costs. Carriers and shippers alike need to formulate their strategies based on key performance indicators (KPIs). Making routine a simple action such as generating useful reports […]
Read More
Taking a Smarter Approach to WMS RFPs
To understand where request for proposals (RFPs) for warehouse management systems (WMS) often go wrong, imagine for a moment you are being interviewed for admission to your dream college. You try to demonstrate the specific reasons why you would be a great addition to that school. But instead of engaging in a friendly dialog, the […]
Read More
Supply Chain Relationship Management
In a world where trucking capacity becomes constrained, relationships matter. Managing those relationships strategically versus tactically can make a huge difference in the viability and reliability of each company’s supply chain. The first ingredient to successful supply chain relationship management is having the ability to measure a supply chain partner’s performance. The next is possessing […]
Read MoreTapping Social Media to Power Your Supply Chain
Social media provides a platform for companies to share knowledge and opinions, and broadcast information to an audience of followers. It also generates valuable data about how your customers think, shop, vote, and spend their leisure time. Many companies have jumped into social media to improve supply chain operations. Cindi Hane, vice president of technical […]
Read More
Access to Reliable Transportation Regardless of Transportation Market Conditions
Over the past 25 years I’ve been in Supply Chain, I’ve come to the realization transportation rates are difficult to forecast due to elastic variables (perceived or real) in the supply chain. Depending upon your role and point of view, rates could increase by low single digits or double digits over the next year. You […]
Read More
Laying the Foundation For a Long-Term 3PL Partnership
Many companies start working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to fix an isolated problem at the lowest possible cost. Unfortunately, these relationships are often short-lived and serve only to fill an operational gap. But thoughtfully planned 3PL partnerships can produce invaluable results using a long-term approach that focuses on sustainable operational gains, rather than […]
Read More
The Fundamentals of Successful Value Chain Partnerships
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? A: With an unprecedented global reach, access to new markets, increased regulation, and huge advances in technology, today’s supply chain environment is more complex than ever. Coupled with increasing customer demands for speed, flexibility, cost efficiency, quality, and customization, it is very difficult […]
Read More
Keys to Developing Strong Supply Chain Partnerships
Q: How can value chain partners collaborate to enhance performance and efficiencies? A: Collaboration among supply chain partners can improve supply chain performance, create new capabilities, and increase efficiencies. Meeting to review performance objectives helps build stronger partnerships based on definable measurements and greater transparency, and encourages more effective supply chain practices. Part of this […]
Read More
Trends—March 2014
Is the Jones Act Worth its Salt? A briny tale about a man named Jones, complete with international intrigue, American protectionism, twisted truths, and misplaced blame unfolded recently when a 40,000-ton shipment of road salt bound for New Jersey got waylaid in Searsport, Maine. The man in question is Wesley Jones, the U.S. senator from […]
Read More
A Strategic Approach to Strengthening Supply Chains
Q: What is a leveraged platform? A: A leveraged platform means a logistics service provider employs the same best practices to manage its own supply chain needs as it does for its client base. Benefits to shippers include mode optimization and greater usage of co-load products, as well as intermodal conversion from truckload (TL), or […]
Read More
Scaling Supply Chain Partnerships
Partnerships are an interesting phenomenon in business. It astounds me that so many companies look for partnerships to remain static over time, even as market conditions change. Partnerships can’t maintain a status quo, regardless of the industry. They need to evolve. Scaling your supply chain can trigger some significant adjustments in the requirements of nature […]
Read More
Collaborative Programs: Not a Chore But an Opportunity
Many corporate executives view the supply chain and logistics function as a source of savings through cost reduction. Their position is understandable, as supply chain and logistics costs can represent 50 to 70 percent of a company’s sales dollars. Making these operations more efficient and effective can have a great impact on the bottom line. […]
Read MoreThe New 3PL Partnership: More Bang for Your Buck
Sure, third-party logistics providers will tune your transportation transactions. But their real value lies in strategic relationships that optimize your entire enterprise.
Read More
Cargo Security: Protecting the Supply Chain
Whether on a truck, in a warehouse, or at a port, your shipments are vulnerable to theft. Learn how to reduce that risk and keep your valuable cargo safe.
Read More
Risk Mitigation: Supply Chain Safety Net
Meeting demand without overinvesting in safety stock can be a real balancing act. Risk mitigation strategies protect shippers from landing hard when supply chain disruptions occur.
Read More
Looking for One Logistics Partner That Does Everything with Excellence?
An Enterprise Logistics Provider Delivers Holistic Solutions that Transform Your Business.
Read More
PVMI: A New Approach to Supply Chain Control
Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solutions are focused on keeping inventory off the manufacturer’s books until it is needed to fulfill customer orders. DB Schenker takes a broader view as part of a standardized solution called Production Vendor Managed Inventory (PVMI)—which enables the OEM to gain comprehensive supply chain control, something much more powerful than just […]
Read More
Know Thy Partner: Beyond C-TPAT
The globalization of supply chains has caused a major shift in trade partnerships. Partners are changing more rapidly than in years past. Relationships tend to be more focused on who can supply products cheaper, faster, at better quality, and U.S. companies are looking worldwide for competitive parts’ sources. With this new globally spread supply chain […]
Read More
Five Ways to Drive Efficiency In International Logistics
If your international supply chain partners aren’t able to operate at optimal efficiency, they pass increased pricing on to your company. When partners don’t meet your expectations, it’s difficult to standardize the logistics flow, which reduces efficiency and decreases their level of commitment to your goals. Add the extra time your personnel spend working through […]
Read More