Articles
Supply Chain Management
Walmart’s ShippingPass Has Ended. What Retailers Should Do Next.
The shipping wars between Walmart and Amazon are heating up. On Jan. 31, 2017, Walmart halted its ShippingPass delivery service in exchange for free two-day shipping—signaling their latest move against Amazon. As more retailers offer free shipping, today’s consumers now expect online purchases to be delivered “fast and free.” Evolving customer expectations for delivery are […]
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The Whole Industry Is Struggling to Define TMS. Here’s My Take.
I’ve been in the transportation sector for more than 30 years and wrote the first transportation management system (TMS) as a developer back in the ’80s. Since then, the term “TMS” has come to mean many different things. Today, it covers different product classes; many transportation software vendors refer to themselves as a TMS provider […]
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Supply Chain in the Cloud: How Tech Is Reshaping Logistics
In warehouses, on roads, and in corporate offices, technology is evolving every facet of logistics. From basic improvements like streamlining operations and increasing process efficiency to fully automating delivery trucks, technology is enabling much smarter, simpler supply chain management. Below are three emerging technologies reshaping the logistics industry: RFID Technologies The replacement of traditional barcodes […]
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Trends—February 2017
Trump Administration: Make America Freight Again Promises to repair, restore, and improve U.S. infrastructure became one of Donald Trump’s primary campaign themes. Now that his term has officially begun, his administration has taken steps to follow through on those promises. The President’s team created a list of 50 infrastructure projects that will be a top […]
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Build-A-Box
To help subscription box services manage orders amidst rapidly increasing demand, logistics providers bring the whole package—from kitting and tying bows to delivery and returns.
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Caldwell Hospital Gets a Lean Bill of Health
A North Carolina hospital improves patient care by prescribing a lean and healthy supply chain.
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Reduce Supply Chain Costs with Consolidated Procurement Strategies
For sourcing agents and organizations involved in procurement, supply chain efficiency is a pressing concern. In addition to physical factors like the layout of the unit and machine capacity, procurement contracts and the manner in which they are implemented can account for a majority of supply chain and manufacturing costs. Working hand-in-hand with product design […]
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Hold On Tight!
Just like in logistics, our editorial and design team meets many months in advance to forecast upcoming content and issue themes. So, when we met eight months ago to develop the Logistics Planner issue theme, we thought we had a good understanding of what was in store for 2017. After spirited discussion, we decided on […]
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3PL Partnerships: You’re In Good Company
As product demand continues to rise, companies of all industries are partnering with third-party logistics providers and sealing the deal with on-time and cost-effective delivery to customers.
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Construction Logistics: Raise the Roof!
When building contractors converge on a site with their materials, equipment, and appliances, it takes planning, patience, and a good bit of luck to fit all the pieces together.
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Cruise Control
When it comes to cruise supplies, logistics personnel have to run a tight ship—or risk missing the boat.
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The Logistics of Franchising: Delivering the Basics
Fast food franchisees gain an appetite for supply chain success.
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Winter Reading Guide 2017
Don’t let winter put a deep freeze on your logistics learning. Keep your knowledge evergreen by cozying up to books on wide-ranging topics, from food logistics to procurement practices.
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Routing Software Separates Losers from Weiners
Kowalski Sausage implements a new in-house routing and dispatching system to improve how the piggies get to market.
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Demand-Driven Logistics: Staying Right Side Up When Your Supply Chain Turns Upside Down
Even when times are uncertain, the benefits of demand-driven logistics are a sure thing.
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Optimizing the Product Portfolio
Customer expectations are higher than ever, and the most successful distributors continue to accommodate their customers through multiple channels designed to attract and retain them. Despite all the business emphasis on community, engagement, and relationship, the importance of offering the right variety of products remains—and it cannot be overlooked. In this environment, the constant pressure […]
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GOOD QUESTION | What disruptive innovation will have the greatest impact on the supply chain?
Supply chain advancement is a methodology that extracts hidden profit by connecting the supply chain to other core processes of a business: strategy, product life-cycle management, and sales and marketing. Companies that advance their supply chains to this next level of decision-making will be better positioned to adapt to changing customer needs. Robert Martichenko CEO, […]
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Global Logistics—October 2016
Overcapacity Problems Sink Hanjin Shipping Right in the middle of the peak ocean shipping season leading up to the U.S. holiday rush, South Korean ocean liner Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection in one dozen countries in late August and early September 2016. Hanjin is the world’s seventh-largest ocean carrier, and handles nearly 8 percent […]
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Supply Chain Management Takes Center Stage
The supply management function is in the spotlight as a key driver of profitability. Approximately 82 percent of all chief procurement officers (CPOs) report directly to their CEOs, according to CAPS Research. CPOs have reach, influence, and responsibilities that go far beyond the cost containment practice of the past into virtually all areas of a […]
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Reshape and Refresh Your Product Portfolio for a Streamlined Supply Chain
Organizations embrace periods of strategic portfolio expansion as a lever to improve top- and bottom-line growth. But in the wake of product proliferation, portfolio complexity emerges with unanticipated supply chain consequences that can significantly impact customer service, quality, and cost. The accumulation of products spanning multiple life-cycle stages may redirect the organization away from its […]
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