Articles
Supply Chain Management
An Expanding Palette of Pallet Choices
The seven trends you need to know before you choose your next pallet system.
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Awake at the Wheel: Delivering Customer Satisfaction
When Sleepy’s customers got tired of short notice and missed deliveries, the specialty mattress retailer brought in a technology partner and dreamed up a solution that put those problems to bed.
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When the Walls Come Tumbling Down
It might sound like two things I did this month—traveling to Phoenix for ISM’s annual conference and working on this Warehousing issue—have nothing in common. Ah, but they do. What happens in the warehouse, the orchestration of products coming in and going out to where they need to be, hinges on the convergence of many […]
Read MoreImproving Shipper/Carrier Relationships
From shippers, receivers, and purchasing agents to carriers and third-party logistics companies, everyone has an opinion on how to reduce trucking costs. But they all agree that to help save money, shippers should build strong relationships with their less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers. Mark Hamblin, vice president of sales, west, for LTL carrier Saia, offers some advice […]
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Lori Harper: Running a Tight Ship
Lori Harper is vice president, supply chain management at Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Pascagoula, Miss. HII was spun off from Northrop Grumman Corp. in 2011. Harper has served in this position since 2012. Responsibilities: Sourcing, procurement, receiving, warehousing, inventory, distribution, cost control, and analytics. Experience: Subcontract management specialist, material site […]
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7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Incentive Program
Incentive pay programs are becoming an increasingly popular supply chain initiatives to increase productivity without the need for large capital improvements. These programs motivate employees to perform to the best of their ability every day, even during stretches of long workdays and difficult tasks. The problem is that an incentive program can hold an adverse […]
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Communication is Key When Optimizing Logistics Networks
Within any logistics network there are vendors, warehouses, distribution centers, service operations, transportation routes and hubs, carriers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, and more. The idea of optimizing all of it is enough to give anyone a splitting headache. The goal of optimization is to reduce costs while becoming more efficient. To do this, some companies […]
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The Next Frontier of Supply Chain Innovation: Analytics, LEAN and the Power of Big Data
Ongoing breakthroughs in big data and advanced analytics are nothing short of revolutionary. Executives at Gartner have said, "Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine." The excitement is not simply about the scale and speed of information generation. It is also about big data’s potential impact. An example […]
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3PLs Put Technology Front and Center
3PLs tap into data-based solutions to help shippers meet their goals.
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Choosing to Be a Shipper of Choice
Q: In the face of increasing capacity issues, rising equipment costs, and new regulations, carriers prefer to work with shippers that will support their business needs. How can companies become "Shippers of Choice"? A: In a word, it’s about partnerships. Q: Are there best practices for achieving this goal? A: Yes. Pre-planning helps carriers anticipate […]
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Strategic Shipping Solutions
Q: How is predictive modeling reshaping logistics? A: Predictive modeling is changing the dynamic that exists between the carrier and the shipper. It’s creating more of a collaborative environment, where the carrier and shipper can now talk openly about their goals with the transparency required to create and maintain a great relationship. The shipper now […]
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How to Forge 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 […]
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Offshore vs. Outsource for Transportation & Logistics
Many transportation and logistics professionals hear outsourcing and think offshoring, but there is a big difference.
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Using Technology to Maximize Value Chain Partnerships
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? A: You just have to use your imagination and dig in. There are so many ways you can help your customers. You just need to ask and listen. Some third-party logistics (3PL) providers get deeply involved to provide technology so they stand out […]
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The World is Your Warehouse, 2.0
Inbound Logistics regularly reports on the benefits of better linking demand to supply lines. Given the new and ever-growing crop of supply chain technology solutions delivering global visibility and ability to execute, we sometimes refer to the world as your warehouse. That’s why Apple’s patent #8,989,773 caught my eye. Granted on March 24, 2015, by […]
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Improving Operations With a Yard Management System
Q: What is the role of a yard management system? A: Two main roles come to mind—visibility and communication. Today’s best systems offer visibility into basic information including the location, status, and contents of assets on the yard. They are also able to offer more detailed information including historical data, load detail down to the […]
Read MoreMaximizing Intermodal Efficiency
Intermodal transportation was developed to improve efficiency as U.S. consumer demand and shipment volume grew. When a trucking entrepreneur realized it would be more efficient to use the same conveyance for different shipping modes, without having to handle the cargo, intermodalism was created. The resulting interoperability of the assets themselves—containers, chassis, railcars—is evidence of improved […]
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The Race is On: Chain of Custody in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
New regulations ensuring the integrity of the pharma supply chain are nearing the finish line. While some companies have taken an early lead to compliance, others are late getting out of the gate. Which team are you on?
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Judi Griffin: Sinks Her Teeth Into Her Work
Judi Griffin is director of logistics at Burkhart Dental, a supplier of equipment, technology, and consumables used by dental practices. She has worked for Burkhart Dental since 2009, and has held her current position at the Tacoma, Wash., firm since 2013. Responsibilities: Distribution centers, purchasing and customer service teams, hand piece repair center, and inbound […]
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Collaborative Distribution: Taking Off the Training Wheels
To break the cycle of needless, duplicative logistics costs, many competitors are choosing to work in tandem.
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