Articles
Supply Chain
Global Trade Game Changer
As the Panama Canal’s $5.25-billion expansion nears completion, how are shippers and ports preparing?
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Azteca Foods Craves Inventory Management System
Azteca Foods spices up inventory tracking with an advanced automated system that doesn’t cost too much dough.
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Dimensioning on the Move
Growing fuel costs and capital expenses paired with a driver shortage have left companies shipping less-than-truckload (LTL) freight scrambling for ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, opportunities to counter fuel costs, eliminate capital investments, and reduce the manpower required to keep business moving are limited. That’s why many shippers are turning to dimensioning technology to gain […]
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IT Asset Disposition Is the Future of Reverse Logistics
While forward logistics optimizes the flow of goods from the producer to the consumer, reverse logistics inverts that flow from the consumer back to the producer. Most often, this includes warranty recovery, value recovery, repair, redistribution, product recalls, used parts, and replacement materials for refurbishment, service, or product contract returns, and end-of-life recycling. In a […]
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Optimizing the Holiday Supply Chain With Reliable ETA
Timeliness is top of mind during the holiday season. As Santa prepares for his ride around the world to give every child a gift by Christmas morning, manufacturers and retailers are also busy planning to meet increasing customer delivery demands during the holidays. Santa has his magic and his elves, but companies must find other […]
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People Person
Bobby Harris, President and CEO of BlueGrace Logistics, discusses the talent gap, entrepreneurship, the importance of keeping employees happy, and more.
Read MoreSelecting a Global Trade Management Tool
Selecting the right global trade management system is an important factor in growing your business. Analyzing features such as customization and security can help you determine which solution best meets your company’s needs. Ron Atapattu, president and founder of Overseas Cargo Inc., offers the following recommendations for selecting global trade management software that can take […]
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Sean Smith: Ingredients for a Great Career
Sean Smith is supply chain director at Agropur Ingredients in La Crosse, Wis. He has worked for the company since 2013. Responsibilities: Purchasing, inbound and outbound logistics, production planning, inventory management, analytics, and warehouse operations. Experience: Supply chain manager, U.S. Army; strategic sourcing manager—facilities, Citigroup; supply chain manager—contracting and sourcing, Adventist Health Systems. Education: Diploma, […]
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Trends—November 2015
GHS: Label It a Problem Fewer than 50 percent of the nearly 150 supply chain professionals from internationally based chemical companies responding to Loftware Inc.’s recent GHS Readiness Survey have met the latest Globally Harmonized System of Classification (GHS) labeling requirements. The United Nations originally adopted the GHS in 2002 to ensure hazardous materials are […]
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Refugees Cause Price Hike for EU Shippers
Refugees Displace EU Supply Chain In many cases, even under the best circumstances, border crossings can be rife with paperwork, passports, and delays. But Europe has streamlined the process, with free and open border crossings between most of its member states that eliminate many of these hassles. That is, until recently. More than nine million […]
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What Trends are Shaping the Global Air Freight Market?
New research by SandlerResearch.org has predicted that the worldwide air cargo logistics market will experience a 5.97% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2014 to 2019. Increased research into this market is welcome, but this report attributes most of the annual growth to an increase in online retail store sales. Consumers are ordering more products […]
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Why Parcel Sorting Automation Can’t Wait
Shoppers have embraced e-commerce, and, for retailers, it has been a boon. The volume of products that people are buying online is skyrocketing. U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2015 totaled nearly $84 billion, an increase of 14.1 percent from the same period in 2014, according to the Department of Commerce’s Census […]
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Don’t Just Liquidate, Seek Scalable Solutions
Relaxed return policies create a competitive advantage for retailers but can wreak havoc on reverse logistics. Each year, consumers return hundreds of billions of dollars in merchandise, most of which can’t go back on the shelf due to diminished item condition, damaged packaging, or product obsolescence. No matter the reason, that’s a significant amount of […]
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The Sweet Smell of Success
A data makeover gives Elizabeth Arden more visibility into its fragrance products, and saves dollars and scents.
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What is the Difference Between Logistics and Supply Chain?
“Supply chain is the football coach, and logistics is the quarterback. They both provide direction regarding how field assets must be situated and positioned. But the coach provides the overall game plan, and the QB executes the moves, adapting on the fly as needed.“
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Super-fast Fulfillment
When it comes to ASAP, quick-thinking shippers redefine what’s possible.
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Sales and Operations Planning
Most business executives would agree that effective S&OP should lead to competitive success. But S&OP means different things to different organizations. What makes S&OP a "secret sauce" is dependent on a few key factors. Having the right people in the bus. First and foremost, it is essential to obtain executive-level sponsorship. S&OP strategies fail without […]
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Tim Thoma Brings It In
Tim Thoma is international logistics and compliance manager at Northern Tool and Equipment, a multi-channel retailer based in Burnsville, Minn. He has held that position since 2008. Responsibilities: Moving freight from overseas to the company’s three distribution centers. This includes managing relationships with freight forwarders and carriers, and overseeing customs compliance. Experience: A series of […]
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Doing Business in China
Q: What do I need to know about doing business in China? A: Most companies today know why China is a great place for business for manufacturing, regional distribution, and domestic consumption. What companies may not know is that the logistics costs of doing business in China are quite high. China’s trade rules and regulations […]
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Three Steps to Mitigate Supply Chain Risk…Now
A supply chain vulnerability and risk assessment should be an integral part of any overall supply chain strategy analysis. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Many businesses don’t address supply chain vulnerability and aren’t prepared for potential supply chain disruptions due to either random acts of nature or deliberate actions. The recent West Coast port […]
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