Articles
Supply Chain
A Greener Supply Chain
Much has been written about the recent US-based Business Roundtable event, where 181 CEOs announced their commitment “to lead for the benefit of all stakeholders,” not just shareholders. The implications will ripple through boardrooms around the country, as the event redefined the purpose of a corporation as one that serves — equally — shareholders, communities […]
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19 Intermodal Tips for Success
Experts share advice on how to get fast-enough service while saving money with domestic intermodal transportation.
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VERTICAL FOCUS | Furniture
Sofa So Good What is the outlook for the U.S. furniture market moving forward? Here’s what to expect, according to Coresight Research’s U.S. Furniture Report, May 2019: A steady growth curve for the U.S. furniture industry is being driven by a strong economy. Consumer spending on furniture reached $114.2 billion in 2018, up 6.7% from […]
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Inside Innovation
What are the top supply chain differentiators and innovation drivers? According to the findings of BluJay Solutions’ Focus on Customer Experience: Research on Supply Chain Priorities and Investments report: Customer experience reigns supreme. 61% of survey respondents agree or strongly agree that customer experience will overtake price and product as the number one brand differentiator […]
Read MoreBarriers to Scalable IIoT Execution
By providing visibility into the assets and processes that historically had no data feedback loop, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has allowed manufacturing organizations to leverage their incoming data to implement crucial initiatives such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. In addition, by establishing a constant and secure channel for data to flow from […]
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Take the Current When It Serves
I recently participated in a summit of supply chain and business leaders who shared the many ways they are successfully navigating the turbulent waters of global trade. Despite the headwinds, they were determined to find new supply lines and expanded market opportunities. Determined and, yes, even optimistic about their economic future. It reminds me of […]
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Calm Before the Storm
Though Hurricane Dorian may be behind us, U.S. supply chains continue to feel its effects. And it’s possible that another large storm could still be on the horizon. Even if manufacturers aren’t located in a hurricane impact area, they can still experience business disruptions if a customer, supplier, or transportation route is affected. In the […]
Read MoreGoing the Distance: Securing Supply Chains From Cyber Attack
All over the world, business are achieving their goals with more ease than ever before, thanks to digital disruption. Ambitions that would have taken decades to achieve in the past can now be attained in significantly less time, whether you are expanding globally, automating low-level tasks or scaling up. But this digital awakening has also […]
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3PLs: Responsive, Cost-Effective, and Green
The modern supply chain is complex, and in order for the world’s leading companies to deliver their goods and services in an expedient, cost-conscious, and environmentally friendly fashion, they are increasingly turning to third-party logistics (3PL) companies to achieve these goals. These are among the themes of the 2020 Third-Party Logistics Study, created and supported […]
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Data on Loading Dock Activities Improves Operations, Boosts ROI
Warehouse managers have long been forced to base decisions about their loading docks on assumptions rather than data. That’s starting to change, thanks to new technology that assembles objective information to support well-informed decisions. Q: For shippers in retail, high-volume distribution, and similar industries, what kinds of data about activities at the docks could help […]
Read MoreNoted: The Supply Chain in Brief-Oct 2019
Good Works MSC Group, parent company of MSC Cargo, worked with South Carolina Ports Authority and other industry partners to fill two 40-foot shipping containers in Charleston, South Carolina, with critical supplies to send to the Port of Freeport in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. The maritime partners filled the shipping containers with more than […]
Read MoreGREEN SHOOTS: How to Implement GSCM
Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) can be integrated into almost any industrial business. The key to implementing this concept is to identify areas where sustainable practices can be applied to an existing supply chain. These areas include: Cleaner material sourcing. For retailers, this may involve partnering with companies to redesign packaging using recyclable or biodegradable […]
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Kicking the Tires on an IoT Solution
Tire manufacturer Michelin is a shipper with a massive global footprint and complex demands. With headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin operates 121 production facilities in 17 countries; those facilities produced approximately 190 million tires in 2017. With a presence in 170 countries, distributing products across the globe is a challenging and sophisticated operation.
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VERTICAL FOCUS | Metals
Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: What’s Happened So Far To help make sense of the confusion around current steel and aluminum tariffs, IHS Markit offers this timeline. March 23, 2018: President Donald Trump imposes import tariffs on steel and aluminum. June 1: Significant–and supposedly final– changes are imposed. June 15: President Trump approves tariffs on Chinese […]
Read MoreDriving the Efficiency of the U.S. Supply Chain
The recent surge of domestic manufacturing and the overall growth of the U.S. economy has required suppliers and carriers to re-examine and seek out new ways to streamline their operations. As the economy has continued to grow over the past decade, the American truck driver has become one of the most important facets in the […]
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Sensing a Supply Chain Career
Rising through the leadership ranks at Ryder System, Steve Sensing stays resilient and collaborative, while always maintaining a sense of humor.
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Automated Bidding Tools Benefit Shippers, 3PLs, and Carriers
At the start of a new year, it’s common for shippers striving for an optimized supply chain to review their carrier options to make sure they use the ideal mix of freight transportation providers. In 2019, this bidding business has lasted the entire year, as shippers and 3PLs look to take advantage of a softer […]
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Leveraging System Design and Optimization for Supply Chain 4.0
Supply Chain 4.0 is an integrative approach to operational digitization, where existing and nascent technology applications are leveraged to transform the supply chain ecosystem. This is seen as an essential response to evolving business requirements and the gradational manifestation of industry 4.0 evolution. Q: How should companies prepare for the potential change to their business? […]
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Tariffs: Is it Time to Rethink What Goes Where?
Did you think the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods were temporary bargaining chips to get concessions from China? Now that essentially every item imported from China is subject to tariffs, are you thinking again? As the U.S.-China trade war shows little sign of ending, supply chain managers have to find new ways to keep costs […]
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