Articles
Supply Chain

A New Day for U.S. Ports
A robust economy and capital investments help buoy record cargo volumes.
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Setting Up Shop
New fulfillment strategies blur the lines between e-commerce and traditional retailers.
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Minimize Returns While Improving Sales
The popularity of free shipping has led to a growth of online sales. It has also created a problem: a large number of online returns. The shipping world defines the returns process as reverse logistics. Minimizing costs and even making a profit in reverse logistics is critical to an e-commerce company’s health. Here are some […]
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Container Loading System Helps Sawmill Meet Loading Challenge – SmartTEH
The Challenge In 2017, one of the biggest softwood sawmills in Latvia “AKZ” was facing a new challenge – how to load containers with timber without scratching the package, not to mention the product itself. Quality demands from potential customers overseas were so high that the previous loading system was not the way to go. […]
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The Hassle Quotient: A New Formula for Industry Domination
Market domination starts with a customer-first attitude.
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Fighting Counterfeit Products
As pharmaceutical and food supply chains become more global, the risk of fraud, substitution, and counterfeiting increases. Consumers are demanding more transparency and safety adherence as these issues arise. Consumers are also increasingly concerned about the source of their products and the conditions under which they are manufactured. In the pharma supply chain, patients are […]
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International Intermodal: Containers on the Move
As container volumes rise, shippers hop on board with new IT solutions to contend with chassis and driver shortages.
Read MoreGood Question: What’s your best supply chain tip?
Industry professionals share their best supply chain tips.
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When Worlds Combine
Inbound Logistics continues to provide actionable content to help drive supply chain change.
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159 Expert Tips to AMP Your Supply Chain
The internet, cloud-based systems, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things have already improved logistics and supply chains. Use these tips to better manage your digital transformation.
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When Worlds Collide
In retail there are two worlds or approaches: online and traditional. It appears the online retailers have been winning in the market with all types of consumers, even in manufacturing and industrial products. But don’t count the traditional retail world out yet. Good supply chain management practices, along with blended approaches to serving the customer, […]
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Deconstructing Global Supply Chains
Despite a shift toward regionalization, the era of complex supply chain ecosystems is far from over.
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Today’s Technology, Tomorrow’s Demand
The late actress Carrie Fisher said, “instant gratification takes too long.” Her prescience is spot-on. Consumers don’t just want convenient, personalized products and services—they want them immediately. Speed and flexibility are the most significant aspects of meeting this heightened sense of “must have it now.” Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are in a fierce race […]
Read MoreTariffs Sting U.S. Supply Chains
The tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese goods have caused sharp increases in expenses for some companies, and even businesses that have yet to feel the sting of the duties on imported Chinese goods are taking a closer look at their supply chains to see how they can minimize the damage. As businesses scramble […]
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Six Ways to Develop Character in Leaders
One of my hardest days in the military came in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I was leading a Special Operations Planning Team and we were using an event tracking system to predict where, what type, and when acts of violence would occur. We predicted a huge rise in attacks with little end […]
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A No-Fail Mentality and Sheer Force of Will
Many years ago, a few days into a new job as an analyst at Sears, Roebuck and Co., Jeff Cohen was working at his desk when the chief financial officer, Ed Liddy, walked by. “He stopped, introduced himself, and sat down to chat for a few minutes,” Cohen says. “I don’t remember what we talked […]
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Mark Bakker: Change Agent
Mark Bakker, head of supply chain operations, Americas, HP Inc. Responsibilities: Manage supply chain operations for owned and channel inventory for commercial and retail markets for the Americas; meet financial goals for the printing, graphics, and personal systems product categories. Experience: Vice president, supply chain operations, Asia Pacific and Japan; director of operations, EMEA; director, […]
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Supply Chain Automation Surges
Supply chain automation is gaining ground, particularly in warehousing and middle- and last-mile logistics.
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Project Logistics: Taming the Details
Whether they involve moving endangered animals or perishable delicacies, special projects demand teams that know how to plan thoroughly, collaborate with multiple partners, and prepare for every eventuality.
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Using Technology to Cut Freight Costs
The bad news: Tight capacity and higher freight rates are the new normal. The good news: There are ways to handle the impacts far better than your competition. Aside from securing reduced freight rates from your carriers, here’s how you can cut freight expense while improving service: Coordinate business intelligence Improve load planning Provide carriers […]
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