Articles
Supply Chain
Cargo Airports Do Brisk Business
Cargo airports were bustling in 2017, according to the Airport Council International’s finalized list of the world’s top 20 busiest cargo airports in 2017 (see chart). Total cargo volumes handled (loaded and unloaded freight and mail) increased by 7.8 percent from the previous year, to 50.6 million metric tons. Airports in the Asia-Pacific region continued […]
Read MoreDo’s and Don’ts of Hurricane Relief
American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), an industry-wide organization that provides supply chain assistance to disaster relief organizations and other non-profits, offers a few practical do’s and don’ts to help during a disaster. DO make a pre-offer. If you have warehouse space, trucks, equipment, or expertise to share, offer it immediately. The more advance information ALAN […]
Read MoreBattleBots: Robots vs. Workers
The public is broadly fearful that automation will lead to significant job losses, with many populations skeptical that the technologies will boost economic efficiency, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 10 countries. Greece, South Africa, and Argentina express the highest degree of certainty that technology will displace human workers (see chart). But […]
Read MoreApple Seeds Clean Energy Fund for China
Apple will launch a new first-of-its-kind investment fund in China to connect suppliers with renewable energy sources. As part of the company’s commitment to increase the use of renewable energy within its supply chain, 10 initial suppliers and Apple will jointly invest nearly $300 million over the next four years into the China Clean Energy […]
Read MoreRetailers Plug Into AI
Nearly two-thirds of retail supply chain professionals struggle with disconnects between systems, finds Symphony RetailAI’s Strengthening the Retail Supply Chain survey of North American retailers. The majority of retailers surveyed have confidence in their allocation and inventory planning software, but 48 percent rate their forecasting technology as average to very poor. While they would prefer […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-November 2018
Transportation The Belgium-to-UK lane gains a new dedicated short-sea service with Samskip‘s latest offering. The service connecting Antwerp and Hull is operated by a 508-TEU capacity vessel, sailing from Associated Terminal Operators’ multimodal terminal in Antwerp on Tuesday and Saturday and ABP Port of Hull on Thursday and Monday. Airfreight shippers can take advantage of a […]
Read MoreIs Your Freight Broker Legit?
Thousands of licensed freight brokers operate in the United States today, and more enter the market every year. With all this competition, it is critical to vet each freight broker you plan to work with. These simple steps will keep your supply chain moving forward efficiently, without harming the bottom line of your business or […]
Read MoreFreight Forecast Stays Sunny
Freight volumes are projected to increase 4.2 percent in 2018 and increase 35.6 percent by 2029, according to the latest edition of the American Trucking Associations’ Freight Forecast. Among the report’s findings: Total tonnage transported will reach nearly 16 billion tons in 2018—a figure that should rise 35.6 percent to 21.7 billion tons in 2029. […]
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Great Logistics Sites & Services Leading the Way
In logistics, two Ws are most important—where and when. Choosing the right sites and services is vital for getting your products where they need to go, when they need to get there.
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Intermodal Transport: Finding the Road to the Right Track
Tight trucking capacity, the strong economy, and ongoing improvements on the rail are spurring more shippers to consider intermodal transportation. But finding a container, or a truck to haul it to or from the rail terminal, isn’t always easy, either.
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No Industry is Amazon-Proof
Amazon is now in the oil business. With the release of its Amazon Basics Synthetic Motor Oil, the mega retailer has effectively entered an industry ripe for disruption. There isn’t an industry Amazon can’t enter. I’m amazed at how many executives across different industries tell me that they’re not concerned about Amazon for one reason […]
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Rethink Fulfillment During Peak Season
Peak season is a great opportunity to determine where your warehouse priorities should lie. Here are the biggest stories to watch this holiday season. From fast to accurate. Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping sent shockwaves through the fulfillment industry. Reaching peak productivity and keeping up with Amazon became a major topic of discussion. But it’s […]
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Maritime Update: Staying Above Water
Oh buoy! Here are five maritime developments that have shippers bobbing and drifting through economic riptides.
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The Supply Chain World is Not Flat
The idea that supply chain and logistics networks aren’t linear is not new, and neither is the concept of the circular economy. In our globalized world, the value chain has gotten much more complicated and difficult to manage, with many more variables now part of the equation. Add in the fact that the globe’s resources […]
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Talent Gap or Training Gap?
In the past, workforce training and development for blue- and gray-collar jobs took a back seat at many businesses and academic institutions. Schools often steered students toward white-collar career paths, while businesses put cutting costs, staying globally competitive, and turning a profit above training workers—a short-sighted focus on the next quarter rather than the next […]
Read MoreOptimizing Ocean Transport
The growth in e-commerce orders and strong economy mean companies are extending their supply chains to reach a global audience. Ocean transportation is a complex mode with unique considerations. To streamline your ocean freight process: 1. start consolidating Minimize less-than-containerload shipments by consolidating multiple products coming from the same area into a single container. Shipping […]
Read MoreWhat Keeps Compliance and Procurement Professionals Up at Night?
Increasing regulation continues to be the chief concern for compliance and procurement professionals, while the overall outlook sentiment is positive, reports a Dun & Bradstreet study that examines the current state of the compliance and procurement functions, as measured through professional sentiment on related issues such as regulation, fraud, technology, and resources. The Dun & […]
Read MorePeak Season is Coming. Can You Work it Out?
Wage corrections, shift preferences, and more flexible human resource policies are key to attracting and retaining hourly warehouse workers, finds the 11th annual EmployBridge Warehouse Employee Opinion Survey of approximately 16,000 hourly workers. For the 11th consecutive year, pay ranks as the single most important factor among warehouse workers (see chart). For the first time […]
Read MoreGlobal Air Freight in Slow Motion
Demand for global air freight, measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs), rose 2.1 percent in July 2018, compared to the same period the year before, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This was the slowest pace of growth since May 2016, and well below the five-year average growth rate of 5.1 percent. Freight […]
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