Articles

Supply Chain

Keith Biondo

Conserving a National Resource

Everyone has an opinion about how to combat the truck driver shortage—from boosting pay and benefits to lowering the age for getting a CDL (see Good Question, page 10) to self-driving trucks. But one valuable weapon you don’t hear much about is driver wellness programs. Carriers can implement these programs quickly, and net near immediate […]

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Who’s Running the Ship?

Norway is testing a new way to make ocean freight transportation more sustainable: autonomous electric ships. Norwegian fertilizer manufacturer Yara International has commissioned the Yara Birkeland, which will be the world’s first autonomous electric containership. The company plans to use the freighter between ports to eliminate the use of diesel-powered trucks. The electric ship should […]

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Holy Mackerel! Oslo Reels in Seafood Center

Norway’s Oslo Airport is positioning itself as a preferred cargo hub by adding seafood transportation to its menu. Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) and Sjømatterminalen AS will operate the new Seafood Center at Oslo Airport, which will handle up to 250,000 tons of seafood annually. The facility is designed to meet industry requirements for cool chain […]

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Reducing CO2 Emissions: Close But No Cigar

Carbon dioxide emissions from 22 of the world’s leading ocean container carriers, representing 85 percent of global containerized shipping, continued to fall in 2017, but more innovation and collaboration across the value chain are needed to achieve ambitious global climate goals, reports BSR’s Clean Cargo Working Group. The Clean Cargo Working Group compiles its annual […]

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Trucking Generates $700 Billion

The U.S. trucking industry generated $700.3 billion in economic activity in 2017, a 3.5-percent increase over the $676.2 billion generated in 2016. That’s according to the American Trucking Associations’ trucking industry data report—ATA American Trucking Trends 2018. Among the findings in this year’s edition: Trucks moved 10.77 billion tons of freight, 70.2 percent of all […]

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The Gig is Up

In the new gig economy, workers are individual contractors—they are mobile, can work from any place, and save their companies time and resources. The paradigm shift from having full-time workers to individual contractors is not that easy to manage when considering companies that have full-time employees, especially in logistics. To decide if a model like […]

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Tariffs Go Nuts

Almonds are an especially lucrative product for California—the state’s almond industry currently supports more than 100,000 jobs and accounts for approximately $11 billion of the state’s economy. Instead of being roasted and seasoned with salt, however, almonds are being roasted by escalating Chinese tariffs. Earlier in 2018, President Trump implemented steep tariffs against offshore aluminum […]

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Neil Hamilton

Using IoT to Move From Push to Pull

Customers want more and they want it now. If you are unable to meet expectations, they will go elsewhere. The supply chain model often used in retail distribution is outdated and broken. Using Internet of Things (IoT) and vertically integrated order processes can achieve a leaner supply chain and help you say goodbye to out […]

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2018 Top 100 Truckers

2018 Top 100 Truckers

Inbound Logistics’ annual Top 100 Truckers directory provides an in-depth index of carriers that match shippers’ diverse and demanding needs. MORE TO THE STORY: Use the Trucking Decision Support Tool IL editors selected this year’s list from a pool of 300-plus trucking companies, evaluating surveys, conducting online research, and talking with shippers and truckers alike. […]

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Paul A. Myerson

Store Delivery Keeps Retailers in the Game

Multi-channel retail and fulfillment is typically based on the assumption that customers choose a main way to connect, whether physical stores or a website. Many retailers manage each channel separately with different teams, budgets, processes, tools, reporting structures, and revenue goals. In multi-channel retail and fulfillment, stores have their own stock and sell directly to […]

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Joe Beacom

How to Choose a Specialized Carrier – Landstar

Q: What qualities should a shipper look for in a specialized carrier? A: A shipper’s evaluation should include people, processes, and performance. Specialized freight is often unique, high-value, and critical to the shipper or consignee operation, unlike many other commodities. Carriers with a history and reputation of safe, on-time and claim-free deliveries are the carriers […]

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Defending Against Supply Chain Hackers

While your company may have excellent cyber security practices in place, your suppliers may not. These best practices will help protect your company from hackers who attack your supply chain partners. 1. Review Incident Response Plans. Always make sure vendors have an incident response plan in place before conducting business with them. If there is […]

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