Articles
Supply Chain
Solving the E-Commerce Puzzle
Inventory is now on-demand, and predicting what consumers will want on any given day is tricky. Add to that the already challenging scenario that consumers want to shop and purchase goods at any time and from anywhere—and supply chain logistics for e-commerce inventory gets even more complex and complicated. Many retailers and brands haven’t solved […]
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Global Trade Changes Course
6 global trade rule changes you should know before you move your next import/export shipment.
Read MoreLeveraging Your Routing Guide
A routing guide plays an important role in setting the strategy for carrier selection. It is essentially a shipper’s guide to choosing a carrier to move a particular shipment. While there are many forms of routing guides, an increasing number of companies switched from paper to online portals and beyond to enhanced transportation management system […]
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How to Find Value in Big Data
There’s an endless amount of big data, but only storing it isn’t useful. The value is in what you find in the data. Instead of aggregating all the data you’re getting, you need to define the problem that you’re trying to solve and then gather data specific to that problem. Today we have the capability […]
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Expect the Best, Plan for the Worst & Prepare to Be Surprised
It’s not if your supply chain will be disrupted, it’s when. Risk assessment and advance planning will help minimize the impact on business.
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Aaron Leach: A Bird’s Eye View of the Supply Chain
Aaron Leach is senior director of supply chain with Wayne Farms, LLC, in Oakwood, Ga. He has held this position since 2013. Wayne Farms is the sixth largest vertically integrated producer and processor of poultry in the United States. Responsibilities: Inbound and outbound logistics, warehousing and inventory control, and supply and demand planning. Experience: Director […]
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The Slow, Steady Decline Of the Owner-Operator Model
Today, we face the slow extinction of independent owner-operators. These self-reliant business owners are dealing with a myriad of regulations that will soon make the owner-operator model impractical, and its survival improbable. Of the 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States, about 350,000 are owner-operators, according to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. If you […]
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Supply Chain Management Students: School of Thought
Idealistic and pragmatic, today’s college students find opportunities in supply chain management.
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Russ Smyth: Geared Up for Growth
One day in 2010, Russ Smyth got a phone call from Ted Perlman. Smyth assumed that the reason for the call was a social occasion. At the time, Smyth was CEO of tax services company H&R Block. MORE TO THE STORY: Leadership Insights Perlman is one of the founders of HAVI, a global supply chain […]
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Rethinking Reverse Logistics for Online Apparel Returns
As virtual shopping bags replace physical ones, it’s important for retailers to update their policies and logistics strategies to align with consumer behavior and expectations. This is particularly the case when deciding how to handle apparel returns, which boast one of the highest return rates: One in three purchases are sent back. This trend, and […]
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The Back & Forth of Reverse Logistics
Companies that have reverse logistics processes and systems in place to capture all the value possible can beat competitors coming and going.
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Trends—January 2017
Amazon continues to rattle nerves in the transportation sector. In 2015, the company launched a fleet of branded trucks to help shuttle cargo between facilities. In 2016, it leased 40 cargo jets, and Amazon China registered as a U.S. freight forwarder. These moves made third-party logistics (3PL) and trucking companies understandably anxious, considering that Amazon […]
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Evaluate Partners Before You Sign the Contract
In an increasingly competitive global environment, every element of the supply chain must be effective and efficient—to deliver the right quality products, on time and at the right price. Empowering your procurement team before supplier selection is key. For companies that outsource materials, parts, and equipment, the potential for quality issues and hidden costs can […]
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The Who, What, When, and Why of Warehouse Wearables
Major technological gains in wearables and apps create intriguing new ways for workers to navigate the warehouse.
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Global Logistics—January 2017
Manufacturing Supply Chains: What Does the Future Hold? Nobody can predict the future, but some are certainly qualified to make educated guesses. Over the next decade, manufacturing growth depends on successful engagement with consumers, according to IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Supply Chain 2017 Predictions, a new report from IDC Manufacturing Insights. The report makes the following […]
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When to File Loss and Damage Claims: Know Your Rights
Damage, loss, and delays are inescapable. When these events occur, the shipper has to file a claim to recover the loss. Shippers should understand the claims process and law because the legal principles are unique to the shipping industry. First, it is important to understand that a cargo claim is based on a breach of […]
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Winter Reading Guide 2017
Don’t let winter put a deep freeze on your logistics learning. Keep your knowledge evergreen by cozying up to books on wide-ranging topics, from food logistics to procurement practices.
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Deploying Pharmaceutical Foreign Trade Zone Services
MD Logistics leverages FTZ services to provide game changing benefits to its customer base.
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Going for Brokers
Over the past 18 months, we have seen a significant shift toward shippers utilizing brokers as their primary carriers. Many shippers abandoned the strategy of focusing on asset-based carriers, and now load their routing guides with brokers as the choice of record. We also see brokers being able to meet the detailed requirements of many […]
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Routing Software Separates Losers from Weiners
Kowalski Sausage implements a new in-house routing and dispatching system to improve how the piggies get to market.
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