Articles
Supply Chain
Global Logistics—October 2016
Overcapacity Problems Sink Hanjin Shipping Right in the middle of the peak ocean shipping season leading up to the U.S. holiday rush, South Korean ocean liner Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection in one dozen countries in late August and early September 2016. Hanjin is the world’s seventh-largest ocean carrier, and handles nearly 8 percent […]
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Supply Chain Management Takes Center Stage
The supply management function is in the spotlight as a key driver of profitability. Approximately 82 percent of all chief procurement officers (CPOs) report directly to their CEOs, according to CAPS Research. CPOs have reach, influence, and responsibilities that go far beyond the cost containment practice of the past into virtually all areas of a […]
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To Boost Shipment Productivity, Look to the Cloud
Deploying a cloud-based shipment execution system promotes a healthier ecosystem within the company, reduces costs, and pays big dividends via customer satisfaction. When corporate enterprises grow and evolve, their internal departments can develop a silo mentality and become more protective of their information. Because of these informational turf wars, the organization becomes disjointed and less […]
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Top 5 Things Shippers Need to Know about the Canadian eManifest
Moving data is often as important as moving freight. The Canadian eManifest is an important step toward improving security by receiving cargo and conveyance information before a shipment arrives at the border. The list below compiles the top five items that shippers, their carriers, drivers, and any company involved in U.S.–Canada highway transport should know […]
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Reshape and Refresh Your Product Portfolio for a Streamlined Supply Chain
Organizations embrace periods of strategic portfolio expansion as a lever to improve top- and bottom-line growth. But in the wake of product proliferation, portfolio complexity emerges with unanticipated supply chain consequences that can significantly impact customer service, quality, and cost. The accumulation of products spanning multiple life-cycle stages may redirect the organization away from its […]
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Amid Hanjin Backlog, Shippers Can Turn to Port Strike Strategies
While news of Hanjin Shipping’s bankruptcy dominates today’s headlines, shippers will be feeling the ripple effects for weeks or months to come. Of the nearly 100 ships listed on the company’s latest operating vessel status report, dozens carry the status of “waiting in open sea.” Others are “arrested,” “embargoed,” or “returned to owner.” A scant […]
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The Role of Relationships in Automated Brokerage
Q: Recently we have seen an emphasis on technological tools working towards an “Uber for trucking” model. Is this achievable in the brokerage industry? A: To answer this question, let’s first clarify the analogy itself—Uber for trucking. Nowadays, companies are setting out to entirely automate the brokerage process by better connecting the brokerage firms with […]
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Optimizing Your Supply Chain
Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? A: While supply chain managers work diligently to design and oversee extended supply chains, one aspect that often falls through the "operational cracks" is supporting the corresponding financial supply chain. Orchestrating the end-to-end cash flow velocity and supporting transactions […]
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Doug Waggoner: Managing By Consensus and Common Sense
MORE TO THE STORY: Flying, Coding, and Watching Kids Grow Up When Doug Waggoner joined Echo Global Logistics as CEO in 2006, the company employed 35 people. Since then, the team has grown to more than 2,300, about 80 percent from the millennial generation, spread across more than 30 offices. Now chairman as well as […]
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Accurate Transit Times: The Backbone of Efficient Supply Chains
Q: CarrierConnect® has been a crucial SMC³ product for nearly 20 years, and the company has continued to make upgrades during that time. How have customers been reacting to recently added features in CarrierConnect XL 2.0? A: GlobalTranz was the first technology partner to integrate the new XL features, and they discovered true strategic value […]
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Instill Passion, Purpose, and Leadership To Attract and Retain Logistics Talent
The talent gap in the logistics field is vast, touching everyone from truck drivers and warehouse staff to supply chain and third-party logistics (3PL) professionals. Finding the right people, and fast, is an ongoing struggle. Seventy-nine percent of 3PLs feel they are unprepared for the looming labor shortage and its impacts, states the Council of […]
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Chainsaw Maker Massacres Supply Chain Inefficiencies
Equipment manufacturer Blount International brings out the power tools to plug money leaks and sharpen data management.
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Global Logistics—September 2016
Cheat Sheets Wrinkle Target’s Supply Chain Target’s supply chain got a wakeup call when supplier Welspun Inc. allegedly provided a fraudulent product. The retailer recently ended its contract with the India-based textile company, claiming that Welspun supplied Egyptian cotton sheets made from a lower-quality cotton between August 2014 and July 2016. Target’s allegations drove Walmart, […]
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Logistics Hotspots: Nine That Shine
These U.S. cities and areas are rising as major logistics hubs and go-to distribution center sites.
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Trends—September 2016
Transportation Infrastructure: The Roads to the White House It’s no big secret that American transportation infrastructure is falling apart and sorely underfunded. In 2014, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHA) labeled more than 61,000 U.S. bridges as "structurally deficient." There is currently a $1.4-trillion deficit between transportation funding and spending needs for the next 10 […]
Read MoreMaking the Last Mile a Differentiator
The last mile plays a crucial role in the supply chain. As consumers expect increasingly shorter delivery windows, last-mile proximity isn’t just nice to have, it’s a must-have. Will O’Shea, chief marketing officer of XPO Logistics’ last mile business unit, shares how to turn the last mile into a competitive differentiator. 1. Involve additional players. […]
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18 Sure-Fire Ways to Save on LTL Shipments
Carriers and 3PLs reveal road-tested secrets for cutting trucking costs.
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Lean: It’s Not About Pens and Pencils Anymore
Traditionally, Lean has been considered a "pen and pencil" technique. But today it is a key enabler of an efficient supply chain that links lean thinking with available and affordable systems and technologies to get the most out of improved processes. This "traditional" view is understandable. In the past, Lean was more often than not […]
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2016 Trucking Perspectives
Inbound Logistics’ exclusive trucking market research report delivers shipper and trucker insights into the industry’s challenges and trends.
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Rogerio Branco: Powering the Supply Chain Team
Rogerio Branco is senior vice president, supply chain management, for Eaton, a power management company with 2015 sales of $20.9 billion across more than 175 countries. Responsibilities: Global responsibility for indirect procurement, professional services and logistics. Functional global responsibility for direct procurement. Experience: Director of operations and supply chain management for Eaton’s business in South […]
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