Archive: Apr 2004

Selecting a Load and Route Optimization System

It doesn’t matter if you utilize local route and delivery carriers or nationwide truckers to move your goods. Load and route optimization software systems offer an efficient way to find the best delivery routes and schedules. The key is knowing how to get to the right vendor and picking the best system for your business. […]

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Creating Competitive Advantage With Service Parts Logistics

After-sale customer service operations are a strategic part of every business. Not only is service a key differentiator, the difference between revenue contribution of service operations and total revenue can be as large as 40 to 60 percent. Many companies today are even willing to pay more for high levels of service. While most companies […]

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Why Motor Carriers are Turning To Pallet Position Pricing

Here are two scenarios that involve the same freight market. In the first instance, a truckload carrier looks for freight to fill out a three-quarter load from Los Angeles to Atlanta. If the carrier can add a quarter load, the revenue on the load suddenly jumps to a highly profitable level. But there may not […]

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IT Does Matter

Arguably the most important development impacting transportation, except for the invention of the wheel, has been the application of information technology. Yes, I know, the nationwide rail network, the excellent interstate highway system, the containerization concept, the Panama Canal … But the reason I think logistics IT is preeminently important is because it impacts everyone […]

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Net Gains

Here’s a look at how several companies have successfully tapped the Internet and the web to improve their logistics and supply chain operations.

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Wireless Security: Is Your Data at Risk?

Many companies use wireless devices to manage transportation and logistics, and many more are considering doing so. Now that all this important information is being sent through the air, the question arises: Can anyone tap into your wireless information stream? Short answer: Yes! Your sensitive SCM information is out there for all to see. Here are some steps you can take to secure your wireless networks.

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Robert Swanson: Developing Colleagues with Passion

Robert Swanson’s first employer helped put him through college while he worked. Today, at Pfizer Global Research and Development Michigan Labs, Swanson is paying that favor forward, not with tuition assistance, but with extensive on-the-job training. A major part of Swanson’s mission is to help the people in his organization live out “the passion to […]

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8 Steps to Lower Insurance Premiums

Q: I have experienced big increases in my insurance premiums. Why has this happened and what can I do about it? A: Like all commodities, insurance is subject to the laws of supply and demand. Its cost is determined by the amount of capacity available in the world’s markets. In the 1990s the world experienced […]

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Integrating SCM with Product Lifecycles

All manufactured products move through a cycle of creation to maturity to decline. There are exceptions—a dairy product such as milk, for example—but the general rule is that product evolution is a stark reality within the manufacturing enterprise. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software recognizes this. Let us look at the process of product lifecycle management […]

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