Supply Chain Insights

Need a Demand Planning Checklist?

Demand planning is key to driving profits and maintaining customer satisfaction. It also helps prevent stockouts, excess inventory, and backorders.

The Cold Chain is Heating Up

Tive Tag is a reusable, paper-thin logger that provides end-to-end cold chain monitoring of temperature-sensitive shipments at half the cost of a traditional data logger. Simply stick, tap, and ship.

3PL Growth Strategies

With new 3PLs emerging, competition in logistics has increased dramatically. What can 3PLs do to attract and retain more ecommerce business?

7 Steps to Improving your Peak Shipping Season

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the supply chain industry has been completely thrown off, with ever-changing rules and regulations. As a result, it’s getting harder and harder to plan accordingly. That’s why it is of the utmost importance to have a strong shipment and fulfillment plan. Our ebook 7 Steps to Improving your Peak Shipping Season details current trends, where the industry is headed, and steps to succeed.

The Ultimate Guide to Full Truckload & LTL Transportation

Explore FTL and LTL shipping, understand the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and which works best for your organization. Follow along as we take a deep dive into how both strategies can be used in conjunction to make carriers more efficient and save shippers money.

Network Optimization on the Path to Improving Operations & Reducing Costs

Visibility into an organization’s data is where optimization, better performance and long-term cost savings begin. In this e-Book, you will learn the five key steps to network  optimization, how to build a supply chain digital twin, the impact of powerful business intelligence tools and the potential outcomes of a successful network optimization project.

Carhartt Sees UPH Productivity Double with LocusBots

Carhartt worked with DHL Supply Chain to find a way to scale and close their capacity gap to improve distribution and speed. DHL recommended the Locus solution to reduce cycles and lessen the amount of walking for associates. “We saw an immediate impact to productivity and throughput on day one as well as a big boost in employee morale,” said Tim Dolchich, Director of Engineering, DHL.

Fulfillment Automation Guide: How to Keep Pace with the Speed of Ecommerce and Customer Expectations

Download our whitepaper, Fulfillment Automation Guide: How to Keep Pace with the Speed of Ecommerce and Customer Expectations to learn: the drawbacks of manual processes for owners, CEOs/COOs, and operations managers; the advantages and benefits of automation for warehouse workers, front office/back office, management, and c-suite; tips on how to talk to your staff about implementing automation and generating time-saving ideas; and your lifecycle stage to help determine which automated order management functionality you need now and into the future.

Best Practices to Modernize Your Warehouse Operations

Warehousing, distribution and fulfillment operations are undergoing a modern-day makeover as they transform to meet the growing demands of the world’s instant gratification, on-demand economy.Faced with an evolving omnichannel landscape, ever-increasing volumes, faster delivery requirements and a global shortage of workers, industry leaders must modernize to keep pace. This report provides the best practices you need to adapt and succeed in this new reality.

2022 Gartner® Market Guide for Intralogistics Smart Robotics

Managing Your Dock Scheduling to Get Your Data Right

Explore how automated dock appointment scheduling platforms that collect actionable data are transforming dock management – and bottom line performance.

Why Connected Commerce Will End the Reign of ERP

Read Why Connected Commerce Will End the Reign of ERP to learn: why enterprise resource planning systems of the past are failing to serve brands and 3PLs well; how to escape the manual system upgrade hamster wheel; and what to look for in software for connected solutions and success. Download to learn tips to improve collaboration with brands.

A Must-Have Guide for Managing Exceptions with Ocean Visibility

Download this guide to learn how exception management paired with ocean visibility can help you quickly adjust your transportation plans and mitigate the negative impacts of exceptions. You’ll learn best practices from FourKites’ customers on how they’ve reduced demurrage and detention fees, improved customer service and ensured that their product arrives on-time and in-full.

The First Mile: The Ins and Outs of Drayage

Drayage is an important component in the logistics and supply chain industry – in fact, it accounts for a significant part of the $50 billion port logistics market. However, there is a surprising amount of inefficiencies and lost opportunities at ports, due to the lack of focus on drayage. Follow along as we dive into drayage and see exactly how it could impact your bottom line.

How 3PL Firms are Helping Distributors Prepare for the Future of Logistics

In today’s increasingly competitive market, companies realize the importance of supply chain management. An efficient and secure supply chain is the foundation for overall success, ensuring optimal product visibility and lowering costs. With advanced technology resources in the industry, suppliers can guarantee full-cycle visibility and flexible distribution operations, leading to a seamless transformation with digital technology.

Advantages of a Flexible Sortation Solution in the Age of E-Commerce – The Key to Unlocking your R.O.I. Potential

As e-commerce companies grow, many of them face the same challenge: how to increase capacity in the current facility, while reducing costs and maximizing customer service. Far too often, companies sacrifice one for another. They find themselves asking, “how do we reduce costs and improve capacity and the customer experience at the same time?” The secret to this problem lies within the four walls of the fulfillment center.

A Roadmap for Navigating Supply Chain Issues

Today, the trucking industry grapples with both truck and driver shortages. In addition to the strain these shortages create for the economy at large, they also present problems for companies with commercial vehicles: vehicle downtime, profit losses, and additional parking costs. Download this how-to-guide to see how fleet owners and investors are transforming today’s challenges of the commercial vehicle industry into opportunities for innovation and new income streams.

Foundation for a Successful Freight Brokerage

Ryder’s new infographic highlights the most important elements to navigate disruption and keep your goods moving. Learn how the combination of talent and technology, lead best-in-class brokerages and optimize the movement of your freight.

Warehouse Profitability Checklist: Proven Ways to Improve 3PL Profitability

3PL warehouses seeking to improve profitability must be at the top of their game in every area. The Warehouse Profitability Checklist can help you identify gaps, evaluate new technologies, and position your warehouse for success.

Effective Change Management Process Critical to a Successful Transportation Transition

Shippers can identify many benefits to relying on an experienced third-party logistics (3PL) provider to manage their transportation and logistics processes, including full network visibility, route optimization, carrier management, access to performance benchmarks and metrics, and more. Making the change, however, can be daunting, and shippers should ensure they choose an experienced partner—one who understands that having a detailed change management plan can mean the difference between a successful transition and a complete disaster. Ruan’s experts have identified three keys to effectively managing a transition to an outsourced transportation management solution.

Three Ways Configured Software Prepares Your Business for the Future

The contract packing industry is becoming more complex with each passing day. In order to adapt and thrive, you need to choose the correct software platform to meet the needs of your value-added services. Scaling your contract packing operation for the future requires preparation—for risks as well as opportunities.

Merging Technology & Talent

Globally, supply chains are facing unprecedented levels of disruption. Shippers and carriers are challenged more than ever to keep goods moving, while ensuring customer needs are met. Ryder’s new infographic explores the foundation to a successful freight brokerage. Learn what the fundamental areas needed for success are and what to look for in a freight broker to keep your goods moving while navigating disruption.

Bridging the LTL Expertise Gap: Online Learning Evolves

Sometimes a business needs to step back and identify a need for educational resources. For those beginning a career in freight management, there are a dozen or more respected logistics or supply chain management educational courses. But, there has been a notable gap in LTL educational resources to bring newcomers up to a competitive level of excellence or enable industry veterans to expand their knowledge base.

How to Grow Your 3PL and Win Customers for Life

Are you spending hours a day onboarding new clients, chasing down inventory, and wading through hundreds of contracts to find billing answers? See how to redeploy those resources into revenue-generating activities, like services tailored by client and self-serve billing and order tracking. This guide shows how 3PLs have cut the billing cycle by 35%, increased shipping volume by 63%, and boosted labor efficiency up to 60%.

The Complete Guide to Evaluating Warehouse Management Software

Buying software shouldn’t be hard. Yet, every year third-party logistics warehouses struggle to make decisions about technology infrastructure that will help them grow and meet their customer needs. In this year’s In the Complete Guide to Evaluating Warehouse Management Software, we will share a step-by-step guide on how to best evaluate, select, and implement WMS software.

Boosting Labor Management With Capacity Planning

Are production deficits from unplanned labor shortages increasing your labor costs and cutting into your profit margins? Since the start of the pandemic, many manufacturing or distribution and fulfillment (D&F) operations have dealt with waves of staff illnesses that have put production behind schedule and led to excessive overtime hours. Many site managers are turning to capacity planning models to break the cycle. Learn how modern labor management software (LMS) is leveraging data science techniques to deliver more accurate and prescriptive capacity planning forecasts.

Cut the Fat From Your Forklift Fleet

Optimizing your lift truck fleet according to business requirements can help protect slim margins and maximize productivity. This white paper examines the value of a fleet management program and how to evaluate it for ongoing success."

The Perfect Warehouse Pick and Pack Checklist

Are you using best practices to increase accuracy and profitability? Now is the time to improve your warehouse operations. One of the easiest ways to enhance productivity and improve accuracy is to implement pick and pack best practices throughout your warehouse. In this year’s To help, we’ve created an easy-to-use checklist of picking and packing best practices to get you started on the right foot.

2022 State of the Third-Party Logistics Industry Report

What does 2022 have in store for 3PLs, warehouses, and their partners? From combatting supply chain disruptions and creating new omnichannel fulfillment strategies to benefitting from the evolution of 3PLs, 4PLs, and cutting-edge technology, 2022 could be one of the most important years ever for businesses looking to play a pivotal role in how consumers receive goods.

2022 Warehousing Vision Study

The pandemic disruptions to the global supply chain will linger for years. Some experts say it will never return to normal. Bar Code Direct is a Leader in mobility solutions for supply chain Logistics. With our partner Zebra, we have conducted an extensive study to gather best practices for the best way to adapt and succeed in this new reality.

The Spring Shipping Surge’s Far-Reaching Market Impacts [WEBINAR]

If you’re a Shipper that wants to navigate the rate, volume and market shifts of the spring season better, this is a definitive live event you won’t want to miss. Hosted in partnership with DAT iQ – this is a must-attend, 1-hour webinar: The Spring Shipping Surge’s Far-Reaching Market Impacts – June 1 at 1:00pm EST. REGISTER NOW!

9 Steps to Boost Your Shipping Performance

Don’t get left behind. Now more than ever, retailers have to up their shipping game to keep up with the competition. Shoppers expect a smooth online shopping experience, and to make that happen businesses need to have an effective (and affordable) shipping ecosystem in place.

Holiday Fulfillment: Peak Season Survival Guide

Holiday 2022 is just around the corner. Are you prepared for a record year? If you need to fine-tune order fulfillment operations before you deck the halls, check out our Peak Season Survival Guide. You’ll learn useful tips from fulfillment experts on solution design, inventory management, information systems, labor management, parcel shipping, reverse logistics, and more.

Port Congestion Shines Light on Visibility Gaps

Port congestion is a standout topic in current conversations surrounding logistics and the supply chain. With consumer demand and e-commerce at an all-time high, huge spikes in U.S. imports have led to severe backups that have hobbled many companies utilizing West Coast ports. This report, built from extensive survey data from a myriad of shippers and logistics providers, shines light on visibility gaps that have contributed to the current crisis of port congestion.

Wide World of eCommerce Fulfillment for 3PLs

eCommerce fulfillment–everybody is doing it! If you’re a 3PL and not already doing high-volume fulfillment, you likely will be soon. The pandemic has accelerated an already fast-growing segment of the industry. Omni-channel fulfillment is here to stay. This FREE eBook provides an overview of the concepts, terminology, and operational guidelines that 3PL warehouse operators should be considering for a successful fulfillment operation.

E-Commerce Consumer Survey Results Are In

Kenco’s recent survey includes insights into consumer behavior when it comes to purchasing products and services online. Will this surge in e-commerce buying subside along with the pandemic, or have our shopping preferences changed permanently? What percentage of the public regularly shops online, and does this cause any conflicting feelings between the desire for a quick turnaround while preferring sustainable practices? Click to see our results.

Warehouse Process Checklist – Evaluation Best Practices

More than ever, warehouses need to process inventory with less – less time, less labor, less room for errors. To remain profitable, warehouses must look to implement industry-proven technology, backed by benchmarks, to accelerate efficiency. But, where do you start? Get the Warehouse Process Checklist

Inefficiency, Not Just the Labor Shortage, is Breaking Supply Chains

Driver shortages and port congestion are taking center stage amid news reports of supply chain challenges. However, new research from Flock Freight® and Drive Research reveals inefficiency plays a major role in supply chain disruptions. Want to be the first to see all the study’s notable findings? Download the guide, “Inefficiency – not just the labor shortage – is breaking supply chains,” to uncover exclusive insights into the obstacles hundreds of shippers face due to inefficiency within traditional freight modes.

The Definitive Guide to High-Capacity Autonomous Mobile Robots

Autonomous mobile robots, such as self-driving fork trucks, pallet trucks, and tuggers, are now a key tool for materials handling in manufacturing and warehousing facilities. Explore the benefits of adopting autonomous equipment, common applications, and workflow examples in this free whitepaper.

7 Best Applications for Robotic Lift Trucks

Robotic lift trucks are increasingly popular, but where do they fit in your operation? You need a solution to address challenges finding and retaining employees, and robotics are capable of handling a wide range of vertical storage and horizontal transportation tasks. The challenge is translating those capabilities to your operation. This whitepaper covers the seven best workflows for robotic lift trucks.

CenterPoint Properties—The Railway Forward

Companies are flocking to industrial real estate in and around intermodal centers in the quest to improve delivery speed, enhance supply chain efficiency, and lower transportation costs. CenterPoint Properties saw this day coming long ago and set out to develop a robust portfolio of rail-adjacent assets in America’s leading intermodal hubs. Learn more about CenterPoint’s state-of-the-art Intermodal Centers in strategic rail markets coast-to-coast.

The Industrial Port Outlook

Rapidly growing online sales activity that shows no signs of slowing is having a profound effect on imports and port congestion. Retailers and logistics companies are seeking higher transportation efficiency and lower drayage costs as they fight to keep pace. See how CenterPoint Properties has been preparing for this moment for years by strategically assembling a robust portfolio of port-proximate industrial properties coast to coast.

5 Ways to Start Cutting Supply Chain Costs

The ultimate challenge for companies trying to remain competitive in a fast-paced distribution environment is being able to meet skyrocketing customer demands while reducing costs. That’s a tough ask, and often a seemingly insurmountable task. These heightened expectations may have you wondering: What do my competitors know about keeping supply chain costs down that I don’t? Find out by downloading this new guide. Learn five tried-and-true ways to cut your supply chain costs, and how the right warehouse management system can help you get started on the path to greater efficiency. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you can do with the right technology and the right mindset.

Forward Thinking on Reverse Logistics

With more consumers buying online, managing returns becomes a challenge. And returns of large, bulky items are even more complex. End those headaches by letting DM Transportation handle those large parcel returns that FedEx or UPS won’t touch. DM can pick up from the consumer’s room of choice or curbside, or even break down and pack the item. What distinguishes DM from its competition is attentive customer service – DM contacts the consumer within 24 hours of the return order, and picks up within 48. Once it completes the pickup, DM can donate or recycle the item locally, liquidate it, return it to the vendor, or send it back to the retailer. Check out this video today and get started on improving your reverse logistics program with DM Transportation.

Generate and Communicate Actionable Visibility Data for Shippers and Receivers

Today’s shippers and receivers are being challenged to navigate increasingly complex supply chains more efficiently. To succeed, they need the ability to view, analyze, predict and communicate the status of shipments in real time.As a result, supply chain visibility functionality has emerged as an industry requirement.

Why Businesses Need Route Optimization

Route Optimization (RO) is the process of determining the most cost-effective route from point A to point B. However, it is not equivalent to finding the shortest distance between the two points. The best routes for business will depend on a lot of different factors. Download this free guide for a comprehensive look at how RO software can take these factors into account and provide businesses with various benefits.

Constantly Connected: How Cellular is Enabling the Digital Supply Chain

Supply chains grow more and more complex every day. Although there are many technology options when it comes to building a digital supply chain, one stands out as the most reliable and cost-effective: cellular. Cellular tools are the foundation of an effective digital supply chain, and the key to keeping managers constantly connected to their in-transit goods — from end to end. Download the white paper from Tive to learn more.

It’s Time to Rethink the Box

Eliminating outer cartons can drastically reduce the dimensional weight of each package, bring down costs, and make shipping additional units in a single load more efficient. Find out how packaging solutions company Sealed Air can accelerate your fulfillment speeds and reduce freight fees with StealthWrap, a customizable automated equipment platform powered by engineered, opaque shrink film that can withstand the rigors of the modern supply chain.

The Do’s and Don’ts of a TMS Selection and Implementation

Transportation is often the largest supply chain cost for a company. A TMS can yield 6-8 percent savings on transportation costs, yet only a fraction of companies take advantage of a TMS. In this white paper, learn the do’s and don’ts of selecting and effectively implementing the right TMS for your company to realize transportation savings and improve your operations.

Optimize Your Supply Chain with Ocean Shipping Best Practices

Want to optimize your supply chain? Doing so can feel easier said than done. Shippabo’s eBook walks through ocean shipping best practices to help you get started. The eBook includes critical elements of a successful supply chain, eight tips for optimizing your supply chain, and answers to common shipping FAQs. Download it to optimize your supply chainís inventory turn and pre- planning capabilities.