Today's News
How to Stop Freight Fraud Before it Starts
Learn MoreModern freight fraud is evolving fast, increasing in both scale and sophistication. Fortunately, fraud prevention strategies are evolving too. Here are some ways to mitigate risks and protect your shipments.
Cybercrime at the Ports; Manufacturing Momentum Broadens; The Forces Reshaping Logistics & More Supply Chain News
Logistics and supply chain news and highlights shaping the future of global logistics.
How to Prepare for Peak Season And Avoid The Nightmare Before Christmas
The annual holiday peak season is the most important time of year for almost every ecommerce retailer. By some industry estimates, as much as 40% of their entire year’s sales are made during this limited window. And consumer demand during this time period is continuing to grow exponentially. For example, online shopping grew by 8.9% […]
Asking the Right Questions About Hazmat Transportation
Hazardous materials transportation carries higher stakes. The right questions can reveal how a provider approaches safety, security, compliance, and communication.
Stop Managing Freight Rates. Start Managing Freight Behavior.
You negotiated the savings. Where did they go?
Transportation Is Only a Fraction of the Solution
Most companies plan the freight. The smartest companies plan the operation.
WHAT’S THE WORD: The Language of Logistics
Cushioning Cargo Crush Profile How much compression, weight, or impact a load can withstand in shipment. Shippers should determine a load’s crush profile and work backwards from there to ensure they use the most suitable securement materials. A recent RXO study highlighted the importance of crush profile considerations and accounting for lane topography to calculate […]
Your Best AI Solution May Be Your 3PL
We are living through an AI gold rush as a massive explosion of venture capital-backed tech startups flood the logistics space. They all promise a magic-bullet AI solution or software overlay that will instantly solve your demand-driven logistics headaches. The hard truth is that these AI pop-ups lack foundational, dirt-under-the-fingernails logistics experience. They understand algorithms, […]
Transportation Contingency Planning: Five Questions Shippers Should Ask
Companies can’t eliminate every risk, but asking and regularly revisiting these five questions can help you determine whether your plan holds.
The Smart Money is Betting on Growth
Look past the daily spot rate noise and political soundbites for a second. If you want to know where the global economy is actually headed over the next decade, look at where the big maritime lenders are putting their billion-dollar balance sheets. For example Global Ship Lease (GSL) recently locked in a $1 billion, seven-year […]
The Philippines Container Crisis — A Harbinger of Transpacific Friction
Do your Asia-Pacific supply lines touch Southeast Asia? Then dial into what’s going on at the Philippines ports of Manila, Batangas, and Subic Bay. What started as landside container imbalance and yard congestion is now a serious operational bottleneck. What’s the problem? Imports are heavily outstripping exports leaving empty cans piling up with nowhere to […]
Back to the Future: Deconstructing Processes and Reconstructing Roles in an AI-native Supply Chain
Everything old is new again. It has become a common refrain as digital transformation wends its way through consumer supply chains. Take the path to purchase, for example. Recommerce is returning to vogue as consumers value more sustainable and economical options. Cost-conscious shoppers are also turning to generic, private label brands, eschewing the premiumization fad that consumed CPG for much of the early 2000s.
Featured Articles
Consumers Want More Action on Sustainability
Learn MoreThe Retail and Sustainability Survey from global business applications firm CGS illustrates the demand for sustainability, even at the cost of losing expedited shipping times.
What’s the biggest supply chain silo?
Readers shine a light on the most significant information lapses and data gaps in the supply chain, from transportation siloes to the lack of visibility into suppliers.
Higher Transport Rates on the Horizon
Fuel surcharges, market forces, and easing truckload growth rates are driving up parcel and LTL rates, says Cowen/AFS’s 2022 Freight Index.
What pandemic-era adjustment will have the greatest supply chain impact?
The acceleration of digital twins. The ability to digitally model a company’s manufacturing and distribution network will allow it to quickly assess the impact of large and small disruptions and take appropriate actions. —Allen Jacques Industry Thought Leader Kinaxis The use of data analytics to help suppliers really understand consumer behavior. Suppliers decided to eliminate […]
NOTED: The Supply Chain In Brief
The latest mergers & acquisitions, logistics contracts, sustainability initiatives, humanitarian logistics efforts and more. Good Works The Coca-Cola Company, based in Atlanta, donated $1 million to the Technical College System of Georgia Foundation’s Commercial Truck Driving Program. The donation funds driver training programs and helps ensure more drivers are in the pipeline to fill trucking […]
Supply Chain Helps Meet ESG Goals
As corporations become increasingly focused on ESG initiatives, their supply chain and logistics partners respond with tools and services designed to help them grow sustainability and other goals.
2022 75 Green Supply Chain Partners
Inbound Logistics editors select 75 companies going above and beyond to prioritize green initiatives and help global supply chains become more sustainable. These companies are dedicated to developing and implementing best practices that leave a positive footprint on the world.
Chemical Logistics: Critical Challenges Drive Creativity
Chemical shippers and their partners keep critical shipments moving safely and efficiently—refining their strategies and getting creative despite considerable challenges. Here’s how leading providers formulate solutions for the chemical industry.
Vertical Focus: Footwear
China SC Woes Have Footwear Industry Tied In Knots The impact on the supply chain from lockdowns in China was a major themefor footwear retailers in the first half of 2022. Largely reporting lower-than-expected earnings, many major footwear brands pointed a finger at the lockdowns to explain their disappointing performance levels. Strict and extended COVID-19 […]
To Efficiently Unload Trucks, You First Need to Dance: A Winning Collaboration Between DHL Supply Chain and Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics has established a reputation as one of the most innovative and advanced robotics companies in the world. Much of this reputation has grown through the many videos of its dancing robots. And, while the videos are fun, they also serve a very real purpose in spurring innovation and advancing robotic technology. The videos, […]
Supply Chain Knowledge Center
Barcode Inventory Systems: What, Why, and How to Implement In Your Business
Learn MoreInventory control sits at the center of every product-based business. Whether you run a five-person ecommerce shop or manage stock across multiple locations, knowing exactly what you have, where it is, and when to reorder determines whether you hit revenue targets or watch sales slip away. The days of spreadsheets and clipboard counts keeping pace […]
6 Types of Logistics Strategies
Do you own a business, manage a supply chain, or work in logistics? Understanding the types of logistics strategies is essential for business owners, supply chain professionals, and logistics managers who want to optimize operations, reduce costs, and meet customer expectations. Knowing the different logistics strategies helps you streamline the movement, storage, and flow of […]
Order Cycle Time: Definition, How to Measure, and Why It Matters
Every business that ships products to customers depends on one metric more than almost any other: order cycle time. This figure tells you how long it takes an order to travel from the moment a customer places it to the moment it lands on their doorstep, and it touches nearly every function within a supply […]
Cash to Cash Time: Definition, Calculation, and Ways to Improve
Managing working capital effectively is a top priority for modern supply chain and logistics professionals. A critical metric used to evaluate this efficiency is cash to cash time. This metric serves as a vital indicator of financial health and operational agility across the enterprise. This informational article provides a comprehensive overview of the net operating […]
Net Weight vs. Tare Weight vs. Gross Weight: A Comprehensive Guide
The complexity of shipping and logistics often rests on understanding a few fundamental measurements. For businesses involved in manufacturing, packaging, and supply chain management, distinguishing between net weight vs tare weight is critical. These terms—along with gross weight—are the pillars of accurately calculating shipping costs, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining safety across transportation networks. Failing […]
What Is a Distribution Center? Definition, Uses, and Benefits
If you’ve engaged in eCommerce, you can attest to how hassle-free it has become to buy products online. The reason behind this efficiency in online shopping is distribution centers. They facilitate easy purchases and more convenient shipping times. With the rapid surge of eCommerce companies, distribution centers are becoming essential in streamlining the logistics process. […]
