Technology Powers U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance
The impact of powerful forces such as digital transformation, Industry 4.0, the current regulatory climate, and automation on U.S. manufacturers is the focus of a new research report from ECi Software Solutions. The findings indicate the role technology is playing in the U.S. manufacturing resurgence, with 89 percent of respondents confirming they had increased technology […]
How Data Collection and Artificial Intelligence Are Building and Digitizing the Next-Generation Warehouse
Supply chain operations are largely planned around how events are expected to happen in an ideal world, with little or no ability to respond in real time to the millions of micro disruptions that may occur. These daily disturbances, even as simple as delayed arrival of a shipment due to traffic, create billions of dollars […]
The Unusual Suspect: Supply Chain’s Role in Recent FDA Recalls – SwanLeap
How the TMS should evolve to increase end-to-end transparency and centralize your supply chain’s data
Amazon Primed for New Regional Hub
In the first airport project of its kind in the Amazon Air network, the etailer has announced plans to open a regional air hub at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Texas. Construction has already begun on the new air hub, which will create hundreds of new jobs. Unlike other gateways and facilities within Amazon […]
Driving Disruption: Planning for the Future of Logistics – RPM
If things aren’t evolving in your supply chain to make room for operational improvement, it’s time to think about it and plan for it.
Maximizing Global E-Commerce Profits
With 7 billion prospective customers out there, how can e-commerce companies not grow wealthy by expanding internationally? But, as with most things in business, international e-commerce is not as simple as it sounds. It takes work, planning, and investment, but the profit potential is very real. When branching out internationally, you’ll be able to get […]
Riding Out the Rapids
It seems that we are moving from crisis to crisis—tariffs, a plummeting stock market, cyber-attacks, recalls—at an ever-increasing pace. While we can’t avoid these crises, we can minimize their impact with a lean, agile supply chain. While that’s easy to say, it’s hard to do. Some key components to focus on include: Supply chain visibility, […]
Disrupting the Future of Grocery Retailing
The concept of an online grocery auction is simple but the implications to the retail industry are enormous.
The Digital Revolution Is Here – Zero Down Supply Chain Solutions
As the supply chain industry begins to embrace new technologies, there are still many organizations not yet leveraging the solutions available to them. To stay competitive, technology will become essential. Q: How do you think the digital revolution will affect the supply chain industry? A: The supply chain industry is about to receive a wakeup […]
Ford Predicts the Trends Driving 2019
It is helpful to understand consumer behavior when crafting efficient supply chains. Ford’s 7th annual Trends Report, which analyzes consumer behavior based on interviews with more than 13,000 people across 14 countries, provides some insight. Ford says these surveys don’t look just at behavior toward automobiles, but rather the factors that drive behavioral changes. For […]
Hot Tips to Stay Safe This Winter
"Slow the hell down and drive defensively." This is a crucial step in remaining safe on the road, especially during the winter months when driving conditions worsen, say executives at Lynden Transport. As harsh weather and poor driving conditions are universal concerns for drivers and fleet managers across the country, Jim Maltby, corporate director of […]
Using Collaborative Technology To Tackle the Carrier Capacity Crisis – Transporeon Group Americas
Technology is the great enabler of collaboration. When it comes to domestic transportation, efficiency-enhancing collaborative technologies allow everyone—the shipper, their carriers and their customers—to thrive, even in a challenging capacity environment. By automating processes relating to transportation, these solutions free up capacity and help keep drivers on the road by minimizing detention and dwell time, […]
The Cure for Meeting Pharma Requirements
Complying with global pharmaceutical serialization and traceability regulations without collaboration and system interoperability represents a significant challenge for pharmaceutical trading partners. Collaboration preempts disagreements among supply chain trading partners simply because complete, accurate data is important to both parties. Contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) are a crucial component of the pharma manufacturing ecosystem, and many pharmaceutical […]
Answering Global Volatility with IT Solutions to Support Supply Chain Agility
Today’s global economic volatility is putting increased pressure on supply chain managers. While worldwide turmoil is not new, the ability to manage it has now become an expectation — one companies must master to remain competitive. This requires purchasing agents to be alert, well-informed, and able to pivot to new suppliers and delivery routes with […]
The Game Has Changed—Time for a New Playbook – Transportation Insight, LLC
Evolving e-commerce service expectations force traditional retailers, manufacturers and distributors to rethink their strategies for serving clients. A two-day delivery normal—at little or no cost to the end consumer—pressures every supply chain stage, from raw material components to the finished product traveling the last yard to the customer’s hands. Retailers competing to deliver on service […]
Evolving Warehouse Processes as the Supply of AS/400 Talent Tightens
I recently had a conversation with a supply chain executive about how he was trying to enhance his company’s inventory management and overall warehouse processes. His organization has been lightly discussing this business need for several years. His company has grown at double-digit percentages over the last few years and they’re confident about their future […]
Today’s Warehouse: Armed For Speed
Technology innovations and new approaches to size and location are reinventing how companies fill orders at the warehouse.
How Shippers and 3PLs Can Better Manage the Global Cargo Chain’s First Mile to Last Mile – WiseTech Global
Three experts from the WiseTech Global family of companies discuss how shippers and 3PLs can improve their cargo chains spanning first-mile pickup, cross-border consolidation, and deconsolidating into last-mile parcel carrier networks.
Solving the Three Toughest Challenges in E-commerce Fulfillment – DHL Supply Chain North America
E-commerce is continuing to create opportunity for a range of businesses, but supply chain challenges can limit growth and compromise customer relationships.
Helping Del Monte Optimize its Transportation Network – Transplace
By improving its business intelligence and more quickly addressing supply chain issues with the help of Transplace, Del Monte has been able to optimize its network and reduce overall transportation spend.
Driver Shortage or Lack of Innovation?
The trucking industry has faced a driver shortage for many years now. In a world where every industry seems to be evolving, the stagnant nature of trucking is hurting the employment pool. While trucking was a popular profession for two previous generations, millennials have drastically different career expectations. Almost all millennials were raised using technology […]
When Logistics Worlds Collide: Fashion History Predicts Future of Pharma Fulfillment
Before you say anything, I’ve already heard all the jokes. You see, my experience in the pharmaceutical logistics sector began during the 1980s in the high-end fashion business. I know. There are drugs in both. Even planets millions of miles from each other may intersect their orbits at two points. And such is the relationship […]
How the E-commerce Warehouse Is Adapting to Life in the Big City
The goalposts in e-commerce fulfillment continue to move. Where once five-day delivery times were considered standard, now consumers routinely expect two-day or even next-day delivery. Same-day delivery is on the horizon. These shifting expectations have forced e-commerce and omni-channel retailers to expand their distribution networks. It can be difficult—and expensive—to meet even the two-day requirement […]
Industrial IoT: Friend of the Environment
SOURCE: Inmarsat Adopting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies to improve environmental sustainability ranks as a crucial priority for transportation and logistics companies, according to a new Inmarsat study. Across the transportation and logistics sector, the two largest drivers behind adopting IIoT-based solutions are monitoring environmental conditions such as emissions and air quality (61 percent) […]
Food Distributor Plays It Cool
Golden State Foods warms up to a cold chain performance monitoring solution that meets customer compliance requirements.
New App Drives Compliance
It can be challenging for rental trucks to meet the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. One solution is to provide drivers with easier Hours of Service (HoS) functionality. To that end, Penske Truck Leasing has introduced Penske Driver, a fully integrated and ELD-compliant custom app for its commercial truck rental, contract maintenance, and truck leasing […]
Asia Pacific Companies: Green Giants
Asia Pacific companies place more importance on green transportation than other regions, finds DHL’s latest research report on ground transportation logistics. Seventy-five percent of respondents from the region say electric vehicles will have a significant impact on transport in the next two years, compared to the global average of 53 percent. In addition, 82 percent […]
Freight Flow and the Economy: Asked and Answered
Arrive Logistics partnered with Transportation Analyst Donald Broughton (left), principal managing partner of Broughton Capital, to address the following crucial questions shippers need to answer about their freight. What effect is driver retention having on truck capacity? Normally, fleets average three- to five-percent unseated trucks (trucks without an available driver). Higher driver pay and lower […]
Old Dominion Freight Line To Carry On MLB Fan Cherished Ritual
Old Dominion Freight Line, the Official Freight Carrier of Major League Baseball (MLB), is driving the celebrations for the annual Spring Training send-off tradition with MLB teams across the country. This year, the less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier will partner with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies […]
India Bales on Cotton Exports
India’s annual cotton output could drop 12 percent to the lowest in nine years as limited rainfall in the top two producing states has slashed crop yields, potentially cutting exports from the world’s top producer, according to a report in the Economic Times. Fewer cotton shipments from India will allow rivals such as the United […]
NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-January 2019
Good Works Drivers from Arpin Van Lines delivered 93,000 remembrance wreaths to veterans’ cemeteries across the United States for National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 15, 2018. This was Arpin’s sixth year participating in the day of veterans’ remembrance, which coincides with the wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. E-commerce company Molekule donated more […]
Pushing Blockchain Past the Hype
Businesses across the supply chain are finally embracing blockchain as an asset capable of unlocking tremendous value, especially as supply chains grow more globalized and susceptible to compromise. Yet many companies still approach blockchain with apprehension. Misinformation and lack of clarity loom over businesses curious about blockchain. Supply chain companies are understandably wary of having […]
Six of One: Merger Creates UK’s Largest Logistics Provider
Hong Kong private equity investor EmergeVest has consolidated ownership of six of the UK’s leading logistics companies to create EV Cargo, one of the country’s largest providers of transport, logistics, freight forwarding services, and logistics technology, and a global supply chain company operating in more than 120 countries. With £850 million (US $1.067 billion) of […]
Automation Is a Game Changer for E-tailers
E-commerce is on the rise and only gaining momentum. According to a report by eMarketer Retail, in 2017, retail e-commerce sales worldwide reached $2.3 trillion, a 25% increase over the previous year. Besides discounts on products and the availability of tools for comparing product features and prices, what has really helped boost e-commerce, is the […]
News & Trends Impacting the Healthcare Supply Chain
85 percent of hospital executives say that reducing supply chain waste and related costs is a top strategic priority.
Not So Fast: Rethinking Multi-Item Orders
In the name of speed and satisfaction, many retailers think they’re doing the right thing by delivering products to customers as quickly as possible, shipping partial orders, but that isn’t always the case. High on the list of shopper frustrations is placing a multi-item order online only to have it arrive in multiple shipments over […]
Weather Forecast: Supply Chain Disruptions Ahead
Global supply chain disruptions continue to grow at an alarming rate and the potential for financial or revenue impacts is the highest it has been in three years, finds Resilinc’s recent EventWatch Supply Chain Disruption report. In the first half of 2018, Resilinc notified a record 1,069 events within six months, the highest since the […]
Why Millennials Deserve Our Attention
By 2020, global millennial spending power will total $20 trillion plus. Not paying attention to the needs of this burgeoning demographic is business suicide. The sooner supply chains can adapt to millennial attitudes, the better placed they are to thrive in the future. Agile logistics buyers who can secure providers offering millennial-focused services will reap […]
Economic Nationalism Challenges Global Supply Chains
Sixty-six percent of manufacturers responding to a new survey of global senior supply chain decision makers by software company LLamasoft say they would change their supply chains in order to tackle economic nationalism. In addition, 50 percent of respondents say economic nationalist policies will increase operational costs, and 45 percent are considering alternative suppliers, representing […]
The Fastest Growing 3PLs Spell Success “C-L-O-U-D”
Third-party logistics (3PL) companies have it tough. Not only do they need air-tight control of their data, 3PLs need to prove to customers that their data is safer than Fort Knox. In today’s world where one person in a black hoodie sitting at a coffee shop can do more damage to a business than a […]
Keeping Truckers Safe on the Road
Keeping drivers safe is important for everyone on the road, especially with 115 million cars and trucks hitting U.S. streets every day. Not everyone who drives will get into an accident. However, the risk is much higher for truckers who drive every day for work. A range of factors can cause crashes. One of the […]
Trade Wars, Cyber Threats Top Maritime Concerns
The global maritime industry is cautiously optimistic about the global business environment for world trade, but also concerned about the potential impact of trade tensions, cyber security, fuel costs, and other headwinds to industry recovery. Those are the findings of a new benchmark survey developed by the Business Performance Innovation Network, in partnership with Navis. […]
How the Cloud Creates Cost Savings—and Tax Benefits
Embrace the Flow of Innovation Modernizing your distribution business isn’t just about adopting the latest and greatest technology. From seamless scalability to cost-efficiency to tax benefits, the right solutions can pave the way to significant results. The cloud has introduced new levels of convenience, accessibility, and ease-of-management to enterprises everywhere. From any web-connected device, workers […]
Selecting a Cloud-based TMS
Selecting and implementing a SaaS-based Transportation Management System (TMS) requires careful thought. Future users and decision-makers need to: 1. Establish clear goals and priorities in advance. Clearly understanding your priorities and goals in advance will help narrow your TMS search to only those SaaS platforms that meet your needs. Calculate the expected return on investment. […]
The Changing Logistics of Grocery Delivery: It’s In The Bag
Food retailers are working to satisfy consumers’ growing appetite for rapid delivery of everything from tomatoes to orange juice. To feed this demand, they’re educating personal shoppers, developing new technologies to handle the last-mile, rethinking distribution networks and inventory planning, and partnering with technology companies.
Accuracy and Time Savings Through AI-Driven Forecasting
Despite a wealth of available solutions and methods, retailers still struggle to produce accurate and timely demand forecasts. Existing challenges are further complicated by the idea of unified commerce, as shoppers choose from a variety of more convenient fulfillment options. There are adverse effects throughout the supply chain resulting from inaccurate forecasts, but today’s retailers […]
U.S. Infrastructure Investment: A Private Matter?
Leasing America’s largest existing toll roads, bridges, airports, seaports, water and wastewater facilities, and university parking systems to private partners could generate $720 billion to $885 billion for state and local governments to spend on new infrastructure projects, finds a new Reason Foundation study. Leasing the 61 largest U.S. airports to private partners could generate […]
What Are The Possibilities?
As chief technology officer at Pilot Freight Services, Mark Baker’s mission is to lead the company through a digital transformation. “Like a lot of companies, Pilot has had some excellent technology solutions but still runs legacy back office systems using COBOL, FORTRAN, and RPG,” he says. A business that relies on mainframe-era technology can’t easily […]
How Retailers Earn 5-Star Reviews
The human touch, product education, smooth delivery, sturdy packaging, and good cup of coffee help retailers rate high with customers.
Building a Global Experience Through Connected Service
The Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing a new level of connectivity that is evolving the forklift service call and changing how companies approach equipment maintenance. Today’s connected service technicians, armed with new technology and increased connectivity, are helping to make service calls smarter and more proactive. As more data is gathered on forklift performance […]
5 Ways a WMS Can Cut Supply Chain Costs
The right warehouse management system (WMS) can improve efficiency and cut supply chain costs. TECSYS, a supply chain management solutions provider, offers the following tried-and-true strategies. 1. Automate manual processes. Find every opportunity to automate repeatable and time-intensive activities, especially those prone to error. An electronic pick list is a good place to start. A […]
Improving Supply Chain Performance by Focusing on Daily Improvement – Transplace
OGSM (Objectives, Goals, Strategies and Measurements) provides clear goals and identifies the strategic choices to achieve them.
Regenerating Logistics
Responsibilities: Profit and loss, commercial, supply chain, logistics, and the customer service within Veolia’s regeneration services business. Experience: Global marketing intelligence leader, global demand manager, North American business; marketing manager and numerous business, supply chain and logistics positions within Chemours and DuPont. Education: Penn State University, B.S., Logistics 1989; Drexel University, M.B.A., 1995. I came […]
VR Training Combats Trucking Industry’s Critical Driver Shortage
To many of us, truck driving and virtual reality (VR) using simulation are at the opposite end of the technology spectrum. However, VR using proper simulation is the solution to a major problem that exists in the world of trucking and freight movement.
Mail Merge: China Post, Lufthansa Enter Capacity Agreement
With the goal of jointly building a more stabilized and comprehensive channel of air mail transportation connecting China and Europe, China Post Group Corporation, the official postal service of the People’s Republic of China, and cargo airline Lufthansa Cargo are partnering on a strategic capacity agreement that adds one Boeing 777 freighter on the Shanghai-to-Frankfurt […]
A Lot to Learn
In the not-so-distant past, logistics and supply chain practitioners had just a few ways to boost their skillsets and keep current on the latest best practices. The options were mostly limited to on-the-job training, or required an unrealistic investment in time. Today, a world of resources is available to help even the busiest logistics professionals […]
Next-Generation Innovations: Digital, On Demand, Always On
Manufacturing and supply chain professionals face many challenges but, according to the 2018 MHI Annual Industry Report, Overcoming Barriers to NextGen Supply Chain Adoption, the top ones are increasing customer demands on supply chains (73 percent) and hiring qualified workers (64 percent). Eleven technologies are working together to create next-generation supply chains that can meet […]
2018: A Year to Remember
Most Likely to Have Lasting Impact The new NAFTA Jose Minarro Senior Vice President of Customs in Mexico Transplace “The rules of origin for several industries will change. Revisit eligibility to claim NAFTA or USMCA duty rates in the future and perform a comprehensive rules of origin and regional value content analysis for every product.” […]
Tis the Season to be Agile – WSI
If you work with a capable 3PL, you may rest assured that you already have the supply chain agility needed to meet any challenges the New Year may bring.
Good Question: What are your top supply chain predictions for 2019?
Uber Freight and other new platforms will power increasingly connected truckers and LTL providers into the gig economy. Steve Dowse SVP, Product Management Blume Global Supply chains will continue their evolution from the traditional lean standard strategy to more of a flexible and elastic supply chain to meet market and logistics fluctuations. These changes will […]
Continuing Education: What’s on the Menu?
No matter how skilled or credentialed, today’s supply chain managers are hungry to learn—and want a variety of options to choose from. With the marketplace growing more complex, continuing education professionals are cooking up new programs and remaking old standbys.
A New Combined Approach to Labeling and Artwork Management
Companies have struggled for many years to manage the growing complexities of their supply chains and go-to-market packaging content. Labeling has become more complicated as data requirements continue to expand, and Artwork Management has been challenged to meet an increasing number of demands on a global basis. Additionally, labeling and Artwork Management both face challenges […]
Minimizing Airfreight Costs
To combat trade wars, tariffs, and other obstacles, it’s important to optimize your supply chain. One way is to minimize the cost of air freight, which is generally a fast and reliable—but expensive—option. 1. Evaluate lead times and use THE appropriate transport mode. If lead times aren’t tight, consider using slower transportation methods, such as […]
A Dunk in Your Trunk
“In-car delivery is another smart move by Amazon in its efforts to become an omnichannel retailer. Frankly, I believe this is a much better option than the in-home delivery offering. Letting someone into your home when you are not there strikes most shoppers as ‘creepy.’ Letting a stranger put your purchases into the trunk of […]
3PLs Tech It to the Limit
Third-party logistics (3PL) providers are investing heavily in technology to deliver the freight visibility and business intelligence shippers increasingly require, reports the 2018 Freight Visibility Report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), the organization representing the $185.7-billion third-party logistics industry. Among the key findings of the TIA report: The delivery options that allow 3PLs to […]
Holiday Cargo Theft Q&A with Scott Cornell of Travelers
To learn more about holiday cargo theft, Inbound Logistics spoke with Scott Cornell, transportation business lead and crime and theft specialist at Travelers. Why is cargo theft more prevalent over the holiday season? With so many gifts being ordered, this time of year is holiday season for the bad guys, too. More shipments out on […]
Wait Loss Program
The supply-demand dynamic in the trucking market is out of balance, even as more drivers enter the field. With tight capacity, carriers can pick and choose which shippers and facilities to work with. In order to remain competitive and have access to consistent and reliable supply, it is crucial for shippers to become a shipper […]
Do You Need a Larger Customs Bond?
The answer could very well be yes, according to information provided by Tennessee-based transportation company Averitt Express. A lot of new tariffs have come into effect in 2018, and more are scheduled. These increases are substantial, and if they affect the goods your company imports, you are well aware of how this impacts your business […]
GPA on Track for 4.3M TEUs
For Calendar Year 2018 through November, the Port of Savannah has handled 4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, up from 3.72 million over the same period last year. Containers currently booked for December will add approximately 362,000 TEUs to the annual total.
Amway India Inks Digitized Warehouse Plan
To stay competitive in the e-commerce game, direct seller Amway India spruces up warehouse efficiency and accuracy by deploying WMS solutions.
Is Process Killing the Customer Experience?
When a company decides to do something new, employees usually try several different ways of carrying out the activity. But once they have found a way that works particularly well, they have strong incentives to lock into the chosen process and stop searching for alternatives. Fixating on a single process frees people’s time and energy […]
Plastics Supply Chain Turns Off the Tap
HP Inc. and IKEA are joining the NextWave Plastics global consortium—a collaborative initiative that brings together leading companies to "turn off the tap" of plastic entering the ocean. The goal is not only to scale their own ocean-bound plastics supply chain efforts, but to also extend across industries to make it commercially viable for all, […]
Inflation Making Waves for Supply Management
New study identifies five areas that can help procurement navigate uncharted waters.
Supply Chain Remains the “Next Big Thing”
Symphony RetailAI, a global provider of Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision platforms, solutions and customer-centric insights that drive validated growth for retailers and CPG manufacturers, announced the findings of a benchmark report, “Supply Chain Management 2018: In Service of the Customer.” The fourth annual study, conducted by Retail Systems Research (RSR) and sponsored by Symphony RetailAI, shows […]
What Will Retailers Find Under The Tree?
A common theme connects several strategies retailers are using to prepare for the holiday season: Enhanced capabilities to seamlessly cater to shoppers in stores, online, and on mobile devices. CBRE’s annual Holiday Retail Trends Guide outlines four trends shaping this season as it unfolds: 1. The optimistic shopper. In a strong economic environment, retailers who […]
Panama Canal in the Zone
The Panama Canal closed its 2018 fiscal year with a record 442.1 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS), which represents a 9.5-percent increase from the previous year. This surpasses cargo projections of 429.4 million PC/UMS tons for FY 2018, as well as the 403.8 million PC/UMS tons registered in FY 2017. The transit of liquefied petroleum […]
Lori Fellmer Keeps It Moving
Lori Fellmer is vice president of logistics and carrier management with BassTech International, a distributor of specialty raw materials. BassTech supplies inorganic chemicals and engineered polymers to numerous industries, including paint and coatings, roofing and waterproofing, and specialty glass. Responsibilities: Material movement and warehousing, with special emphasis on global sea and air transportation. Experience: Logistics […]
Automated Material Handling Equipment Market Lifts Growth Projections
The growing presence of start-up companies offering robotic solutions for warehouse automation, the increasing popularity of automated material handling (AMH) equipment among leading industries, significant recovery in global manufacturing, and rising labor cost and safety concerns are among the key factors driving the growth of the AMH market, according to a new study from industry […]
Good Question: What was your first job in logistics and what did it teach you?
Summer seasonal order picker. It taught me an order is only as good as its accuracy; without it, all you would have is empty pallets. James Stone Client Sales Representative Echo Global Logistics Manually tracking and tracing previous-day LTL pickups. It taught me every missed pickup has three stories: why the carrier says it’s the […]
Meet Your Match
Supply chain management is increasingly recognized as critical to an organization’s success. As a result, it’s harder to come by top-tier talent through traditional methods. Enter SCTalentMatch, a new service launched by veteran supply chain recruiters Don Jacobson and Adam Lenhart that anonymously connects supply chain professionals with employers. Candidates who are actively seeking jobs […]
What to Expect in Transportation in 2019
Transportation has been on a transformative tear for the past few years, boosting the use of digital platforms to do more for shippers, carriers, logistics companies and other stakeholders. Here are a few ideas on what we should expect in 2019 and 2020 from expert Bob McQueen, Industry Consultant, Teradata Government/Transportation. The emerging smart cities […]
Self-Driving Trucks Are Set to Transform Trucking and Logistics
While much of the attention surrounding autonomous vehicles (AVs) is focused on self-driving cars, the real impact will be felt in the shipping, trucking, and logistics industries, where AVs will have a dramatic effect. Today, the shortage of truck drivers and the need to follow strict federal regulations covering working hours are disrupting status quo […]
Click & Collect Not Clicking Yet
Fewer than half of retailers responding to an OrderDynamics survey provide shoppers with access to basic inventory visibility. Of the 2,000+ worldwide retailers participating in Omni-2000 Research: Global, only a surprising 38.1 percent show basic inventory visibility on product pages. A strict like-for-like, year-over-year comparison finds a 30.7-percent decrease in active online inventory visibility. This […]
New NAFTA Winners and Losers
Although the recently announced trade deal between the United States, Mexico, and Canada is not likely to take effect until 2020, assuming each country grants final approval, many have been quick to seize upon the agreement in search of "winners and losers." The new deal, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is poised to […]
Walgreens Launches Home Delivery Program for Prescriptions
Drug store chain Walgreens will now expand home deliveries for prescriptions nationwide. The company plans to partner with FedEx to deliver prescriptions as soon as the next day for a $4.99 fee, and it also is providing same-day deliveries in several cities including New York, Chicago and Dallas. The Deerfield, Ill., company started offering deliveries […]
Things are Looking Up for Multistory Warehouses
Multistory warehouses used to distribute e-commerce orders are popping up in densely populated U.S. metro areas, but conditions for developing the structures aren’t as ideal in the United States as in Asia and Europe, finds a CBRE report. The commercial real estate services firm’s analysis finds that New York City, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Los […]
Holiday Shipping Guidance for 2018: Analyzing FedEx 2017 Holiday Ship-By Dates
To better understand when shippers should send their packages during the holiday season, GrandCanals, a provider of analytics-driven fulfillment, launched an AI-powered website, where companies can view holiday ship-by predictions for 2018, updated nightly. These predictions are determined by artificial intelligence and consider both historical and current shipping trends across the GrandCanals Delivery Performance tracking […]
Post Office Dings E-Commerce?
Two recent and important developments will impact domestic and international e-commerce shipments. The first one concerns the U.S. Postal Service’s relationship with Amazon. Let me set the stage. The Postal Service lost $2.7 billion in 2017. U.S. taxpayers guarantee the perennially stressed postal worker retirement fund. And first-class mail receipts are off by $1.8 billion […]
How Shippers Can Achieve Peace of Mind Through Shopping Season
Imagine it is Christmas morning. A family is just waking up and starting to open presents. It is time for the teenager to open her big gift—a new laptop. This was just what she needed, and her parents are glad all their research paid off. Immediately, the teenager takes the computer out of the box, […]
NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-Dec 2018
Good Works DHL Express delivered hundreds of fresh-cut Christmas trees; thousands of handwritten letters; and menorahs, decorations, and gifts to U.S. military personnel stationed abroad as part of its charitable program Operation Holiday Cheer, now in its 15th year. The haul arrived at U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait in time for the holidays. […]
How Shippers Can Relieve Consumers’ Delivery Anxiety
Delivery anxiety is the anxiety consumers feel when they don’t know when they are going to receive their order or when shipping costs push the total order cost too high. It ultimately causes the consumer to abandon the shopping cart, and possibly order the product they so desperately desire elsewhere. Removing delivery anxiety, your single […]
3PLs, Tech Providers Empower Ethical Supply Chains
Photo courtesy of DHL Because they are so busy watching their margins, shippers do not always spend adequate attention and resources on the ethical issues involved in their highly complex supply chains, notes Mark Smolik, vice president, general counsel and secretary, compliance officer for DHL Supply Chain, the logistics division of Deutsche Post DHL. Ethics, […]
That’s a Latte Coffee
When it comes to coffee imports, Germany is way out in front of EU member states, with 2017 imports totaling 1.1 million metric tons (see chart), according to Eurostat’s most recent statistics. The Italians are also well known for their love of coffee and last year, they imported slightly more than 550,000 metric tons. Belgium […]
NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief
SHOVEL READY Online home goods and furniture retailer Overstock.com is set to open a 517,000-square-foot distribution center in Kansas City, Kansas. The new warehouse allows Overstock to offer two-day ground shipping to nearly every customer in the contiguous United States. The retailer intends to expand the distribution center’s operations to include returns processing. Sealed Deals […]
Take a Load Off Your Fleet
Maintenance and repair (M&R) is the top factor motivating fleet executives to acquire new trucks, say 40 percent of respondents to a recent Fleet Advantage survey of more than 1,000 fleet executives. M&R costs have moved front and center in recent years, with more fleet personnel working with their finance departments, the survey finds. Costs, […]
Cold Comfort: Finding the Right Winter Warehouse
The 2018-2019 winter season is projected to be colder than normal, so it’s time for companies to ensure their inventory is protected. Here are three tips for choosing the right cold storage warehouse for your business this winter: 1. Heated facilities. Find a warehouse that operates a heated facility to keep materials at the right […]
How to Adapt an Aging Warehouse
With the economy firing on all cylinders, it is not uncommon to find warehouses bursting at the seams. When the time arrives to consider investing in additional space, many distribution centers, retailers, and businesses dependent on warehouses face a dilemma: Should the organization move to a new facility, build an addition, or try to retrofit […]
How to Become a Shipper of Choice
As shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers prepare for a busy Q4 2018, here are some ideas for easing the capacity crunch, controlling costs, and becoming a "shipper of choice." Carriers in the driver’s seat. When the freight market shifted, so did the balance between shippers and carriers. In today’s market, carriers can afford to […]
Airfreight Forwarders Guide
These airfreight partners can help you fashion transportation operations that make your company a model of efficiency.