Expedited Shipping: ”We Need It Yesterday!”
Business is a blur for expedited carriers, and that’s just the way shippers like it.
Retail Channel Convergence: Stock ‘Til It Drops
Changing consumer buying habits compel retailers to integrate in-store, catalog, and online channels to keep inventory on hand and shoppers coming back for more.
NASCO: NorthAmerica’s SuperCorridor Coalition
The multimodal transportation network known as NASCO runs through the heart of trade in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Find out what makes this corridor unique and why companies are banding together to support it.
Melanie Foster: Raisin to Believe
Although Melanie Foster has lived in California’s Sacramento Valley all her life, her influence reaches around the globe. As distribution and transportation manager for Sunsweet Growers Inc., she is one of the people responsible for making sure that much of the world’s supply of prunes and other dried tree fruits reaches customers. “I handle all […]
Making the Right Connection
Bon-Ton gets extra mileage from its transportation management system by linking it to a vendor compliance system.
Co-Sourcing: Two Companies Acting As One
You might worry about outsourcing your company’s entire supply chain—not enough control, too many unknowns, not worth the risk. But you can focus 100 percent of your attention on your core business functions and still keep a close connection with your supply chain through co-sourcing, a custom-tailored system designed to provide the logistics and supply […]
How to Tackle Mission-Critical Logistics in an Emerging Market
MORE TO THE STORY: FOUR STEPS TO FOLLOW Mission-critical logistics in the United States is manageable; acceptable in Western Europe; and nearing acceptability in maturing Asian markets, yet still manageable. In emerging markets such as Latin America, service parts logistics is incredibly immature. Businesses looking to grow in these areas must balance the risk/reward of […]
How to Locate a Contingency Port
MORE TO THE STORY: 4 STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Shippers and consignees on the u.s. west coast are well aware of the challenges they face when capacity is squeezed and time parameters are tight. As a result, many have begun managing their supply lines from point of origin, controlling the inbound shipment process to […]
How to Find The Right Outsourcing Solution
MORE TO THE STORY: PICKING YOUR PARTNER As the rules of engagement for operating in a global world continue to shift and expand, businesses increasingly find that the myriad pressures of running a core business do not lend themselves to doing all things well. In the interest of doing what they do best and providing […]
How to Select an Ocean Carrier
MORE TO THE STORY: BEFORE YOU CHANGE COURSE Ocean freight buyers are often limited by the geography of their offshore suppliers/manufacturers and stateside customers and the urgency of the shipping season when they consider making changes to their carrier networks. But there is always room for optimization. Shrewd logistics professionals periodically research and take advantage […]
How to Streamline Import Documentation
MORE TO THE STORY: THE 411 ON AMS AND 10+2 Businesses continue to turn to offshore manufacturing locations and strategic global outsourcing partnerships to exploit cheaper production and labor costs. Often lost in the process, however, is the value global businesses can extract by capturing data deeper in the supply chain to scale inventory demands […]
How to Use Transportation Metrics to Drive Profit and Service
MORE TO THE STORY: WHAT TO DO IF YOUR COMPANY IS… How do you measure efficiency when you are already doing the best job possible? Talk to any over-the-road shipper that finds itself increasingly handcuffed by institutionalized transportation and fuel-related costs and it would likely tell you the "best job possible" doesn’t cut it anymore. […]
How to Outsource Retail Logistics
MORE TO THE STORY: SHOPPING FOR SOLUTIONS Retailers are well attuned to the changing dynamics of consumer buying habits and the strategies necessary to ensure their supply chain can match inventory to demand. But ensuring product is staged in the right places at the right times is only part of the challenge; engaging the eye […]
Trends-November 2007
Traffic at the nation’s major retail container ports dropped below last year’s levels late this summer, and the peak monthly volume for 2007 is now expected to fall slightly below last year’s peak, according to the National Retail Federation and Global Insight’s recent Port Tracker report. “These figures reflect the weakened U.S. economy and retailers’ cautious outlook […]
Global Logistics-November 2007
European contract logistics providers are signing more contracts. The market in western Europe grew by 6.7 percent in 2006 to reach EUR 49 billion, according to Transport Intelligence’s most recent report, European Transport and Logistics Markets 2007. Some of the highest growth rates were in the Nordic region, where Finland in particular has benefited from increasing […]
Managing Expedited Freight Costs
Too much expedited freight can turn profitable sales into losses. While most shippers expect to use some expedited service to meet customer requirements, the ultimate goal is to reduce that need. Thomas Phelps, president, Alloquor Consulting, Los Angeles, Calif., offers these tips for managing expedited freight costs. 1. Determine why you need to expedite. Take […]
Know Your Freight Costs
Warehousing and distribution continue to be the hottest sectors in site selection. In fact, when researching a five-state region for a client to determine the most active industry sectors, warehousing and distribution topped the list. This location pattern is taking place nationwide. It is a trend that will continue as retail expansion drives more and […]
Web Services Add Sizzle to Shipper-LSP Integration
Emerging Web services promise to revolutionize the way companies and logistics service providers (LSPs) integrate. I am not talking about accessing a Web site using a browser, but secure system-to-system service requests sent over the Internet that can link enterprises, allowing a company to utilize third-party Web services as a seamless part of its own […]
The Shipper Empire Strikes Back
Sitting in the cab of a Class-8 truck provides a great real-time view of the country’s landscape, as we saw in the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) recent ad campaign. Sitting across the table from a present or prospective shipper, however, may present the best view of the future for both carriers and shippers. Today, transportation […]
Railroad RXR?
The nation is at a crossroads on how to handle the rail industry in the coming decades. While much attention has been paid to the state of the nation’s highways in light of the I-35 bridge collapse, a new Association of American Railroads study indicates that U.S. railroads need an overhaul, too. The National Rail […]
Blue Bell Creameries Licks Its Storage Shortage
A new ASRS helps Blue Bell Creameries continue its long history as one of America’s favorite ice cream producers. Here’s the scoop.
E-Commerce Network Posts Profit, Holds First Conferences
Elemica, the virtual supply chain management network for chemicals, has reported $50 billion worth of transactions for the fiscal year just ended—its second profitable year. Elemica also will hold its first Supply Chain Collaboration Conference at the Ashland Inc. facilities in Dublin, Ohio, on Oct. 9. Next month, the partnership holds its first roadshow in […]
Univar Acquires Dow Canada Inorganics Distribution
Univar Canada, based in Vancouver, has signed an agreement to purchase Dow Canada’s western Canada caustic soda distribution assets. Those include all related supply and sales contracts, as well as storage and transportation assets—primarily a tank terminal leasehold at North Vancouver, BC—and a proprietary fleet of 374 railcars. This acquisition will increase Univar Canada’s annual […]
Logistics at Sea Level
Ocean, rail, and intermodal leaders discuss why capacity concerns, infrastructure inadequacies, and a paucity of policy keep them up at night.
Rockin’ Rail
For years the rails sang the blues. Now they rock around the clock. Could rail transport soon be the leader of the pack?
Drum Beaters
Bulk containers and 55-gallon drums continue to duke it out. Bulk containers are the heavyweight favorite, but the venerable drum has not yet gone down for the count.
Setting Sites On Tomorrow
Third-parties and economic development interests can help businesses look beyond the basics to find sites fit for today and tomorrow.
A New and Different Kind Of International Air Cargo Facility
At MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, we are attuned to your international air cargo needs. We’re different; we know what you want. Efficient Air Cargo Transfer. You want an efficient air cargo transfer system to get your goods from the aircraft to ground transportation as quickly as possible. We provide you with a one-stop shop for […]
Greg Schwartz: Smooth Operator
In the smoothie business, hot weather is a blessing; as temperatures rise, so does demand. But when the sun blazes too long over peach orchards or berry fields, it may ruin the crops. Then, bringing in the fruit needed to whip up a perfect healthy drink becomes a complicated puzzle. That’s why Greg Schwartz, vice […]
Your Services Are Expanding…Are You Covered?
Q: I am the risk manager for a global logistics company that provides complete door-to-door service. A large part of our operation involves shipping goods by air. While we do have partners, our own employees perform most of our services, including airport consolidation and warehousing. We are insured through a global program that covers most […]
Creating Calm from Chaos
By automating and reorganizing its warehouse, Red-L Distributors cuts costs and creates a cleaner, safer, less frantic work environment.
Six Essential Strategies for Selecting a Global 3PL
Today’s complex global business environment – with its rapidly advancing technologies, emerging world markets, and vastly extended supply chains – places increasingly critical decision-making demands on logistics professionals. In a world gone global, the challenges of providing seamless supply chain solutions across geographical and cultural boundaries have increased exponentially. Overall logistical requirements, vendor choices, and […]
Global Logistics-Oct 2007
Plans to ensure that the international ocean freight industry pilots a sustainable course for the future received a shot in the arm recently. At its U.S. Legislative Policy Council meeting in Norfolk, Va., the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) got the go-ahead from its member ports to advocate for setting new, tougher air emission […]
Selecting a DC Location
With the growth in global trade, deciding where to locate your distribution centers is an increasingly challenging process. Dr. Jeffrey Karrenbauer, president and co-founder of INSIGHT Inc., offers these tips for selecting the best sites. 1. Evaluate your supply chain network and create a plan.Look at what you are doing now and where you want […]
Helping Truckers Survive and Flourish
What is the biggest challenge facing carriers today? Pick one: the driver shortage, fuel prices, insurance costs, new equipment costs, shipper and consignee demands, customs delays, border delays, technology demands. And the list goes on and on. Ask our company that question and we’d answer “drivers.” Insurance companies want us to only hire drivers who […]
Data Fuels the Supply Chain
When struggling to implement international supply chain management software, it helps to focus on the importance of clean and usable data. Failing to get good data into and out of your supply chain management IT system is like filling a Lamborghini with nail polish remover and expecting it to win the Grand Prix. How do […]
What North American Retailers Can Learn From Their European Counterparts
On a recent trip to a local grocery store, I noticed the organic produce section had doubled in size. I also noted the challenges this expansion presents to the retailer—the produce section had to be redesigned, produce bags specifically for organic foods had to be developed, and a little band with the word “organic” hugged […]
Managing Inbound: The Time Is Right
Most readers of this magazine know the value of managing the inbound flow. “But most companies would readily admit they have less control over inbound shipments than outbound shipments,” notes Dan Cushman, chief marketing officer, Werner Enterprises. That is changing, according to readers interviewed for this annual trucking issue. By managing inbound, companies aim to […]
Remember The Alamo Group’s Inventory Tracking Success
The Alamo Group realizes Texas -sized returns after installing a new wireless inventory control system.
Inbound Traffic Control
Tracking inbound transportation used to fly under shippers’ radar screens. Today, however, companies as large as Pepsico and as small as Pamida know the position of every shipment headed their way.
Inbound Logistics Trucking Perspectives 2007
An in-depth look at motor carriers and their customers.
Specialized Carriers: And Now for Something Completely Different
From traversing the tundra to White Glove residential deliveries the last mile is the most important.
Go Figure! Freight Payment Services Add Up
The cost-savings benefits of outsourcing freight bill payment and audit are well-documented. But it’s the decision-support data these third parties provide that delivers the real payoff.
Jim Calo: Under Armour’s Over Achiever
Active people look to Under Armour’s clothing, footwear, and sports gear to help them stay at the top of their game. Since last October, Jim Calo has been giving Under Armour a similar boost. As the Baltimore firm’s first chief supply chain officer, Calo spends much of his time with the operations team, scouting for […]
Arrow Hits Replenishment Target
Arrow aims at One Network’s platform to recharge its automated replenishment program, and hits the customer service bull’s eye.
Take a Deep Breath Before Diving Into Global Outsourcing
Over the past two decades, production pioneers at automotive and high-tech companies turned outsourcing into a baseline capability, significantly enhancing profitability and productivity. Today, manufacturers of all sizes in every industry are properly exploring outsourcing options as they grapple with the urgent need to reduce costs, enhance profitability, and increase competitiveness. This is especially true […]
Trends-Sep
Long adopted by Europe, short-sea shipping – defined as the shipping of cargo for moderately short distances or to nearby coastal ports – is making waves in North America as a viable alternative to ground and air transportation. As highways and airports grow closer to bursting at the seams, short-sea vessels, which typically follow a […]
Global Logistics-September 2007
While it seems that every supply chain is global these days, many companies are struggling to “go global” effectively. Navigating language barriers, cultural differences, and brand consistency can be challenging for even the most globally minded companies. One particularly troubling variable is making sure that the customer experience is consistent across all languages—and U.S. companies […]
Securing Your Loading Dock
Securing your warehouse starts at the loading dock. A secure loading dock protects your warehouse, and expedites the flow of incoming and outgoing trailers. Walt Swietlik, customer relations manager for Rite-Hite Products Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., offers these tips to help button up your loading dock. 1. Realize the loading dock is more than a dock. […]
Bouncing Back When Disaster Strikes
When natural disasters strike, businesses often must frantically search for essential items to deliver to beseeching customers. Adept use of sophisticated information tools can help retailers and suppliers “weatherproof” their supply chains. Diverting shipments, moving inventory to forward locations, and anticipating potential spikes in demand, can help moderate the effects of natural disasters. The following […]
Creating an Agile Transportation Enterprise
Due to an increasing number of enterprises involved in global logistics, and a growing number of logistics processing points, supply chains have become less agile. In response, manufacturers and retailers are developing demand-driven supply chains, in which suppliers manufacture products in the shortest possible time using the least amount of inventory. To achieve this goal […]
Hitting the Infrastructure Snooze Button
Folks in our business didn’t need the Minneapolis I-35 bridge collapse to serve as a wake-up call; we talk about maintaining infrastructure constantly. Just one morning before the collapse, I exchanged e-mails with Doug Grane, president of Central States Trucking, who, in a recent guest editorial, wrote: “Most trucking company owners would agree that as […]
Managing Domestic Supply Chains
How consumer goods manufacturers leverage domestic supply chains for fast cycle times that global outsourcing can’t match.
Temperature-Controlled Logistics: Provide or Perish
Whether shipping fruit, seafood, flowers, or any other perishable goods, transportation must be fresh, fast, and error-free.
Norbert Ore: The Creative Touch
When Norbert Ore looks back at his career, he recalls with special satisfaction a phase that started in 2001, when a job switch took him from Chesapeake Corp. to Georgia-Pacific (GP) LLC, Atlanta. His new position, the one he still holds today, was group director, strategic sourcing and procurement. Even for a supply chain veteran […]
Seeing the Value in ‘Seaworthy’ Packaging
Q: My company is a logistics service provider. We recently shipped a container of machine parts to Brazil under an arrangement that included the packing and stuffing of six crates. We received instructions from the customer that the packaging needed to be “seaworthy,” and we hired a subcontractor to perform the packaging and stuffing. When […]
Complex Technology Optimizes Basic Concepts
As supply chains continue to increase in scope and complexity, the technology powering those supply chains likewise becomes more complex, specific, and compartmentalized. Some companies, however, are realizing that in the quest for ultimate technology sophistication, they may be overlooking some very basic business concepts. Take working capital, for instance. A business can boast cutting-edge […]
Rock Around the Stock
Taking its cue from the Q system, Guitar Center’s forecasts and inventory allocation now make beautiful music together.
Negotiating Rail Contracts
Negotiating with rail carriers has moved beyond difficult. Demand for rail services is high, and capacity constraints have caused carriers to pursue yield over volume. As a result, some shippers are experiencing sticker shock, with transportation rates increasing between 20 and 30 percent. If your rail freight moves on mostly “closed” lanes (no rail competition […]
Real Estate, Logistics, and Politics Converge
Legendary baseball philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “90 percent of the game is half mental.” In the development world, 90 percent of real estate is half logistics. As shippers increasingly examine ways to make their global supply chains reliable and diversified, they look to infrastructure improvements to support their plans. Because globalization has added length […]
Squeaky Wheels Get Political ‘Oil’
In March 2007, I was fortunate to travel to Washington, D.C., as a delegation member of the Illinois Trucking Association. I spent several days discussing issues such as diesel prices, alternative energy, taxes, and toll roads with members of Congress. In every instance, these issues directly correlate with the financial well-being of the trucking industry. […]
Visibility: Seeing is Believing
Take a look at this list of avoidable logistics problems: Time wasted manually scheduling shipments and tracking products from channel to channel. Missed opportunities from not knowing the exact quantity of inventory in transit and stock availability. Strained relationships after shipments fail to make their destination on time. The common element is a lack of […]
Getting Government to Understand The New Science of Transportation
A freight transportation revolution has taken place in the past 25 years. Consumer demand, technology, expanding population centers, and vast global enterprises have combined to make intermodal the international standard for moving goods. Unfortunately, when it comes to U.S. government policy-making, ignorance of intermodal freight transportation is almost universal. The nation’s government agencies have not […]
Mid-Size 3PLs: What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger
Ah, conventional wisdom. Not long ago, observers of the third-party logistics segment predicted the demise of many Tier II and Tier III 3PLs. Smaller players could not keep up with the increasing complexity required to serve customer demands, they said. In addition, they predicted merger and acquisition activity would create a pool of large 3PLs […]
Bean There, Returned That
Building its business around high-quality outdoor equipment and clothing, L.L. Bean’s sales channels include seven retail stores, one dozen outlet stores, the Internet, and its nearly 100-year-old catalog. But it’s not just the product that Bean built its reputation on—it’s also the retailer’s 100-percent satisfaction guarantee. The roots of that guarantee trace back to 1912, […]
Welcome to The 3PL Zone
There is a dimension beyond that which is known. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between demand and supply, between strategy and tactics, and it lies somewhere between the pit of an enterprise’s fears and the summit of its visibility and knowledge.
Go Ahead…Pile It On!
Today’s outsourcers expect 3PLs to offer a wide range of value-added services. 3PLs respond.
Outsourced Logistics: 4Ward Momentum
What is the real role of today’s 4PLs? How do they differ from 3PLs? Who’s driving the growth of this outsourced logistics niche? Inbound Logistics picks up the lead and explores the changing dynamics of the 4PL/LLP market.
Inbound Logistics Market Insight Survey: 3PL Perspectives
IL’s annual 3PL Market Insight Survey offers a penetrating perspective into the market drivers governing 3PL growth strategies – in terms of operational scope, as well as the types of services and technologies logistics providers are investing in to meet outsourcers’ evolving needs.
Global Logistics Spotlight: Dubai Flying High
With constant new development, soaring air cargo growth, and a busy port system, Dubai is shaping up to be the crown jewel of logistics in the Middle East.
Hospitality Logistics: Supply Chains Made to Order
Welcome to hospitality logistics, where five-star supply chain management helps keep customers happy. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your stay.
Materials Handling Update: Pleasing to the Pallet
Before businesses begin tinkering with state-of-the-art conveyor networks and automated storage and retrieval systems, they might want to reconsider the role of the warehouse’s most underrated asset – the pallet.
Consigned Inventory Management: The Rx for Ailing Medical Profits
In matters of life and death, the last thing one should worry about is a supply chain. But when it comes to medical devices and healthcare services, supply chain headaches can change the abbreviation for Out-Of-Stock to RIP in a heartbeat. Like many other manufacturing industries, medical device makers face the need to streamline an […]
Expertise and Location – The Ideal Pair
To a high tech service provider, whether an OEM or a carrier, the device is a big part of everything. Without the device in the hands of its customer, they have no subscription fee. Without the subscription fee, they have no revenue. The world’s largest providers look to find supply chain solutions and distribution channels […]
Third Party Logistics Mergers and Acquisitions
With almost 600 reported deals representing more than $79 billion in aggregate transaction value since 2005, the transportation industry has seen significant mergers and acquisitions transaction activity. Third party logistics is one of the most active sectors within the transportation industry for private equity investment and strategic buyer acquisitions. Consolidation Although the third party logistics […]
Our Daily Mantra: Keep Those Containers Moving
Suppliers face many challenges as they work to fulfill the needs and interests of their customers. They have plenty to worry and wonder about until a job is completed. But there are two questions in particular that can cause sleepless nights if they don’t get the right answers: Where are my containers? When will I […]
3PL: Tactical Resource or Strategic Partner?
When it comes to choosing a 3PL provider, what do you look for? Beyond competitive pricing, is it breadth of service? Specialty transportation capabilities? Global reach? Whatever your selection criteria, price is a critical factor once the must-have capabilities have been confirmed – but is price really the issue, or is it cost? When it […]
Vimal Patel: Taking an Eagle’s-Eye View
When Vimal Patel speaks, everyone listens. As manager of merchandise flow at American Eagle (AE) Outfitters’ Warrendale, Pa., distribution center, his job is to make sure all departments – receiving, replenishment, packing, and shipping – pull together to achieve the facility’s goals. “Every department wants to do well individually, but they don’t always look at […]
RFID: A Tale of Two Cities
The current market for RFID supply chain applications reminds me of the opening line of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. According to RFID vendors, the market is poised for strong growth as active RFID solutions pick up speed, equipment prices begin to drop, and the industry continues to make progress adopting global standards. […]
Hassle-Free Electronic Invoicing: Now That’s Hot
HVACR wholesaler heats up efficiency with a cool electronic invoicing system.
Global Logistics-July 2007
Will inadequate transportation infrastructure and congestion negatively impact worldwide economic growth in the years ahead? One transportation leader believes so. “If our transport infrastructure can’t keep pace with the rate of growth, then big question marks hang over the continuation of the kind of economic prosperity that has been delivered this decade,” warned Ron Widdows, […]
Trends-July 2007
The biggest news of 2006 was what didn’t happen, not what did. A year of relative calm, however, isn’t giving way to complacency. Instead, businesses are proactively, if privately, tinkering with and tightening supply chains to streamline processes and build additional scalability into their networks, observed Rosalyn Wilson at the Council of Supply Chain Management […]
Getting Involved in Transloading
When executed correctly, transloading goods from one transport mode to another can help shippers increase flexibility and supply chain velocity, reduce cycle times, effectively plan distribution to meet market demands, and reduce shipping costs. But transloading can be a tricky practice, warns Dan Bourcier, deconsolidation manager for APL Logistics, a logistics provider based in Oakland, […]
Sourcing in a Seller’s Market
Rising commodity prices, growing global consumer demand, and increased political instability have put an end to the buyer’s market in procurement. Today, buyers are just as likely to be “fired” by their suppliers as they are to experience supply chain shortages or out-of-stock notices. So what is this new “seller’s market” like? And is the […]
Sailing Into the New World
The Spanish and Portuguese sailed into the New World half a millennium ago seeking fame and fortune. Today, a new breed of intrepid business explorers is finding safe anchorage in Latin America, targeting the area’s abundant potential for manufacturing and logistics activities in hopes of achieving fame and fortune of their own. Inbound Logistics first […]
Air Cargo Navigates Uncertain Skies
When it’s imperative that freight arrives overnight, or even sooner, shippers of time-critical goods including donor organs, emergency airplane parts, or critical legal or financial documents often turn to Aeropoint Delivery Services, an Atlanta-based time-critical delivery courier. That means Aeropoint is heavily impacted by air cargo trends: when a carrier downsizes a plane on a […]
Industry Outlook: Faring Well, Despite Challenges
Advances in safety and technology contend with stubborn tactical challenges.
Taking Responsibility For Responsible Care
Shippers and industry organizations help push carriers and 3PLs to become RC partners.
Shippers and Carriers Commit to Best Practices
Best practices keep chemical shippers and carriers thriving.
A Study in Terra
Four questions for Joe Giesler, senior v.p. of commercial operations for chemical company Terra Industries, Iowa.
Race To The Border: Catching Up With Latin American Logistics
MORE TO THE STORY: 3PLs Lead the Way With so much focus on the Far East and the West Coast, and to a lesser degree the Near East (Eastern Europe), U.S. consignees and shippers need only look due south to find one of the world’s emerging commercial and outsourced manufacturing and logistics markets. In terms […]
Career Solutions: Meet the Teachers
Who better to comment on the future of the supply chain than the people educating the next generation of logistics executives? Inbound Logistics profiles three dynamic professors on the front lines of logistics education.
Steve Lash: Loco Like A Fox
“A chicken is actually corn with feathers,” Steve Lash says. He should know. Lash is director of supply chain management for El Pollo Loco, a restaurant chain that built its success on citrus-marinated, flame-grilled, Mexican-style chicken. With more than 360 stores in seven states, and a 12-state expansion underway, El Pollo Loco (Spanish for The […]
Buying Insurance: Domestic or Foreign?
Q: I am a logistics operator who handles inbound and outbound shipments for partners around the world. I am currently reviewing insurance options to ensure that my cargo and company are protected against accidents or damages that may occur during transit. My broker recently sent a proposal that fits my needs, but I feel uncomfortable […]
What Are Your Tech Vendors Up To?
Twenty-five years after its initial launch, the annual Distribution Computer Expo is still an important event for previewing the latest in logistics and supply chain technology. The conference is a one-stop shop for catching up with the various providers that power supply chain technology. Here are highlights from my meetings with technology companies that attended […]
Box Ho! RFID Replaces Telescopes
Tired of playing hide and seek with its containers, CIMC finds a new RFID system to help locate product in its yards.
Global Logistics-June 2007
Port congestion remains a common concern for U.S. companies importing goods from overseas, and for good reason: one in nine of the world’s maritime containers are either bound for or coming from the United States, according to America’s Container Ports: Delivering the Goods, a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The report ranks […]
Trends-June 2007
Regardless of their political affiliations or opinions on the Iraq war, logistics and transportation professionals paid close attention to the compromise Iraqi war appropriations supplemental bill signed into law by President Bush in May. The bill contained two provisions impacting supply chain security: funding for port security measures, and further details on the hotly debated […]
Leaning Out Your Supply Chain
Moving toward a lean supply chain means eliminating waste in three ways: reducing working capital; enhancing operational productivity; and improving “build-in” quality and reliability (implementing quality controls on the front end of any process or procedure). Here are 10 ways to get lean, according to Ian Truesdale and Glen Clark of CEVA Logistics, a Jacksonville, […]