Commentary

How Reduced Packaging Waste is Key to Sustainability

Aiming for a green supply chain not only reduces costs but also is socially responsible. Shippers are turning to innovative solutions to reduce packaging waste and emissions as key components of their sustainability efforts. More customers than ever choose to purchase from sustainable companies. In fact, 91 percent of global consumers expect companies to do […]

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It Happens Automagically

I heard the phrase “it happens automagically” not long ago, and it reminded me of an editorial I wrote in 2000, when I mused that one day we’d have “a global internet without wires, melded with interaction free detection—finding something without looking.” Today, it is real and it happened sooner than I expected. The Internet […]

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Global Trade Content: Unlocking the Supply Chain Value

New Content-as-a-Service solutions deliver content that exists outside an organization. This outside-in perspective is spurring companies to find new value to make supply chain planning and execution inherently more intelligent—especially when it comes to global trade. Content solutions can, for example, help companies properly classify goods to ensure compliance while minimizing duties and tariffs; research, […]

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Developing Innovative Delivery Services That Delight Customers

To compete in today’s retail landscape, companies must differentiate themselves to meet consumer demands and drive brand loyalty. Many retailers are reassessing every aspect of their supply chains—including their delivery services—and implementing digital processes to ensure superior consumer experiences. Many consumers are willing to pay more for a better shopping experience. In recent years, retailers […]

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Bad News, Good News

Why does logistics giant XPO Logistics invest $500 million annually on IT to drive its business? The explosion in e-commerce, according to Brad Jacobs, CEO of XPO. But it’s not only consumers who have been acculturated to supply chain impatience. Purchasing, buyers, and supply managers in industrial sectors also feel the need for speed—and for […]

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Updating Einstein?

Einstein said the faster an object moves, the slower time seems to pass. Well, not for me. The increased speed at which products now move through the supply chain seems to have the same impact on my calendar. I can’t believe half the year is gone, and in the blink of an eye it will […]

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GOOD QUESTION | What’s the most important question you should ask a potential 3PL partner?

Will your pricing and service change after the first few transactions? Erik Boe Warehouse Manager DC Group What do you do when the trucking company loses some of the customer’s freight? I found out the hard way that for at least one company I don’t use anymore, the answer is nothing. Kirby Mohr President Mohr […]

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Autonomous Vehicle Revolution Is Upon Us

Self-driving or autonomous vehicles are progressing quickly past the testing phase. This technology is a world-changing innovation—a revolution well underway—that may surpass the discovery of electricity and the invention of the automobile. What sets this revolution apart is how technologies will combine to help save lives, money, time, and resources. It could mean a near […]

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Leverage Your Freight Forwarder to Boost Your Compliance Program

In trade compliance, we find ourselves needing to overhaul or develop trade compliance controls within our company, often alone. Executing a classification/licensing process, recordkeeping methodology, auditing calendar, or automation solution can be overwhelming. Whether you are in the position of establishing trade compliance controls, or looking to strengthen an existing compliance program, don’t overlook your […]

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5 Steps to Preventing Brand Damage When Your Product Fails

A poorly handled product recall can devastate your company’s reputation, market share, and bottom line. With proper planning and systems in place, however, companies can effectively manage recalls to mitigate risk, as well as prevent brand damage. The key is not to think of a product recall as a singular event, but rather as a […]

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How to Grow a Green Supply Chain

Sustainability impacts everything from how companies approach product design all the way through to customer delivery. In today’s competitive environment, sustainability must improve profitability and reduce risk. An industry standard for what constitutes a sustainable supply chain does not exist. Is being eco-friendly in transportation or manufacturing enough to qualify your company as green? As […]

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Why Aren’t There More Veterans in Logistics?

Approximately 200,000 people transition out of the military each year. Reintegrating into the civilian workforce can be a challenging experience. While many of their skills directly apply to a career in logistics, veterans remain a largely untapped resource for this field. Every position in every branch of the military—from weapons deployment, to combat training, to […]

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Stay Competitive with a Flexible TMS

Lean principles, when used in conjunction with a transportation management system (TMS), can deliver lower transportation costs, reduced inventory levels, and progress toward business goals. New technology is emerging to further improve the efficiency of transportation systems. You must manage and properly control—with complete visibility and great communication between partners—the transportation systems that connect your […]

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How New Technology is Boosting Human Potential in the Supply Chain

Advances in automation are liberating untapped human potential in the supply chain. A new opportunity to significantly improve operational performance is emerging due to advances in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and prescriptive analytics. These advances are not about technology versus humans, but about how technology will supplement and augment humans in knowledge-intensive areas such as […]

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Updated Uniform Bill Of Lading Changes: Are You at Risk?

Key components of the bill of lading unexpectedly changed in August 2016. While the changes may appear subtle, the implications sent shockwaves through the transportation industry. As the new standard approaches one year, it is important to re-visit the newly adopted terms to mitigate potential pitfalls. The uniform bill of lading is the default form […]

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3 Ways Your 3PL Can Help You Overcome E-commerce Challenges

To meet consumer demands, e-commerce requires adaptable and flexible supply chains, no matter how short the lead time. Companies can support this fast-moving supply chain by leveraging a collaborative 3PL relationship. By collaborating with a knowledgeable third-party logistics (3PL) provider, shippers can add both scale and visibility to their supply chain. With greater control, companies […]

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Reconstructing Supply Chains

I see it every day on my way to work, and if you’re in logistics, you see it too. The demand chain structure that you manage is breaking down and rebuilding itself, just below the surface, and changing into what best serves consumers’ needs. On a major New York artery, I pass a long-vacant big […]

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Thinking Inside the Unbox

Consumers today judge businesses on many things beyond product performance. Unboxing, for example, is now part of a consumer’s everyday experience. That means daily opportunities for your brand to make a positive impression. Today, 68 percent of shoppers say they are more aware of packaging than they were five years ago, according to a Kantar […]

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