Articles
Trends
The Impact of the Port Strike: Insights from Industry Experts
The ongoing port strike is a stark reminder of the fragility of supply chains and the cascading effects disruptions can have across industries. Industry experts share predictions about the impact of the strike.
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E-Shoppers: It’s a Mall World
Online shoppers across the globe are buying from marketplaces and international retailers, relying more on digital devices and seeking alternate delivery options, according to the latest UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study. Almost all online shoppers in the markets surveyed shop at marketplaces—third-party e-commerce sites that let multiple merchants sell products. In Mexico, 99 […]
Read MoreSupply Chain’s Rising Stars
“Supply chain is an untouched territory of future developments,” says Charlotte de Brabandt, megawatt winner, Rising Supply Chain Stars program. Saving more than $10 million, updating technology across 8,900 stores, explaining results from a 27-country region to top management, and increasing forecast accuracy with new digital tools are just some achievements of the latest winners […]
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Digital Supply Chains: The Modernization Gap
In supply chain and logistics, a wide chasm separates digital innovators from those that still rely on traditional, manual approaches to optimizing their operations. Janeiro Digital, a digital business consultancy, surveyed 98 mid- and senior-level supply chain managers to learn about this disparity in digital maturity. With notable giants such as Amazon dominating the supply […]
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Choosing a Freight Bill Processor
As freight payment processor IPS Worldwide heads to bankruptcy court, shippers are reminded how important it is to be diligent when choosing a freight bill processor. Stanley Black & Decker learned it the hard way, alleging in an interview that IPS "diverted, stole or otherwise misappropriated" its funds and owed the company an estimated $41 […]
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Robots on the March
A growing number of warehousing and logistics companies are incorporating robots to remain competitive in a market driven in large part by consumers that demand rapid fulfillment. At the same time, robotic warehousing and logistics technologies are advancing in capability and becoming more affordable each year. The demand for robots and the supply of advanced […]
Read MoreLeveraging Data for Speed and Efficiency
Constant optimizations drive transportation and logistics (T&L) processes. To compete in this ever-evolving sector, you need to be able to take full advantage of the data at your disposal. Here are the critical steps you can take to manage your T&L data to best optimize for efficiency, price, and speed. Share information. Data is generated […]
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Despite Challenges, Shippers Forge Ahead
Shippers experienced a range of supply chain challenges in 2018, according to results from Averitt Express’ fourth annual State of the North American Supply Chain survey. More than 2,300 North American shippers from a variety of industries participated. The results provide a clear view of the road that shippers traveled in the previous year. The […]
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Walmart Rolls Back Driver Shortage Concern
Even the mighty Walmart is not immune from the challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified drivers. To combat the driver shortage, Walmart is giving its drivers a $0.01 per-mile increase and a 50-cent increase in activity pay for arrive and arrive/drop occurrences. That means Walmart drivers will now be paid up to one dollar every […]
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Intermodal’s High Five
Full-year results for intermodal freight are the strongest in five years, finds the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) Q4 and year-end Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report. Intermodal freight volumes posted a fourth-quarter growth rate of 4.2 percent year-over-year, while quarterly international intermodal volume increased by 5.5 percent and domestic containers grew by 3.4 […]
Read MoreCostco Chickens Out
A handful of companies—think Tyson and Perdue—all but control poultry production in the United States. They’ll soon be joined by a retailer known more for chicken sales than chicken production: Costco. The big box retailer is building a farm-to-table production system to ensure a steady supply of rotisserie chickens. The center of the operation is […]
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Ryder Redefines the Smart Warehouse
Supply chain solutions provider Ryder System has successfully transformed its smart warehouses in the Miami, Dallas, and Chicago markets. The facilities feature the four technologies Ryder defines as definitive benchmarks of an effective smart warehouse: Robotics. The implementation of robotics throughout one Ryder-managed warehouse produced a 25-percent increase in productivity and 20-percent operating savings, simply […]
Read MorePursuing Eco-Efficient Logistics
By Ray Hatch President and CEO Quest Resource Management In 2019, expect sustainability to evolve into a critical priority. The transportation sector is already moving toward greener fleets, and pursuing innovative solutions to reduce waste and improve landfill diversion. The new year will bring even more pressure—and opportunity—to address eco-efficiency within logistics. Robust sustainability programs […]
Read MoreWhat, Me Worry?
Manufacturing professionals are among the most aware of industry change due to automation, finds The State of Intelligent Process Automation from Nintex. The survey of manufacturing workers finds that 75 percent don’t harbor concern for job security amid the rise of new technologies. In fact, 33 percent are worried these tools will make their jobs […]
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NS Makes Tracks to Atlanta
Norfolk Southern Corporation plans to move its headquarters from Virginia to Fulton County, Atlanta, joining other transportation heavyweights such as Delta Air Lines and UPS in leveraging Atlanta’s major transportation hub. NS is investing $575 million in the move, which it says will create 850 new jobs. In addition to its headquarters, the new campus […]
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Manufacturers Laser-Focused on Technology
Digital transformation is truly underway in manufacturing. While digital technologies such as cloud, mobile, big data and analytics, and Internet of Things have been industry drivers for years, manufacturers now have high expectations for the business value of technologies—edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR)—that are […]
Read MoreTrends on the Horizon in 2019
The four trends that will have the greatest impact on operations in North America in the coming year, according to DHL Supply Chain: 1. Warehouse robotics come of age. Robotics are already proving their value in select warehouse applications, but the technology is expected to reach a tipping point in 2019. Expect the technology to […]
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Drivers Need Some TLC
With the American Trucking Associations projecting a shortfall of 174,00 truck drivers by 2026, it is important for organizations to understand and address driver concerns in order to retain a strong workforce and attract new talent. Third-party logistics provider Kenco and CarrierLists conducted a recent driver survey that reveals their frustrations, concerns, and priorities, thus […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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