Articles
3PL
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 […]
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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.
Read More3PLs 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 […]
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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, […]
Read MoreNOTED | 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 […]
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The State Of Logistics Outsourcing
In an era where technology continues to migrate consumer spending habits online and away from brick-and-mortar stores, the 2019 Third-Party Logistics Study highlights how supply chains are also outsourcing, going digital and using science to keep pace. Here are a few notable findings from the report, which was created and supported by Infosys Consulting, Penn […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Scorecards: A Tool for the Times
Advanced technologies like blockchain and AI have captured widespread interest with the benefits they promise to bring to logistics operations. But, for all the promise these appear to hold, there are proven enhancement-focused tools already available – in particular, scorecards – that supply chain managers should take full advantage right now to ensure optimized performance […]
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How to Prioritize and Select Logistics Technology – SEKO Logistics
Technology is the backbone of today’s logistics systems, and shippers want to make the right choices for mission-critical systems. One key question is when to outsource technology development vs. managing it with in-house resources. It can be challenging to secure internal information technology staff to focus on developing and implementing essential functions such as transportation […]
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How to Make Your Holiday Shipping Less Frightful – Ascent Global Logistics
A month before Christmas, a major snowstorm blankets the Northeast. Traffic is snarled for weeks and truckloads of gifts are stuck in distribution centers and trailers. The Christmas buying rush could be in jeopardy for a large part of the country. Even Santa and his red-nosed reindeer friend are unable to save the day. MORE […]
Read MoreBye, a la Mode
As part of a business plan to centralize operations and move away from independent owner-operator networks, Hub Group sold its Mode Transportation subsidiary to an affiliate of York Capital Management, a diversified investment manager, for approximately $238.5 million, with about $20 billion under management. Hub’s primary focus is intermodal, and it has sold a 3PL […]
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3PLs Put on the White Gloves
Logistics service providers reveal how they treat their customers like VIPs.
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Dual Dynamics
If you are using a third-party logistics (3PL) provider for truck brokerage alone, you are leaving money on the table. I wrote that eight years ago, when commenting on the results of our annual 3PL market research. Why did I say that? Because logistics providers have evolved and developed an array of solutions that bring […]
Read MoreTo 3PL or Not to 3PL?
Retailers may face significant challenges when expanding further into the online/e-commerce business. Some challenges may involve supply chain management issues. One of the largest obstacles is developing an effective fulfillment strategy. When it comes to making this decision, it is advisable to review the possible benefits of using a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. Self-performing fulfillment […]
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2018 Top 100 3PL Providers
It’s a boon year for third-party logistics providers offering innovative, flexible, and reliable solutions to meet shipper demands. Presented alphabetically, these are the 100 3PLs Inbound Logistics editors chose as the best of the best. Search the 3PL Decision Support Tool for an even deeper dive.
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Is Your 3PL Provider Causing You Headaches? Here is What to Look for in a 3PL Partnership – Ascent Global Logistics
It’s 2018, which means that shippers are looking for 3PLs to perform at higher levels than ever before. Because of various market conditions such as the driver shortage, record freight volumes, a volatile trade environment, and increasingly complex retailer delivery requirements, many 3PLs are only offering customers enhanced technology. While technological innovation is necessary, there […]
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Why do you use a third-party logistics provider?
We use 3PLs in regions where it is too costly for us to perform services in-house at the service level we require. 3PLs tend to have more density in the regions we use them in, and they can leverage their other partnerships to give us the service level we need at the best possible cost. […]
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Readers Choice: Top 10 3PL Excellence Awards 2018
From truckload capacity constraints to the intricacies of trade compliance, the global supply chain presents shippers with an ever-shifting set of logistics conundrums. That’s when they turn to the experts: third-party logistics (3PL) providers. MORE TO THE STORY: Ones to Watch About the Survey Respondents What Is More Important? In Their Own Words: A Sampling […]
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2018 State of the Third-Party Logistics Industry Report – 3PL Central
Over the past decade, there has been an extraordinary amount of change within the logistics industry. And with this change has come new requirements, new competition, new technologies, and more. At 3PL Central, we have watched as our customers have navigated this ever-evolving world of logistics. We compiled these observations—along with our own experiences—in our […]
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Leave IT to Your 3PL
Still struggling to get your logistics technology up to speed? You’re not alone. See why companies are increasingly outsourcing IT to their third-party logistics providers.
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Simplifying Supply Chain Complexities
Manufacturing has never been more global, productive, profitable, or vulnerable. Despite tremendous advances in breaking down global barriers and adding efficiency to the supply chain, there are still challenges to move products quickly, safely, and seamlessly. To appreciate the complexity of today’s global supply chain, consider Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner passenger jet. Each jet is comprised […]
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