Articles
Supply Chain
Top Supply Chain Disruptions in 2021
Supply chain disruptions increased 88% year over year in 2021, says data released by risk management platform Resilinc, with disruptions related to supply shortages increasing 452%, the largest increase across all event types. Although human health disruptions fell 68% year over year, 2021 saw the most factory fires ever recorded in a single year. The […]
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No Congestion Relief in Sight
It’s shaping up to be another congested year for global supply chains as the ongoing pandemic keeps consumers from spending on services versus goods, exacerbating resource shortages and delays. Logistics services providers must view this as a longer-term situation and plan accordingly, says a recent report from Descartes Systems Group. U.S. ocean container import volumes […]
Read MoreState of the North American Supply Chain
Most shippers responding to a survey by Averitt Express expect more delays, increased shipping volumes, and higher transport rates in 2022. Findings from the report reveal: 76% of shippers anticipate increased shipping volumes in 2022, the highest percentage recorded in the survey’s seven-year history. 37% struggled with capacity challenges within their supply chain in 2021 […]
Read MoreWhat is the biggest supply chain lesson you learned from the past two years?
The fragility or brittleness of a global marketplace so deeply dependent on just-in-time inventory. Any event, whether a pandemic, hurricane, or a container ship stuck in the Suez Canal, creates immediate disarray. In response, retailers have reverted to “just-in-case” practices, building up large safety stocks. It has become a choice between risking a stock-out or keeping costly excessive inventory. Where is the balance?
Read MoreMost Read Logistics Articles of 2021
Cold Chain Innovations: Keep Your Cool DECEMBER 2021 Items that need to stay cool range from large containerloads of fish to vaccines, and each requires special techniques. Here’s how shippers stay chill. bit.ly/ColdChainInnovations Air Cargo Today: Buckle Up! NOVEMBER 2021 Despite tight capacity and rising rates, air cargo has become an even more critical part […]
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You Won’t Get Fooled Again
Sometimes a kick in the pants is a step forward. The past two years have certainly been kicking it, and not in a good way for many of you. Stress of the type we are still going through can be incentive to change business practices. Incremental changes are a normal part of standard business practices. […]
Read MoreGirding for Supply Chain Turmoil in 2022
Despite the expectation that this year will be a difficult one regarding supply chain management, strategies exist to ease the burden. Companies can minimize disruption by implementing specific tools and best practices that will enable clearing logistical, transportation, and technological hurdles. Those include modernizing your business’s supply chain management processes—adopting artificial intelligence, for instance—enhancing visibility […]
Read MoreThe Manufacturing Workforce in 2022: Restraints, Predictions, and Implications
Manufacturers are not immune from the impact of the worker shortage that shows little to no sign of ceasing. Heres how to rebuild the talent pipeline.
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Choose a 3PL with a Culture and Vision that Match Your Own
Transportation has often been considered a commodity. Equipment, fuel, software, and wages are all very similar from a cost perspective. A 3PL’s culture can be a competitive advantage. Q: Why does culture matter? A: Today, cost is just one of many factors to consider when selecting a 3PL. A low-cost provider may produce short-term savings […]
Read MoreSurvival of Companies Depends Entirely on Managing Supply Chain’s 5 V’s
They include: visibility, volatility, velocity, vulnerability, and viability.
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Young Professionals Remain Positive
About 99% of professionals aged 30 and younger say that working in supply chain is a quality career choice, according to a Penske survey, with 58% pursuing a supply chain career due to its beneficial societal impact delivering essential goods during the pandemic. Key findings from the survey reveal: 95% of young professionals express excitement […]
Read MorePowerful Ways Employee Ownership Can Impact Your Business
With labor shortages continuing to rise across the country, the driver shortage in the freight industry looms larger than ever and at Long Haul Trucking we struggle to find high-quality drivers as well. However, we have a silver bullet in that struggle that I want to share with you—employee ownership. Our status as a 100% […]
Read More4 Supply Chain and Logistics Trends to Watch in 2022
It’s been a historic and challenging couple years in supply chain and logistics. As we approach 2022, we’re still facing extraordinary demand, fleets are doing the best they can short-handed, and the current infrastructure is backed up, leading to delays and rising prices. I wish I could say we’ll round the corner once we get […]
Read MoreJennifer Lyons: Just Keep Paddling!
Jennifer Lyons is deputy manager, NASA Deep Space Logistics Project.
Read MoreCisco Snags Top Supply Chain Spot
Cisco Systems earned the number-one spot in Gartner’s ranking of the 2021 top 25 supply chains. The technology company’s agility and strength in environmental, social, and governance initiatives helped prioritize critical infrastructure for hospitals and vaccine research, Gartner says. Four new companies on this year’s list include Dell Technologies, Pfizer, General Mills, and Bristol Myers […]
Read MoreScan Global Logistics and TransGroup Transition to One Brand
Scan Global Logistics (SGL) and TransGroup have become one organization under one name: Scan Global Logistics. The brand transition is a step toward a stronger global presence and will provide customers access to an extensive logistics network. The rebrand aligns with SGL’s strategy to integrate competitive and agile companies. TransGroup’s 525 full-time employees and 43 […]
Read MoreFulfillment and Logistics Drive Retail Customer Loyalty
While the majority of retailers experienced fulfillment disruptions this past holiday season, retailers that provided alternative ways for customers to get their gifts on time, and later, return items with ease, stood out as innovative and reliable. Moving forward, fulfillment and logistics will increasingly become the battleground for customer loyalty even as business conditions normalize. […]
Read MoreAgility Over Forecasting: Three Steps to a More Agile Supply Chain
For years, forecasting has been a staple of supply chain management, especially within the consumer packaged goods industry. As 2020 has taught us, however, there are events that forecasting cannot even remotely prepare for. Planners have felt the pain during COVID-19, when they’ve had to scrap forecasting models day after day due to the constant, […]
Read MoreDoes Lean Have a Limit?
Since the 1980s, the supply chain industry has enthusiastically embraced just-in-time (JIT) inventory management and lean manufacturing in the search for cost optimization. This resulted in highly streamlined processes and impressive efficiencies. But in the past year, we’ve seen there are limits to lean operations—one being we need the ability to adapt quickly when unexpected […]
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What’s the supply chain buzzword of 2021?
AGILITY Companies must be nimble in their approach to logistics and warehousing operations. Corporations that embrace agility can quickly maneuver and clear roadblocks when disruptions arise. —Grant Koch Solutions & Innovation Director BDP International Over the past 12 months, we have seen disruptions within an already challenging global logistics supply chain. Traditional seasonal patterns and […]
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