Articles
Supply Chain
Keeping Your DC in Peak Shape:
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Whether your temporary peak periods are linked to holidays or seasons, these tips will keep your distribution center merry and bright.
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The Perfect Amount of Packaging
Sustainable packaging helps shippers’ bottom line and brand as well as being easier on the environment.
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Reverse Logistics: Earning a High Rate of Return
Are you ready to pay attention to the benefits a reverse logistics program can bring to your enterprise? Here are two expert perspectives on the opportunities that will make a difference in reverse logistics programs and how to establish goals to optimize those benefits.
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Warehouse Upgrade: Of Boxes and Briefs
MeUndies used to get its knickers in a knot during the holiday rush. But a new WMS has it in better shape.
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Global Business Leaders Feel Effects of a Riskier World
Nearly three quarters (72 percent) of business leaders in companies in Canada and around the world say their companies are increasingly impacted by risk and they believe we are living in a riskier world. That’s according to the BDO Global Risk Landscape Report, which surveyed 500 C-suite leaders, board and audit committee members from all […]
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U.S. Online Shoppers Click With International Retailers
Nearly half of avid U.S. online shoppers bought items from international retailers, demonstrating the need for retailers to offer more personalized services as a way to compete against lower prices, according to UPS’ sixth annual Pulse of the Online Shopper study. Almost all avid U.S. online shoppers (97 percent), made purchases on marketplaces, up 12 […]
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Global Supply Chain Suffers Disruptions Amid Diplomatic Crisis
Disagreements in the Middle East left the supply chain reeling as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen cut political and business ties with Qatar and accused the small Middle Eastern nation of supporting radical Islamic terrorism in the region. As part of efforts to sever contact, the countries shut down […]
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Could Self-Driving Ships Become Reality by 2020?
"This is happening. It’s not if, it’s when. The technologies needed to make remote and autonomous ships a reality exist." So said Oskar Levander, vice president of innovation for Rolls Royce, at Amsterdam’s Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium in 2016. He wasn’t wrong about the technology, considering the United States and China already have unmanned naval […]
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Supply Chains Double Down on Climate Change
President Donald Trump pledged to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, but stakeholders involved with the American supply chain—often supportive of the President’s business-friendly policies—aren’t so ready to fall in line this time. Rather than push American businesses away from sustainable initiatives, many companies seem to have reaffirmed their commitments. A few […]
Read MoreManufacturing, Logistics Grew Dramatically Over Last Generation
Contrary to public perception, U.S. manufacturing and logistics experienced dramatic growth over the past generation, says a study by the Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) and Conexus Indiana. U.S. manufacturing production grew 11 percent since the 2000-2003 dot.com bust and ensuing economic turbulence of the 2001 and 2007-2009 recessions, reports Manufacturing […]
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Retailers Struggle to Control Fulfillment Costs
Walmart’s recent announcement that it is testing a delivery system where its associates will deliver online orders to customers’ doors makes sense in light of a new study by Radial, in partnership with EKN Research, which finds the average cost for a company to fulfill an order is 70 percent of the average order value. […]
Read MoreHow to Make Your Region a Logistics Hotspot
How does a region become a logistics hotspot? Take Southern Arizona, for example: The region’s national economic impact has grown by $18.7 billion over the past decade, helping to revitalize the area, grow the population, and create thousands of jobs. Southern Arizona, with a population of 1.6 million, is one of the fastest growing mega-regions […]
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Amazon Files Patent To Parachute Packages
Amazon teased consumers with drone delivery during a 2017 Super Bowl commercial, though the ad bore a disclaimer: "Prime Air is not available in some states (or any really). Yet." Back in December 2016, Amazon made its first successful customer delivery in a trial area in the United Kingdom; in March 2017, the online retail […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Commentary: Grocery Retailers Need to Embrace Digitization Now
The grocery industry is entering a new stage in its evolution – a transformative stage that may cause some of the major players to lose competitive ground or, worse, impact their very existence. There is no secret here. Everyone can see what is about to happen to grocery retailers, because it already happened to other […]
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Empowering the Shipper
After more than 14 years in the trucking industry—at USF Group and Central Freight Lines—Dan Clark decided it was time for a change, both for himself and for the shipping community. MORE TO THE STORY: The Parking Spot Lesson Trucking companies were depending on legacy information systems, often inherited through corporate acquisitions, that couldn’t share […]
Read MoreFreight Management and Route Optimization: A Critical Combination
There are significant opportunities for fleets to improve their operational efficiency with a combination of freight management and route optimization. The definition of freight management has transitioned over time, but whether your primary method of transport is via a freight broker, third-party integrated logistics provider, or your own private fleet, the problem is generally the […]
Read MoreMaking Sense of the $13B SCM Software Space
Gartner’s recent report that the supply chain management (SCM) software market will be worth more than $13 billion in the U.S. by the end of 2017 has likely turned many heads – both within the manufacturing and supply chain spaces, as well as with external audiences. In reality, this news that expenditures in this space […]
Read MoreChoosing a Freight Auditing and Payment Vendor
If you’re a freight shipper who is thinking about using a freight auditing and payment service, what should you look for in choosing the best vendor for your organization? These seven selection criteria present a straightforward process to penetrate beyond a company’s sales brochure and determine how well a service company can actually do the […]
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How Walmart’s OTIF Policy Creates New Baselines for Suppliers
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. caught many shipping companies off guard when it released its new “On-Time In-Full” (OTIF) policy. This program mandates that if any shipment arrives early, late, or on-time but not packaged properly, the shipper will be charged 3 percent of the total items’ value. It was only a few months ago that Walmart […]
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