You don’t need to be a corporate giant to save big on supply chain costs. These seven areas offer significant savings opportunities for companies of all sizes and across all industries.
Logistics
-
Most Topular Stories
-
7 Ways Everyone Can Cut Supply Chain Costs
Global Logistics Media14 May 2012 | 8:11 pm -
Confederate Ironclad blocks Savannah Dredging.
Eric Joiner's Freightdawg.com - The Logistics and Supply Chain Blog!6 May 2012 | 2:04 amThe CSS Georgia was scuttled to prevent General Sherman and the US Navy from entering Savannah by sea in 1864. Now the same ship still defends the port. This time preventing modern containerships from entering the port. As the Panama Canal is expanded to allow larger container vessels through the multiple locks transiting the Panama Canal, so must the ports on the US East Coast be dredged to accommodate the larger ships that will come calling. The US Army Corps of Engineers will now look to recover the CSS Georgia's relic, or what remains of her, so that commerce can take place. … -
Zepol Reports April Vessel Imports Rise 9.2%
Third Party Logistics News - 3PL wire10 May 2012 | 6:50 pmFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Zepol Reports April Vessel Imports Rise 9.2% Vessel imports show large increases for the second consecutive month MINNEAPOLIS, May 10, 2012 — Zepol Corporation, the leading trade intelligence company, reports that U.S. import shipment volume for April, measured in TEUs, increased 9.2% from March and 7.2% from April of 2011. So far for this year, April has shown the highest number of TEU imports, with over 1.52 million TEUs imported, and the second largest number of shipments, with 756,000 processed. Although April imports are high, summer numbers may get higher; the… -
Logistics of NASCAR
upside Blog16 May 2012 | 8:53 amBefore I got a job working with our NASCAR sponsorship, I didn’t know very much about the sport and would likely immediately change the channel if it were on TV. Over the years, I’ve learned a great deal and have developed an appreciation for all the hard work and skill demonstrated by teams and drivers that can only be witnessed in person. The energy and excitement from fans is equal or greater than most other sports in the U.S., making it one of my favorite sporting events to attend. My role in the NASCAR sponsorship was recently expanded, and I’m now responsible for one of the more… -
Macy’s, Distributed Order Management, and Cloud Computing: Takeaways from Manhattan’s Momentum 2012 Conference
Logistics Viewpoints: A Blog for Logistics, Supply Chain, and 3PL Executives16 May 2012 | 6:52 amLast week, I attended Manhattan Associates’ Momentum 2012 conference. The theme of this year’s conference (its largest ever with more than 1,000 attendees) was “Platform Payoff”– a continuation of the “Platform Thinking” message the company introduced two years ago. Now that Manhattan (an ARC client) has about 200 customers live on its platform solutions, the [...]
-
Global Logistics Media
-
7 Ways Everyone Can Cut Supply Chain Costs
14 May 2012 | 8:11 pmYou don’t need to be a corporate giant to save big on supply chain costs. These seven areas offer significant savings opportunities for companies of all sizes and across all industries. -
Asset Tracking in Supply Chain: ROI Using Infrastructure-less Technologies
21 Mar 2012 | 4:02 pmToday’s supply chain is dynamic, with raw materials and finished products flowing between manufacturers, vendors, and end customers across multiple touch points -
Freight Fright at 10,000 Feet
12 Mar 2012 | 3:33 pmFreight and airline passengers make strange bedfellows… or do they have more in common than you would think? -
State of Supply Chain Management Education: Middle East Series
24 Feb 2012 | 2:26 amSimon ChauvinSupply Chain management, which is vital in Middle East, is lacking of universities and training centers to develop a pool of highly skilled workforce for the future. -
Manhattan Associates Predicts Supply Chain Trends for 2012
23 Feb 2012 | 7:20 pmManhattan Associates Predicts Supply Chain Trends for 2012: Cost Reduction, Risk Mitigation and Contingency Planning
-
Eric Joiner's Freightdawg.com - The Logistics and Supply Chain Blog!
-
Confederate Ironclad blocks Savannah Dredging.
6 May 2012 | 2:04 amThe CSS Georgia was scuttled to prevent General Sherman and the US Navy from entering Savannah by sea in 1864. Now the same ship still defends the port. This time preventing modern containerships from entering the port. As the Panama Canal is expanded to allow larger container vessels through the multiple locks transiting the Panama Canal, so must the ports on the US East Coast be dredged to accommodate the larger ships that will come calling. The US Army Corps of Engineers will now look to recover the CSS Georgia's relic, or what remains of her, so that commerce can take place. … -
Well, That Didn't Last Long. AFL Suspends US Short-Sea Ops
4 May 2012 | 6:32 pmRudy Mack was the CEO of Hapag Lloyd in the US for several years in the late 90's. He is a well known and well respected liner veteran whose expertise resonates with investors and shippers alike. So when he and some partners founded American Feeder Lines, this looked like it might work. AFL was and is a container line whose business is the movement of intercoastal container shipments. This is called "short sea" shipping and is quite common in Europe and Asia. The service is relatively unheard of in the US. Trucks and railroads serve the US market. Mack's idea was to move… -
DAL Buys JAL Jets
4 May 2012 | 12:34 amI flew from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta today. In doing so, I recognized an "old friend". Delta some years ago bought a series of B757-200 passenger jets from China Southern Airlines. These airplanes have steel brakes. When the pilot activates them, they are extremely noisy. Passengers routinely joke about the aircraft needing a shot of WD-40 lubricant! I mentioned this to the captain of the flight today and surprisingly he didn't know this bit of information. Guess that makes me a maximum aviation nerd. I know this stuff for some reason...wife yells at me for not… -
Fundamental Shift: Delta buys a Refinery.
2 May 2012 | 1:36 amI am traveling this week, so this will be quick, but I was both thrilled and amazed to see that Delta Airlines decided to do something very adventureous for an airline. They decided to become a conglomerate. My hometown airline in Atlanta decided that it was more important to seek vertical integration with a key element of their supply chain rather than to remain a "pure play" to the analysts who measure airline stocks. Delta bought an oil refinery. Delta got a uniquely great deal from ConcocoPhillips on a facility they were looking at either retrenching or shutting down in Trainer,… -
You can't get there from here / unless you use DHL
29 Apr 2012 | 3:14 amCharles Brewer used to be a senior executive with DHL in the United States. He lead US sales a couple of years ago before taking on a new role in Africa. Before serving in the US, Charles was country manager in Malaysia. As a company with a presence in 220 countries, an ex-pat executive is likely to find himself in a far off place from time to time. If you like that kind of thing, you can have a career doing that. The article below, which is clipped from Business Live in South Africa, outlines the challenges in moving goods in Africa. Scarcity of flights pushes up freight costs…
-
Third Party Logistics News - 3PL wire
-
Zepol Reports April Vessel Imports Rise 9.2%
10 May 2012 | 6:50 pmFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Zepol Reports April Vessel Imports Rise 9.2% Vessel imports show large increases for the second consecutive month MINNEAPOLIS, May 10, 2012 — Zepol Corporation, the leading trade intelligence company, reports that U.S. import shipment volume for April, measured in TEUs, increased 9.2% from March and 7.2% from April of 2011. So far for this year, April has shown the highest number of TEU imports, with over 1.52 million TEUs imported, and the second largest number of shipments, with 756,000 processed. Although April imports are high, summer numbers may get higher; the… -
Emirates voted Cargo Airline of the Year
4 May 2012 | 12:57 amEmirates has been voted “Best Cargo Airline” for the 24th consecutive year in a row. The event was recently held at the prestigious Cargo Airline of the Year awards held at London’s Lancaster Hotel. The Cargo Airline of the Year 2012 awards are organized by trade magazine Air Cargo News and attract votes from freight forwarders around the world. The awards are the only event where the British International Freight Association audits and approves the votes cast. Via Emirates.com: “These awards are voted for by our industry and their recognition of the continued success of… -
Port Klang Port Trucker Protest
3 May 2012 | 2:33 amI just received word that approximately 1,000 Port Klang drayage truck drivers staged a two hour protest at the port to complain about recent fee hikes and operational delays at the port. I was advised by a contact at a local logistics company that although the protest was only expected to last a couple of hours, there were apparently some altercations between striking drivers and business as usual drivers. According to my contact, haulage operations have ceased for the time being and there is little container movement yesterday and today as a result. You may want to check with your forwarder… -
Streamlining the Employee Assessment Process – Easy, Low Cost Fixes
20 Mar 2012 | 7:01 pmStreamlining the Employee Assessment Process – Easy, Low-Cost Fixes One of the most complicating problems with an employee assessment system is that it becomes so darn bureaucratic over time. Paper-reliant approaches teach managers to rely too much on forms to communicate supervisorial desires rather than just communicating them directly to employees. Supervisors learn to hide behind forms for safety rather than keeping their own records on how staff need further development. To reverse this problem, over-burdened evaluation systems need to be brought back down to earth to a usable… -
Press Release – Source Consulting
29 Feb 2012 | 10:24 pmSource Consulting Strengthens Sales Operations with Appointment of Kenneth Epstein as Managing Senior Consultant Epstein joins Source Consulting after 17 years of successful executive leadership at UPS Irvine, Calif. — Source Consulting, a privately owned logistics consulting and solution provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kenneth Epstein as Managing Senior Consultant. Epstein will be reporting to Luke Kupersmith, President of Source Consulting. Epstein will be responsible for leading and managing Source Consulting’s expanding sales organization. He will assist in…
-
upside Blog
-
Logistics of NASCAR
16 May 2012 | 8:53 amBefore I got a job working with our NASCAR sponsorship, I didn’t know very much about the sport and would likely immediately change the channel if it were on TV. Over the years, I’ve learned a great deal and have developed an appreciation for all the hard work and skill demonstrated by teams and drivers that can only be witnessed in person. The energy and excitement from fans is equal or greater than most other sports in the U.S., making it one of my favorite sporting events to attend. My role in the NASCAR sponsorship was recently expanded, and I’m now responsible for one of the more… -
Girls’ Night Out: Philadelphia
14 May 2012 | 1:58 pmThis year, I am going to seven weddings. SEVEN. And that’s not even including my own. Because most of them are out of town, I am just never at home. Traveling is great, don’t get me wrong, but with so much to do (particularly with my own wedding planning), leaving town can be a little inconvenient. Now that summer is approaching, I’m sure I’m not the only one with trips on the horizon. Summer vacations, Memorial Day and Labor Day getaways, Fourth of July trips – they are great, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to take a trip without worrying about what’s going on at home? On May 18,… -
Video: E-commerce Trends
10 May 2012 | 5:58 pmOn Wednesday, UPS Customer Solutions president Jim Coughlan spoke to attendees of the Supply Chain in Action executive forum taking place near Phoenix. The participants were corporate logistics managers from Fortune 1000 companies, as well as academicians and students from universities with logistics programs. Jim took part in a conversation with other business leaders addressing a range of topics from supply chain practices and trends to how online commerce impacts the global economy. According to comScore, U.S. retail e-commerce spending reached a record $161 billion in 2011. And Goldman… -
Coffee Connections
7 May 2012 | 10:59 amWhen you reach for your cup of “Morning Joe,” what runs through your mind? Are you thinking about how nice it is to watch a beautiful sunrise? Or perhaps you’re thinking about the growing list of things you have to get done that day. Either way, you’re probably not thinking about Nicaragua and Honduras. But here’s something to consider: Did you know that… Coffee is one of the main export commodities in Nicaragua and Honduras? Nicaragua is the fastest growing exporter to the U.S.? Honduras is one of the top 3 largest suppliers of textiles and automobile wiring harnesses… -
UPSer Shares Why He Hearts Logistics
4 May 2012 | 6:59 amI recently had the opportunity to attend the Business Civic Leadership Center’s national conference, which was focused on corporate citizenship. While there, I led one of four rotating sessions focused on skills-based volunteerism and had the opportunity to share a bit about what UPS does to apply its logistics expertise to relief agencies before and after urgent humanitarian relief situations. As director of humanitarian logistics at UPS, I spend 100 percent of my time working with the American Red Cross, CARE USA, UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Programme (all of whom are…
-
Logistics Viewpoints: A Blog for Logistics, Supply Chain, and 3PL Executives
-
Macy’s, Distributed Order Management, and Cloud Computing: Takeaways from Manhattan’s Momentum 2012 Conference
16 May 2012 | 6:52 amLast week, I attended Manhattan Associates’ Momentum 2012 conference. The theme of this year’s conference (its largest ever with more than 1,000 attendees) was “Platform Payoff”– a continuation of the “Platform Thinking” message the company introduced two years ago. Now that Manhattan (an ARC client) has about 200 customers live on its platform solutions, the [...] -
Don’t Customize that Warehouse Management System!
14 May 2012 | 6:59 amI attended RedPrairie’s RedShift user conference last week in Hollywood, Florida (RedPrairie is an ARC client). There were over 1,000 attendees, the company’s largest event ever. Several high-profile customers were prominent in this year’s proceedings, including Walmart that uses RedPrairie’s store execution products; Kraft that spoke on its implementation of RedPrairie’s flowcasting (demand sensing) and [...] -
This Week in Logistics News (May 7-11, 2012)
11 May 2012 | 9:58 amThis was a busy week for supply chain and logistics conferences, with Manhattan Associates, RedPrairie, and Transplace (among others) holding events this week. With 52 weeks in a year, why cram so many industry events into a single week? I still can’t figure it out, but we’ll share our takeaways from the events we attended [...] -
Guest Commentary: Considerations When Evaluating Supply Chain Visibility Solutions
10 May 2012 | 5:52 amEarlier this year, I put together a short list of “Big Box” retailers to evaluate for an upgrade to my entertainment system. As I visited each retailer and discussed my criteria and timeframe with them, it became very clear that two of the three retailers did not have a true end-to-end supply chain visibility solution [...] -
Putting Leadership Development and Learning Back on Your Calendar…and Budget!
9 May 2012 | 10:45 amI’m too busy (in meetings, on the road, dealing with operational issues, sifting through countless emails and voicemails…) to invest time in leadership development and learning. Sound familiar? Over the past year, I’ve spoken to many supply chain and logistics executives about leadership development and learning, and “lack of time” is by far the most [...]
-
atwonline.com
-
Operations & Maintenance
15 May 2012 | 3:13 pmAAR announced it has received US FAA Supplemental Type Certificate approval for one oxygen system retrofit on a Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft. Saab has signed an extended contract with Airbus to continue producing ailerons for the Airbus A320 series. The contract is valued at SEK701 million ($100 million). -
Air Berlin wants to extend BER opening until October
15 May 2012 | 3:12 pmAir Berlin (AB) said it wants to extend the delayed opening of Berlin Brandenburg International (BER) until the start of the winter schedule by the end of October. -
Republic agrees to operate Q400s under United Express brand
15 May 2012 | 3:11 pmRepublic Airways Holdings (RAH) said its Republic Airways (RW) subsidiary has reached a tentative agreement to operate 32 Bombardier Q400 aircraft under the United Express brand. -
JetBlue, Turkish form interline agreement
15 May 2012 | 3:10 pmJetBlue Airways (B6) and Turkish Airlines (TK) have announced an interline agreement connecting their networks at New York JFK and Washington Dulles (IAD). -
ANA to split, restructure to be competitive
15 May 2012 | 3:09 pmAll Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced a company split and said it will restructure as it deals with a more competitive environment, according to a statement.
-
anna.aero - Airline network news & analysis
-
¡Route Fiesta! Aena’s 1,022 “wanted” routes takes Route Shop inventory to 2,954
11 May 2012 | 5:56 am¡Route Fiesta! Every Aena airport – 42 across mainland Spain, the islands, and North African territories – now has a listing in anna.aero’s Route Shop, bringing 1,022 Spanish routes to the online route marketing superstore which now has 2,955 routes advertised by 217 airports with a further 23 airports from around the world on backlog. 1,022 routes por favor: The massive listing from Aena’s 42 Spanish airports takes the number of vacant air services being advertised in anna.aero’s Route Shop to an inventory of 2,954 routes by 217 airports. Every Aena airport – 42 across mainland… -
New airline routes launched (1 – 7 May)
11 May 2012 | 5:56 amIt has been a very busy week for new routes with an entire 125 services having launched during the first week of May. But which new airline commenced operations with one aircraft and one international route? Which route did easyJet launch as an effect of Spanair’s bankruptcy earlier this year? Which became Aeromexico’s fourth destination in Central America? Don’t forget to download the spreadsheet detailing all the routes! The rest of this week’s new routes -
Rotterdam The Hague Airport growing fast in Q1 thanks to Transavia.com; Lufthansa to launch Munich flights from October
11 May 2012 | 5:56 amPassenger numbers are up 20% so far this year at the third busiest airport in the Netherlands thanks to Transavia.com. But which destinations does the airline serve in winter only, in summer only, and year-round? Which other carriers operate at the airport and which niche carriers briefly operated flights to Hamburg and Keflavik recently? Rotterdam The Hague Airport is located less than 50 kilometres from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, but is better placed to serve both Rotterdam and the home of the Dutch government and parliament, The Hague. Last year, passenger numbers grew by almost… -
GoAir now India’s fifth biggest domestic airline; Chennai becomes 22nd airport served with airline’s 12 A320s
11 May 2012 | 5:56 amGoAir is India’s relatively low-profile LCC. Despite operating for well over six years it has not succumbed to temptation to launch international flights. So which are its main bases and how have passenger numbers and load factor developed in recent years? And what share of the domestic market does it now have? Compared to its rather higher profile rivals Kingfisher and SpiceJet, Mumbai-based GoAir (part of Wadia Group) has taken a more low-key approach to developing its business in the Indian air transport market. Flights were launched back in November 2005, but the airline still has a… -
Boeing remains in the lead of the delivery race; Lufthansa takes its first 747-8I
11 May 2012 | 5:56 amAirbus might have delivered more aircraft than Boeing in April, but it was not sufficient in order to recover the leading position. But which air framer delivered to a wider unique customer base? Which Asian low cost airline became the latest user of A320s? And which airline took the delivery of a rejuvenated “Queen of the Skies”? Boeing remains in the lead of the 2012 delivery race and currently outperforms its European rival Airbus by five aircraft delivered. April 2012 figures show that Airbus delivered one unit more than its American competitor; however, this was not enough to regain…
-
Softlink Global Blog
-
Looking to Improve Your Bottom Line? Get Your Strategy Right
5 May 2012 | 1:27 amAny logistics company can improve its bottom line through better service; but first it has to get the strategy right – as it is linked directly to delivering greater customer value. Logistics has witnessed tremendous changes in the recent years – becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated. It has assumed global proportions heightening the competition and increasing the customer expectations – logistics users today demand timely delivery at very low prices. ‘In time’ is the most favorite mantra of the supply chain. The mounting competitive pressures and increasing… -
Map Your Logistics Performance with Logi-Sys Software
25 Apr 2012 | 1:25 amGlobal market today is experiencing a boom in technology and innovation. Businesses across industries are adopting the latest software so as to upgrade their production techniques and thereby achieve real business value with uncompromising solutions offered by innovative software. The logistic industry today is not far behind in adopting state-of-the-art software solutions to attain excellence in its operations and offer unmatched services that are appreciated by customers worldwide. Logistics management software offers a one stop solution for managing logistics operations. Several freight… -
3PL software for empowering logistics companies
17 Apr 2012 | 7:42 amLogistics industry is gaining tremendous significance amidst stiff market competitions. As the world turns into a global village with innovations in technologies and communication modes, the logistics industry is also developing strategies to remain ahead in the race. Its initiative in the adoption of different software such as freight, warehouse and transportation software, helps in catering to the need of present day freight forwarding and transportation issues. The operational management of any logistics company involves three important objectives: Planning the shipping process- it… -
Simplifying Logistics Operations with Freight Forwarder Software
7 Apr 2012 | 6:14 amThe IT industry has made a lot of advancements and is adopting latest software solutions that are beneficial for businesses across different industry verticals. The freight forwarder software essentially provides the best and lucrative solutions for supply chain and logistic operations. Small, medium or large freight forwarding companies can ideally use the software with web tracking feature to obtain better visibility of shipment and orders. The freight forwarder software enables efficient management of data, and streamlines workflow allowing meeting customer’s queries and keeping them… -
Affordable Supply Chain Solutions for Logistic Companies
3 Apr 2012 | 12:10 amLogistic companies always remain on the lookout for latest software solutions to streamline their operations in a cost effective manner. Feature rich logistic software available in the market today help to meet the desired standards of services as well as complies with the visibility requirements of shippers by automating the entire process. Small or large shippers today not only demand efficient and timely service but also need updated status of their goods and shipments. Hence it is really crucial for logistic or freight forwarding companies to develop a robust supply chain visibility…
-
Nulogx Blog
-
CGFI Rises 10% after 12th Consecutive Increase
25 Apr 2012 | 3:30 amResults published today by the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI) indicate that the cost of ground transportation for Canadian Shippers increased .8% in February when compared with January results. After the 12th consecutive monthly increase, the CGFI is now 10% above the March 2011 result. The Base Rate Index, which excludes the impact of Accessorial Charges assessed by carriers increased slightly in January, and is now .5% over the January result. Since March 2011, base rates reported by the CGFI have risen 4.4%. Average Fuel Surcharges assessed by Carriers have increased from 18.79% of… -
Nulogx building influence through content marketing
5 Apr 2012 | 4:07 pmNulogx was recently featured in Motortruck Magazine’s March/April 2012 Edition. Here is an excerpt from the article written by Carl Friesen, titled: “Play Like the Big Boys – Building influence through content marketing“: Let’s say you’re with a company that lacks broad market awareness despite having a great set of offerings, a track record of success and satisfied customers. Your existing customers are ready to act as references, but it’s an uphill battle to convince prospects not familiar with you to give you a fair shot. And as for leads, let’s just say… -
Embrace Technology to Enhance Transportation Network
2 Apr 2012 | 9:42 amIn recent years, the transportation and logistics industry has made significant head way in pulling itself out of the dark ages through the use of technology. This evolution has taken the industry from fax machines and hours spent on the phone, to EDI and online load tracing. Shippers and service providers alike are joining the 21st century and utilizing technology to boost efficiency, create visibility, increase complexity, and reduce costs within their networks. However, it is surprising how many companies still have not fully embraced an IT-rich environment to support an ever changing… -
Freight Costs Continue To Rise, Increasing Accessorial Charges Impacting Freight Costs
28 Mar 2012 | 10:35 amResults published today by the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI) indicate that the cost of ground transportation for Canadian Shippers increased .8% in January when compared with December results. After the 11th consecutive monthly increase, the CGFI is now 9.5% above the February 2011 result. The Base Rate Index, which excludes the impact of Accessorial Charges assessed by carriers increased slightly in January, and is now .3% over the December result. Since February 2011, base rates reported by the CGFI have risen 3.8%. “Rising Accessorial Charges continue to be the primary driver… -
Freight Costs Continues to Rise, Increasing Fuel Surcharges Impacting Freight Rates.
29 Feb 2012 | 11:51 amResults published today by the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI) indicate that the cost of ground transportation for Canadian Shippers increased 1.1% in December when compared with November results. After the 10th consecutive monthly increase, the CGFI is now 8.1% above the December 2010 result. The Base Rate Index, which excludes the impact of Accessorial Charges assessed by carriers remained essentially the same in December versus November. Since December 2010 base rates reported by the CGFI have risen only .8%. Increasing Accessorial Charges (including fuel surcharges) are the…
