The Latest
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Coronavirus: A lesson in supply chain risk management
A quarantine put supply chains' risk management strategies to the test as it left manufacturing facilities without the workers needed to reach full production, reduced demand for ocean freight and cut airfreight capacity.
UPDATED: Jan. 15, 2021 at 9:34 a.m. -
Tracking the speed, dwell and cars of Class I railroads
This dashboard shows the average speed, dwell time and cars online for all of the Class I railroads operating in the United States.
UPDATED: Dec. 21, 2020 at noon -
Making sense of the peak 2020 parcel mess
With peak 2020 in the past, parcel shippers are attempting to discern what led to degraded carrier service for some, but not all.
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The past, present and future of pandemic e-commerce logistics
An erratic peak season gives way to the proliferation of same-day logistics startups and an emerging new hierarchy among shippers.
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Ocean rates rose through January as ports report record year
Carriers have held off on the blank sailings that usually happen around Lunar New Year, but one forwarder suggested booking loads for spring now as capacity is strained.
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US nitrile glove factory to triple production by 2022
Raw materials suppliers, manufacturers and distributors are weighing longer contracts and new relationships after a tumultuous year in the personal protective equipment supply chain.
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Timberland, Vans parent maps supply chains through tier 4
Poor visibility has plagued apparel supply chains for years, but VF's detailed data collection and mapping signals advancements in traceability.
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4 elements of the next phase of last-mile delivery
The technologies to move retail delivery forward already exist. The next step is fully weaving last-mile services into the retail landscape.
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BNSF: Network redundancy key to intermodal speed
The railroad's new CEO, Katie Farmer, discussed adding redundancy at a time when other railroads see whittling away at network assets as the more in-vogue option.
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What does shipper of choice mean in 2021?
A history of short dwell times and consistent tendering behavior will be important as carriers prioritize freight in a tight market.
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Meijer seeks out local Midwestern suppliers for summit event
The "Lift Local Supplier Event" will invite businesses to pitch their products virtually on April 1 and follows a successful Supplier Diversity Summit in November.
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Column
It's time to hit reset on these 3 aspects of supplier management
Companies have had nearly a year to adapt their service levels to the pandemic, and workarounds should be baked into service blueprints.
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How supply chains adjusted demand forecasts during the pandemic
Demand planners started to bring in data from Google Trends and Amazon marketplaces to better understand unpredictable consumer buying habits.
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Costco tests curbside pickup as retailers turbocharge omnichannel efforts
Costco has resisted curbside pickup. Adding designated parking spaces, order-staging areas and employees could disrupt its busy in-store operations.
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California proposes points system to hold warehouses accountable for truck emissions
Road transport has been at the forefront of Southern California's emissions crackdown, but it's also one of the most challenging areas for supply chains to curb given the involvement of external parties.
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Rolled cargo ticks up at 75% of ports worldwide: Ocean Insights
Shippers are also dealing with an increased rate of blanked sailings to start 2021. Blanked capacity is expected to reach 13% and 11% of overall capacity in the third and fourth week of January, respectively.
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How Dick's and Wayfair connect consumers with real-time inventory data
The pandemic upped the stakes for data accuracy, as well as the velocity and volume at which it needed to flow.
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Port of LA to roll out Control Tower with trucking, rail data
The tool will provide more information on dual transactions, as the port begins incentivizing terminals to increase them.
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FedEx announces Ground, Express surcharges beginning February, citing high volume
With peak season now in the rearview mirror, the announcement of the new surcharges highlights just how much FedEx plans to rely on these fees to manage its network moving forward.
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Column
Patent Pending: Walmart plans automated order picking, Target floats RFID for freight tracking
Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.
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Frontline e-commerce worker is the top job on the rise: LinkedIn
To assuage health concerns during the pandemic, companies have ensured safety by redesigning work areas, investing in personal protective equipment and recalibrating work schedules.
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The evolving role of the chief procurement officer
The need for more — and more critically thinking — CPOs is accelerating.
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Congestion could clog California ports into February, Hapag-Lloyd warns
One analyst suggested the congestion might continue into March, as nearly one quarter of all cargo was experiencing dwell times longer than five days near the end of 2020.
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Deep Dive
Packaging, PPE and surgical supplies: How COVID-19 is pushing hospitals to reduce waste
Some waste is inevitable, but supply chain leaders are finding ways to reduce the quantity — reusing and recycling when possible and adjusting procurement and packaging.
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Walmart e-commerce chief Marc Lore to retire
As Lore leaves the company, Walmart has established itself as a much stronger omnichannel retailer than before he joined.