Deep Dive: Page 4
Industry insights from our journalists
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Photo illustration by Danielle Ternes/Supply Chain Dive; photograph by DenisTangneyJr/iStock via Getty Images
Dole, Amazon settle in as logistics infrastructure in Wilmington, Delaware, builds up and out
The Small Wonder's largest city offers close access to customers and labor but lower land prices than many of the surrounding markets.
Shefali Kapadia • Nov. 17, 2020 -
The emerging wave of procurement and spend-management technology
Historically paperbound processes are advancing from automation to intelligence. But first, procurement departments must address data and culture change.
Gary Wollenhaupt • Nov. 12, 2020 -
So you want to reduce your supply chain emissions
Walmart’s journey to a robust scope 3 emissions program reveals a shift in the way sustainability advocates see the supply chain and the urgency with which companies need to address it.
Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 5, 2020 -
Mapping and charting the growth of regional parcel carriers
Alternatives to UPS and FedEx have brought on major retailers over the last several years, with expansion accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting parcel boom.
Shefali Kapadia • Nov. 2, 2020 -
Meat processors expedite robotics plans as pandemic ups pressure
The future of meat manufacturing could include 3D scanners and automated cutting. Tyson, Smithfield, Cargill and JBS are looking to increase automation.
Lillianna Byington • Nov. 2, 2020 -
Illustration by Danielle Ternes / Supply Chain Dive, Photo by Craig Lee / South Carolina Ports Authority
How BMW turned Spartanburg, South Carolina, into a supply chain hub
The automaker approached the state and Norfolk Southern with a plan for an inland port that's now used by shippers from Adidas to John Deere.
Matt Leonard • Oct. 27, 2020 -
Biden and Trump envision similar supply chains — but different paths to get there
Both presidential candidates promote investment in domestic manufacturing and supply chains, but they diverge on how to handle global trade relations.
Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 16, 2020 -
Truck vs. train: Which has the upper hand as spot rates soar?
Shippers consider lead times and freight types when selecting over-the-road, rail or intermodal.
Jim Stinson • Oct. 15, 2020 -
Microfulfillment centers are changing grocery e-commerce. But are they right for everyone?
Grocers face unique e-commerce challenges that make deciding whether to automate fulfillment operations a complex choice, experts say.
Sam Silverstein • Oct. 12, 2020 -
The driver shortage: A big piece of the tight capacity puzzle
Retirements, hesitant drivers and career changes shrunk the workforce, contributing to market imbalances in the supply chain.
Jim Stinson • Sept. 11, 2020 -
Peak season in a pandemic: What happens to freight rates and capacity?
Metrics and economic factors can help shippers gauge capacity and rates for air, ocean, trucking and rail heading into freight's busy season.
Matt Leonard • Aug. 20, 2020 -
What's at stake for supply chains if postal service slows down?
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says his intention is not to slow down the mail. But postal workers, shippers and small parcel experts contend that's exactly what his policies will do.
Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 19, 2020 -
Food distributors, restaurants reinvent business models in a scramble to survive
From wine bar to mini grocery store, from restaurant distribution to direct to consumer — food sector firms are pivoting operations to keep business flowing.
Gary Wollenhaupt • Aug. 6, 2020 -
Electronics supply chains are stuck between a pandemic and a trade war. Where do they go from here?
Shifting operations is a mammoth undertaking for the electronics industry due to China's specialized production capacities, co-location of key suppliers and economies of scale.
Morgan Forde • July 23, 2020 -
How a small-batch distillery improvised a hand sanitizer supply chain in 72 hours
When hand sanitizer was in short supply, nontraditional producers retooled operations and worked with suppliers to fill the gap.
S.L. Fuller • July 14, 2020 -
Why reshoring the textile supply chain is easier said than done
U.S. textile production, and the apparel manufacturing that depends on it, cannot return to its former glory without multi-million dollar infusions into the industry.
Emma Cosgrove • July 13, 2020 -
The 5 Ws of reshoring supply chains
The decision to reshore is a balance between price and risk and a trend that started long before the coronavirus pandemic.
Shefali Kapadia • July 13, 2020 -
Amazon Air's fleet expansion is a bid for logistics domination
The company announced plans to add an additional 12 aircraft to its fleet, bringing its total size to 82 planes by the end of 2021.
Matt Leonard • June 4, 2020 -
How tariffs ravaged the COVID-19 medical supply chain
Months into the pandemic, the U.S. faces an ongoing shortage of PPE and some of it is still subject to tariffs.
Deborah Abrams Kaplan • May 27, 2020 -
Canceled orders, delayed payments: How supplier collaboration could reverse apparel's nose dive
Stakeholders envision a future where demand, not merchandisers, drive fashion supply chains, and buyers bring vendors into the planning process.
Emma Cosgrove • May 21, 2020 -
COVID-19 changed the stakes for e-commerce. Do fulfillment networks need to change too?
A global pandemic that drove consumers into their homes, cratered demand for discretionary goods and upped screen time has changed the risk calculus for e-commerce fulfillment.
Emma Cosgrove • May 12, 2020 -
6 charts show how PSR changed rail
Early adopters of precision-scheduled railroading saw increased speed and lower dwell times in 2019. Do the changes benefit shippers?
Matt Leonard • April 22, 2020 -
Carrier force majeure explained
A basic understanding of force majeure — and the real reason carriers make the declaration — may help to lessen some of the panic they generate.
Emma Cosgrove • April 20, 2020 -
From Section 301 to COVID-19: How a volatile China changed supply chains
An ongoing trade war, and now a global pandemic, pushed U.S. businesses to diversify and raised the question: Are we too dependent on China?
Shefali Kapadia • March 31, 2020 -
What procurement managers should expect from a 'bullwhip on crack'
Slight variations in demand at the retail level grow larger until they reach the manufacturer. This bullwhip effect is playing out in real-time in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matt Leonard • March 26, 2020