Coronavirus

Amazon embarks on 75K hiring push to accommodate logistics growth

The retailer is offering competitive pay and sign-on bonuses, as well as COVID-19 vaccine incentives.

By S.L. Fuller • May 14, 2021

How the pandemic changed retail supply chains

Whether sales were up or down, retail supply chain leaders knew one thing was clear: Strategies had to change.

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Trendline

The Supply Chain Dive Outlook on 2021

The early parts of 2021 reveal a continuation of 2020's trends, making it clear the pandemic will affect the supply chain ecosystem long term. 

By Supply Chain Dive staff

It's game on for packaging procurement as lead times lengthen

Stadiums and concessions anticipate surging demand as events resume. Can supplies keep up?

By Jen A. Miller • April 22, 2021

'Chaotic' supply chain pushed up supplier prices: MSC

Port congestion, severe weather and COVID-19 disruptions to production lines have impacted product availability and led to inflation.

By A.B. Brown • April 15, 2021

9 charts show the highs and lows of supply chains in Q1

By the end of March 2021, supply chains had spent more than a year fighting the fires of the pandemic.

By Shefali Kapadia , Matt Leonard • April 14, 2021

How the pandemic impacted demand at FedEx, Clorox and C&S Wholesale

Companies across industries began to shift operations in early 2020, as signs pointed to changes in demand and consumer habits.

By Matt Leonard • April 14, 2021

The pandemic brings supply chains out of the shadows and CSCOs into the spotlight

C-suites and boardrooms recognize how crucial the supply chain function is, which provides an opportunity for CSCOs to push for strategic value in their roles.

By Jen A. Miller • April 13, 2021

How the pandemic drove retailers to on-demand warehousing

Supply chains had a front-row seat to volatility over the last year, and a need for more flexible operations.

By Matt Leonard • April 12, 2021

Deep Dive

Supply chains do the math on reshoring's pros and cons

COVID-19 exposed risks and spurred conversations about moving manufacturing, but the pandemic is far from the only factor to consider.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 08, 2021

Deep Dive

4 tools to fight fraud, counterfeits and cyberattacks in the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain

Visibility technologies and real-time data provide one version of the truth in a rapidly-built supply chain.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 07, 2021

Deep Dive

The omnichannel age is here — and it's expensive

Profit margins are often lower for pickup than delivering from a warehouse, as retailers consider store costs, shipping expenses and channel-specific overhead.

By Ben Unglesbee • April 06, 2021

Column

A flock of black swans hovers — and supply chains need to get ready

Risk management should include planning, strategy and a bit of good luck.

By Rich Weissman • April 01, 2021

US directs ports to detain Top Glove shipments from Malaysia, citing forced labor

Directives to seize imports put the burden of proof on procurement and supply chain leaders to prove forced labor was not used.

By Shefali Kapadia • April 01, 2021

Home Depot, Lowe's build on supply chain foundations to make quick work of omnichannel

When the pandemic arrived around the same time as the home improvement retailers' busy spring season, they had to pivot to meet demand.

By Shefali Kapadia • March 29, 2021

Packaging automation hits fast track in 2021

Automated technology has matured to the point that using it for packaging is not just possible — it's a necessity to keep up in the e-commerce era.

By Jen A. Miller • March 16, 2021

CPGs report higher supply chain costs with no signs of dropping this year

A majority of CPG companies expect manufacturing, warehousing, transportation and raw materials costs to continue at 2020 levels.

By Matt Leonard • March 16, 2021

Vaccine factories churn out millions more doses, speeding US rollout of coronavirus shots

Initially, making one batch of Pfizer's vaccine took roughly 110 days, a timeline the company has now worked down to an average of 60 days.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 16, 2021

Buffer inventory, e-commerce growth buoys warehouse demand: Prologis

An additional 125 million square feet of warehousing space or more will be needed every year until 2025 in the U.S. and Europe to keep up with current levels of e-commerce-driven demand, a report found.

By Matt Leonard • March 15, 2021

Shippers consider redirecting cargo away from congested California ports

Switching cargo from Southern California to the Northwest Seaport Alliance can especially make sense for inland-point intermodal moves to the Midwest, one expert said.

By Matt Leonard • March 05, 2021

Coronavirus beams trucking, supply chain into an automated future

XPO Logistics shipped five times more units using robotic technology in 2020 than it did in 2019. 

By Jim Stinson • March 03, 2021

Target expands sortation center model to optimize store fulfillment

The retailer will also expand its distribution-center footprint in 2021, while using predictive inventory planning on more of its assortment.

By Matt Leonard • March 02, 2021

Packaging manufacturers compete for raw materials as takeout shakes up food service

One company has seen its lead times double for the materials it needs to make packaging.

By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 23, 2021

Deep Dive

Why the automotive supply chain is in a semiconductor jam

A shortage with no quick fix is shutting down production lines around the world, and capacity constraints at tier 3 put automakers' lean operations into question.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 23, 2021

Pfizer set to double weekly production of coronavirus vaccine

The drugmaker will expand its production network and work to reduce manufacturing timelines from 110 days to an average of 60 days.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 22, 2021

US secures 200M more vaccine doses from Pfizer, Moderna

Pfizer is adding suppliers and expanding its manufacturing capacity to make 2 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021, the company's CEO said.

By Ned Pagliarulo , Matt Leonard • Feb. 17, 2021