Coronavirus
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Courtesy of BioNTech
Biden invokes DPA to combat supply shortages, but experts say it's no 'magic wand'
The Defense Production Act moves government orders to the front of the line and requires U.S. suppliers to comply.
By Matt Leonard • Jan. 26, 2021 -
Permission granted by Roadie, Heather Hughes
Gig economy emerges as key part of the parcel ecosystem
During the pandemic, Instacart, Postmates, Roadie, Shipt and others have moved into new roles, in many cases integrating into retailers' parcel portfolios as an alternative to traditional carriers.
By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 25, 2021 -
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.
By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 25, 2021 -
Getty Images
ColumnIt'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.
By Rich Weissman • Jan. 21, 2021 -
Courtesy of Costco Wholesale
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.
By Jeff Wells • Jan. 20, 2021 -
Dollar Photo Club
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.
By Matt Leonard • Jan. 19, 2021 -
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.
By Matt Leonard • Jan. 15, 2021 -
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.
By Matt Leonard • Jan. 14, 2021 -
Getty Images
Deep DivePackaging, 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.
By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Jan. 12, 2021 -
Fotolia
Supply chains struggle to procure nitrile gloves after manufacturer shutdown
MSC Industrial reported an impairment charge for a prepaid glove order that has still not been delivered, in another example of how the pandemic has challenged procurement teams.
By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 11, 2021 -
Permission granted by Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond's COO says the company is pivoting to a 'common-sense' supply chain model
The retailer's network of 30 cross docks will drastically reduce in number soon, making way for distribution centers, run by one or more third parties, COO John Hartmann said.
By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 08, 2021 -
Suppliers struggle with labor availability, slowing deliveries: ISM
One company said the pandemic is affecting its suppliers' labor availability now more than in March, though the vaccine rollout provides a bit of optimism.
By Matt Leonard • Jan. 07, 2021 -
The image by Phila. Bikes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
UPS expects to break weekly returns record with nearly 9M returns
As e-commerce took a larger share of overall commerce in 2020, returns increased and diffused out over the holiday shopping period.
By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 06, 2021 -
How COVID-19 is changing packaging
The shift may finally get rid of the need to encase every item in impossible-to-open plastic.
By Jen A. Miller • Jan. 05, 2021 -
"Medical disposable masks on wooden background" by Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker is licensed under CC BY 2.0
How the mad dash for PPE pushed supply chains to keep up
When thousands of organizations needed personal protective equipment during the pandemic, it was up to supply chain professionals to make inventory accessible.
By Sarah Fuller • Dec. 23, 2020 -
Christopher Doering/Supply Chain Dive
SKU cuts and vendor shortlists defined CPG supply chains in 2020
Simplification was the name of the game as the pandemic made managing complex supply chains more complicated.
By Shefali Kapadia • Dec. 22, 2020 -
UPS to reinstate pre-holiday peak surcharges mid-January
The surcharges on Ground Residential and SurePost will be based on flat volume rather than relative volume surge, meaning it's possible more shippers may be subject to surcharges come Jan. 17.
By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 22, 2020 -
Moderna
FDA authorizes Moderna coronavirus vaccine, paving way for distribution
"We're starting our drumbeat of continuous execution of vaccine," said Army Gen. Gustave Perna, COO of Operation Warp Speed.
By Matt Leonard • Dec. 18, 2020 -
Permission granted by University of Maryland School of Medicine
Pfizer vaccine deliveries turned around after becoming too cold
Real-time tracking alerted Pfizer to the temperature diversion. The returned doses number about 3,000, a spokesperson said.
By Matt Leonard • UPDATED: Dec. 18, 2020 at 2:47 p.m. -
Tetiana Soares via Getty Images
Parcel 2020: The year of surcharges, volume caps and peak on top of peak
E-commerce shipments started to flood logistics networks as early as May.
By Shefali Kapadia • Dec. 18, 2020 -
Courtesy of Novavax, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ColumnThe newest supplier KPI? Employee vaccination rate.
While it will take some time for the entire population to get vaccinated, incremental and growing business compliance will be a key performance indicator worth tracking.
By Rich Weissman • Dec. 17, 2020 -
FedEx
FedEx extends endless peak into 2021 with new SmartPost, oversize surcharges
Peak surcharges have been the norm since June, and FedEx is the first, but likely not the last, to confirm that they will not end with 2020.
By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 17, 2020 -
Permission granted by UPS
Ultra-cold freezer sourcing up 522% with vaccine logistics underway: Thomas
The Thomas Index Report reported a 464% increase in sourcing, compared to Q3 numbers.
By A.B. Brown • Dec. 16, 2020 -
Container movement lags at Port of Los Angeles as unseasonably high imports arrive
Dozens of container ships are idling off the Southern California coast, a sign of "the sheer amount of traffic" at the Port of Los Angeles, said Executive Director Gene Seroka.
By Matt Leonard • Dec. 16, 2020 -
Permission granted by University of Maryland School of Medicine
COVID-19 vaccine supply chain has cyberthreats hidden in plain sight
The one thing all supply chain operators and pharmaceutical companies essential to vaccine distribution have in common is cyberthreats.
By Samantha Schwartz • Dec. 16, 2020
