Logistics

RBC: Amazon Logistics' planned 2020 growth exceeds previous 3 years combined

Amazon grows the number and size of delivery stations, the facilities closest to consumers, as it focuses on capacity-building and speedy last-mile delivery.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 21, 2020

Lineage Logistics' $1.6B raise preps the cold chain giant for warehouse tech investment, future M&A

The logistics provider can invest in more properties and automation as cold storage demand is forecast to continue.

By A.B. Brown • Sept. 18, 2020

Maersk and Canadian Pacific to build transload, distribution center to take reliance off trucks

The partnership reduces intermodal handoffs, furthering Maersk's long-term strategy to become an integrated logistics company with end-to-end services.

By S.L. Fuller • Sept. 16, 2020

FedEx says it is shielding small shippers from surcharges

Chief Marketing Officer Brie Carere said large businesses willing to ship on lower-volume days of the week or move their holiday volume earlier in the calendar may also see a pricing benefit in negotiations.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 16, 2020

Chewy's new limited-SKU warehouse is just for volume surges

Chewy is banking on a new kind of fulfillment center, plus automation, to keep lowering fulfillment unit costs. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 15, 2020

FedEx will ring in new year with price hikes, surcharges

FedEx Express, Ground and Freight will increase shipping rates by about 4.9% or more starting Jan. 4, 2021.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 15, 2020

Walmart pilots drone delivery for groceries with Flytrex

The test program will deliver grocery and household items from Walmart stores to homes in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 10, 2020

UPS to hire 100K seasonal workers to handle parcels for peak

UPS' holiday hiring targets match the number from the last two years amid very different circumstances and a much lower degree of certainty.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 09, 2020

Amazon Prime Air gets FAA clearance for drone delivery on 'highly rural' test range

Amazon said drones will help realize 30-minute delivery and expects the current model to carry 85% of the products sold on its marketplace.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 01, 2020

DeJoy says USPS service improved in August

The USPS data shows service levels heading in the direction of normal, though pre-sorted, first-class mail remains below 90% on time.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 01, 2020

Ulta to evaluate store fleet with omnichannel operations in mind

The retailer is expanding its ship-from-store program to 100 stores to increase fulfillment capacity and speed while "leveraging store labor and inventory," executives said.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 28, 2020

Sponsored by Locus

Direct-to-consumer sales could be the next big thing in the US retail market

The rise in online shopping is pushing brands to try the direct-to-consumer strategy.

Spot rates jump, ports remain closed as Laura heads north

Experts anticipate disruptions could last for days, due to high-speed winds and flooding in agricultural and energy supply chain hubs.

By Emma Cosgrove • UPDATED: Aug. 27, 2020 at 11:15 a.m.

Less stringent cold chain requirements could give Moderna's coronavirus vaccine an edge

A rival shot from Pfizer and BioNTech needs to be stored at colder temperatures and doesn't last as long in a refrigerator, which may limit its use.

By Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 26, 2020

Warehousing, manufacturing employment below pre-pandemic levels as peak nears

Employment in manufacturing dipped 10% year over year in April and 5% in warehousing during the same period.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 25, 2020

How Sephora flexed its warehouse network to prep for an e-commerce onslaught

The beauty retailer's annual spring promotion led SVP for Supply Chain Mike Racer to elevate throughput as a measure of readiness years before the coronavirus pandemic hit. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 25, 2020

Postmaster General DeJoy says USPS will have 'redundant resources' by Oct. 1

DeJoy testified before House and Senate committees amid criticisms regarding operational changes that could slow down parcel and mail service.

By Emma Cosgrove • UPDATED: Aug. 25, 2020 at 11:49 a.m.

UPS to raise China-US parcel surcharges 30% starting Aug. 30

China/Hong Kong airfreight rates are nowhere near their peak in May, but they have been slowly gaining altitude since early July with some hint of moderation in August.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 21, 2020

Deep Dive

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.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 19, 2020

UPS' intentional approach to tight capacity will mean higher rates for shippers: UBS

In some cases, carriers are reopening contracts with shippers to raise their rates as B2C volume swells.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 19, 2020

The strategy behind turning department stores into warehouses

Rumors are circulating about Amazon converting vacant department store space into fulfillment centers — a move experts say would round out its omnichannel approach.

By Jen A. Miller • Aug. 18, 2020

FedEx to raise peak surcharges on Ground, Express, SmartPost

Adding hefty surcharges to SmartPost is especially punitive to small businesses who rely on the services' competitive rates, which often come in below USPS priority mail fees, according to Matthew Hertz, co-founder of Second Marathon.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 18, 2020

Shippers turn to regional carriers to handle increased volume

An average of 17% of retail volume went to regional carriers in the first seven months of the year, compared to less than 4% in 2019.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 17, 2020

JD Logistics opens automated warehouse for bulky items, launches 1-hour delivery

Roughly one year after JD Logistics broke even, executives reported record sales volumes have improved efficiency and the service is now turning a profit. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 17, 2020

USPS will raise commercial parcel rates for peak season

The temporary rate hikes will take effect Oct. 18 and be removed Dec. 27. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 14, 2020