Operations

Yeti works to improve stockouts with inventory down 9%

The company expects elevated freight costs throughout the year as it rebuilds inventories.

By Matt Leonard • May 17, 2021

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

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

Warehouse automation

Robotics, conveyor belts and software become staples of the warehouse as e-commerce grows. 

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Toyota, citing lessons learned from 2011 earthquake, expects no major semiconductor impact

The automaker's production fell 78% after the earthquake, prompting an inventory rethink.

By Matt Leonard • May 14, 2021

Wayfair adds fulfillment capacity, scales forwarding to help supply chain flow

Scale and carrier partnerships help prioritize shipments, but the company is not immune to port congestion, inventory constraints and delivery delays, the CEO said.

By Matt Leonard • May 13, 2021

Retailers double tech investments to make supply chains faster: report

The enhancement of supply chain and omnichannel capabilities continues to drive funding as retailers approach a post-pandemic world, according to CB Insights.

By Maria Monteros • May 13, 2021

Utz to buy chip supplier for $41M to improve supply chain

The acquisition of Festida Foods will improve production of the recently acquired On The Border brand while helping the company's expansion efforts in the Midwest.

By Christopher Doering • May 12, 2021

Manufacturing, competing with distribution, struggles to attract labor

A recent survey found that manufacturers are having trouble filling 46% of open positions due to a mismatch in skills.

By Matt Leonard • May 11, 2021

Operations meets marketing: Kraft Heinz's Ops Center breaks silos to tackle supply chain challenges

Collaboration between marketing and supply chain helped the manufacturer cut its SKU portfolio further and faster.

By Jen A. Miller • May 11, 2021

Under Armour restricts inventory despite high demand

The company's strategy is to limit low-demand products, thereby boosting the margins it may need to resist future supply chain shocks.

By A.B. Brown • May 11, 2021

Partnership gives grocers on-demand access to order picking workforce

The partnership combines Stor.ai’s picking technology and online platform with Trax’s labor pool of more than 1.4 million workers.

By Catherine Douglas Moran , Jeff Wells • May 10, 2021

Sponsored by Quickbase

3 key strategies to build an operationally agile supply chain

Supply chain teams need to be more resilient to adapt to constantly changing conditions.

By Peter Rifken, Principal Solutions Consultant at Quickbase • May 10, 2021

Supply chains play inventory catch-up against a growing backlog of orders

Clorox grew inventory 50% and 3M's grew 6% in a race to meet elevated demand.

By Matt Leonard • May 04, 2021

Deep Dive

RFID's e-commerce growth spurt

The need for visibility drove companies to invest in solutions for their complete supply chain while Adidas is using the technology to verify provenance.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • May 04, 2021

XPO Logistics: Companies demand outsourcing, warehouse automation as e-commerce surges

The company's contract logistics segment won several large contracts recently, including a direct-to-consumer fulfillment center deal with Apple.

By S.L. Fuller • May 04, 2021

Kroger pilots drones for last-mile grocery delivery

The grocer, along with partner Drone Express, will begin making deliveries this spring in Ohio and then expand to California in the summer.

By Jeff Wells • May 04, 2021

Ford doubles down on lean in the face of semiconductor shortage

The automaker expects the semiconductor shortage to get worse before the supply levels improve, with the second quarter now the expected trough for the sourcing issue.

By Matt Leonard • May 03, 2021

Talent, skills gap among top barriers to growing digital business

Supply chains adopting automation and robotics require a labor force to operate and oversee emerging technologies. 

By Roberto Torres • May 03, 2021

Starbucks says it will help distribution partners struggling with labor shortages

Delayed or disrupted fulfillment from distribution centers to stores are possible if Starbucks-delivery partners can't find the labor they need to move goods.  

By A.B. Brown • April 30, 2021

Tesla faces 'insane' supply chain headwinds, from semiconductor shortages to port congestion

The manufacturer is building factories as quickly as possible and aims to double supplier capacity next year, executives said.

By S.L. Fuller • April 28, 2021

Amazon insources logistics with a growing network of delivery stations

Once the expansion is completed, "there won't be an ounce of soil in America that Amazon can't reach with its own fleet," one analyst said.

By Matt Leonard • April 27, 2021

Warehouses turn to gamification to level up productivity

Supply chain leaders take a carrots-over-sticks approach to incentivizing warehouse labor as the industry struggles to recruit and retain workers.

By Gary Wollenhaupt • April 27, 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.

Panasonic buys Blue Yonder for $7.1B as pandemic heightens data demand

The deal combines Blue Yonder's software and planning technology with Panasonic sensors, hardware and IoT devices.

By Shefali Kapadia • April 23, 2021

Column

Patent Pending: Amazon plans for packing with the right fit, eBay says buses are for drones too

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.

By Matt Leonard • April 22, 2021

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