Operations

Florence squeezes pharmaceutical supply chains

Pharmacies, which rely on sophisticated inventory control and cater to local customers, possess few options when massive storms disrupt logistics.

By Rich Weissman • Sept. 19, 2018

Rumor mill says Norfolk Southern moving HQ to Atlanta

Relocating to Atlanta would offer more direct flight connections and could also help the railroad compete against CSX. 

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Sept. 19, 2018

Tesla is in 'delivery logistics hell'

Suspicion around the automaker's ability to produce cars is a common concern, but logistics bottlenecks are a new problem.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 19, 2018

Supply chain, logistics professionals are 'safe' from automation

A World Economic Forum survey finds physical and manual work activities are the most likely tasks and jobs to be automated. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 18, 2018

UPS will hire 100K seasonal employees

The figure is an increase of more than 5% from past years, when the company hired 95,000 workers each season.

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 18, 2018

FedEx leans on automation to handle record-breaking peak season

Executives say that employees can hardly be seen at FedEx's automated sorting hubs. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 18, 2018

Timeline: How Hurricane Florence is agitating supply chains

Higher logistics costs, plant shutdowns. Even days before the storm reached the shores of the eastern seaboard, supply chains were being disrupted by Hurricane Florence.

By Supply Chain Dive

Overstock inks warehouse lease to fulfill 2-day shipping orders

The company, which unveiled private label furniture lines in recent months, is looking to unload its e-commerce business.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 14, 2018

New joint-employer rule could end contractor confusion

The National Labor Relations Board proposed new standards for contract work, in a step toward clarifying whether a temporary employer is directly liable for labor.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 13, 2018

Carbon copy? Adidas' 3D-printed sneaker hints at new supply chain models

Adidas may have found a turning point in its manufacturing processes, as 3D-printing promises to slim its design-to-market cycle. 

By Barry Hochfelder • Sept. 13, 2018

DOE grants $2M to test autonomous fueling stations

An independent hydrogen fueling station could save warehouses $1,000 per second in reduced labor costs.

By Edwin Lopez • Sept. 13, 2018

4 technologies tackling food waste in the supply chain

From reefer sensors to avocado imagery, venture capitalists are pouring hundreds of millions into the trillion-dollar problem of food waste.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 12, 2018

Mercedes, Boeing stall plant operations as Florence nears

Factory closures are necessary for safety but will no doubt cause delays rippling down the supply chain. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 11, 2018

Why are warehouses slow to adopt WMS?

"Under the hood, some very well-known companies are a hot mess," said one expert.

By Jen A. Miller

What you need to know about the ERP market

Selecting the right ERP for a business is a task that takes time, resources and a gut check for a company about "what makes them unique." 

By Jen A. Miller

7 in 10 execs see supply chain as 'support function'

To drive growth, executives must change their mindset and view their supply chains as an opportunity to differentiate.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 11, 2018

Jack Ma to retire as Alibaba chairman

"Alibaba was never about Jack Ma, but Jack Ma will forever belong to Alibaba," the company's founder told employees in a letter announcing his departure.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 10, 2018

Levi Strauss shakes up management to prioritize supply chain

By stitching together functional areas into a cohesive organization, customers and suppliers alike will be better served. 

By Rich Weissman • Sept. 10, 2018

Ulta turns to supply chain to boost margins

Competition is fierce in the beauty business, so Ulta is honing in on tighter inventory management and faster fulfillment. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 07, 2018

CSX intermodal service changes could snarl peak season plans

The railroad is adjusting more than 500 interline services with Union Pacific and BNSF by the end of September, shaking service up in the midst of an already tight transportation market.

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Sept. 05, 2018

Trade and tech push supply chains from global to local

The vast majority of businesses are exploring localization options, according to a report published by A.T. Kearney — and the trend is here to stay. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 05, 2018

Think fast, think small: How Kohl's rode the omnichannel wave

For the retailer, a smaller store footprint was the first logical step to cost reduction.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 04, 2018

As the labor shortage grows, are wages growing too?

Labor issues are top of mind for facility managers in 2018 as the wage market corrects after years of stagnant pay.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Sept. 04, 2018

Department stores' fortunes rise as they shun inventory

The sector is reducing inventory and boosting margins, with the notable exception of J.C. Penney, according to a recent Moody's report.

By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 04, 2018

Walmart.com shoppers find out-of-stocks amid fulfillment revamp

The retail giant is experimenting with ways to more efficiently fulfill bulky or heavy orders, executives at Walmart suppliers told The Wall Street Journal.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 04, 2018