Operations

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

US nitrile glove factory to triple production by 2022

Raw materials suppliers, manufacturers and distributors are weighing longer contracts and new relationships after a tumultuous year in the personal protective equipment supply chain.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 22, 2021

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

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

How Dick's and Wayfair connect consumers with real-time inventory data

The pandemic upped the stakes for data accuracy, as well as the velocity and volume at which it needed to flow.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 19, 2021

Frontline e-commerce worker is the top job on the rise: LinkedIn

To assuage health concerns during the pandemic, companies have ensured safety by redesigning work areas, investing in personal protective equipment and recalibrating work schedules. 

By A.B. Brown • Jan. 15, 2021

Column

Patent Pending: Walmart plans automated order picking, Target floats RFID for freight tracking

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 • Jan. 15, 2021

Walmart e-commerce chief Marc Lore to retire

As Lore leaves the company, Walmart has established itself as a much stronger omnichannel retailer than before he joined.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 15, 2021

Walmart to test refrigerated boxes that store grocery deliveries outside homes

The secure, internet-connected units can hold items at various temperatures and use ultraviolet light to kill viruses, mold and mildew.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 13, 2021

How DHL optimized packaging at warehouses to cut shipping costs

Determining the ideal mix of carton sizes uses information on items ordered, dimensions, carriers, destinations and shipping costs — all data that retailers and fulfillment centers collect frequently.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 12, 2021

Deep Dive

Packaging, 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

CH Robinson, SAS bet real-time demand data can shorten freight bid windows

Demand doesn't change at the pace of an annual contract. The two companies will use their existing tools to drive more agile freight procurement.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 12, 2021

Sponsored by SupplyShift

What good is a data lake if nobody swims in it?

Good corporate sustainability practices provide enhanced visibility into the processes of a company's supply chain, as well as financially benefit other operations.

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

Impossible Foods slashes prices to foodservice distributors 15%

This is the second price cut in the last 12 months, and underscores the plant-based company's strategy to use both restaurants and stores to grab market share from traditional meat.

By Megan Poinski • Jan. 06, 2021

Cardboard prices stayed flat as demand surged, but that might not last

The cardboard box industry saw more demand over the course of the pandemic as consumers increasingly turned to e-commerce. 

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 05, 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

Nike's Los Angeles warehouse reduces fulfillment cost per unit going into the holiday rush

Building fulfillment capacity has been at the center of Nike's supply chain strategy in 2020 as the company attempts to move away from wholesale distribution and toward direct sales to consumers.

By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 23, 2020

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

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

Pharma cold chain spend heats up, with a trend toward temperature-tracking sensors

The coronavirus vaccine rollout is expected to positively impact the cold chain logistics market, as companies invest in cold storage, freezer farms, monitoring technology and packaging.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 22, 2020

Nordstrom brings supply chain talent into the C-suite

The retailer's digital sales increased to 54% in 2020, highlighting the importance of supply chain and omnichannel in serving customers, according to a Nordstrom executive.

By A.B. Brown • Dec. 22, 2020

General Mills leans on co-packers for greater agility

Executives expect to need external capacity through next year as consumers spend time at home and grocers more quickly replenish shelves. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 21, 2020

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