US manufacturing recovers slightly in May, demand challenges remain: ISM

The Institute for Supply Management projects an uphill battle to recovery in 2021 as new order numbers reached their second lowest level since 2008.

By Morgan Forde • June 1, 2020

Lineage Logistics pens deal with Henningsen Cold Storage, continuing acquisition spree

With its latest acquisition, Lineage Logistics' empire grows to 1.9 billion cubic feet of temperature-controlled capacity across 311 facilities in 11 countries.

By Matt Leonard • June 1, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Retail Supply Chains

Retailers are making operational investments and adjustments to maintain supply chain resilience. Here’s how.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Nordstrom cuts inventory 26% in Q1 by cancelling orders, shipping from stores

CEO Erik Nordstrom called inventory the retailer's "biggest lever of flexibility," with sales down 40% year over year.

By Emma Cosgrove • June 1, 2020

Dollar Tree: Distribution center pressure will continue even as supply issues resolve

Executives said the company's buyers will be "chasing" essential goods through July, putting pressure on warehouses to work faster.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 29, 2020

Amazon studies anti-collision method for robots to increase throughput

The proposed framework plans paths for robots by allowing each one to go through multiple goal locations and only requiring a collision-free path for a certain period of time.

By Matt Leonard • May 26, 2020

Foot Locker turns to vendors to contend with 20% inventory spike

As of Friday, Foot Locker had opened 1,400 stores with limited hours and social-distancing protocols. But stores will not fully relieve the company of what the CEO called a "glut of inventory." 

By Emma Cosgrove • May 26, 2020

2 Ford facilities reopen for second time in a week

The auto industry has been open about its hurdles during the pandemic, as positive coronavirus tests can halt production at multiple stages in the supply chain.

By Matt Leonard • May 21, 2020

Target tests post-store sort center for last-mile delivery

The downstream locations are intended to remove parcel sorting from stores as Target shipped 80% of e-commerce orders from stores in Q1. 

By Emma Cosgrove • May 20, 2020

Volkswagen boosts manufacturing volume with automated operations planning

The automaker increased personnel utilization by 26% using an automated system that pulled in existing ERP data. 

By Matt Leonard • May 19, 2020

Americold, Ahold Delhaize partner to build 2 automated cold chain warehouses

Automation features in the warehouses will include integrated transportation management systems (TMS), end-to-end forecasting and inventory replenishment technology.

By Krishna Thakker • May 19, 2020

Drug manufacturer gets $354M federal contract to produce COVID-19 medicines in the US

The contract was awarded to Phlow, a little-known, Virginia-based company that aims to secure a U.S.-based supply chain for essential medicines.

By Jacob Bell • May 19, 2020

Coronavirus adds to complications heading into hurricane season

Analysts anticipate risk to manufacturing and expect reduced trucking hours at ports to have a knock-on effect on cargo movement. 

By Matt Leonard • Updated May 21, 2020

Walmart expands ship-from-store to 2,500 locations to handle e-commerce volume bump

The company accelerated omnichannel investments in Q1, but may need more fulfillment center capacity to keep up with online order volume.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 19, 2020

Daimler temporarily suspends production in Alabama over supplier issues

The Mexican automotive supplier base has been a big question mark when it comes to the sector's ability to restart operations in the coming days.

By Matt Leonard • May 18, 2020

Patent Pending: FedEx envisions automated picking process

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 • May 15, 2020

64% of manufacturers say reshoring is likely following pandemic: survey

Among industries, manufacturing reported the most interest in nearshoring, with 28% saying they were "extremely likely" to bring more sourcing back to North America following the pandemic.

By Matt Leonard • May 14, 2020

Your business is essential. How do you protect workers during a pandemic?

Cleaning should be much more regular, gloves don't do much to fight coronavirus and other tips from health experts. 

By Matt Leonard • May 12, 2020

PwC: Automation is key to supply chain agility post pandemic

Thirty-four percent of financial leaders surveyed plan to leverage automation to improve the speed and accuracy of decision-making within their supply chains.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 12, 2020

Warehouse capacity contracts as imports arrive amid low demand, closed storefronts

XPO and Flexe said customers are looking for places to store inventory that has nowhere else to go.

By Matt Leonard • May 12, 2020

COVID-19 changed the stakes for e-commerce. Do fulfillment networks need to change too?

A global pandemic that drove consumers into their homes, cratered demand for discretionary goods and upped screen time has changed the risk calculus for e-commerce fulfillment.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 12, 2020

Peloton struggles with upstream delays amid pandemic demand surge

The at-home fitness juggernaut acquired one of its major manufacturers in Taiwan in October 2019 in an effort to mitigate supply issues, but the facility will not be fully online until December 2020, executives said. 

By Emma Cosgrove • May 11, 2020

Pandemic tests Wayfair's operational efficiency as orders increase, losses continue

The company is in the process of hiring an additional 1,000 workers to handle pandemic-driven shipment volume growth, COO Thomas Netzer said on a Tuesday call with analysts.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 5, 2020

Coronavirus hit XPO revenue in Q1 despite demand surge from some shippers

The company's revenue fell in its transportation and logistics segment, but it did see some customers looking for capacity to cover a surge in demand.

By Matt Leonard • May 5, 2020

Wearables could be key for worker safety as warehouses, manufacturers eager to reopen

Wristbands connected to the Internet of Things present a possible safety solution, as well as privacy concerns.​

By Jen A. Miller • May 5, 2020

USDA to purchase $470M in surplus meat, dairy and produce

After facing criticism that the government's efforts have been slow to help producers during the pandemic, the department said this will allow food to be distributed to communities nationwide.

By Lillianna Byington • May 5, 2020