Patent Pending: Zebra's plan for managing large RFID populations

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 • Feb. 7, 2020

China to slash tariffs by 50% on $75B of US imports

The trade war is far from over as tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods remain and supply chains stay on high alert.

By Shefali Kapadia • Feb. 7, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Inventory Management

Read how retailers and brand manufactures are rethinking inventory management.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Macy's lays out a massive supply chain overhaul

Macy's new Chief Supply Chain Officer Dennis Mullahy took over a supply chain with siloed management and data and little strategic influence. That's all about to change. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 6, 2020

How online order fulfillment is changing grocery in 3 charts

Meeting the tight deadlines consumers desire has pushed grocers to get creative with fulfillment.

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 6, 2020

Ralph Lauren pilots custom apparel with 16-day lead time

It was only a pilot, said CEO Patrice Louvet, but there is value in knowing such a turnaround is possible. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 6, 2020

Hyundai, Airbus stop production as coronavirus leaves manufacturers scrambling

Two Hyundai suppliers, Kyungshin and Yura Corporation, have announced plans to increase production outside of China to make up for supply shortages and plan to resume production Sunday at their Chinese locations.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 5, 2020

Cummins cuts inventory by $400M anticipating truck production downturn

Private fleets are "awash in excess equipment,” according to ACT Research. Cummins' CEO said Tuesday he expects heavy-duty truck production for North America to be down 40% year-over-year in 2020.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 5, 2020

How manufacturers are preparing for the next recession

More than half of respondents in a BDO survey said they were working to increase production efficiency to guard against a future recession and 42% said they were monitoring the financial health of their suppliers. 

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 4, 2020

Learning from Adidas' Speedfactory blunder

Adidas will end its revolutionary manufacturing program this year, but that doesn't mean the principles of distributed operations should be abandoned by other players.

By Adrián Hernández • Feb. 4, 2020

Logistics: To insource or outsource?

The growing complexity of supply chains due to emerging technologies, customer expectations and the ongoing quest to reduce spend has led to an uptick in outsourced functions.

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Feb. 4, 2020

Sustainable packaging for food starts with eco-friendly and biodegradable fibers

Deliver the same functional performance as plastic without the environmental negatives.

Feb. 4, 2020

US manufacturing recovered slightly in January but isn't out of the woods

Despite seeing the first signs of growth since July, a number of manufacturers are cautious about making investments in capital projects and hiring while the future of U.S.-China trade relations remains uncertain. 

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 3, 2020

Mercedes-Benz taps blockchain to track emissions in cobalt supply chain

The blockchain platform aims to trace carbon emissions and help the automaker hold suppliers accountable for ethical supply chain practices. 

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 3, 2020

H&M operations, sustainability leader will be next CEO

Helena Helmersson's promotion and deep ties to the company's sustainability work suggest H&M will continue improving the sustainability of its supply chain as planned.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 3, 2020

Online grocery forecast increases to $143B by 2025

FMI and Nielsen updated their projections due to an uptick in pickup, two-hour delivery, expanded services and a surge in Amazon Prime memberships.

By Krishna Thakker • Feb. 3, 2020

Amazon shipping costs continue to climb with no end in sight

CEO Jeff Bezos said the number of items available for one-day Prime shipping quadrupled year-over-year in Q4.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 30, 2020

McCormick plans to drop up to $350M on transition to SAP ERP

The transition to the ERP coincides with the growth of the company and SAP ending support for McCormick's current system

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 30, 2020

'Extreme, unprecedented' trucking market changes hit CH Robinson

C.H. Robinson forecasted in October the market would remain favorable to shippers through the first half of 2020, and so far, the data shows the 3PL's prediction to be true.

By Shefali Kapadia • Jan. 30, 2020

Supply chains plan for coronavirus disruption

While officials say the outbreak is not a threat to Americans' health, businesses will have to deal with a quarantine in one of China's largest industrial hubs. 

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 29, 2020

What's the right forecasting method? It depends on your data.

Time-series forecasting is a method that goes back decades, but as new computational power provides new options, what's the best way to go?

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 28, 2020

When forecasts are misaligned

Coordinating plans across operations, procurement, logistics and finance can be a challenge, especially at large businesses. A central forecasting team can help. 

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Jan. 28, 2020

US expands tariffs to cover steel- and aluminum-based items

Businesses importing foreign-made steel and aluminum products as a mitigation tactic against tariffs on the raw materials will require reassessment of sourcing plans before the tariffs kick in on Feb. 8.

By Shefali Kapadia • Jan. 28, 2020

DHS targets warehouses to combat counterfeits

Facility owners would be responsible for proactively notifying CBP, if counterfeit or illicit goods are found in their facilities, and complying with agency orders.

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 27, 2020

Coca-Cola says it won't ban plastic bottles because consumers like them

Head of Sustainability Bea Perez said people like being able to reseal drinks in lightweight packaging, and alternatives could increase the company's carbon footprint and hurt sales.

By Lillianna Byington • Jan. 27, 2020

Whole Foods struggles with shortages amid supplier closure

Customers nationwide have reported bare shelves and limited inventory, which the retailer has said is a result of an unexpected supplier closure. 

By Jessica Dumont • Jan. 27, 2020