Patent Pending: Walmart's plan for trailer prioritization at loading docks

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 • Aug. 28, 2020

Ware2Go, Google partner on 'free and fast' e-commerce shipping

Based on an e-commerce customer's ZIP code, their proximity to nodes in Ware2Go's fulfillment network and real-time inventory availability, Google will automatically display whether an item is available for free one- or two-day shipping.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 28, 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

Unilever pilots geospatial, IoT tech to cut deforestation from palm oil supply chain

The company is partnering with Orbital Insight, a satellite imagery and data analytics firm, to meet its deforestation goal and trace supply from factories back to individual forests and farms.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 27, 2020

CH Robinson allows real-time pricing, instant booking with TMS integrations

The integration lets shippers pull real-time rates into their existing systems without introducing a new tool.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 25, 2020

DHL to hire 7K associates, increase automation in prep for peak

The carrier expects this to be one of the "most unpredictable fourth quarter ever" as the pandemic increases uncertainty for many of its customers. 

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 24, 2020

Even post-pandemic, digital transformation will become more bullish

The pandemic is a pressure test for companies to sustain customer loyalty. Technology is the only way to ensure sustainability. 

By Samantha Schwartz • Aug. 14, 2020

How can managers make their supply chains more agile? 4 experts weigh in.

The ability to remain nimble and react to unforeseen changes across the value chain has proven more beneficial than scenario planning or forecasting for many businesses.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 13, 2020

DHL rolls out AI-based pick routing tool that integrates with WMS, ERP

In its first deployments, the software has reduced the distance traveled by warehouse employees up to 50% and increased productivity up to 30%. 

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 13, 2020

3 technologies FedEx's CIO geeks out on

One challenge of leading enterprise technology for an organization the size of FedEx is the shift away from legacy technology, CIO Rob Carter said.

By Roberto Torres • Aug. 13, 2020

Stores went dark. Online orders tripled. How Joann used its OMS to cope.

The retailer de-stressed its technology, and employees, as online traffic tripled typical holiday volumes. 

By Jen A. Miller • Aug. 11, 2020

Why cold chain tracking and IoT sensors are vital to the success of a COVID-19 vaccine

Technology-enabled tracking and monitoring sensors provide real-time visibility into a vaccine shipment's condition — and an opportunity to intervene before damage is done.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Aug. 11, 2020

Blockchain's fate under COVID-19

Funding for blockchain projects fell, but the crisis highlighted vulnerabilities and visibility issues in the supply chain that remain good use cases for the technology.

By Roberto Torres • Aug. 10, 2020

Logistics companies plan to use AI, data to ship goods ahead of purchase orders: survey

"Preemptive logistics," in which companies predict demand and ship items before customers order them, requires information sharing and transparency throughout the supply chain, according to a survey from Ericsson.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 7, 2020

From visibility software to pallet picks: How Tillamook planned inventory as demand soared

The demand planning team credits software for its ability to adjust operations during the pandemic. Now the challenge is long range inventory planning, particularly for cheeses that require two years to age.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 4, 2020

'More complex by the day': Leaders turn to automation to sustain IT efficiency

IT teams expect to offload repetitive work by automating processes and shifting focus to higher value tasks.

By Roberto Torres • July 30, 2020

The pandemic has complicated the WMS procurement process

Vendors and warehouse managers typically use multi-day conferences and whiteboarding to buy and implement warehouse management systems. The pandemic has turned that process upside down.

By Matt Leonard • July 28, 2020

US taps camera makers to manufacture drugs, coronavirus vaccines

The Trump administration will loan Kodak $765 million to produce drug ingredients, after enlisting Fujifilm to help make coronavirus vaccines, in an effort to reshore pharma supply chains.

By Ned Pagliarulo • July 28, 2020

FreshDirect, Fabric to launch micro-fulfillment-powered grocery delivery in DC-area

Expanded service and a same-day offering will kick off later this year from a 10,000-square-foot setup inside a Maryland distribution facility.

By Jeff Wells • July 28, 2020

Maersk to charge fee starting in September for shippers manually booking, amending documents

The carrier said it receives about 6,000 emails and phone calls every week related to manual amendments.

By Matt Leonard • July 27, 2020

How COVID-19 is challenging and changing medtech supply chain management

Four experts share insights on the supply and demand hangups medtech companies have been working through during the pandemic, and a few early takeaways the industry can carry forward.

By Maria Rachal • July 27, 2020

Apple's 2030 roadmap to carbon neutrality focuses on product design, supplier base

The company plans to invest in emissions reduction technologies and carbon removal projects to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations, manufacturing, supplier base and product life cycles.

By Morgan Forde • July 23, 2020

Home Depot leans on efficiency analysis for sustainable transport plan

"As we try and improve the efficiency of our supply chain, it actually results in massively better sustainability measures," the VP of transportation told Supply Chain Dive.

By Emma Cosgrove • July 23, 2020

Schneider invests in TMS company to launch visibility tool

Schneider CEO Mark Rourke said the TMS would "accelerate the blending of our asset and non-asset worlds," reducing shipper wait times for loading and unloading trailers at warehouses.

By S.L. Fuller • July 22, 2020

DHL: Supply chains must adapt to current conditions before post-coronavirus recovery

Transparency, investing in digital transformation, and identifying alternate supply and distribution channels are key to shoring up organizations during this "pre-new normal" phase, according to DHL's report.

By Morgan Forde • July 20, 2020

FedEx installs robotic arms for automated parcel sorting to handle rising e-commerce volume

The carrier is partnering with Yaskawa America and Plus One Robotics, starting with four robotic arms sorting small parcels in its Memphis hub. 

By Morgan Forde • July 17, 2020