1 in 3 procurement leaders: We're past the peak of coronavirus disruption

A Procurious survey found procurement teams navigated the early months of the pandemic fairly well, though the learning curve has been steep.

By Morgan Forde • June 18, 2020

More automation means more reusable packaging: survey

Highly automated fulfillment environments rely on standardized, reusable packaging, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. 

By Matt Leonard • June 16, 2020

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Retail Supply Chains

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

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Port of LA's Seroka calls for nationwide data sharing portal

The system would allow ports, carriers and shippers to get a better view of cargo movement with details including when a customer makes a reservation and the location of containers throughout the country.

By Matt Leonard • June 12, 2020

Descartes boosts digital bona fides with $12M Kontainers acquisition

Kontainers' technology helps carriers, freight forwarders and logistics companies create platforms to facilitate instant quoting, booking and shipment tracking.

By Matt Leonard • June 11, 2020

SAP, IBM Food Trust, GS1 move toward food supply chain traceability with interoperability test

GS1, the not-for-profit issuer of UPCs and barcodes, hired a vice president of blockchain in January and is conducting a series of tests to advance the technology's use in food supply chains. 

By Emma Cosgrove • June 11, 2020

Pandemic increased automation appetite, but adoption hurdles await

For its next act, automation technology needs to prove it can help businesses quickly and sustainably adapt to sudden market changes.

By Roberto Torres • June 10, 2020

Honda resumes most operations after cyberattack

The malware spread throughout the company's networks though it said no data was compromised.

By Samantha Schwartz • June 9, 2020

COVID-19 spurs a leap to digital supply chains

Manufacturers who previously looked at data, analytics, IoT and robotics to drive efficiency now see them as tools to increase resiliency during uncertain times.

By Craig Guillot • June 9, 2020

Patent Pending: Target's plan for a store-fulfillment manager

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 • June 5, 2020

Transplace acquires parcel TMS provider ScanData

Transplace presents its integration of ScanData's PTMS as a value-add for shippers, a step toward integrating their online business with traditional freight management. 

By Morgan Forde • June 4, 2020

CVS Pharmacy partners with Nuro on autonomous last-mile delivery pilot

The move comes as CVS experiments with contactless delivery in other locations in the U.S. during the pandemic​.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • June 1, 2020

Procurement leaders split between cost savings and tech investment for strategic recovery

Many firms are in survival mode as revenue drops as much as 80%, but spending on digital efforts upfront can pay off in the long run.

By Morgan Forde • May 28, 2020

Drones and delivery trucks could work together, but regulatory hurdles remain

Using drones and trucks for a hybrid delivery system can leverage the best elements of both modes within a shipper's network, according to a recent MIT research paper. 

By Morgan Forde • May 28, 2020

DP World joins Maersk blockchain platform TradeLens

DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said the operator joined TradeLens in order to reduce costs and provide better information to shippers.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 28, 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

Target resumes grocery pickup pilot

The retailer had paused the rollout of fresh, frozen and refrigerated grocery items to its Drive Up program back in March when the pandemic hit.

By Jeff Wells • May 21, 2020

Supplier relationships go virtual, data-driven as pandemic pauses travel

The pandemic has placed greater focus on remote communication, audits and quality assurances with suppliers.

By Shefali Kapadia • May 21, 2020

Research conflicts on drone delivery costs, efficiency as parcel carriers scale operations

While Gartner estimates drone fleets could reduce operations costs by 70%, some research indicates drone operations, at scale, could be up to 10 times less energy efficient than vans.

By Morgan Forde • May 21, 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

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

Uber Freight teams up with Oracle as enterprise partnerships for digital brokers grow

Uber Freight's growing list of TMS integrations shows some recognition that brokerage is not a function where shippers have traditionally demonstrated much loyalty.

By Emma Cosgrove • May 15, 2020

RPA projects fail because of complexity and misunderstanding

Automation will play a starring role in how businesses deal with the effects of the pandemic. But automation for automation's sake means sinking resources into failed projects.

By Roberto Torres • May 14, 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

Target to acquire Deliv tech as the last-mile startup shuts down

The retailer will use Deliv's proprietary batching and routing technology to research and develop faster and cheaper delivery methods.​

By Matt Leonard • May 11, 2020