January, 2016

article thumbnail

How Freight Disrupted Itself: The View From Within A Changing Industry

Freightos

How Freight Disrupted Itself. In the last year, a new dynamic has begun to reshape the freight industry. Unlike some industries that are virtually attacked by external actors, like Uber disrupting the taxi industry, the catalysts of this transformation are coming from within. Coming from within the industry, Dr. Phil Blumenthal has a front-row seat to it’s evolution.

Freight 188
article thumbnail

Become Data Driven: Embrace the Iconoclast in Your Organization

Supply Chain Shaman

i·con·o·clast. īˈkänəˌklast. noun. A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions. Writing–the process of words flowing from the mind to the fingers–is fascinating to experience. I write at least 3,000 words a day for some publication. Sometimes the words flow fast and furiously, and my arthritic fingers struggle to keep pace; while at other times, like last week, the thoughts don’t flow at all.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Improving on Strategic Sourcing

Logistics Viewpoints

These days, sourcing has become a common discipline in supply chain and transportation management. There is an organizational expectation that transportation modes will be sourced and cost will be taken out of the network with some regularity. However, meeting these expectations while maintaining service year-over-year has become more challenging. To get more out of the market, we need to change the approach, as it is no longer enough to simply conduct a “bid” for transportation […].

article thumbnail

2016 Supply Chain Trends: 7 of 12 Trends that Will Drive Supply Chain Management in 2016

GlobalTranz

As we head into a new year it is a good time to take a look at the coming year and see what it may hold in the way of trends. We kick off today a month-long focus on trends in the following categories: Manufacturing, Manufacturing Technology, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transportation Management. We have already covered the top 6 trends for 2016 in manufacturing.

article thumbnail

Speeding Robotics Automation with AI

The $53 trillion manufacturing economy in the US is undergoing a major automation paradigm shift due to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thanks to new practical frameworks, automation projects that were once impossible or inefficient to implement are now being fast-tracked, and robotics automation is becoming increasingly relevant to a growing number of users and scenarios.

article thumbnail

Ex Machina: AI and the Future of Supply Chain Planning

ToolsGroup

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on human beings. It recently gained heightened attention with the movie “Ex Machina,” where an AI creation outsmarts its maker, escapes the closed experimental environment, and enters the real world ( ex machina is Latin for “out of the machine”). The movie popularizes concerns expressed by technology pundits like Elon Musk and Bill Gates, and philosopher Nick Bostrom.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Still Don’t Know How Many Slaves Are In Your Supply Chain?

Talking Logistics

How many slaves are in your supply chain? I asked that question almost three years ago following the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,100 workers and injured thousands of others. Based on recent reports, it appears that, three years later, the answer to that question remains the same: We don’t know. Last week, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), a leading international body representing purchasing and supply management professionals, iss

article thumbnail

Transforming Consumer Value Chains: Navigating The Power Shift to the Shopper

Supply Chain Shaman

Last week, Wal-Mart announced the closing of 269 stores and the layoffs of 10,000 employees. In addition, Macy’s announced the closure of 36 stores and K-Mart followed suite with announcements of 27 store closings. For December 2015, retail sales were the lowest since 2009. What does this mean? I think three things: Decline in Customer Sentiment.

article thumbnail

What is Machine Learning? How will this Technology Change Supply Chain Solutions?

Logistics Viewpoints

Machine learning is helping support more efficient supply chains. Machine learning is being discussed more often in supply chain contexts because of the buzz created by the Internet of Things (IoT). This article gives an interesting supply chain use case for machine learning, and defines and explains the technology.

article thumbnail

3 Logistics Technology Trends in 2016: Automation Leads the Way

GlobalTranz

Innovations in technology are changing how the world does business, and technology is dramatically changing how entities in the logistics industry function in nearly every aspect. From increased affordability and efficiency of the transportation management system (TMS) to the application of Bluetooth technology for superior tracking of product movements, 2016 will be the year in which technology becomes an integral, if not the exclusive, part of the shipping process.

article thumbnail

Supply Chain Resilience Checklist

Strengthen your operations with the Supply Chain Resilience Checklist. This practical, easy-to-use tool helps your organization prepare for disruptions and ensure long-term continuity in an unpredictable world. Why Download: Identify and assess critical supply chain risks Ask the right questions to evaluate vendor preparedness Implement effective strategies to reduce vulnerabilities Improve communication, transparency, and coordination across your network What You’ll Learn: How to evaluate and m

article thumbnail

SAP HANA and the Future of Supply Chain Planning

ToolsGroup

The data wave is coming. Capturing and leveraging large quantities of data for improved forecasting, demand analytics and supply chain planning is now pretty much a given. The question is moving on to “how”. Many are wondering if SAP HANA will be a good in-memory computing platform for capturing the data that will feed processes such as supply chain planning.

article thumbnail

Can One Broken Bridge Cripple Your Supply Chain?

Kinaxis

by Alexa Cheater. That’s the question I’m asking after one very important, and now very broken, bridge in Northern Ontario failed to stand up to the rigors of a cold Canadian winter earlier this month. The newly built Nipigon River Bridge is a vital part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the main roadway linking Canada’s east and west coasts. And on Sunday, January 10 it was completely shut down, bottlenecking traffic and forcing commercial shippers to detour several hours out of their way and

article thumbnail

Why Use Augmented Reality in Your Warehouse or DC?

Talking Logistics

While most everyone has heard of an augmented reality (AR) eyeglass-type product, many have only seen it being used for consumer applications. Now, the trend is to use this technology commercially; for the logistics industry, there are many potential use cases in a warehouse. First, let’s discuss the basic definition of AR, then we can dive a little deeper into how this innovative piece of technology could potentially be used in a warehouse.

DC 121
article thumbnail

2016: The Start of the Third Act?

Supply Chain Shaman

Six years ago, on a snowy January afternoon, I wrote my first post for the Supply Chain Shaman. It seems so long ago, but I still remember the fear I felt hitting the publish button for the first time. The blog was uglier then and less polished, and I have learned a lot about blogging over the years; however, my focus is the same. My goal is to write insights for the supply chain visionary.

article thumbnail

Tariffs on the Table: How to Brief the Board and C‑Suite With Confidence

“What should we do about the tariffs?” There’s no straightforward answer — every leader has a different expectation. CFOs want numbers. COOs want action. CEOs want strategy. And supply chain and procurement leaders need to be ready with the right response — fast. That’s why GEP has created a simple three-part framework that will help CPOs and CSCOs brief the board and C-suite with clarity and confidence.

article thumbnail

Logistics and Supply Chain Trends to Monitor in 2016

Logistics Viewpoints

Writing about trends is tough. Many trends are slow moving trains. Sometimes few people question that the trend is underway, they just want to know when it will impact them. The other thing about making predictions, is ideally a prediction should be specific enough and testable enough that after the fact someone can look back and see whether it was right or wrong.

Trends 175
article thumbnail

3 More Advanced Technology Trends in Logistics in 2016: Welcome to the Hyperconnected Logistics Industry

GlobalTranz

The shipping industry of 2016 is a gross misrepresentation of what was considered “normal” shipping practices in the 1980s or 1990s. This is due in part to significant changes and improvements in how the logistics industry perceives and responds to the demands of a growing customer base. Although the use of transportation management systems , unmanned aerial vehicles, and robotics , is dramatically changing the logistics landscape, several other technologies will become key players in the logist

article thumbnail

Back to the Future—Best-of-Breed vs. ERP Supply Chain Planning 2016 Update

ToolsGroup

A year ago we wrote a blog comparing best-of-breed and ERP supply chain planning solutions. We reported on how extensive data from three analyst studies, based on user responses, showed that best-of-breed outperforms ERP-based supply chain planning by a significant margin. Now in 2016 we wanted to take a look back at the debate, to see what has happened in the past twelve months.

article thumbnail

Let’s Talk Certification

Kinaxis

by Joe Cannata By way of introduction, I am Joe Cannata, Kinaxis’ Certification Director. For the past several months, I have had the privilege to work with the broader Knowledge Services team and others across Kinaxis on designing a Certification Program which we are proud to begin rolling out today! This program is an important one because it marks a pivotal point in the company’s growth and maturity, and demonstrates the presence and authority of Kinaxis RapidResponse in the market as a leadi

article thumbnail

Staying Ahead of UFLPA Enforcement: Best Practices for Retail Supply Chains

Speaker: Ethan Woolley, Director at Kharon

This webinar will explore how companies can proactively address compliance risks–rather than reactively responding to–UFLPA enforcement actions. Ethan Woolley will provide insights into the latest CBP enforcement trends, entity list updates, and industries under increased scrutiny, with a look at potential shifts under the Trump administration. Ethan will also explore how predictive data and strategic due diligence can help organizations stay ahead of regulatory challenges and strengthen complia

article thumbnail

Internet of Things (IoT) in the supply chain – a jolt of creativity required?

DELMIA Quintiq

A couple of months ago, I went to an interesting event dedicated to creating a digitalized factory of the future. Given that it took place in Japan, I imagined quite an animated discussion around making another leap in the manufacturing of things. What I got, was quite interesting, but not yet the IoT breakthroughs that I expected. From the presentations, it was clear that the investment in IoT hardware, from raw material tags, inventory tags, to equipment sensors – is increasing.

article thumbnail

2016: The Year of Connectivity

Talking Logistics

New technology has made today’s world a much more connected place. From the Internet to smartphones to social media to Skype to CNN, we can be constantly connected to what is happening in the world, in our business life and in our personal life. So why are our supply chains so disconnected? Externally, few companies can trace their products more than one or two levels forward or backward in their supply chains, and thus have only limited visibility to supply chain risks or the ability to find po

article thumbnail

Patterson Pope’s 5 KPIs for Managing a Warehouse

The Logistics of Logistics

The warehouse is one of the most important links of the supply chain. It’s crucial to optimize warehouse management operations in order to compete with other businesses. Key performance indicators (KPIs) give you a means to measure how well you are doing and make the right adjustments. They allow you to set benchmarks and improve your business practices.

article thumbnail

[VIDEO] Logistics Beacons: Using Proximity As A Logistics Oversight Service

GlobalTranz

The global logistics industry generates $9.1 Trillion dollars in revenue. The global Third Party Logistics (3PL) industry generates $750 Billion in revenue as a part of that figure. Further, the U.S. trucking industry alone generates approximately $700 Billion in revenue. Air and sea cargo industries generate $62 Billion each. These are huge numbers that represent the movement of every good across the globe and the reason we are seeing the rise of Logistics Beacons as a way to increase logis

article thumbnail

3 Ways Your Wholesaler ERP System Is Failing You

The supply chain is the world’s most complex logistics challenge, where efficiency and accuracy are critically important to ensure goods are accessible to consumers when needed. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems play a key role for wholesale distribution companies in this process, serving (among other things) as the inventory management software that attempts to ensure that the right products are available in the right quantities at the right time and place.

article thumbnail

Hostess Brands Builds a Unique, New Supply Chain

Logistics Viewpoints

Hostess went bankrupt. But Hostess products are back in stores. This happened after the brands and certain factories were purchased out of bankruptcy in April of 2013. The brand was then relaunched in July of 2013. That left just a few months to build a unique, new supply chain from scratch.

article thumbnail

Big Data and the Supply Chain: One Important Means of Moving Forward

Kinaxis

by Bill DuBois A recent article on CFO points to a topic gaining strong momentum in the business press: the supply chain is the next big thing for big data to address. The authors, Regenia Sanders and Jason Meil, detail why this focus has become so compelling: “Big data can have a measurable impact on driving greater accuracy in planning, ensuring that companies make the right amount of the right product.

Big Data 149
article thumbnail

Experts Show How to Revamp Supply Chain Organization

Supply Chain Opz

How to improve the efficiency of supply chain organization? Leading experts will tell you how to improve a team and create the positive changes that stick. 1. Ian King, Manufacturing Growth Lead at EEF, the Manufacturers’ Organisation Given the global nature of many of today’s supply chains, understanding cultural differences can be key. Every nation has different practices and ways of behaviour - if we want a successful, well-oiled supply chain we need to tailor our systems and process to suit

article thumbnail

Using Modeling and Analytics to Design a Resilient Supply Chain

Talking Logistics

Supply chain optimization is a widespread term, but did you know that an optimized supply chain is not necessarily a resilient one? Seventy-four percent of businesses experienced at least one supply chain disruption in last 12 months, and 38 percent reported a loss in revenue¹. Supply chain resiliency focuses on designing your business and supply chain to quickly bounce back from disruptions.

article thumbnail

Signal-Based Selling: How to Leverage 4 Key Buying Signals

As prospects define their problem, search for solutions, and even change jobs, they are generating high-value signals that the best go-to-market teams can leverage to close more deals. This is where signal-based selling comes into play. ZoomInfo CEO Henry Schuck recently broke down specific ways to put four key buying signals into action with the experts from 30 Minutes to President’s Club.

article thumbnail

How Many SKUs Could a Planner Plan if a Planner Could Plan SKUs?

Logility

As a classical and jazz musician I understand the need for both structured and artistic abilities when performing. In its basic form music is a mathematical language. What sets a professional musician apart from an amateur often is the ability to express oneself artistically through the instrument and make that special connection with an audience. Art and science come together in supply chain management, too.

article thumbnail

[INFOGRAPHIC] 5 More Supply Chain Trends To Watch Out for in 2016

GlobalTranz

Yesterday we began our two part series on 2016 supply chain trends that will drive supply chain management into the future. We listed the first 7. As with most trends we all have read over the last few years, the focus was on technology. We also took the liberty of making sure we put a focus on efficient sound process in place before new technology is applied.

article thumbnail

Ben & Jerry’s Commits to Building Non-GMO Supply Chains from Scratch

Logistics Viewpoints

Last year, Ben & Jerry’s celebrated a milestone: all the plant-based ingredients in their ice cream, yogurt, and sorbet products transitioned to non-genetically modified (non-GMO) sources. Now, they’re working with dozens of other food companies to build up non-GMO commodity supply chains across the country to support this growing sector of the food industry.