This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
When many businesses forecast demand, even the most studious companies will not get it 100 percent accurate, instead of perfection, the focus should be on minimising errors. Planning is one of the core functions of supply chain management that can help minimise errors and thus increase the accuracy of forecasting demand. Understanding and predicting customer demand is vital for businesses to avoid stock-outs, maintain adequate inventory stock levels and increase overall profitability.
Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), a process often focused around a monthly meeting, is evolving into a more continuous process. A recent whitepaper by supply chain planning and optimization firm Optilon explains why and how. S&OP is a process where decisions are traditionally made once a month as a part of an executive review. But the infrequent nature of the decision making often leads to a gap between S&OP and operations.
The importance of an omnichannel supply chain strategy cannot be overstated. According to Randy Strang of Supply Chain 24/7, a survey of the most important parts of a shopping experience found customers’ expectations are more than meets the eye. Up to 62 percent want to purchase online and have the option of returning it in-store, and 47 percent want promotions and coupons available through their smartphone.
by Jonathan Lofton I recently rented a car featuring steering assist and intelligent cruise control. Now, I’m used to driver assist technologies as my vehicle has blind spot warning and front and rear collision warning, and braking. My wife’s car has a heads-up display as well as steering wheel vibration when you stray onto the lane lines, but when driving this rental, I felt the car was actually steering itself back into the lane when it drifted astray.
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.
More than a year into a freight capacity crisis that shows little sign of weakening, it’s time for all parties involved in logistics and freight transportation to meet this issue head on. Solving the challenge and underlying issues will require focus and attention to internal processes, better communication with carriers and partners, and using technology to gather and make sense of the vast amount of data flowing through transportation networks.
Since the inception of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) in the early 1970’s logistics professionals have always taken for granted the accuracy of EDI tracking transactions sent for various activities across their global supply chains. But this may need to be rethought now that Satellites and AIS technology are being applied, and are capturing the “truth” about these activities, by monitoring actual ship movements and by comparing this to the related EDI arrival transactions fo
Since the inception of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) in the early 1970’s logistics professionals have always taken for granted the accuracy of EDI tracking transactions sent for various activities across their global supply chains. But this may need to be rethought now that Satellites and AIS technology are being applied, and are capturing the “truth” about these activities, by monitoring actual ship movements and by comparing this to the related EDI arrival transactions fo
Demand for e-commerce capability is increasing. E-Commerce requires intense coordination between supply chains and an understanding of how to achieve maximum efficiency in all modes of transportation, explains BigCommerce.com. When it comes to over-the-road (OTR) shipping, e-commerce becomes even more difficult, requiring advanced knowledge of various carriers, rates, HOS regulations, the ELD mandate and more.
“Cigarette production and consumption have seen dramatic growth in recent decades and although the health effects of smoking are widely recognized, its impacts on the environment are largely overlooked”, the authors of a new World Health Organization report argue, which is titled Cigarette Smoking: An Assessment of Tobacco’s Global Environmental Footprint Across Its Entire Supply Chain (pdf).
The VP of Supply Chain and Logistics at our house (aka my wife) has been out of the country this week. This is the first time in many years that I’ve had to assume all of her responsibilities in managing the complex operations of a house with three kids (our oldest child is in college, which you would think would make things easier, but she lost her prescription eye glasses, so I had to pick up a new pair at the store, box them up, drive to the post office, and stand in line to mail them to her.
Growing up in a small oilfield town, we didn’t have a McDonald’s; we had Joy’s Grill. Joy, the owner, and his wife, Wanda, ran a straightforward automated operation in their diner with one row of booths and a counter open to the grill. She took the orders and yelled out “mash one,” which queued Joy to throw another patty on the grill. He finished the order, Wanda served, and whoever had a free hand, rang up the checks at the register.
E-commerce is growing at a phenomenal rate and, powered by the top trends in e-commerce logistics, shippers have an amazing opportunity to increase profitability and reduce freight spend simultaneously. The time to understand the trends in commerce logistics and position their organizations succeed and overcome the challenges that accompany this unique way of moving product on a global scale.
As recent events demonstrate, science fiction often turns into science fact. Jason Koebler and Joseph Cox explain, “In the 2015 novel Ghost Fleet , the spark that starts World War III is not a nuclear bomb, but a supply chain hack. In the book — which is based on real-life technology, technical papers, and diplomatic meetings — national security and international relations expert Peter W.
Sending out a Request for Proposal — an RFP — is what most companies do when they’re looking for a technology solution. But what if instead of a Request for Proposal , the RFP became a Request for Partnership , as my friend Kate Vitasek from the University of Tennessee suggested several years ago ? It seems like companies are starting to move in that direction, viewing and evaluating providers of technology not as prospective vendors , but as prospective partners.
Leading supply chain and logistics publication includes PINC, the leading provider of real-time digital inventory solutions, to its annual list of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners.
“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.
Final mile and last mile both referred to the final stage of delivery, and the use of last mile in e-commerce can mean the difference between a positive customer experience and a return. Simply not delivering a package on time will dramatically increase the rate of returns, and poor last mile in e-commerce delivery can contribute to increasing logistics costs.
Hurricane Michael is approaching Florida via the Gulf Coast, threatening to rise from its current Category 1 status before making landfall on Wednesday. Just like with last month's Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas, Michael is going to bring storm surge, heavy rains, and severe winds throughout the state. A state of emergency has already been declared in 26 counties, and residents and businesses in the storm's path are on high alert.
This post originally appeared on Forbes. Digital transformation has remained a hot topic this year not only because of how integral it is for businesses, but also because so many conversations focus on predicting where it’s poised to go. Worldwide, companies are predicted to spend $1.7 trillion on digital transformation by the end of 2019, which will be up 42% from 2017.
Hurricane Michael has made landfall with the Florida panhandle as a very scary Category 4. That is the second-highest category, with winds of 130 to 156 MPH. You can imagine what kind of damage that can do to buildings and highways, let alone a truck, so if you are in or near the Gulf Coast of Florida or Alabama, or anywhere in the path of the storm, PLEASE seek shelter and make safety your one and only priority.
Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives
Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri
E-commerce has presented wholesale distributors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with a crown opportunity for growth, but it comes at the cost of transitioning from single-channel shipping. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce , U.S. e-commerce retail sales have increased 3.9 percent from the first quarter of 2018. Over the last year, average e-commerce sales have increased more than 15 percent, revealing the increasing demand for multichannel fulfillment and shipping.
In 2015, the world got one step closer to a better future when 193 countries committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a framework for addressing the global community’s most critical economic, social and environmental challenges. These goals aim to eliminate poverty and hunger, promote global access to healthcare and education, protect earth’s natural resources, achieve gender equality, and more.
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak again at CSCMP’s annual global conference, which focused on providing attendees with real-world strategies to maximize and transform supply chains. With 3,000+ attendees and 100 sessions at the event, the content addressed a wide range of supply chain opportunities and challenges. TMC’s participation included two different panel discussions; one was an overview of our Truckload Leader or Laggard research with MIT, which you can learn more about in my pre
Spot market line haul rates are now only 5% higher for vans now than they were a year ago, rising from $1.74 to $1.83 per mile not including the fuel surcharge. And the number of van loads that have moved in early October is nearly identical to 2017. You’d expect this season to be more different from early October 2017, when Hurricanes Harvey and Irma still had a massive impact on supply chain operations.
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
The supply chain attack could have siphoned corporate secrets and government information while leaving few fingerprints. This week there was a blockbuster Bloomberg Businessweek report about U.S. investigations into a digital attack that involved planting snooping devices in the kinds of circuit boards used by Amazon, Apple, the U.S. government and other important organizations.
An organization’s packaging operation provides an excellent starting point for driving warehouse efficiencies and should be considered as a major contributor to your supply chain performance. Packaging inefficiencies often lead to a number of issues that can quickly accumulate into a hefty bill. Here are a few steps your organization can take to avoid costly … The post 3 Key Steps to Improving Packaging Efficiency appeared first on Chainalytics.
This week’s manned Soyuz launch to the International Space Station appeared to be going smoothly, but some 90 seconds later NASA, on its livestream, reported that a problem seemed to have occurred with the booster rocket between the first and second stages of separation. The two astronauts were forced into a “ballistic descent” with their capsule landing a few hundred miles from the launch site.
What is Remote-Insourcing? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Not anymore. Remote-Insourcing isn’t outsourcing—it’s a revolutionary staffing model that lets our clients fill key entry-level positions with top-tier, loyal, long-term talent, integrated seamlessly into their businesses—just like local employees but without the turnover or W2 HR hassles. With under 4% unwanted attrition, you train once and keep the same team for years.
Realizing the benefits of a continuous engagement, a leading department store chain partners with Chainalytics to strategically realign their distribution network in order to remain competitive in an evolving retail environment. The strategic business challengeAs one of the most rapidly changing industries, retail is in an era of significant transformation.
Hurricane Michael is approaching Florida via the Gulf Coast, threatening to rise from its current Category 1 status before making landfall on Wednesday. Just like with last month's Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas, Michael is going to bring storm surge, heavy rains, and severe winds throughout the state. A state of emergency has already been declared in 26 counties, and residents and businesses in the storm's path are on high alert.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 102,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
58 
Let's personalize your content