Logistics Management Magazine Archives

June 2014 Logistics Management

2014 Rail/Intermodal Roundtable: Riding High

Through record-high investments and a keen focus on service, rail and intermodal providers are still delivering on their service promise to shippers—and doing it with improved efficiency. Our panel of top analysts takes a deep dive into what railroads are doing to stay lean and powerful during these still uncertain times.

5 ways to handle peak demand

The rise of e-commerce, more frequent promotions, and competitive service- level agreements are creating more peak periods than ever in the DC. Here’s a look at five strategies companies are using to handle peak demand.

Software Users Survey: Caution lingers

Our new reader survey reveals a cautious approach to supply chain software investment and some lingering uncertainty over the place cloud computing will hold in the greater supply chain solution hierarchy.

2014 Cross-Border Roundtable:
Building the future of hemispheric trade

Trade volumes between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are massive and growing due in no small part to the fact that manufacturers now treat the continent as one seamless market for production and distribution. Our panelists offer insight into the bright outlook for hemispheric trade.

RFID and the Supply Chain: Measured progress

The RFID market is showing signs of steady growth as companies work to achieve a meaningful return on investment in specific areas of given processes. We chart the technology’s current and future progress.

June 1, 2014 · Through record-high investments and a keen focus on service, rail and intermodal providers are still delivering on their service promise to shippers—and doing it with improved efficiency. Our panel of top analysts takes a deep dive into what railroads are doing to stay lean and powerful during these still uncertain times.
June 1, 2014 · The rise of e-commerce, more frequent promotions, and competitive service-level agreements are creating more peak periods than ever in the DC. Here’s a look at five strategies companies are using to handle peak demand.
June 1, 2014 · Our new reader survey reveals a cautious approach to supply chain software investment and some lingering uncertainty over the place cloud computing will hold in the greater supply chain solution hierarchy.
June 1, 2014 · Trade volumes between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are massive and growing due in no small part to the fact that manufacturers now treat the continent as one seamless market for production and distribution. Our panelists offer insight into the bright outlook for hemispheric trade.
June 1, 2014 · The RFID market is showing signs of steady growth as companies work to achieve a meaningful return on investment in specific areas of given processes.
June 1, 2014 · Finding the right third-party logistics provider (3PL) always involves considerable due diligence, contend industry experts. But it may also mean leaving an existing partner for a set of collaborators that can deliver on the promise of a seamless global network.
June 1, 2014 · Our team of market leading consultants offers global shippers a strategic approach for optimizing air freight expenditures in a way that simultaneously improves service and capacity.
June 1, 2014 ·
June 1, 2014 ·
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Latest in Logistics Management

Understanding the FTC’s ban on noncompetes
Crowell & Moring law partner Stefan Meisner discussed the recent decision by the Federal Trade Commission to ban noncompete agreements.

UPS rolls out fuel surcharge increases
Earlier this week, Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS announced it is increasing fuel surcharges for various service offerings, including UPS Ground Domestic, UPS SurePost, and UPS Domestic Air

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes, for week of April 20, are mixed, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 216,945, fell 6.7% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 257,599 units, rose 8.2% annually.

Baltimore suing ship that crashed into bridge, closing port, costing jobs
The city of Baltimore is suing the owners of the cargo ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse and closing the Port of Baltimore for months.

Intermodal growth volume remains intact in March, reports IANA
Total March volume, at 1,464,782 units, increased 6.7% annually, below February’s 14.6% annual increase, while topping November, December, and January, which saw gains of 3.8%, 6.4%, and 5.5%, respectively.   

Descartes announces acquisition of Dublin, Ireland-based Aerospace Software Developments
Earlier this week, Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, continued to flex its M&A muscle, acquiring Dublin, Ireland-based Aerospace Software Developments, a provider of customs and regulatory compliance service.

Amid ongoing unexpected events, supply chains continue to readjust and adapt
Expecting the unexpected going back to the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 has really been a part of supply chain and logistics lexicon. As we know, there were many logistics and supply chain “lessons learned” coming out of the pandemic, which clearly still remain intact today, especially including the need for supply chain resiliency and preparedness, as well as flexible and nimble deployment of labor, assets, and technology, among others.

Shipment and expenditure decreases trend down, notes Cass Freight Index
March’s shipment reading, at 1.113, fell 3.6% annually, down from February’s 4.5% decrease and January’s 7.6% decline.

March trucking tonnage trends down, reports ATA
The ATA’s advanced Seasonally Adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 2%, to 113.4 (2015=100), following a 4% February gain, to 115.7, and a 3.2% January decline.

FTR Shippers Conditions Index enters negative territory
For February, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI reading came in at -1.4, below January’s 3.4, which was 3% below December’s 6.4 reading and also below November’s 6.3.

DAT March Truckload Volume Index sees modest March gains
From February to March, the the van TVI, at 260, was up 4%, with the refrigerated TVI, at 200, up 2.6%, and the flatbed TVI, at 242, up 4.4%.

National diesel average, for week of April 22, is down for the second straight week
For the week of April 22, the national average fell 2.3 cents, to $3.922. This followed a 2.3-cent decrease, to $4.015 per gallon, for the week of April 15, which was preceded by a 6.5-cent increase, to $4.004, for the week of April 8.

UPS reports first quarter earnings decline
Quarterly consolidated revenue, at $21.7 billion, fell 5.3% annually, and adjusted earnings per share, at $1.43, saw a 35.0% annual decline. Consolidated quarterly operating profit came in at $1.6 billion, which was off 36.5% annually.

LM Podcast Series: Assessing the freight transportation and logistics markets with Tom Nightingale, AFS Logistics
During this podcast, Nightingale provided a detailed overview of the new Cowen/AFS Freight Index report and variuous market issues.

Investor expectations continue to influence supply chain decision-making
More shareholders are expecting supply chains to become resilient to protect the bottom line.


Latest Resources

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2024 Transportation Rate Outlook: More of the same?
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Bypassing the Bottleneck: Solutions for Avoiding Freight Congestion at the U.S.-Mexico Border
Bypassing the Bottleneck: Solutions for Avoiding Freight Congestion at the U.S.-Mexico Border
Find out how you can navigate this congestion more effectively with new strategies that can help your business avoid delays, optimize operations,...

Driving ROI with Better Routing, Scheduling and Fleet Management
Driving ROI with Better Routing, Scheduling and Fleet Management
Improve efficiency and drive ROI with better vehicle routing, scheduling and fleet management solutions. Download our report to find out how.
Your Road Guide to Worry-Free Shipping Between the U.S. and Canada
Your Road Guide to Worry-Free Shipping Between the U.S. and Canada
Get expert guidance and best practices to help you navigate the cross-border shipping process with ease. Download our free white paper today!
Warehouse/DC Automation & Technology: It’s “go time” for investment
Warehouse/DC Automation & Technology: It’s “go time” for investment
In our latest Special Digital Issue, Logistics Management has curated several feature stories that neatly encapsulate the rise of automated systems and...