Logistics Management Magazine Archives

March 2021 Logistics Management

In this Issue:

  • E-commerce Boom: Welcome to the NEW REALITY
  • Cloud-first WMS
  • Leveraging the reverse "loop"
  • WDC Equipment Survey: Preparing for post-pandemic volumes
  • State of LTL 2021: Bull market
  • ProMatDX 2021
  • The lasting power of the container boom
March 30, 2021 · The top carriers learned how to adapt, improvise and improve over the pandemic-dominated year. While harmful for some, the situation has proven to be transformative for others. Here are the secrets of how top carriers are staying ahead of the pack.
March 29, 2021 · The six building blocks of customer-centric fulfillment.
March 29, 2021 · Air cargo providers need to be creative and agile in order to demonstrate their professional abilities to shippers across the globe.
March 9, 2021 · The increased e-commerce volume generated by the pandemic has no end in sight—and signals a permanent behavioral shift of an indeterminate magnitude. In fact, it has provided an opportunity for carriers, vehicle manufacturers and tech companies to research, test and invest in alternative ways to provide pick up, transport, sortation and delivery.
March 9, 2021 · Three of our top parcel industry sources provide updates on one of the fastest moving, most dynamic service sectors in logistics. They suggest that the time is now for shippers to explore every available option.
March 8, 2021 · As the transportation management systems market continues to evolve in the wake of the pandemic, more shippers are finding new ways to use the technology to meet their customers’ continually evolving expectations—and save time and money in the process.
March 8, 2021 · An overall push into the Cloud—along with the development of more flexible, scalable software—is making more logistics operations rethink their warehouse management software delivery options.
March 8, 2021 · With the ongoing growth of e-commerce, the volume of returned inventory continues to rise for logistics managers in a variety of industry sectors. Finding warehousing space for this flood of goods will be a major challenge, say analysts.
March 8, 2021 · In this year’s annual survey, the disruption of the past year certainly influenced some short-term trends, but respondents are optimistic going forward.
March 8, 2021 · When we look back on this time in history, we can say with some certainty that the pandemic acted as a great accelerator.
March 8, 2021 · Shippers need to brace for stiff rate increases as more disciplined carriers benefit from tight capacity, lack of drivers, new market concentration and mounting COVID-related demands.
March 8, 2021 · Over the course of 2021, ocean carriers will continue to operate at high capacity utilization levels, and ocean rates will remain high. Moreover, along with the need for elevated container circulation, high demand will continue to favor the Pacific Coast ports for Asian imports destined for the Midwest.
March 8, 2021 · How autonomous vehicles will bring value in a truly intelligent supply chain.
March 8, 2021 · The barriers to entry are generally low, as we’re now seeing deliveries in private cars and leased vans. Sure, it can seem that starting a delivery service is easy, but forgetting any of the seven operational must-do list items will result in constraints on the success of the logistics entrepreneur.
March 3, 2021 · With the theme of “Power Up,” ProMatDX 2021 will take place in April in a fully virtual format that showcases the latest solutions that supply chain professionals need to improve the resiliency and agility of their operations.
Not a subscriber? Apply online today.
 

Latest in Logistics Management

Port Tracker report is bullish on import growth over the balance of 2024
For March, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.93 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), down 1.4% compared to February and up 18.7% annually, a period when Asian export activity was slow on the heels of Lunar New Year shutdowns, it noted.   

Varying opinions on the tracks regarding STB’s adopted reciprocal switching rule
Feedback regarding the recent adoption of the reciprocal switching rule by the Washington, D.C.-based Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, could be viewed as mixed.

National diesel average falls for the fourth consecutive week, reports EIA
The national average, at $3.894 per gallon, fell 5.3 cents, below the $3.947 national average, for the week of April 29.

New Descartes’ study examines consumer preferences, changes, and shifts in e-commerce home delivery preferences
A new study issued today by Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, showed some disparities in the intersection of online buying and home delivery processes. The study, entitled “Online Buying Grows But Too Many Customers Still Experiencing Delivery Woes,” was based on feedback from 8,000 consumers surveyed by Descartes and SAPIO Research, across Europe and North America over the first quarter. This is the third annual edition of Descartes’ e-commerce home delivery report.

Potential Canadian rail strike could damage the country’s economy
Over 9,000 rail workers poised to walk off job, disrupting critical transportation routes used by various industries.

C.H. Robinson highlights progress of its AI-focused offerings with a focus on automating shipping processes
Taking steps to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in order to automate various types of shipping transactions conducted over e-mail, Minneapolis, Minn.-based global third-party logistics (3PL) services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson (CHR) today heralded the progress it has made on that front, calling the utilization a key step in breaking “a long-standing barrier to automation.

UPS announces CFO Newman to leave company, effective June 1
Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS said that effective June 1, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brian Newman will leave the company.

Preliminary April North American Class 8 net orders are mixed
FTR reported that preliminary April net orders, at 14,400 units, were off 25% compared to March and 12.5% annually. And it added that over the last 12 months, total Class 8 orders were at 267,700 units. ACT reported that April Class 8 orders, art 15,600 units, were off 1,800 units compared to March, while posting a 30% annual gain, in what it called a very easy year-ago comparison.

Senators take a close look at Amazon with Warehouse Worker Protection Act
The proposed legislation aims to regulate the use of productivity quotas and improve safety for workers.

Despite American political environment, global geopolitical risks could be easing
While there is plenty of danger around the world, the reality of interconnected supply chains may be prevailing.

Maryland DOT: $1.9 billion and up to four years to rebuild bridge sunk near Baltimore port
It will take just over four years and up to $1.9 billion to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was hit by a cargo ship and fell into the Patapsco River, according to an estimate by the Maryland Department of Transportation. The state plans to build a new span by the fall of 2028, spokesman David Broughton said. He also said it will likely cost anywhere from $1.7 billion-to-$1.9 billion to rebuild the span after the container ship Dali lost power...

April Services PMI contracts after 15 months of growth, reports ISM
The Services PMI, at 49.4 (a reading of 50 or higher signals growth) fell 2.0%. The last time the index contracted was in December 2022, when it came in at 49 and prior to that the last month seeing contraction was in May 2020, when it came in at 45.4.

2023 industrial big-box leasing activity heads down but remains on a steady path, notes CBRE report
In the report, entitled “2024 North America Industrial Big-Box Review & Outlook,” CBRE said that Food & Beverage was the third most active occupier for big-box leasing activity, at 8.6%, with Automobiles, Tires & Parts, E-commerce Only, and Building Materials & Construction rounding out the top six, at 7.0%, 5.4%, and 5.3%, respectively.

Sponsored Content
Comau’s Advanced Solutions Drive The Benefits Of Automation For Diversified Industries
Over the years, Comau has increasingly focused on implementing key technology enablers that transform conventional robotics into advanced robotics.

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed in April, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 848,882, were down 6.5%, or 58,751 carloads, annually. Intermodal containers and trailers, at 1,018,569 units, increased 8.6%, or 80,471 units, annually.


Latest Resources

2024 Transportation Rate Outlook: More of the same?
2024 Transportation Rate Outlook: More of the same?
Get ahead of the game with our panel of analysts, discussing freight transportation rates and capacity fluctuations for the coming year. Join...
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...