US corporations import nearly $2 trillion worth of products from more than 150 countries, a number that is expected to triple by 2015, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The drive to capture the business benefits of low cost country sourcing has far out-paced the processes and systems needed to efficiently manage the global supply chain. A recent survey by Aberdeen identified that higher than expected transportation expenses was the primary factor in landed cost budget variances.

Whether you’re shipping auto brakes, consumer appliance parts, paper or simply packaging material, there are incredible intricacies to cross-border transit – from documentation standards and customs issues, to specific requirements for certain types of shipments. Getting it right is essential: timely delivery impacts production south of the border. To help, we’ve put together this strategy guide for making your intermodal shipments into Mexico smoother.

In today’s world of fluctuating order volumes, rising transportation costs and declining capacity, it’s critical for shippers and carriers to take a true partnership approach.

These regulatory initiatives have added to the ever-expanding list of labor-related challenges that involve cutting costs while still looking to improve operational efficiencies.

Did you know that you can accelerate your business operations by standardizing and automating your business processes. Easier said than done, right?

As companies look to streamline operations, improve efficiency and wring costs out of their supply chains, one of the most exciting opportunities for improvement is the inbound shipment of small parcels.

With the growth of e-commerce, order fulfillment has been elevated to a critical business function. Companies are challenged to deliver the perfect order every time while providing a consistent brand experience from channel to channel — in store, catalog or online.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is the umbrella term for technologies that fabricate products by building up thin layers of materials from three-dimensional, computer-aided designs. A subset of these technologies, 3D printing builds objects on machines that “print” successive layers of materials such as molten plastic.

This collection of Vantage Partners publications provides practical advice for developing and executing optimal supplier negotiation strategies, and building enhanced organizational capabilities for supply chain negotiations.

Amber Road 1.13271 American Sentinel 1.318 C.H. Robinson 1.3782 Columbus 4.955 Cross-Border 1.235 Exports 1.10044 Freight 1.1538647 Intermec 1.6759 Kronos 1.3037 Legacy Supply Chain Services 2.295 Liaison 1.242 Motorola 2.1383 Pacer International 1.2170 Procurement 1.1063945 Purolator 1.570 Supply Chain Operations 1.370 Supply Chain Risk 1.12279 The BSI Group 1.330 U.S. Xpress 1.1662 white paper 3.1308 White Paper 3.273 white papers 5.897