Logistics Management Magazine Archives

January 2023 Logistics Management

In this Issue:

  • 2023 Rate Outlook: Will shippers catch a break?
  • Top 2023 TMS trends
  • Global labor rates
  • Lift Truck Series Part 1
  • Scaling mobile robots
  • 2022 Virtual Summit
January 9, 2023 · Our annual gathering of freight transportation industry analysts reveals some common themes, largely around the notion that rates are not likely to increase much—if at all—in some modes and will continue declining in others. Does this mean things are stabilizing?
January 7, 2023 · My favorite Logistics Management (LM) tradition is our Annual Rate Outlook cover story that becomes a live webcast (Jan. 26)—the ultimate one-two punch for shippers looking to gain clarity on costs in the year ahead.
January 5, 2023 · With worldwide shortages and supply chain disruptions, companies have changed how they source and manufacture parts and finished products. The Reshoring Institute studied and compared global labor rates around the world—and what follows are the high-level results of a study comparing labor rates in 13 different countries.
January 5, 2023 · The NextGen Supply Chain Awards recognized 10 industry leaders, leading solution providers, startups and supply chain visionaries who are leading the way in the adoption of NextGen technologies.
January 5, 2023 · As the transportation environment becomes increasingly complex, transportation management systems are being called upon more than ever to meet shippers’ needs. Industry analysts contend that TMS “just keeps getting better,” with much of that momentum being driven by end users that are continually asking vendors to fold more capabilities and functionalities into their software portfolios.
January 5, 2023 · With the “old guard” leaving the sector, new blood is moving into the freight payment industry. They are more data-driven, faster, and more international—and savvy shippers are benefiting by realizing lower, better-managed freight bills.
January 5, 2023 · It’s a profitable and sustainable solution to SDD and NDD that can help retailers remain competitive in today’s demanding environment.
January 5, 2023 · Service providers who can enable shippers and receivers to quickly assess their own supply chain networks, and gain insights into customer demand and order patterns, will be setting themselves up for success.
January 5, 2023 · Operational priorities and infrastructure constraints should guide motive power choice, though lithium is seen as gaining ground in the long term. Every option has its strong points, so it comes down to using the goals of each operation to guide it down the best motive power path.
January 5, 2023 · AMR deployments have been gaining ground to address labor availability issues. Fleets often start small in pilots and add robots over time, but how do you get to a better system? Success factors include proper solution scoping, RaaS options, integration platforms, and may involve software to orchestrate multiple AMR fleets.
January 5, 2023 · Here’s how companies can use automation, technology and other advanced tools to support and nurture their evolving workforces in today’s competitive business environment.
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Latest in Logistics Management

Automate and Accelerate: Replacing Pick-to-Light with the Next Generation of Automation
Berkshire Grey and S&H Systems present a webinar showcasing how their Robotic Put Wall systems offer a cost-effective solution to aging pick-to-light systems, delivering significant labor savings, space efficiency, minimal IT impact, and up to 30-40% batch pick efficiency gain, with seamless integration into existing infrastructure and scalable automation.

STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman retires
Late last week, 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, said that Chairman Martin J. Oberman has officially retired.

LM reader survey drives home the ongoing rise of U.S.-Mexico cross-border trade and nearshoring activity
The survey’s findings were largely positive, in terms of the attitude and approaches shippers are taking to setting up shop in Mexico, coupled with the ones that plan to make inroads there.

A buying guide to outsourcing transportation management
Navigate the complexities of outsourcing transportation management effectively by utilizing a comprehensive buying guide, which assists in identifying the right provider, understanding decision-making factors, and implementing strategies for ongoing improvement and change management.

SKU vs. Item-level Data Visibility: Why it Matters for End-to-End Traceability
Revolutionize your inventory management with real-time, item-level visibility, offering unparalleled accuracy and traceability throughout the supply chain, ultimately enhancing operations and customer satisfaction.

USPS cites continued progress in fiscal second quarter earnings despite recording another net loss
Operating revenue, at $19.7 billion, were up 2.1%, or $410 million, annually, and total quarterly volume, at 28.011 million pieces, fell 2.1% annually. USPS also reported a quarterly net loss of $1.5 billion, compared to a $2.5 billion quarterly loss a year ago.

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending May 4, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 213,410, fell 5.1% annually.Intermodal containers and trailers, at 249,696, were down 4.9% annually.

New Ryder analysis takes a close look at obstacles in converting to electric vehicles
The analysis, entitled “Charged Logistics: The Cost of Electric Vehicle Conversion for U.S. Commercial Fleets,” takes a deep dive into the myriad challenges related to converting to EVs, including what it called evolving state and federal legal requirements focused on transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles.

Norfolk Southern shareholders sign off on 10 board of directors nominees
Facing questions about its leadership in advance of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders today, due to a proxy bout and attempted management takeover by activist investor Ancora Alternatives LLC, Atlanta-based Class I railroad carrier Norfolk Southern is likely breathing a collective sigh of relief today.

Sponsored Content
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
When a construction materials company realized that transporting a massive rock crusher for repairs would put them between a rock and a hard place, it knew who to call.

Inflation and economic worries are among top supply chain concerns for SMBs
Study finds that 45% of SMBs are concerned with inflation as they seek to improve their supply chains.

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.


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