In this Issue:
- 12th Annual Rail/Intermodal Roundtable: A rocky ride
- Modern inventory management
- FTZs gain popularity
- Autonomous lift trucks
- Top 30 Ocean Carriers: Riding high on wave of profits
- Top 30 U.S. Ports: Volumes swell, challenges persist
Logistics Management Magazine Archives
October 2022 Logistics Management
October 3, 2022 · Three of the nation’s top market analysts examine the current state of the freight railroad and intermodal markets, including a look at pricing, service levels and competition with other modes.
October 3, 2022 · As e-commerce sales volumes continue to climb, third-party logistics providers are offering an expanded portfolio of services aimed at this segment of the market.
October 3, 2022 · Inventory control at the warehouse level is simple, right? Follow WMS processes, set some minimum SKU levels, be diligent about scan verifications to track consumption, and you’ve nailed it. While that worked 20 years ago, in today’s more complicated world with automated storage and fulfillment systems that hold inventory, you may need WES capabilities.
October 3, 2022 · Due to mounting disruptions, free zones and economic zones are gaining in popularity all around the world—which is causing some confusion about the specifics of the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone program. Our FTZ consultant shares some of the basics and the overall benefits these zones can bring to your supply chain operations.
October 3, 2022 · Operations are deploying autonomous lift trucks to offset pressures like rising order volumes and the inability to secure enough skilled operators. The ironic tinge here is that even though industry needs robots, it turns out the robots need people.
October 1, 2022 · This year it didn’t take us long to realize that the need to improve strategies to attract, hire, and apply the technology necessary to retain a workforce should be top of mind for logistics and supply chain management professionals.
October 1, 2022 · The push by global forwarders toward purely digital, end-to-end transparency is proving to be crucial amid frequent disruptions that are likely to continue through 2023.
October 1, 2022 · Schedule reliability remains a significant headache for carriers. Meanwhile, seaports remain flooded with containers, labor negotiations on the West Coast are ongoing, and issues regarding congestion are slow to be resolved as ports continue to look for answers.
October 1, 2022 · While the industry is still caught in the wake of the pandemic and the subsequent string of unprecedented events, profits for the top carriers has never been better.
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Latest in Logistics Management
Automate and Accelerate: Replacing Pick-to-Light with the Next Generation of Automation
May 13, 2024
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
May 13, 2024
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
May 13, 2024
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
May 13, 2024
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
May 13, 2024
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
May 10, 2024
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
May 10, 2024
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
May 9, 2024
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
May 9, 2024
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.
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Between a Rock and a Hard Place May 9, 2024
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
May 9, 2024
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
May 8, 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
May 8, 2024
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
May 8, 2024
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
May 7, 2024
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.
