Logistics Management Magazine Archives

October 2017 Logistics Management

In this Issue:

  • Alliance Award Winner: SalonCentric: One Beautiful Network
  • Rail/Intermodal Roundtable
  • Improve your inventory management
  • Foreign Trade Zones
  • Top 35 Ocean Carriers: Still a puzzlement
  • European Update: Logistics hubs key to e-commerce efficiency
October 31, 2017 · While the Trump administration works to water down some trucking regulations, states are more aggressive than ever in their pursuit of more revenue.
October 31, 2017 · “Uber for freight.” “On-demand trucking.” Call it what you want, but the race to develop mobile apps to match an available truck with a pending load is heating up—and the players are well-funded and looking to stand out in an already saturated market.
October 31, 2017 · Today’s freight forwarders now need to ramp up their value-added visibility services in an effort to boost revenues and put shippers at ease.
October 31, 2017 · As e-commerce fulfillment pressure continues to climb, our annual survey points to the many changes taking hold—from more investment in automated approaches to piece picking, more use of robotics, increased interest in throughput metrics and general process improvement.
October 31, 2017 · Various events are creating the tightest TL market in at least four years—and our experts say that it’s going to get tighter and rates are going to go higher over the next year.
October 31, 2017 · For shippers, the lack of pricing regulation in the various modes they’re dependent upon is causing an increasingly worrisome financial squeeze.
October 31, 2017 · We tend to take it for granted, and it’s not until you stop and really digest some of the numbers that you realize just how dominant trucking is as a mode of freight transportation in the United States.
October 16, 2017 · In an era where effective supply chain collaboration is both highly valued and elusive, Logistics Management and SMC³ shine the spotlight on some of the nation’s best examples in its annual awards ceremony.
October 3, 2017 · Our digital world has allowed us to connect with colleagues and business partners over great distances, creating the illusion that time zones and space have evaporated between us—that we’re there in the same room at the same time.
October 3, 2017 · A leading distributor of professional salon products in the U.S. forms unique partnerships with its key LTLs to lower transport costs, reduce its carbon footprint and improve service to its 565 store locations.
October 3, 2017 · For all the advances in lift truck technology and fleet management, operators will always be the heart and soul of a fleet. As manufacturers and equipment purchasers place more value on that piece, the role of the operator extends from design to daily use.
October 3, 2017 · Four of the nation’s foremost experts in the market help shippers better understand the current state of the nation’s ever-complex and competitive rail and intermodal network.
October 3, 2017 · Plagued by stock-outs and poor inventory visibility? Here are a few practical best practices and technologies that can significantly improve inventory management inside today’s rapidly evolving warehouse and DC operations.
October 3, 2017 · With new bilateral agreements and global e-commerce deals reconfiguring the global marketplace, the popularity of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) is not likely to diminish any time soon. In fact, there’s reason to believe that they will become even more popular once additional regulatory oversight is put in place.
October 2, 2017 · The collapse of Hanjin in 2016 fueled speculation that new players might be emboldened to enter the “top tier” and begin competing for market share. With this, logistics mangers putting container shipping to work are facing the biggest shift in their carrier base in 20 years—and now must adapt their procurement and contract strategy.
October 2, 2017 · The warehousing and distribution center (DC) market in Western Europe is experiencing one of the highest levels of rental growth ever recorded. Here’s where the action is and what you need to know if you’re expanding your EU operations.
October 2, 2017 · Some past project teams found themselves spending a small fortune on building models to run on powerful optimization platforms.
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Latest in Logistics Management

Expensive, lengthy delays expected before Port of Baltimore can re-open to vessels following Key Bridge collapse
The collapse of the 47-year-old, 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge is going to have supply chain repercussions for months, if not longer, supply chain experts are saying.

DAT Truckload Volume Index sees February declines after a strong January
The van TVI, at 245, down 4% compared to January, with the reefer TVI, at 193, down 4% compared to January, and the flatbed TVI, at 242, increased 3% compared to January.

In Pyrrhic victory, Teamsters win as judge tosses Yellow’s $137 million lawsuit
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has won what the union calls “a major victory” in a breach of contract lawsuit against Yellow Corp. Unfortunately for about 24,000 Teamsters who lost their jobs when Yellow ceased operations last August, the victory arrives about nine months too late.

project44 and Everstream offer up analysis on Port of Baltimore situation
Chicago-based supply chain visibility services provider project44 noted that in addition to the Dali, there are also three other container vessels currently moored in the Port of Baltimore. And for container vessels that were scheduled to arrive at the Port of Baltimore now re-routing to alternative ports, Everstream Analytics reported the following: four at the Port of New York and New Jersey; three at the Port of Norfolk; one at the Port of Philadelphia; and one unconfirmed.

Industry experts examine the impact of Baltimore bridge collapse on supply chains
Following yesterday’s bridge collision in Baltimore, when the 32,000-ton container ship, Dali, collided into the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and stopping ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore, for an indefinite period, it has created yet another uncertain situation for supply chains.

Port of Baltimore closed indefinitely to ships after 1.6-mile Key Bridge collapses following maritime accident
The most severe U.S. bridge collision since the Tampa Skyway Bridge disaster in 1980 happened at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday near Baltimore where a 32,000-ton cargo ship Dali rammed a bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, causing it to collapse. The collapse of the 47-year-old, 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge has brought ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore, an important East Coast trade hub, to a halt. The port said maritime traffic is suspended “until further notice.”

UPS presents updated financial goals and strategic targets at its investor day
Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS unveiled details regarding its strategic growth and productivity initiatives and its three-year financial targets at its Investor Day. Company officials stated that through its ongoing “Customer First, People Led, Innovation Driven” strategy, UPS is focused on setting up to the company to be the “premium small package provider and logistics partner in the world.”

Q&A: Mike Burkhart, VP of Mexico, C.H. Robinson
LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Mike Burkhart, VP of Mexico, for Minneapolis-based global logistics services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson, about the ongoing nearshoring push into Mexico and what shippers need to know and be prepared for in order to establish cross-border supply chain and logistics operations south of the border.

National diesel average heads up for second straight week, reports EIA
The weekly average, at $4.034, saw a 0.006-cent increase, following a 2.4-cent increase, to $4.028, for the week of March 18.

February and year-to-date U.S. import growth is solid, reports S&P Global Market Intelligence
February imports, at 2.44 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) increased 21% compared to February 2023. And when taking into account the timing of the Lunar New Year, coupled with the impact of ongoing Red Sea and Panama Canal disruptions, the firm explained that U.S.-bound imports over the first two months of 2024, at 5.04 million TEU, posted a 14% annual increase over 2023’s 4.40 million TEU, with 2022 and 2021, at 5.21 million TEU and 5.09 million TEU, respectively.

LM Podcast Series: 3PL market update with Evan Armstrong
Themes focused on over the course of this podcast included: the state of the market; ways in which the pandemic affected 3PL operations; M&A; how 3PLs are adjusting to and leveraging nearshoring; and the economy, among other topics. 

CPOs shift focus on AI from what’s possible to implementation
Annual Voices of Sourcing survey from Keelvar also finds technology use is ramping up as the workforce shrinks

FedEx fiscal third quarter earnings see gains amid ongoing volume declines
Quarterly revenue, at $21.7 billion, was off 2.3% annually, and operating income, at $1.24 billion, rose 16% annually. Earnings per share, at $3.51, topped the $3.05 from a year ago, topping Wall Street expectations of $3.30. Net income, at $879 million, was up 12% annually.

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending March 16, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 219,586, fell 0.6% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 255,010, saw a 13.8% annual increase.

White House and DOT issue progress update on FLOW efforts
Two years after the White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) formally announced the rollout of Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW), which it describes as an information sharing initiative to pilot key freight information exchange between parts of the goods movement supply chain, it provided an update this week on the progress it has made since its inception.


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