Logistics Management Magazine Archives

June 2023 Logistics Management

In this Issue:

  • Logistics Labor: Increasing retention
  • Private fleet growth soars
  • Improving productivity with LMS
  • Cross-border business booms
  • Top 50 3PLs: Ripe market conditions
  • Transportation Market Update: Ocean shipping returns to per-pandemic status
June 5, 2023 · To better manage through the constrained labor market, logistics operations are courting more women and other diverse job candidates; ramping up their training programs; investing in automation; and ensuring that positions offer the work-life balance that many new recruits are seeking.
June 5, 2023 · Voice-directed solutions do more than translate pick lists in voice instructions. These solutions are multi-modal, using wearable scanners and Android device screens when appropriate, and have evolved to handle work execution functions and integrate with mobile robots.
June 5, 2023 · There were hordes of robots at ProMat 2023, but what are they doing for operations in terms of high-value applications, and how do they integrate to help material flow? To find out, we asked a few exhibitors about the top warehouse robotic apps and trends.
June 5, 2023 · We take a deeper dive behind the numbers to examine why private fleets have had eight consecutive years of consistent growth in four key metrics—shipments, volume, value, and miles-run.
June 5, 2023 · Companies of all sizes are leveraging labor management systems to detect workforce issues, improve asset utilization, and incentivize employees across a distributed network.
June 5, 2023 · What has been called “phenomenal” growth in near-shoring will only increase cross-border trade as manufacturers seek sites closer to their markets. While freight transportation providers are streamlining cross-border moves with strong data, partnerships, and expertise, there’s still a lot shippers need to understand before setting up a long-term strategy.
June 5, 2023 · This is a game-changing transformation for transportation, with much the same impact of the jump from sail to steam power and steam to diesel propulsion.
Not a subscriber? Apply online today.
 

Latest in Logistics Management

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index falls to lowest level since last September
For March, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI came in at- 7.25, following February’s -5.31 reading.

U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending May 11, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 209,319, fell 7.0% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 254,429 units, rose 7.7% annually.

Cass Freight Index points to annual shipments and expenditures declines
April’s shipment reading, at 1.098, decreased 4.0% annually, and expenditures, at 3.227, were off 16.8% annually.

ALAN opens up its nominations for 2024 Humanitarian Logistics Awards
The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) has officially opened nominations for its eighth annual Humanitarian Logistics Awards.

U.S.-bound import growth remains intact in April, reports Descartes
From March to April, the report found that U.S.-bound container import volumes were up 3.0% compared to March and were up 9.3% annually, coming in at 2,208,849 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Descartes explained that the 3.0% gain was downwardly impacted by the effects of the Chinese Lunar Year, adding that when compared to pre-pandemic April 2019, volumes increased 15.1%.

Looking at a reshoring history lesson
A three-decade expert in supply chain, the Reshoring Institute’s Rosemary Coates explains how the reshoring trend has progressed.

NTSB: Ship lost power twice before slamming into Baltimore bridge, closing port
Twice the huge container ship Dali lost power and slammed into one of the bridge's support columns, causing the Francis Scott Key Bridge to fall into the waters outside Baltimore, killing six and causing the closing to maritime traffic of one of the busiest ports on the East Coast.

ISM May Semiannual Report points to growth in 2024, at a reduced rate
As was the case in its previous edition in December, the manufacturing and services sectors remain on diverging paths, to a certain extent, in May. One common theme the sectors share, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) May 2024 Semiannual Economic Forecast, which was issued today, is that growth is expected over the balance of the year, albeit at reduced rates.

April retail sales are mixed, reports Commerce and NRF
Commerce reported that April retail trade sales were up 0.4% over March and were up 2.7% annually. And the National Retail Federation reported that NRF reported that February’s core retail sales, which it bases on Census data and excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants, fell 0.2% on a seasonally-adjusted basis compared to March and were up 3.9% on an unadjusted basis annually.

LM Podcast Series: S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Rogers assesses 2024 import landscape
In this podcast, Logistics Management Group News Editor Jeff Berman interviews Chris Rogers, Head of Supply Chain Research for S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Following USTR review, White House announces tariff increases on certain U.S.-bound imports from China
The impetus for the increase in tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on $18 billion worth of imports from China is due to various actions China has taken, according to the White House, including unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation threatening American workers and flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports.

Sponsored Content
Insider Q&A: Improving Freight Transportation: Anticipate scenarios, mitigate disruption, think long-term
Navigating the Complexities of Freight Management with Transportation Insight (TI) and Nolan Transportation Group (NTG): Insights from CFO Mark Vale

Inflation continues to have a wide-ranging impact on supply chains, notes Blue Yonder survey
Blue Yonder’s annual survey finds cost of materials and transportation being impacted; disruptions remain.

National diesel average decreases for the fifth consecutive week, reports EIA
The national average, at $3.848 per gallon, dropped 4.6 cents from the $3.894 average, for the week of May 6, which was off 5.3 cents from the $3.947 average, for the week of April 29.

New Union Pacific service connects Southern California and Chicago
New route promises three-day delivery, enhancing supply chain efficiency


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...