Traditional retail organizations have relatively predictable supply chain flow: Boost your inventories before anticipated busy seasons and keep it minimal during slower periods. But the rise in omni-channel shopping — in which customers can order products from their mobile devices, clients could be located anywhere in the world, and other modern retailing realities — has … Read more
Auto and auto parts imports from Asia could be seriously effected if West Coast dock workers and management can’t come to an agreement on a new contract soon. The existing contract between the International Longshore Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association expired July 1. The two sides have been trying to iron out a … Read more
The expression “Good things come in small packages” is holding true for the office supplies chain Staples. The company was recently awarded the Gold Sustainability top honor from the World Packaging Organization for its innovative program to customize the size of the packages it ships to its customers. The program, called Smart-Size Packaging, has resulted … Read more
In an effort to reduce congested interstate highways, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) is soliciting applications for new marine highways that could be used to transport freight. The move comes as officials seek alternatives to trucking, which has been criticized for causing crowding on highways and interstates, for being environmentally non-sustainable, and for being too … Read more
Purchasing directors tend to focus on price. Logistics managers think mostly about uptime, efficiency and responsiveness. Those two polar opposite priorities can often lead to operational inefficiencies and reduced productive capability, according to a new report issued this month by a materials handling watchdog group. The report, entitled “Bending the Chain: The Surprising Challenge of … Read more
The Manufacturing Skills Standard Council has worked for many years to develop programs aimed at promoting a new generation of manufacturing workers. Now it has been awarded the “Best US National Program” for workforce development by the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council. The GLMC chose MSSC for it’s innovative approach to developing core competencies of high … Read more
The idea the manufacturing can return to the US isn’t just a patriot’s pipe dream. There are many reasons why it makes sense-and it is due to the fact that it can make plenty of dollars. The fact is that the laws of economics are on the USA’s side, just like time, says the 50-year-old … Read more
Advanced, state-of-the-art robotic forklifts that can “see” obstacles and use memory and sensory information to find their way around a warehouse floor unaided by humans will be installed at several East Coast distribution centers and factories. Seegrid Corporation — the Pittsburgh-based manufacturer of automated guided vehicles — announced that it had struck a deal to … Read more
The Obama administration’s efforts to open up trade between the US and Asia may be closer than ever to being achieved, according to the director of a global trade think tank. When President Barack Obama met in April with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, high on the agenda of topics to be discussed was the … Read more
Retailers buy products from suppliers, but they don’t always know or care where their supplier is sourcing those products. That kind of willful ignorance can increase the liability of the end user sellers, according to a materials handling industry analyst. Two recent examples of companies not knowing the sources of the products they sell having … Read more
