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通过不断努力拓展第三方物流关系hip, this fast-growing manufacturer has been able to concentrate on the bigger picture—expanding into new markets, launching new products, gaining efficiencies in its operations, and reducing manufacturing and labor costs.

Labor savings within the four walls of the warehouse/DC is no longer the primary driver behind choosing a highly automated system. Today, materials handling automation solutions represent a broader supply chain play that improves inventory replenishment, advances piece picking, and cuts transportation costs.

As more attention is being paid to volatility in the supply chain, many shippers are reassessing their global sourcing and distribution strategies. Will multinationals retreat to a hemispheric, near-shoring model or opt for a hybrid that maintains an international component?

Whether driven by reducing costs or by new business strategies, our panel of experts says that rethinking your distribution network has become more important than ever.

By setting reasonable goals, the converter and packager of cheese products upgraded its antiquated TMS, reduced its LTL shipments by nearly 30 percent, and brought its carrier relations into the 21st century.

The elimination of required cargo liability insurance by the FMCSA now forces shippers to independently verify the existence of the policy and nature of the coverage held by their carriers. Sound time-consuming? Our transportation law expert offers some practical advice.

Procurement is one of many areas vying for a supply chain executive’s time and attention. But when you consider the variety and depth of benefits that high performance in procurement can deliver, perhaps a little extra time and attention are warranted.

According to our latest ERP usage study, adoption rates and interest are both high. But just how far have logistics professionals gone in putting their ERP to work to solve today’s logistics and supply chain challenges?

Tired of throwing good money after bad, fleet managers are turning to training, technology, and dealer support to better understand when to replace, repair, or retire.

For more than a decade, the fashion giant’s WMS has kept pace with several ERP integrations and the installation of a slew of materials handling equipment—all in an effort to keep the company on top of the fickle fashion world.

The red-hot intermodal sector is “in fashion” these days as shippers opt for lower rates at near-truck service levels. Our intrepid trucking correspondent examines the factors driving this impressive growth as well as how logistics professionals are using the option as part of their 2011 transportation tool kit.

With President Obama continuing to emphasize exports, specialized shipping intermediaries are more important than ever to global logistics operations. But how do shippers identify and choose the right freight forwarder?

Over the past six years, the tortilla manufacturer has rolled out a combination of wireless technologies—from handhelds, to wireless networks, to RFID—to automate transactions, track assets, and manage labor and inventory in its distribution and warehouse operations. Here’s how they made it happen.

While shippers say they’re taking a more calculated approach to vendor and product selection, our survey finds that there will be an increase in overall supply chain software spending over the next 18 months.

The number of supply chain organizations planning to spend on materials handling equipment and technology is increasing; but after being in “survival mode” for so long, budgets are small and decision makers are still wary.

Seven years after the Wal-Mart RFID mandate, the technology is alive and growing in logistics and supply chain operations. While most companies are not attempting to track cases and pallets through an open supply chain—which was the idea back in 2003—a new vision for RFID is taking hold and driving real value for early adopters.

Our contributing technology editor documents how far SaaS has infiltrated the SCM software space and then introduces us to a shipper that’s partnered with its 3PL to leverage a hosted solution that’s managing its domestic and international moves.

Given the escalating offshore labor and energy costs, hemispheric trade has never been more attractive to U.S. shippers. But are they prepared with the global trade management strategies needed to navigate this regulatory landscape? Our panel weighs the risks and rewards of doing business with Canada and Mexico.

Updated Incoterms, new trade agreements, and increasing demands for improvements in supply chain security are putting more pressure on global logistics managers. Our compliance expert offers an update on the evolving compliance scene and best practices for developing a “value chain” model for overcoming these challenges.

Logistics Management’s sister publication, Supply Chain Management Review (SCMR), interviewed security expert Barry Brandman in its July/August 2003 issue, not long after the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. The threats to the security of supply chains have certainly not abated since that interview; if anything, they have only intensified.