There are few issues guaranteed to make environmentalists' blood boil quite like packaging and food waste. From single bananas in plastic wrapping to giant bags of produce that spoil within days, packaging and food waste remain one of the most visible symbols of resource inefficiency and a source of deep frustration for green campaigners and mainstream shoppers alike.

DHL has introduced a second road/rail multimodal routing option for its overland service connecting Asia and Europe. Customers based in Chengdu can now board DHL's once-a-week service, which departs every Friday from Chengdu to Europe along China's West Corridor rail line through Kazakhstan and via DHL's intermodal hub in Małaszewicze, Poland.

DPD, one of the fastest-growing parcel carriers in the UK, has confirmed that it plans to build a new $155m parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands.

A groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction for one of Switzerland's most advanced logistics centres, built by Schenker Schweiz AG. The new logistics hub will include office buildings, on a 38,500 square-meter property in Pfungen, Canton Zurich.

JDA Software Group Inc. has released a new version of JDA Transportation & Logistics Management, the vendor's transportation-management system (TMS) software.

As private equity has expanded over the last 20 years, being able to make a profit from companies has become more difficult. Gone are the days when a good purchase price, a touch of financial engineering and finding a bigger buyer were all it took to make a profit.

The days of selling within seasons are long gone; sales periods that once spanned months have now shrunk to weeks. This "multiplier" effect presents retailers with huge challenges, because shoppers want the latest, most fashionable products immediately.

Experts warn that provision of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to the aerospace and defense industries will be severely impacted.