North American shipment volume continued on a downward path in November, according to the Cass Freight Index. The dip was not unexpected, as this is the same weak year-end movement observed for the last three years. Stronger than expected manufacturing activity and shipments of seasonal goods offset a general slowing of freight movements to temper the drop in shipment levels.

Building 3D value chains is perhaps the first among the top 10 trends that analysts at IDC Manufacturing Insights see for the manufacturing sector in 2014.

Epicor Software Corp. has released version 4.0 of Epicor BisTrack, a business-management application for dealers and distributors of lumber and building materials.

A survey of hiring managers and human resources professionals about recruiting and employment trends in manufacturing and distribution found that 77 percent of manufacturers and distributors are facing challenges finding skilled workers for new positions and to replace workers who have left.

DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight unit within Deutsche Post DHL, has broken ground on a $35m facility at O'Hare International Airport, which will include 53,000 square feet of office space and 423,030 square feet of warehousing, and is expected to be the largest DHL Global Forwarding building in the U.S.