To retain and keep profitable customers in today's economic environment, 3PLs must provide innovative solutions that make the supply chain more efficient for both the customer and the provider, says John Dillon of APL Logistics.
Building a supply chain that is both flexible and predictable can be a challenge, but retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch says both these qualities are essential to keeping its stores stocked with fresh fashions. Larry Grischow, supply chain vice president, explains how A&F uses global trade management to help achieve this goal.
HP is using a railroad to ship electronics manufactured in China to European markets, cutting its travel time, costs and carbon footprint in the process.
More and more companies are choosing to invest in green building practices, enjoying quick returns on investments that pay off in profit and public opinion. And the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Certification Program is allowing companies to make their newer, greener policies official.
Over the next three years, manufacturers increasingly plan to use service as a competitive differentiator and aim to grow business through product service innovation and value-added services for existing products, according to Business Strategy: Modernizing the Service Chain with Smart Technology, a report from IDC Manufacturing Insights.
When it comes to e-commerce, competing with Amazon is the name of the game, says Ian Hobkirk, managing director of Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors. Here, he shares his views on the degree of the difficulty of taking on the e-tailing giant and on the future of online commerce in general.
As the global economic landscape evolves and shifts, companies seek out new sourcing locations and growth opportunities in worldwide markets. Global expansion brings about new supply chain challenges and complexity that can vary by market and country. In North America, companies are looking for closer sourcing locations, greater efficiency, and opportunities to grow their export business. Latin America, due to its proximity, emerging market growth, and attractive free-trade agreements (FTA), as well as preferential agreements with the U.S. has made it a desirable trade region.
The CO3 Project is an initiative funded by the European Commission to develop and roll out tools and standards that will help shippers and logistics providers identify opportunities to co-load, share capacity and shift freight from road to rail. Giventis International provides the technology platform for this project.
The Lead Logistics Provider model is gaining traction in all areas of the world as companies that use multiple logistics providers look for help in managing that complexity, says Stefano Arganese, CEO of DHL Freight. He explains DHL's new branded service GreenLink that consolidates the company's LLP services.
Supply chain, logistics and warehouse operations are at the heart of most companies' physical processes, either inbound into production or outbound to customers. This is never truer than for the food and beverage manufacturing industry in the UK.
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