GTE's in-house recovery operation is so successful that it now handles reverse logistics services for other companies. Likewise, 3M turned to its own logistics and manufacturing groups to recover useable by-products - and lots of money.

Fujitsu PC needed help with its notebook operation, which was suffering from both excess inventory and slow deliveries. It turned to FedEx for a total logistics solution and now is getting the results it wanted - but the start-up was far from smooth.

Beginning in 1996, the household products manufacturer decided to replace its centralized distribution pattern with an approach that relied on regional distribution centers across the country. Mark VII was named to help connect the links in the network through intermodal shipments.

Working closely with consultant Kurt Salmon Associates, the appliance manufacturer decided that mixing its proprietary inventory management system with a new distribution center in Memphis was a recipe for success.

The cosmetics and fragrances manufacturer significantly reduced order-cycle times by assigning production and logistics operations to the same manager, and by implementing ISM's SPEX export documentation system.

To meet changing retailer requirements and sales growth demands, tableware designer Mikasa built a new, highly automated distribution center in Charleston, S.C., adopting an unusual design that conserves both energy and space.

Consolidation of North American distribution points, a major shift from company-owned and -operated facilities to public warehousing, and economies from a little-known program with U.S. Customs helped slash inventory and associated costs for the Audiovox Corp., a consumer electronics company in Hauppauge, N.Y.

Target Stores saved money and improved store efficiency when it decided to centralize its returns program and outsource returns-center management to third-party provider GENCO.

When Daimler-Benz decided to tap into the growing demand for sport-utility vehicles with an all-new design, it relied on innovative manufacturing and supply-chain efficiency to bring the product to market at a reasonable cost.