More than ever, shippers expect their 3PL partners to provide systematic monitoring and reporting of goods in transit and in storage. In short, they need visibility into their freight, product and shipments — inbound and outbound. Likewise, in direct-to-consumer shipping, consumers want to know “where’s my stuff?” As the supply chain becomes more complex, shippers […]
The epitome of automation, robotics are a making headlines today from production lines and food service to warehouses and DCs. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs), robotic picking systems, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are among the types of robotics that help automate the supply chain, warehousing and logistics. These advanced machines help streamline material flow, […]
Cargo theft is running rampant in the U.S. today and costing the industry up to an estimated $35 billion, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. And the problem is getting worse with dramatic increases in cargo theft since 2021, reports the industry trade group, the American Trucking Associations. The long-time practice of stealing freight […]
Drayage typically involves moving containers over short distances, often between facilities and within a single metro area. In addition to providing the required transfer of shipments, local drayage and inter-plant shuttles also act as a strategy to enhance inventory management with the just-in-time delivery of goods or raw materials. Demand for domestic intermodal shipping, including […]
The results are in and there’s a lot packed into the 2025 29th Annual 3PL Study. The research report, entitled “Navigating Change: Insights Into Evolving Dynamics in Supply Chain,” once again underscores the key supply chain and logistics issues facing shippers and their 3PL partners today as represented by several hundred shippers and 3PLs surveyed […]
From fruits and veggies to frozen foods, properly managing the cold chain is vital to the transportation and storage of many types of food products and food ingredients. Shippers and their logistics providers must maintain these products within the right temperature ranges along multiple points in the supply chain. Temperature control and humidity management is […]
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming supply chain operations, allowing products to be kept in stock on store shelves, optimizing delivery routes and doing even grander things like identifying risk in a global supply chain to avoid disruptions. The global market for AI in the supply chain — incorporating such technologies as […]
From the business and trade perspectives, there is always much at stake during a U.S. presidential election year. Tariff policies on goods imported into the U.S. can have a direct effect on the cost and flow of goods, affecting entire supply chains. Tariff increases may take effect with top trading partners as early as January […]
Efforts to digitize the supply chain are well underway by many companies in response to the pandemic-triggered supply chain disruptions. Before adopting any new technologies and greater levels of automation, many organizations have taken to heart the lessons learned from the disruptions and put stronger planning and risk management practices in place. Think enabling greater […]
Everyone is having to make smarter use of automation and technology today given labor shortages, high inflation rates that cut into margins, and competitive pressure. In warehousing and fulfillment, the rush is on to further automate and digitize to optimize operations and gain efficiencies with labor and space resources. Demand for fast and accurate order […]