The Lean Thinker
DECEMBER 21, 2017
When I landed in Detroit last week to visit Menlo Innovations , Mike Rother picked me up at the airport. As soon as I settled in to the passenger’s seat, he handed me my long-anticipated copy of his new book The Toyota Kata Practice Guide. That is the first disclaimer here. The second disclaimer is that last winter he asked if I would do him a favor and take a look through the manuscript with a red pencil.
Cyzerg
SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
When optimizing the picking process in a warehouse, it is important to recognize two key concepts. First, no one strategy or technology fits every case. Second, effectively improving warehouse operations requires a combination of data collection, process improvement, and technology.
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Amware Logistics and Fulfillment
NOVEMBER 21, 2017
Lights. Camera. Avalanche. This past October, sock company Bombas , experienced a Black Friday-like business peak after a highly-positive segment on Good Morning America. The TV coverage sparked an immediate 1,600% increase in orders that needed to be fulfilled by Bombas’s outsourced order fulfillment partner, Amware, from its Northeast fulfillment center in Cranbury, NJ.
The Logistics of Logistics
MAY 10, 2017
Auxiliary power units (APUs) are one of the best tools that you can supply your truck drivers with to combat wasting fuel. The APU makes it possible to power a truck’s heating, air conditioning and other comfort systems without the need to keep the engine idling during rest stops. They help drivers avoid wasting fuel, but they present a different problem because of their weight.
Heico Sandee, CEO of Smart Robotics, explores how automation redefines warehouse culture. By shifting repetitive tasks to skill-based roles, automation improves safety, fosters collaboration, and makes warehousing more appealing to today’s workforce.
Supply Chain and Logistics
DECEMBER 20, 2017
We just published an article in Research in Transportation Business and Management (RTBM). It’s called Fleet management for rail car transport of ethanol. The “we” is Khalid Bachkar, Idrissu Aminu, Atif Osmani, and me.
Logistics Brief brings together the best content for Logistics and Warehousing professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Talking Logistics
JUNE 12, 2017
We talk a lot about globalization in supply chain management, but when you peel back the onion on it, you realize how enormously complex and risky it is to move goods across borders — and if you don’t have the right people, processes, and technologies to effectively manage the process, your ability to move goods across borders can literally come to a halt.
Freightos
JULY 19, 2017
How Five Digital Experts at Top Logistics Providers Are Preparing For The Future. By Eytan Buchman, VP Marketing, Freightos. I’ve been writing about freight digitization for years. For much of that time, a debate raged about whether the freight industry was actually embracing digitization or if it was all just hype. Last week, I realized that this has already been settled.
GlobalTranz
FEBRUARY 9, 2017
Where and how manufacturers make products for Americans will change in 2017. Current industrial manufacturing trends show the new administration is pushing for reshoring among the nation’s biggest manufacturers, and new technologies are revolutionizing how companies respond to growing skepticism and scrutiny by the public and government oversight as well.
Carter Logistics
JUNE 26, 2017
Dedicated Milkrun v. Shared Milkrun. Having a well-planned and executed network of customers, suppliers, and daily routes is key to a successful supply chain operation. Analyzing the way freight is transported from one location to another is a crucial part of any company’s business plan and can also significantly impact a company’s financials.
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Blue Grace Logistics
OCTOBER 3, 2017
Running your Supply Chain can be stressful, especially in times where unforeseen circumstances arise. When working with a 3PL such as BlueGrace during a logistics service disaster, we are able to offer solutions that many businesses don’t have access to. During an emergency, having a 3PL who you trust, with the full tool set of carriers, technology, people and solutions is crucial.
The Lean Thinker
DECEMBER 18, 2017
I have been telling everyone who will listen to read Rich Sheridan’s book Joy, Inc. ever since I came across and read it in the fall of 2015. Fast forward to earlier this year when Lean Frontiers sent out their request for suggested keynote speakers for KataCon. I wrote to Mike Rother and asked him “Do you think we could get Rich Sheridan?”. Skip ahead a bit more, and I spent four days last week at Menlo Innovations in Ann Arbor – two days “ in the chalk circle ” paying close attention to the ac
Cyzerg
DECEMBER 29, 2017
I came across a rather interesting fact about warehouse managers in a study by Intermec. It said that 1 out of 6 managers who were in charge of a warehouse were not likely to review their workflow processes unless a customer complaint is raised. And, it’s not hard to believe. However, contrary to what one may be led to believe, it is not always their fault.
Amware Logistics and Fulfillment
DECEMBER 19, 2017
As a father of four, I’ve learned never to play favorites, especially at this time of year. But I’ll make an exception in this case. Following are the three most popular Amware blog posts on warehousing and fulfillment for 2017, based on readership. If you missed them the first time around, give them a read.
Advertiser: GEP
As early as next year, procurement and supply chain operations will begin to adopt AI agents, often called “agentic AI,” to work alongside employees to make and execute decisions with precision across procurement and even the most complex global supply chains. Unlike LLM-based generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, these AI agents do not require prompts from humans.
The Logistics of Logistics
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017
How you develop your sales team has a big impact on your logistics business. Even as the industry is becoming more data driven than ever before and cutting-edge software is increasingly used to manage freight from start to finish, the development of your sales team is still important. People skills do matter. According to Supply Chain Quarterly , Quarter 4, 2011 issue: “Supply chain scorecards typically focus on operational metrics.
Supply Chain and Logistics
DECEMBER 1, 2017
Got this story by way of the Loadstar. Reading the story I am impressed by the level of incompetence management showed. But in the view of the traveler (customer) the union will be blamed.
Food Logistics
DECEMBER 13, 2017
People have been drinking wine for 10 millennia. Modern logistics makes it easier to enjoy around the globe.
Talking Logistics
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Editor’s Note: Our “ Research in Focus ” series highlights research conducted by select partners on timely and important trends impacting supply chain and logistics professionals today. Below is an excerpt from a report published recently by Amber Road and the American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) titled “ The Trade Trends Report: 2017 Report on Sourcing, Trade, and e-commerce.
Speaker: Eric Berdinis, Ran Sun, & Chris Chmielewski
Procuring freight can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and error-prone. If you’re frustrated with the complex and manual processes for obtaining bids for your contract and spot freight, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-moving supply chain environment, optimizing these processes is critical to staying competitive and cutting costs. Join this exclusive webinar with experts from Uber Freight to learn how the latest digital tools and automation can transform your freight procurement strategy by strea
Freightos
MARCH 12, 2017
Freightos Freight Index Update. March 5-12 2017 (W10). By Noam Fraenkel, VP Data & Analytics, Freightos. Weekly insights from the Freightos International Freight Index. Despite talks of a seller’s market, China-US spot rate import prices for 40’ containers have continued to drop ever since peaking prior to the Chinese New Year in January. This continued drop represents a potential market correction and return to 2016 prices.
GlobalTranz
SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
Last mile logistics is among the most misunderstood parts of transportation networks. On the surface, last mile may not seem very important, but it can make up 28 percent of a shipments total cost. In addition, growth in e-commerce is radicalizing how shippers view last mile logistics. To understand wide-ranging benefits and key concerns inherent in last mile logistics, your organization needs to understand what constitutes last mile logistics, it’s challenges, how it impacts e-commerce and omni
Carter Logistics
DECEMBER 6, 2017
Carter Logistics Extends Lanetix with Robust Driver Retention Program. Using process automation, data and analytics to solve an industry problem San Francisco, California ( PRWEB ) December 6, 2017. After two years of success using Lanetix to manage its commercial operations, Carter Logistics has tapped Lanetix to build a more effective driver retention program.
AIMMS
JUNE 20, 2017
Something struck me after spending a few days in Phoenix at Gartner’s Supply Chain Executive Conference. Supply Chain Network Optimization is key to running an efficient and profitable operation today. But while the market has changed, network optimization hasn’t actually advanced much since the 1990s. Yes, there are lots more features and a big increase in computing power.
Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions
Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.
The Lean Thinker
NOVEMBER 12, 2017
Imagine a factory with a large monument machine. It takes several days to set up. When it does run, it runs very fast, much faster than you can actually use its output. Therefore, you take the excess output and store it to use later. Actually, you don’t know how many items you need to make, so you make as many as you can while the machine is available to you.
Cyzerg
APRIL 19, 2017
In the recent 2017 Promat , show mobile technology took the spotlight once again. This isn’t surprising considering the opportunities that this technology brings to an industry that is always on the move. For companies that have adopted some form of mobile technology, the good news is you’re one step ahead considering that most of the industry is lagging in the adoption of this technology.
Amware Logistics and Fulfillment
DECEMBER 7, 2017
Amware has a new customer. And a pretty cool one at that. All In The Pillow™ has reinvented the lap tray. You know, those cumbersome, unstable trays for your your electronic devices, newspapers, work documents, and other items. The new twist: combine the tray with a pillow to deliver a stable and comfortable platform to get work done at home or on the go.
The Logistics of Logistics
AUGUST 14, 2017
The opposite of cold calling may be the key to growing your sales. I talk to companies every week about their frustration with cold calling. It is a painful and inefficient way to get new sales, but for many the alternatives seem daunting and unattainable. Growing your sales without cold calling is challenging, but very doable. The Problems with Cold Calling.
Speaker: Paul Heller
Most innovation work proceeds independently from company strategy. As a result, the products that arrive in the market are not well aligned with the company’s goals. This challenge is particularly significant in organizations with transformation-oriented strategies, where innovation must directly support growth, scalability, and strategic pivots. In this session, we will discuss why innovation in large companies is so often not aligned with the company’s strategy and what innovation leaders, pro
CH Robinson Logistics
OCTOBER 3, 2017
What is a 3PL & How Can They Benefit Your Business? | Transportfolio. Maybe you’re a relatively new business. Maybe you’ve only recently grown large enough to warrant the need for more transportation options. Whatever the reason, if you’re searching for a third party logistics provider (3PL) for the first time, you’ll want to have a keen understanding of what they are and how they work before choosing one to help with your logistics challenges.
Blue Grace Logistics
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
We are all aware of the damage inflicted on the Houston area from Hurricane Harvey. The amount of homes and lives destroyed was beyond what any of us could imagine. As a 3PL freight provider, there are many ways we can help; by utilizing our carriers we have had the ability to assist in tragedies like Hurricane Harvey. Trucks can bring the necessary items that people need in times like this and they can do it quickly.
Talking Logistics
SEPTEMBER 25, 2017
Last September, a jury at Southwark crown court in south London found Amazon guilty of shipping dangerous goods by air. As reported by The Guardian : The items included lithium-ion batteries and flammable aerosols, which were flown in and out of the UK between January 2014 and June 2015. The prosecution was brought by [the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority] under the air navigation (dangerous goods) regulations 2002.
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