supply chain ... chain feature

Forward-Looking Supply Chain Data Provided by DOT’s FLOW Program

| Mike O'Brien

A Department of Transportation program that aggregates forward-looking supply chain data from various stakeholders to help identify volume and capacity issues, including shippers, carriers, chassis and drayage and port operators, will begin providing insights to participants this summer. The FLOW program uses booking information 60-90 days out, helping improve planning and forecasting.

West Coast ports LA aerial view feature

Parties to West Coast Ports Reach Tentative Agreement

| Mike O'Brien

A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), easing concerns about a strike at 29 West Coast ports disrupting incoming freight from the Asia-Pacific region ahead of the fall and Q4. The deal ended 13 months of negotiations, but still requires ratification by both parties.

supply chain ... chain feature

Global Supply Chains Need Redefinition

| Brian Glick

Many will argue whether the pandemic was a White Swan or Black Swan event. In either case, the supply chain impacts did not create new trends or problem categories. Instead, they amplified underlying instabilities and dramatically accelerated the pace of change. Supply chain organizations and the companies that support them need to prepare for a world that is less predictable, less stable and faster moving.

retailers and CPG companies store shot feature

What Retailers and CPG Companies Can Learn from Each Other

| Lindsey Peters

Retailers and CPG companies have had a symbiotic relationship for decades, teaming up to offer customers more choice in convenient in-person and ecommerce storefronts. As both take on each other’s challenges, they must learn from the other’s processes and best practices to sustain new revenue streams in the long term based on evolving consumer behaviors, preferences and spending habits. 

sustainability green building feature

Retailers’ Real Appetite for Sustainability

| Ian McRae

A new global study by IBM found that 61% of CPGs and retailers are purposefully aligning sustainability and operational goals: 77% said sustainability investments will accelerate business growth. Luq Niazi, a global managing partner at IBM Consulting, talks about how companies are allocating resources for sustainability, and how to communicate your efforts to consumers without greenwashing.

package delivery cat on porch feature

Real-Time Shipping Visibility, Thanks to Predictive Analytics

| Christina Ryan

It’s difficult to fully approximate the time a package will take to arrive when shipping is subject to a multitude of factors outside our control. These variables can include extreme weather, driver shortages, holidays and even customs discrepancies. What if you could know beforehand based on previous patterns, and implement this into the shipping estimate given to the customer? Read on to find out how.

Improving Supply Chain Visibility for SMBs

| Angela Anastasakis

By virtue of operating an enterprise with less cash flow, SMBs grapple with unique obstacles. Supply chain visibility is relatively low, making it challenging to connect with new suppliers, and larger competitors have more resources at their disposal. Here’s how AI and ML-based tools and technology can help you level the playing field.

supply chain ... chain feature

For A Resilient Supply Chain, Digitalization is Key

| Eric Linxwiler

As you work to build more resilient supplier networks, start by investing in a comprehensive digital transformation. Once seen as a competitive advantage, digitalization has become an indispensable necessity as supply chains have grown more complex and outsourced, with brands and retailers increasingly relying on vast overseas networks.

domestic imports containers feature

Domestic Imports Still Lagging Pre-Pandemic Levels

| Mike O'Brien

Domestic imports logged a 7.2% month-on-month increase in January, much higher than expected based on figures from the past six years, according to U.S. Census data as analyzed by global logistics and supply chain firm Descartes, yet still lagged behind pre-pandemic levels by a small margin. The NRF near-term outlook was less rosy.