The elements of supply chain confidence are visibility and control, the lack of which will increase supply chain risk. Without them, you are at great risk.
These are difficult times for economists and company managers because the outlook for 2013 is highly dependent on how the fiscal cliff (the large government budget cuts and tax increases that take effect on January 1, 2013) impasse is resolved and secondarily on whether Europe continues to recover from the recession resulting from its fiscal and financial crisis.
The retail industry will lose an estimated $3.48bn to return fraud this holiday season, down from $3.73bn last year, according to the National Retail Federation's annual Return Fraud Survey, completed by loss prevention executives at 103 retail companies. Annual return fraud will cost retailers an estimated $14.37bn in 2011, up slightly from $13.66bn in 2010.
The trend of manufacturers "re-shoring" their operations to the western hemisphere is real. Greg S. Anderson, president of Co-eXprise Inc., talks about the challenges involved in executing that strategy.
As I waited to pay for my groceries the other day, a manager instructed a novice bagger on the art of separating lighter items, like the eggs, from heavier ones, such as a 12-pack of canned dog food. Like to like, the boss said; that way stuff doesn't get crushed on the ride home.
The Prophesy division of Accellos Inc. is now including the Drive Axle mobile scanning application of Eleos Technologies, LLC in its Prophesy Dispatch suite of software for trucking and fleet management.
