Logistics

XPO Logistics Wraps Up Acquisition of 3PD Holding

September 12, 2013

XPO Logistics Inc. has completed its acquisition of 3PD Holdings, Inc. XPO is a provider of transportation and logistics services in North America, offering freight brokerage, last-mile logistics, expedited transportation and freight forwarding.

October Likely to See Rise in Cancellations of Container Vessel Sailings, Report Says

September 12, 2013

JOC Sailings

After a strong start in the first quarter, container volumes in the trans-Atlantic trade have declined, and average vessel utilization has dropped sharply, eroding freight rates. As a result, container lines are likely to start canceling vessel sailings in October, according to Drewry.

Customer-Centric Levers Can Release Value for Consumer Goods Industry, Report Finds

September 12, 2013

Boston Consulting Group

In the face of challenging economic headwinds, consumer goods manufacturers have focused on cutting costs and optimizing working capital. Those routes still offer opportunity, but recent analysis indicates that traditional assumptions regarding tradeoffs among costs, inventory and service don't always hold true, and leading companies are using new, customer-centric levers to unlock value. These actions could yield a potential value of nearly $50bn industrywide, according to research conducted by The Boston Consulting Group on behalf of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

The Critical Importance of Marketing Partnerships in Transportation

September 12, 2013

Jean Barnes, Director of Marketing, SMC3

Teetering on a Transition Point in Transportation

September 12, 2013

Lawrence J. Gross, Gross Transportation Consulting, & Sr Consultant, FTR Assoc.

Using Social Media to Develop Relationships with the World's Professionals

September 12, 2013

Brandon Balan, Account Executive, LinkedIn

Speedy Client OnBoarding Process Critical for 3PL Success

September 11, 2013

Challenge: 3PLs sometimes walk a fine line between being able to get a new client up and running quickly and overextending themselves in terms of systems and infrastructure before they actually sign a client. For a regional 3PL, their ability to create a new set up that would be up and running smoothly in less than ninety days was critical to successfully acquiring a new retail client. This retail client commonly receives a high volume of items without much advance notice and generally sells/ships those same items back out to customers within a very short time period.

Simplifying the Growing Logistics Needs of a Construction Materials Manufacturer

September 11, 2013

Challenge: A large construction materials manufacturer was struggling to keep up with its growing supply chain needs. Coordination of international and domestic suppliers, vendors and shipments was beginning to overwhelm it.

Universal uses multi-modes to provide hybrid solutions for its customers

September 11, 2013

Challenge: The client desired a multi-modal approach which would allow inventories to flow plant-to-plant faster than current rail mode while maintaining inventory and production levels. The challenge was a combination of truck capacity in a local marketplace as well as a "truck-rail-truck" approach due to significant levels of inventory moving to the Texas Marketplace.

Industrial Distributor Revamps Distribution Center for Growth

September 11, 2013

Challenge: The client is an industrial distributor experiencing tremendous growth. The company's distribution center capacity was taxed. Furthermore, operational costs were rising because the distribution center lacked the processes and systems to support rising demand, specifically: an inefficient picking methodology was elongating order fulfillment times; pickers were walking too far in between picks due to improper slotting; and aging equipment components were causing bottlenecks.

Logistics

The latest news, analysis, services and systems regarding logistics and freight and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are transporting and delivering perishables and manufactured goods in a more timely and efficient manner than ever before through logistics solutions. New technologies that provide information during local and global shipments are transforming the way companies do business - and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As transportation and distribution services continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies are using logistics and cargo solutions to power their supply chains.