Most manufacturers understand that skillful management of service parts operations is critical to reducing costs and optimizing stock levels throughout a supply chain network. But very few are actively leveraging the after-sales side of business as a source of greater profits.
Meeting the increasingly high demands of e-commerce customers and helping shippers drive efficiency in their fulfillment operations were two of the main themes as UPS and Sealed Air jointly unveiled their packaging innovation center.
Perhaps the most overworked word in the supply chain management lexicon is "visibility." Yet it's difficult to overstate the importance of a view into what's going on in the supply chain. After all, you can't source, make, move, store, deliver, measure or improve what you can't see. At the same time, the value of supply chain visibility is lessened if it isn't comprehensive — encompassing the supply chain from one end to the other, from upstream to downstream.
It seems everywhere you look, traditional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI). Ford recently announced its plans to invest $1bn over the next five years in Argo AI, a start-up formed just in December whose focus is the development of autonomous vehicles. Similarly, last year GM invested $1bn when it acquired Cruise Automation, another AI start-up.
In line with the hyper growth of e-commerce activity there, Amazon is expanding its operations in India by adding seven new fulfillment centers. MoneyControl.com reported that Amazon India plans to invest $5bn in its facilities by the end of June.
The exclusive distributor of Caterpillar equipment and parts in Canada runs into a brick wall when attempting to implement a new ERP system. But the crisis ends up driving supply-chain transformation.
Online retail continues to grow at a rapid rate, with a 14.6-percent increase in the category in 2015, totaling $341.7bn. That has major implications for warehouse optimization.
We are living in a new wave of automation. Machines are already performing many tasks previously done by humans, and the increased use of various smart technologies such as machine learning means the changes have only begun.
Past scrapyards, railroad tracks, stacks of old wooden pallets and rusty shipping containers here sits a nondescript warehouse, alongside a snarl of freeway overpasses, with two dozen trucks parked at its docks.
Retailers and logistics companies have been opening warehouses at a record pace to ensure online orders reach customers as quickly as possible. Now they're struggling to find workers to staff them.
The latest news, analysis, services and solutions regarding warehousing and distribution systems and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are moving goods across more suppliers, vendors and customers than ever before, and warehouses are critical points in the overall supply chain. New technologies in warehouse management systems (WMS), automation, robotics, RFID and order fulfillment are transforming the way companies do business — and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these solutions continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies around the world are improving supply-chain operations through their strategic use of warehousing and distribution services.
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