Consumer Packaged Goods

IBM to Train 25 Million Africans for Free to Build Workforce

February 14, 2017

International Business Machines Corp. says it's ramping up its digital-skills training program to accommodate as many as 25 million Africans in the next five years, looking toward building a future workforce on the continent.

40 Percent of Shoppers Want Same-Day Delivery, Study Says

February 14, 2017

MultiChannel Merchant

The availability of same-day delivery is still catching up with demand as retailers seek new ways to combat Amazon, according to a new study from L2 on the omnichannel fulfillment landscape and customer expectations. This could be an opportunity area for retailers as delivery partners can make same-day a reality across a wider swath of the country than Amazon, which covers 27 U.S. markets at present.

Brexit Uncertainty Adds to Global Supply Chain Concerns

February 14, 2017

Bloomberg

Brexit has already damaged businesses even before Prime Minister Theresa May triggers the start of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, according to a survey of the country's largest companies.

China's E-Commerce Boom Can Be Tour Road for Couriers

February 13, 2017

San Francisco Chronicle

Zhang Heng barged through an exam-room door, surprising a doctor and a patient. He didn't have time to knock. In Zhang's business, every second counts.

Food Fight: U.S. Farmers Fret Over a Possible Trade War

February 13, 2017

Los Angeles Times

It took Donald Trump 71 days to settle on an Agriculture secretary after winning the presidency. It took him 72 hours after that to unsettle much of the agriculture industry.

U.S. Trade Gap Widens in 2016 as Exports, Imports Both Shrink

February 10, 2017

Bloomberg

The U.S. trade deficit widened last year to the biggest since 2012 as exports fell more than imports, though a narrowing gap in December suggests demand is stabilizing overseas for American goods.

Walmart Goes After Amazon With Free 2-Day Shipping

February 9, 2017

MultiChannel Merchant

Firing yet another salvo in its ongoing e-commerce war with Amazon, Walmart is eliminating its fee-based ShippingPass program less than a year after it was created to counter to Amazon Prime, instead offering free two-day shipping on 2 million items at a $35 order threshold.

Adapting Supply Chains to the Digital Phase of Business

February 8, 2017

SupplyChainBrain

There's no doubt that the digital supply chain is of great benefit to a company, but we need to look at the world of social media to learn how to maximize use of digitalization, says Trevor Miles, vice president of thought leadership at Kinaxis.

Food Company Pilots UHF RFID to Enhance Pig Life History

February 8, 2017

RFID Journal

Radio frequency identification provides an opportunity for the food industry to better monitor the health of animals and the storage of meat before it is provided to consumers, says German food industry company Tönnies Livestock. The company's business group has developed an ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) system for tracking pigs using a passive RFID-enabled ear tag and readers, as well as its own software to manage the collected data.

Singapore Says Asian Growth Helps Offset U.S. Trade Threat

February 8, 2017

Bloomberg

Asia's expanding economies and growing middle class are a benefit to Singapore and may help offset the threat of a trade pullback from the U.S., according to the city state's Economic Development Board.

Consumer Packaged Goods

The latest supply-chain news, analysis, trends and tools for executives in the consumer packaged goods industry. Learn how consumer packaged goods companies and their suppliers around the world are managing the flow of products across all channels of the enterprise. Experts sound off on forecasting and demand planning, supply-chain visibility, logistics outsourcing, inventory optimization, transportation management, warehouse management, supply-chain security, corporate social responsibility and more.