What does a business call a service that lowers costs, increases efficiency and satisfies customers all at the same time? Some may call it the impossible dream, but one large organization recently found... View More

In order to get 2,500 packages containing 5,000 time-sensitive prescription medications out the door every day, Central Fill Inc. (CFI) looks to its vendors to do their part. So, to get a running start... View More

Shipping materials to another country no longer needs to be an overwhelming, budget-breaking process, according to the U.S. Postal Service. USPS' newest international shipping product now allows customers... View More

Successful companies are those that best understand the immediate as well as future needs and desires of their customers. Lands� End is one of those successful companies. The Dodgeville, Wisconsin-based... View More

Mannatech, Inc. is an international manufacturer of nutritional supplements. Headquartered in Coppell, Texas where its US distribution center is located, the company has expanded into Canada, Australia,... View More

The U.S. Postal Service has changed its classification system for international products from a content-based system to a speed-based system. The old content-based system allowed in customers to ship an... View More

Shipping internationally was never easier, thanks to the U.S. Postal Service�s Web site now offering two new service options within its premiere international expedited shipping service � Global Express... View More

Taking cues from global express integrated carriers, the U.S. Postal Service is beefing up its international service offerings of late. The USPS has recently simplified its Global Delivery Services product... View More

Consolidators have had trouble for years explaining what they do and how they work. Although this is becoming less of a problem as the industry grows, it is important to define consolidation what it is... View More

On Christmas Eve, 1968, while Apollo 8 orbited the moon, the astronauts read from Genesis and wished us peace on Earth. As a boy, I marveled at the accomplishment of sending men beyond the moon. Upon the... View More

Remember the pre-barcode era when most businesses found out what they owned and where it was just once a year during that tedious accounting activity called taking inventory? This non-productive and often... View More

The evolution of barcode technology has led to the development of faster, more intelligent scanners than anyone could have imagined when they were introduced nearly 30 years ago. Notwithstanding the numerous... View More

It is half time and we are down by two touchdowns. Its time for a new plan if we are to win this game. Shipping individual products to consumers has become a major challenge for existing supply chains.... View More

American Freightways, a scheduled for-hire carrier of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments of general commodities, has been using dock-mounted computer terminals since 1993, the year the company adopted... View More

There is not only tremendous pressure from the Web and e-commerce for companies to deliver traditional truckload and LTL deliveries, but also a dramatic increase in the requirement for direct shipments... View More

As with many decisions, a balanced, well-thought-out approach lies precariously between two dangerous, yet common extremes. Especially when expanding to international customers and suppliers, managers... View More

In 1989, Robert C. Camp published a breakthrough book entitled Benchmarking The Search for Industry Best Practices that Lead to Superior Performance. That started a revolution from boardroom to shop floor... View More

Prior to 1999, every aspect of back-end support operations for the direct marketing industry was tailored to meet the needs of the typical cataloger. In the 1970s and 1980s, direct marketing was limited... View More

If youre an optimist, a box is half full. If youre a pessimist, its half empty. If youre a shipping manager, its not yet ready for shipping. Whatever you ship, whether its industrial valves, electronics... View More

There are two misconceptions in the consumer goods supply chain: First, a barcode scanner and a barcode verifier do the same thing. Second, verifying barcodes is a complicated ordeal. From packaging... View More