When asked to write an article on the State of the Industry, my initial question was �where do I begin?� The subject is so broad, the options are without limit. Perhaps we could focus on distribution and... View More

Are you positioned to survive in the Digital Jungle? The outcomes of the transition from the industrial economy of the 20th Century to the digital economy of the 21st Century are binary. That is, you will... View More

Managing the inventory and distribution of ice cold drinks might not seem to have a lot in common with managing the inventory and distribution of shiny new trucks, but wireless LAN technology is helping... View More

Increasing pressure to reduce costs and improve service levels has forced companies to refine where they position inventory throughout their supply chains and at what level. Traditional supply chains followed... View More

The value of discovery in law suits was graphically demonstrated in the recent jury award of $1.5 million plus $80,000 in attorney fees on a $17,450 claim for damage in transit against Federal Express... View More

Editor�s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on packaging supplies. This article deals with exterior or shipping packaging forms, and it was written with small- to medium-sized operations (between... View More

Order management has become a sophisticated process that relies heavily on automated systems, some of which reach beyond the organization. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and the Internet-based EDI,... View More

Brooklyn, New York-based Dynamic Marketing has a unique co-op business model: buy consumer electronics and appliances at wholesale prices, then sell them to a network of members who re-sell the merchandise... View More

Have you ever heard the expressions: �If it isn�t broken, don�t fix it,� �Fix it, but don�t change anything,� or �Let it run until it breaks?� These were the prevailing maintenance philosophies... View More

As freight transportation moves into the 21st century, margins are tighter than at any time in the history of the industry, insurance premiums are sky high, competition is fierce, and clients are demanding... View More

Since the dawn of guaranteed service refunds in the ground parcel industry over four years ago, a number of issues have arisen. Some issues have been good, some bad and some have been downright ugly. Before... View More

As James Williams knew there had to be a better way. As Domestic Transportation Planner for telecommunications giant Alcatel, Williams oversees, among other things, the company�s shipping and receiving... View More

Editor�s Note: In the last few years, Academia has (finally!) taken a real interest in logistics and supply chain management. There are now many fine programs in logistics, both degree and continuing education,... View More

�Many of the recent articles on outsourced logistics hail it as the latest and greatest competitive weapon � and provided you work with the right provider, that�s exactly what it is,� says Michael Gardner,... View More

The newsstand distribution environment is facing serious problems today, especially multiple handling of magazines and long cycle times. There is obvious room for improvement. Despite complications... View More

One of the most overlooked components of the supply chain is packaging. There are still companies that take the simple �price and delivery� approach when selecting packaging. Inexpensive packaging may... View More

Many years ago, picking, packing and shipping an order was a slow and error-prone process. Expectations were far lower, and the time it took to get an order didn�t seem to be an urgent issue in most cases.... View More

While today�s cost-conscious businesses have reinvented just about everything from the manufacturing plant to the retail store, many have yet to truly analyze the significant cost of moving materials across... View More

Every time the United Parcel Service/Teamster labor contract comes due for renewal, the memories come rushing back, and I laugh to myself. Not because those two organizations have to square off again (although... View More

Discussions of efficiency in the workplace often focus on saving time or at least not wasting it. And thats a fine place to start, but simple algebra shows its not enough. Once you recall the basic axiom... View More