When logistics professionals think about shipping perishables, the pitfalls of the business usually involve three anxiety-provoking images: hot days, malfunctioning refrigeration units and truckloads of... View More
Most shippers limit their alternatives to the largest domestic players such as UPS, FedEx, Airborne and the U.S. Postal Service (including consolidators). Have you ever wondered if there were any alternatives... View More
Modern Woodmen of America is the nation�s fifth largest fraternal life insurance society. The organization was founded in 1883 and today provides life insurance and annuity products for more than 750,000... View More
Too often the equipment selection process is based on the �gut feeling� of the purchaser�s personnel, rather than a rational justification study. Unfortunately, too many operations do not conduct such... View More
Results of our Annual Best Practice Survey truly demonstrate that the parcel industry remains strong, even in a weakened economy. There are a few bumps in the road, but compared to our sister industry,... View More
This month�s Viewpoint column by William J. Augello not only is inaccurate but one-sided. I begin by noting he has singled out UPS for criticism over procedures that are standard throughout the industry.... View More
Warehouse management systems (WMS) are basic, tactical systems essential to effective supply chain execution and order fulfillment management. Any warehouse/fulfillment operation of moderate size and/or... View More
It�s a beautiful autumn morning on campus. Academics are in full swing, and the supporting business of the university is open as well. Truck after truck rolls into the docks: UPS, FedEx, DHL, local couriers,... View More
Imagine a radio frequency identification (RFID) label replacing or supplementing a barcode. Now, imagine that this RFID label is permanently attached to a pallet, a snowboard or even a PC and that the... View More
Implementation of a Tray Management System (TMS) at the United States Postal Service Seattle Processing & Distribution Center (P&DC) has eliminated most of the physical labor in handling the mail and offers... View More
Congratulations, you have negotiated the best freight program ever for your company. Now, how do you make it translate into a better bottom line? This is not easy. Remember, contract compliance is not... View More
Okay, fess up. How many of you can really comprehend box makers' certificates? The box maker's certificate (BMC) is found on the bottom of most corrugated shipping containers. Listed on the BMC is pertinent... View More
Editor�s Note: The following is an excerpt from a much larger paper prepared by Dr. Billo, et al. The full text, which contains considerably more information, tables, explanations and mathematical models,... View More
Only the better-informed logistics professional will be in a position to lead and give guidance to his staff regardless of size, assuring that the corporation receives the maximum benefit available in... View More
United Parcel Service raised $5.5 billion last fall with its record-setting initial public offering. The obvious question at the time was how UPS would spend its new-found fortune. No one expected the... View More
So here is the scenario. You spent months deciding on your new parcel-shipping platform. The hardware is in place, the software runs like a champ, your new printer fires out perfect labels � at least,... View More
The one common thread in the automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) industry these days is standards. Whether it�s wireless LANs (WLANs), radio frequency identification (RFID) or barcode package... View More
Good news! The business of shipping e-commerce goods is now much easier, thanks to the many tools and services currently available through the U.S. Postal Service�s Web site. Cost-savings, convenience... View More
With the dawn of a century comes new innovations in manifest mailing capable of lowering stress levels, increasing shipping productivity and improving efficiency � all with an economical click of the keyboard.... View More
Like all good start-up stories, the founder of Pets.com is said to have �stumbled� onto success. Greg McLenore sold his interest in Toys.com and launched Pets.com in November 1998, on a shoestring budget.... View More
