Issue Archives: Special Issue 2011
Weak and getting weaker?
After hitting a low point in 2009, U.S. logistics costs as a percentage of GDP rose by 10 percent last year. Unfortunately, that's no cause for optimism: prospects for further business growth are uncertain indeed.
A cloudy forecast for air freight
Air carriers enjoyed a strong recovery in 2010 and early 2011. But oil price volatility and a looming supply/demand imbalance mean there could be some rate turbulence in the next year or two.
Warning: now entering the Oil Danger Zone
This may be the year when demand for oil outstrips supply. Expect price hikes and shortages ahead.
Sign of the times
By analyzing inventory-to-sales ratios, we can see just how severe and far-reaching the recession was and how weak the recovery has been thus far.
The calm after the storm
After rates rose and plunged dramatically in 2010, shippers will see more stability this year. Increases in capacity will outpace volume, keeping rates from rising.
No time to lose
Rail freight shippers need to start thinking now about how they will handle the impact of a coming capacity crunch and rising rates.
3PLs continue long-term growth
After regaining their footing in 2010, logistics service providers are expected to see net revenues grow by more than 10 percent this year.
The right site, at the right price
Rising fuel and shipping costs, coupled with a weak economy, have companies searching for distribution sites that will help cut operating costs. They're finding some attractive opportunities.
Rough ride ahead
Carriers and shippers will need to work together to navigate challenges such as high fuel costs, driver shortages, and tight capacity.
Alive and kicking
Supply chain execution software can expect strong sales in the next several years as companies replace aging systems and respond to new priorities prompted by the recession.
Columns
Afterword
Job creation should be "Job Number 1"
Anything government and business can do to boost job creation right now will help stoke the engines of economic growth.
Direct Connection
The way forward
The statistics and industry insights contained in the "State of Logistics Report" can help companies better prepare for the business demands that lie ahead.
Perspective
Economic anemia will lead to innovation
Expect no letup in the relentless pressure on U.S. logistics managers to cut costs. To meet that challenge, they will have to regularly re-examine the makeup of their supply chain networks.
Supply Chain Executive Insight E-Newsletter
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Free Articles From The Current Issue
Supply chain segmentation: 10 steps to greater profitsSegmentation lets companies boost profitability by tailoring their supply chain strategy to each customer and product in their portfolio. Here are 10 key practices that will ensure success.
Turn your reverse supply chain into a profit center
Selecting the right disposition strategies and understanding their financial impact can help you turn the reverse supply chain into a revenue generator instead of a cost center.
Panama Canal expansion: game changer, or more of the same?
Some ports and ocean carriers expect significant new business to come their way following the Panama Canal expansion. But do the "shipper math," says the author, and it's clear that U.S. distribution patterns are unlikely to change much.
"Imagineering" a supply chain
Disney's supply chain executives coined the term "imagineering" to describe the convergence of precise engineering and execution with the imagination and "magic" that makes the company one of the world's cultural icons.
SCPro certification: the path to leadership
Even though today's supply chain talent may be better educated than previous generations, they still need to gain experience in the depth and breadth of logistics and supply chain management in order to become high-impact leaders.
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Perspective
What additive manufacturing could mean for supply chains
Years from now, individualized production could change transportation and logistics patterns.
Forward ThinkingWhat additive manufacturing could mean for supply chains
Years from now, individualized production could change transportation and logistics patterns.
Survey finds production continues to flee China
The United States, Vietnam, and South Asia are proving attractive to more manufacturers of retail goods, says a new report.
Forward Thinking
Deutsche Post DHL report forecasts the future of logistics
A new report from the mail and logistics conglomerate forecasts future trends in trade, business, and society—and how supply chains and logistics may fit into those scenarios.
Forward Thinking
Playbooks guide Dell's response to customer demand
Predetermined guidelines help the computer giant coordinate actions across its supply chain functions.
Forward Thinking
Retailers balance cost, service as they deal with multichannel commerce
Annual study by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) finds retailers will focus on multichannel operations and shift from cost cutting to growth.
Forward Thinking
Supply chain costs remain key corporate concern
Respondents to annual executive survey rank supply chain cost reduction as "important" or "extremely important" this year.
Forward Thinking
Book offers tips on creating a green supply chain
In the new book The Lean Sustainable Supply Chain: How to Create a Green Infrastructure with Lean Technologies, author Rob Palevich draws from his own experience to offer advice on creating a green supply chain.
Forward Thinking
Global trade declined marginally as countries contend with economic uncertainty
Due to a decline in both imports and exports of goods and services, global trade levels marginally contracted by 0.26 percent in Q4/2011.
Forward Thinking
A peek inside Wal-Mart Canada's "green" distribution center
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has opened a distribution center in Western Canada that is expected to reap US $4.8 million in energy cost savings through 2015.
Forward Thinking
More companies press suppliers on carbon reductions
A new report shows that more companies are considering suppliers' efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in their procurement policies and decisions.
Forward Thinking
Warehouse automation projects: beyond labor costs
Professors advise considering broader supply chain implications of distribution center automation.
