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Global Logistics-September 2007
While it seems that every supply chain is global these days, many companies are struggling to “go global” effectively. Navigating language barriers, cultural differences, and brand consistency can be challenging for even the most globally minded companies. One particularly troubling variable is making sure that the customer experience is consistent across all languages—and U.S. companies […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-July 2007
Will inadequate transportation infrastructure and congestion negatively impact worldwide economic growth in the years ahead? One transportation leader believes so. “If our transport infrastructure can’t keep pace with the rate of growth, then big question marks hang over the continuation of the kind of economic prosperity that has been delivered this decade,” warned Ron Widdows, […]
Read MoreTrends-July 2007
The biggest news of 2006 was what didn’t happen, not what did. A year of relative calm, however, isn’t giving way to complacency. Instead, businesses are proactively, if privately, tinkering with and tightening supply chains to streamline processes and build additional scalability into their networks, observed Rosalyn Wilson at the Council of Supply Chain Management […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-June 2007
Port congestion remains a common concern for U.S. companies importing goods from overseas, and for good reason: one in nine of the world’s maritime containers are either bound for or coming from the United States, according to America’s Container Ports: Delivering the Goods, a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The report ranks […]
Read MoreTrends-June 2007
Regardless of their political affiliations or opinions on the Iraq war, logistics and transportation professionals paid close attention to the compromise Iraqi war appropriations supplemental bill signed into law by President Bush in May. The bill contained two provisions impacting supply chain security: funding for port security measures, and further details on the hotly debated […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-May 2007
To find proof that shopping is good for the economy—and for logistics providers—businesses need only look to Russia. Retailers in the former Soviet Union are expanding rapidly, and bringing active logistics development along with them, finds a new study from global consulting firm Capgemini. The study, which examines Russia’s logistics and infrastructure capabilities, reveals several […]
Read MoreTrends-April 2007
As shippers know all too well, finding capacity to move goods throughout the United States is not always easy. To avoid over-the-road congestion, shippers may opt to use rail, but rail transportation comes with its own litany of challenges, including a lack of available track and a dearth of infrastructure improvements made over the years. […]
Read MoreTrends-Mar 2007
To prepare for the much hyped and debated Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, the Department of Homeland Security has issued a final rule for rolling out the initiative. The TWIC program, expected to begin this month, attempts to enhance port security by checking the background of workers before they are granted unescorted access to […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-March 2007
Across virtually all industries and geographic regions, manufacturers share one common goal: to increase profitability by reducing costs. A growing number of manufacturers, both in the United States and around the world, have embraced global sourcing as a fast-track method for achieving that goal. Global sourcing first took off in the 1980s and has increased […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-February 2007
Pursuing profitable growth pays off. That’s the valuable lesson the global air cargo industry learned in 2006, says Giovanni Bisignani, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA’s recently released 2006 data shows air cargo growth increased from 3.2 percent in 2005 to 4.6 percent in 2006. Although the increase remains below the historical […]
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