Articles
Trends
Trends—September 2011
To Buy or Not to Buy: Truckers Brake on New Equipment The threat of a double-dip recession and the promise of capitalizing on a yet-to-be-seen capacity shortage have motor freight carriers wavering on whether to invest in new equipment, according to a recent business expectation survey conducted by Chattanooga, Tenn.-based consultant Transport Capital Partners (TCP). […]
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Trends—August 2011
Trucks Will Dominate Despite hitting a number of speed bumps during the economic recession, trucking is expected to dominate U.S. domestic transportation over the next 10 years, taking market share from the railroads. Overall, U.S. freight tonnage is expected to grow 24 percent by 2022, while revenue for the industry is projected to rise 66 […]
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Trends—July 2011
The 2011 State of Logistics Report: Logistics Sector Faces a Tough Haul The U.S. economy’s road to recovery during 2011 is like occupational therapy: filled with hard work and occasional setbacks. For the logistics sector, the therapy also involves higher costs and tighter capacity. Business logistics costs rose 10.4 percent in 2010, making up more […]
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Trends—June 2011
Restaurants Change Supply Chain Menus Rising food prices, increasing transportation costs, and consumer demand for affordable meals are forcing restaurants to squeeze costs from their supply chains. Some chains are looking to offset an estimated four-percent rise in commodity prices internally, rather than simply passing costs along to customers. Here’s a buffet-line perspective of how […]
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Trends—May 2011
100% Screening Deadline Up in the Air The air cargo industry, manufacturers, exporters, importers, and consumers face the prospect of dramatic global supply chain disruption if the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) enforces a proposed deadline of Dec. 31, 2011, for 100-percent screening of all international inbound cargo on passenger aircraft. The subject dominated The […]
Read MoreTrends—April 2011
Japan Crisis Creates SC Aftershocks The devastation and tragedy unleashed on Japan by a trio of domino-like forces—an earthquake, then a tsunami, and finally a nuclear meltdown—is now beginning to topple global supply chains. The immediate effect on U.S. companies with operations in Japan was muted, according to sources Inbound Logistics spoke with soon after […]
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Trends—March 2011
Texas Holds ‘em, Amazon Folds In 2005, Amazon.com announced plans to build a new distribution center in Irving, Texas, near the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The city council cleared the way for the facility by approving an economic development incentive package that provided tax rebates to the company for six years, with options to extend […]
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Trends—February 2011
Where Demand Moves, DCs Follow Businesses are always keen to identify where populations are migrating and demand is building. Demographic shifts keep retail locations and distribution networks in constant flux. They also illuminate states that are attracting or losing people and business. If Atlas Van Lines’ 2010 Migration Patterns study is any indication, consumers are […]
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Trends—January 2011
Supply Chain Influences That Have Made Their Mark Supply chain innovation is as old as history. Consider the very beginning, that first impulse to sow seed. Flint-sharpened sticks enabled hunters and gatherers to stop roaming, then grow and harvest staple crops. Animal husbandry soon followed. This created an impetus to store and transport goods. Surplus […]
Read MoreTrends—December 2010
A Cellular Distraction Exposes DOT’s Blind Spot When U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently took one hand off the Department of Transportation (DOT) steering wheel long enough to field another call about the dangers of cell phone use while driving, freight industry outsiders were eavesdropping. Truth be told, they’d prefer riding shotgun, even at their […]
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