In the US we speak about “pallet pooling services,” while in the UK people speak of “pallet networks.” It turns out these are two very different things. The UK and the US — two nations divided by a common language.
“Pallet pooling services” involve shippers renting pallets from companies like CHEP. These service providers collect the empty pallets at the end of the supply chain, inspect them, and efficiently… Continue reading
Cross functional collaboration has always been a central idea in supply chain management. Today, I will highlight a form of supply chain collaboration that is new to me: supply chain facility design and construction.
When it comes to product development, globalization has led companies to engage in co-development projects with key suppliers. Perhaps the most famous example is Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner passenger jet. Here is a passage from the… Continue reading
My colleague Asish Ghosh has retired—for the second time. Ten years ago he announced his first retirement, got his retirement party, and a few weeks later we called him back in to help us with a quick turnaround project. He then worked part time for another decade, retired again last week, and got his second retirement party. I’m not sure what the moral of this story is, except, perhaps, that… Continue reading
Last year, I interviewed several warehouse managers in the chemical industry to learn more about their operations and how they are using supply chain execution (SCE) technology. Chemical manufacturers, distributors, and logistics service providers (LSPs) all operate chemical warehouses which differ in complexity. At one end of the spectrum are distributors (or LSPs that handle chemicals on behalf of manufacturing clients) who receive containers, usually drums, from suppliers… Continue reading
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Viewpoints On the Air Podcast #1: Transplace Acquires SCO Logistics
Last week, Transplace announced that it was acquiring SCO Logistics, a Philadelphia-based 3PL serving the chemical industry. I shared my initial reaction to this deal in last Friday’s “This Week in Logistics News” posting.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Sanderson, President and CEO of Transplace, and Frank McGuigan, President and CEO of SCO Logistics, to gain additional insights and perspectives on this deal… Continue reading
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