When it comes to bulk shipments of commodities, strategic planning is even more important than day to day operations. Without careful advance planning, logistics personnel can never hope to effectively manage logistics operations when they are stuck with a suboptimal supply chain network.
For chemical manufacturers, knowing what you don’t know about your transportation process can be your greatest asset. But many logistics customers are reluctant to admit their shortcomings. One of the biggest weaknesses we see in new clients is a lack of control over the shipping process, the data and the decision points. That’s why it’s […]
It wasn’t very many years ago that energy experts predicted natural gas production in the United States was in a state of permanent decline. It was a generally accepted position that the U.S. would be forced to rely on more and more foreign imports to supply the fuel needed to generate electricity, heat homes and […]
Large chemical and oil and gas companies are, in general, far more advanced in their supply chain risk management practices than companies in other industries. But my coverage of this area convinces me that Dow Chemical, in particular, is one of the most advanced companies in the world in supply chain risk management. Dow Chemical […]
As reported in the Wall Street Journal, a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School found that “men with shaved heads are perceived to be more masculine, dominant and, in some cases, to have greater leadership potential than those with longer locks or with thinning hair.” I was cheering the news, reading the […]
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 […]
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 […]