ARC Advisory Group just published an update to its annual warehouse management systems (WMS) market study. The recent analysis shows that e-commerce continues to exert its influence on WMS market growth. However, there is a notable shift in the market pressures and the profiles of companies purchasing WMS to support their fulfillment operations. For example, pressures from expedited delivery and the subtle shift in demand from soft goods to hard line items, such as grocery, and particularly prominent.
Read More →
It was recently announced that Walmart has expanded its use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) used for real-time, on-shelf product data. Walmart will put these AMRs in 350 stores. The robots come from Bossa Nova Robotics. I recently had the chance to talk to Sarjoun Skaff, the cofounder and chief technology officer at this San Francisco based company. I had seen AMRs with cameras designed to track inventory in stores before. The robots I saw […]
Read More →Real-time visibility is a hot topic. Everyone seems to want it. But even if you buy this solution, you do not get 100% visibility. And the visibility has gotten worse because of recent regulatory changes. But you don’t need total visibility to get good ROI.
Read More →Two of my all-time favorite musicians are Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend. Aside from being musical masterminds, these two had something else in common – smashing their guitars on stage. During the 60’s, Hendrix would often light his guitar on fire before smashing it to pieces; Townshend would often smash his guitar and amps before Keith Moon joined in on the destruction of this drum kit. This was the beginning of what has become a […]
Read More →China is currently the EU’s second most significant source of imports, and trade volumes are positioned for growth. Italy and China recently signed an agreement to further solidify the Belt and Road Initiative, alarming Italy’s US and European allies. This is only the first of many such concords President Xi hopes to execute for ongoing support to the multi-national plan to provide fast and efficient transportation options from inland China to Western Europe that is further affirmation of its commitment to open trade. Europe will benefit from greater trade access, but companies will also need help managing the maze of complexities that exist in importing from or exporting to China. That help includes tools that determine landed costs, logistics efficiencies and managing duty reduction programs like China’s General and Processing Trade programs.
Read More →A while back, I wrote about the managed transportation services (MTS) market. According to ARC’s definition, in an MTS arrangement, a shipper contracts with a third party to plan and execute their moves for them. In other words, instead of having internal planners plan and execute moves, those planners are employed by the MTS supplier, but work on the shipper’s behalf. The market study I am wrapping up is restricted to revenues generated from control […]
Read More →The phrase “fail fast” is increasingly finding its way into conversations about digital transformations. The implication seems to be that fail-fast is a necessary component of a digital work culture. From an IT perspective, it makes sense. However, it really doesn’t align with how supply chain and plant operations need to evolve.
Read More →Uber has a very powerful brand name. It undoubtedly contributed to Uber Freight’s growth. But if this was a stand-alone prospectus for just Uber Freight, and if the Freight division did not carry the name “Uber,” who would be foolish enough to invest in them?
Read More →He’s back! Eleven years after his last major win, Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods won the Masters for the fifth time, while notching his 15th total major victory. In doing so, Woods moved closer to Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 major wins. To put that in perspective, of all active golfers, Phil Mickelson is second in career major wins with 5. Surprisingly, this marked the first time that Tiger has won a major when failing to be […]
Read More →Charter Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Supply Chain Brief
Keep Your Relationship Fresh – Succeed Beyond the RFP Process
The relationship between a shipper and a logistics provider often begins as a result of a transactional buying process. The shipper often has an immediate business need, which leads to a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ) process, then they ultimately select a third-party logistics (3PL) supplier to execute a solution for that need. It’s a standard industry practice that can produce immediate and significant results. However, the focus on executing the […]
Read More →