When the final whistle blows, and the new Super Bowl champions are crowned, the players are immediately wearing “Super Bow Champion” t-shirts and hats. While printing operations have been greatly improved, clearly there is no way that these items are printed on-demand. Instead, they are printed ahead of time, for both teams. But what happens […]
Recently, my team members and I worked on a project with a well-known retailer facing challenges in the e-commerce area of its distribution center – and here was the question at hand: ‘Would replacing the WMS be the best solution?’ This retailer’s challenge was specifically its direct-to-consumer (DTC) picking inefficiency. E-commerce was a rapidly growing […]
E-Commerce is clearly a growth engine. But to what degree is it profitable? It is difficult to measure widespread e-commerce profitability. And even more difficult than profitability is the detailed cost-structure of e-commerce channels. Transportation costs account for a large percentage of costs. As does reverse logistics (returns). These costs can be charged to customers – at the risk of losing customers due to uncompetitive pricing. Or they can be absorbed by the seller – greatly diminishing profits. What about that other big expense – warehousing and fulfillment costs? Warehouse investments can reduce variable costs, but with significant […]
Last year, many in the supply chain technology industry were warning companies all over the globe to prepare for the unknown. We didn’t know how long COVID-19-related shutdowns, and the ensuing port congestion and crunch on carrier capacity, would last. It now seems that port congestion and capacity issues will persist throughout the year. There […]
ARC Advisory Group, where I work, recently announced the publication of their analysis of the 25 manufacturers with the most mature digital transformations. The report identified the leaders and highlighted best practices. This is the inaugural edition of the report. The ARC Industrial Digital Transformation Top 25 report highlights the leading manufacturers that excel at […]
Super Bowl weekend is finally here. And while I have no vested interest in the game, I am certainly looking forward it. And from the sounds of it, more people are looking forward to it this year than last year. Maybe it’s because Tom Brady isn’t playing. Maybe it’s because people want to see an […]
When it comes to keeping trucks on-time at a warehouse or distribution center, technology plays an essential role. Transportation management systems and real-time visibility solutions have generated the majority of attention for streamlining the process of getting a truck to the dock, loading or unloading it, and getting it back on the road. However, an […]
If 2020 and if 2021 proved anything, it’s that the omni-channel selling environment is here to stay. As physical stores opened, shut down and re-opened again, consumers became more flexible in the way they shop for, and purchase, just about every product. Consumers have gotten used to the convenience and ease of online shopping, home […]
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has been around in one shape or form for a while. There has been a lot of interest in 3D printing for easing supply chain congestion, especially when it comes to small spare parts. Well, 3D printing’s next big act could be manufacturing large metal objects. If this method can […]
It’s hard to believe that after so many years, a legend of Boston has officially called it quits. A post earlier this week on Facebook read “After decades of brotherhood, touring the world and making great records together, we have decided to no longer continue on as a band. Above all, we want to express […]