supply chain

The Home Depot is opening four new distribution centers to streamline large-item delivery for professional customers.

Despite technological advancements, Supply chain professionals are still struggling with manual tracking, technology adoption, and disruption preparation.

New research recently released by Chicago-based global management consulting firm Kearney, entitled “Strategic options to build resilience,” takes an in-depth at supply chain resilience, in light of the wide-ranging impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains.

In addition to the current economic issues caused by COVID-19, there are other significant events in 2020, such as the U.S. presidential election and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) implementation, which could directly affect international trade.

Trucking markets roiled. Supply chains turned upside down. Worries about truck drivers’ welfare and customers just staying in business. And unemployment rates that rival those of the Great Depression. Trucking executives say the word "disruption" does not begin to describe the impact of COVID-19 on freight volumes and demand. Forget about turning a profit, they say. Let’s just concentrate on staying in business.

Propelled by the Trump Administration Trade Wars, many companies have already left China for other Asian manufacturing locations. But - there are no guarantees that the virus won’t spread to these new locations.

A collaboration between business consultancy Deloitte and the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) announced today is comprised of a new model geared towards providing logistics stakeholders with the tools needed to face various supply chain-related obstacles, such as market volatility, digital disruption, and shifting consumer expectations, among others.

The DHL report, entitled “The e-commerce supply chain: Overcoming growing pains,” takes a deep dive into the intersection of the importance of e-commerce on customer retention and satisfaction, as well as the barriers to implementing a successful e-commerce supply chain strategy.

Amid reports this week that the White House would consider allowing trucks to continue to cross the United States-Mexico border, should President Trump go through with his pledge to close the border, in order to curb illegal immigration, various business concerns are making it clear that shutting down the border could have severe economic consequences.

Most people underestimate the massive changes to logistics/distribution network strategy. Where traditional logistics and materials management focused on the manufacturing and production end of the supply chain, e-commerce focuses more heavily on the end consumer. Where facility location decisions used to change on a decade scale, e-commerce now must respond to fickle consumer markets.

Recent strength in employment and income, solid gains in household net worth, and elevated consumer sentiment have generated considerable momentum just as tariffs on some $200 billion of imports from China have gone into effect.

As they embrace the fourth industrial revolution, organizations and their supply chains face plenty of challenges and opportunities.

Based on news coming out of the nation’s capital yesterday, it appears that progress on NAFTA’s future is becoming visible, at least, with the U.S. and Mexico coming to terms on various facets of a new NAFTA, so to speak.

The clothing retailer has laid out a strong supply chain sustainability strategy that can serve as a blueprint for other shippers to follow.

Breaking down barriers to U.S. supply chain efficiency needs to be a major focus of America’s economic agenda instead of the “America First” fascination by the current administration.