Trends

28% growth of the Chinese trade surplus in the first quarter reversed to a 5% decline in the second quarter according to an analysis from the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI).

For years, the labor rate has been the primary advantage benefiting Chinese manufacturers. However, wage rates in China are growing at an accelerated rate, and IHS predicts that China will lose its low-cost edge for some products in the near term.

In the wake of rumors that Apple is set to abandon its one-size-fits-all design policy and release a budget iPhone and iPhones with larger screens, where does this leave its current standard bearer? Apple has also started “reshoring” production of some of its products (but not iPhones, yet) back to the US. Will this move eventually change the big picture that follows?

Individuals who can offer solid experience in business consulting, analysis, and operations have abundant employment options - as will those who can effectively manage these unique teams.

According to the leading analysts in third party logistics (3PL) space, the concept of “mega cities” in developing countries with above average per capita income rates of growth such as Shanghai, Bangkok, Mumbai, Hanoi, Jakarta, and Sao Paulo will drive consumer demand for finished goods globally.

The air cargo business continues to suffer the brunt of the impact of the weak outlook in developed economies. Freight volumes are expected to be basically stagnant at 52.1 million tons, and there has been no significant growth since 2010 when freight volumes were 50.7 million tons.

The influence of U.S. coal exports on seaborne transportation has grown significantly over the past decade. In 2002, the U.S. exported 20.1 million tons by sea, but in 2012 that number had increased to 106.7 million tons.

Much like a top athlete perfecting his craft, the railroad sector has stayed ahead of its competitors by focusing on the fundamentals. On the rails, it’s been strong service and reliability, two basics that never go out of style. And because of this hyper-focus, the sector has seen domestic intermodal volumes return to pre-recession levels and carloads trending in the right direction, down only 2 percent on a year-to-date basis.

The $280 billion truckload (TL) sector is expecting the remainder of 2013 to be much like the past three years: moderate demand with no increases in fleet capacity and rate increases in the 2-percent to 4-percent range.

The $32 billion less-than-truckload (LTL) sector of the trucking industry can best be characterized as schizophrenic. It offers some of the best-performing companies in the entire trucking industry as well as a few underachievers that are saddled with challenging union contracts and desperately trying to compete with the best of the best.

Today’s savviest logistics practitioners are driving out costs from the transportation system and creating new “omni-channel” distribution networks designed to take advantage of customers’ changing buying habits. The results of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ 24th Annual State of Logistics Report, co-sponsored by Penske Logistics, shows that the sharpest logistics management professionals are saving their companies millions in transport, warehouse, and shipping costs.

The pressure is on retailers to deliver anything, anytime, from anywhere. Three experts answer four key questions that will help traditional brick-and-mortar retailers revolutionize their use of WMS and their shipping processes on the way to a multi-channel transformation.

What trends will affect the next generation of supply chains? That’s a question more and more SCM professionals are asking themselves. The 10 trends offered here are validated with executive input from senior executives across different industries. By understanding, anticipating, and acting upon these trends, the author believes companies can greatly enhance the value of their supply chain operations.

Trunki, a children's travel product manufacturer and retailer, switched from Sage to NetSuite cloud ERP and SuiteCommerce to streamline key business processes, boost productivity, and support international growth.

It is essential to identify where you want to be, perform a current state analysis, and drive the organization and supply chain toward that new vision. In many cases, the journey takes 5 – 10 years. Indeed this is a long time to be in a state of change, but when planned and directed wisely, it’s not only bearable, it can be quite liberating for employees and for the organization.

3D printing, intelligent robotics, and open source hardware stand to revolutionize modern-day manufacturing. These disruptive forces will usher in a new manufacturing paradigm that is managed by software and data files — something we call the “software-defined supply chain.”

One year after the launch of BSR’s Center for Sustainable Procurement (CSP), our first research paper captures four main insights from projects with AT&T, Best Buy, and Dell that covered a range of product complexities and supplier relationships.

Supply chain management is mainly about the managerial part of goods production, funds involvement, supplying supervision, goods release and each action which is chained with the production processes. The different facets of the works related to this discipline make the salary range of its first responsible interesting.

The United States’ public secondary schools provide universities and colleges with the bulk of their applicants. There is ample evidence that tertiary institutions are faced with contradictory data suggesting that they have a serious supply-chain problem.

Join us on our journey into the year 2050. What will influence everyday reality then? Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL: "Only those who think about alternatives can devise robust strategies."