Logistics Management (Highlands Ranch, CO) articles from April 2005

Logistics Management (Highlands Ranch, CO) archives from April 2005

BNSF will become the first U.S. railroad to assess fuel surcharges on a mileage basis.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... BNSF will become the first U.S. railroad to assess fuel surcharges on a mileage basis. The BNSF Railway Co. will in and pricing volatility as prompting the change. A mileage-based surcharge, he said, will be the most direct and accurate method...

Intermec's parent company has fired back at Symbol Technologies.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Intermec's parent company has fired back at Symbol Technologies in a dispute over patents for some radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies. Last month Unova, which owns Intermec, announced that it had countersued Symbol for patent...

Hazmat shipments will have to bypass big cities.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Hazmat shipments will have to bypass big cities if Rep. Edward Markey has his way. The Massachusetts congressman has introduced "The Extremely Hazardous Materials Transportation Security Act of 2005," which would require the Department of...

Do Mexican trucks meet U.S. air quality standards?(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Do Mexican trucks meet U.S. air quality standards? That's what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is hoping to find out. The EPA is collaborating with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to test emissions of Mexican trucks...

The very latest supply chain software and RFID technologies will be on display at the Distribution/Computer Expo.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... The very latest supply chain software and RFID technologies will be on display at the Distribution/Computer Expo. That event kicks off at the Navy Pier in Chicago with educational seminars on May 17; the exhibit hall will be open May 18 and 19....

Third-party logistics providers had another banner year in 2004.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Third-party logistics providers had another banner year in 2004. Armstrong & Associates, publishers of a well-known guide to the third-party logistics (3PL) market, said U.S. revenues reached $89.4 billion, an increase of 16.3 percent over the...

The U.S. warehousing market also did well last year.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... The U.S. warehousing market also did well last year, as occupancy rates picked up in the second hall of 2004, according to the ProLogis Research Group. A survey of the top 30 markets found that the average vacancy rate declined from 10.3...

A hydrogen-powered forklift truck is a step closer to commercial reality.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... A hydrogen-powered forklift truck is a step closer to commercial reality after a recent test at a General Motors plant in Canada. The test was spearheaded by Hydrogenics, a consortium that's promoting the development of industrial trucks that...

The China trade boom continues.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... The China trade boom continues, as evidenced by the launch of a new all-cargo service from China to the United States. Hong Kong's Dragon Airlines will soon begin thrice-weekly service to New York's JFK International Airport. The carrier...

If you're looking for the Air Courier Conference of America.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... If you're looking for the Air Courier Conference of America, you'll have to search under a new name. The trade group now calls itself "The Express Delivery & Logistics Association" to better reflect the scope of its members' activities. The...

Shippers nationwide will experience freight bottlenecks this year.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Shippers nationwide will experience freight bottlenecks this year, say analysts at Kiplinger Business Forecasts. In particular, shippers should be prepared for continuing congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach due to strained...

Exponential growth in sales of RFID equipment is in store.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Exponential growth in sales of RFID equipment is in store if forecasts by British consulting firm IDTechEx are correct. A new market research report predicts that RFID technology sales will rise from $1.94 billion this year to $7.26 billion in...

Comedian David Spade may not want to receive any express packages.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
April 1, 2005... Comedian David Spade may not want to receive any express packages after portraying a UPS driver in a skit on the March 21 episode of Saturday Night Live. In the skit, Spade, garbed in the familiar brown uniform, delivers packages daily to a...

Flynn's security plan: is it time to listen?(VIEWPOINT)
April 1, 2005... THE AMOUNT OF MEDIA ATTENTION he's received made me a bit hesitant to interview Commander Stephen Flynn, the senior fellow in national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of America the Vulnerable, a book that...

Trucking.(PRICE TRENDS: Pricing Across the Transportation Modes)
April 1, 2005... Thanks to a steady diet of high crude oil prices feeding into ever-higher diesel fuel prices, truckers face a limited menu of options: cut costs or raise rates. The trucking industry must be pursuing cost cutting with a vengeance because the...

Air.(PRICE TRENDS: Pricing Across the Transportation Modes)
April 1, 2005... With wholesale jet fuel prices up 39.3% from a year ago, the airline industry should be raising its prices. But due to intense competition among airlines, airfreight rates have held relatively steady. In February, the average price for shipping...

Water.(PRICE TRENDS: Pricing Across the Transportation Modes)
April 1, 2005... With trade between China and the United States burgeoning, is it any wonder that deep-sea freight rates continue to Ioom large in the minds of Iogistics managers? Luckily, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor, in the first two...

Rail.(PRICE TRENDS: Pricing Across the Transportation Modes)
April 1, 2005... The rail industry weathered a 0.7% drop in its average prices from January to February, as the West dealt with floods and the East with bitter cold. The price-cutting action was due entirely to the intermodal sector, where average tags dropped...

House adopts surprise fuel surcharge regulation: shippers, carriers are caught off-guard as lawmakers slip a provision mandating fuel surcharges into the federal highway bill.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- As if soaring oil prices and rising fuel surcharges weren't enough to contend with, shippers may soon have yet another fuel-related obstacle to overcome: government regulation. When the House of Representatives passed its version...

Demand for RFID professionals exceeds supply.(TECHNOLOGY)
April 1, 2005... DALLAS--There's a serious shortage of individuals who are trained in managing radio frequency identification (RFID), a situation that will affect companies' ability to support current business initiatives, said a logistics professional who's...

Infrastructure woes hobble transportation productivity.(THE ECONOMY)
April 1, 2005... CONCORD, MASS. -- Shippers had better get accustomed to rising freight rates and capacity shortages, warns Lee A. Clair, a partner in the consulting firm Norbridge Inc. "We have been living in an era of an aberration, where we have had excess...

Groups launch new certificate programs.(EDUCATION)
April 1, 2005... As more companies embrace the concept of supply chain management, professional education needs have had to keep pace. One indication of the changing educational landscape was the Council of Logistics Management's decision to change its name to...

Lift-truck best sellers.(News Capsule)
April 1, 2005... Lift-truck best sellers Nearly half of all U.S. lift-truck shipments in 2004 were vehicles with internal combustion engines, according to the Industrial Truck Association. When added together, though, electric riders and motorized hand...

Analyst: these could be the "good old days" for diesel prices.(FUEL PRICING)
April 1, 2005... WALL, N.J. -- A leading oil industry analyst foresees short-term relief on diesel fuel prices, but says shippers and truckers are in for some serious pain in mid-2006. Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service in Wall,...

Study finds companies reining in supply chain costs.(INVENTORY MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2005... BARCELONA -- Manufacturers and retailers worldwide are holding the line on supply chain costs while improving product availability, the consulting firm Accenture round in a recent study. The firm canvassed 184 executives from Europe, North...

Jevic Transportation Inc.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... Jevic Transportation Inc. has redesigned its regional less-than-truckload system in the Midwest to better serve the next-day and two-day markets. The company targeted 275,000 ZIP codes as key lanes for the new service, integrating them into its...

P&O Nedlloyd and CMA-CGM has launched the Atlantic Brazil Express (ABX) service between Brazil and the U.S. East Coast.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... P&O Nedlloyd and CMA-CGM has launched the Atlantic Brazil Express (ABX) service between Brazil and the U.S. East Coast. The weekly, fixed-day service will operate between five ports in Brazil and Charleston, Norfolk, and New York....

Kalmar.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... Kalmar has acquired Peinemann Kalmar CV and Peinemann Kalmar Rental BV from the Peinemann Group. The two units will be renamed Kalmar Nederland and Kalmar Rental, respectively, and will continue to operate from their current locations at the...

Hub Logistics now operates under a new name: Unyson Logistics.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... Hub Logistics now operates under a new name: Unyson Logistics. The re-branding effort is expected to more clearly delineate the unit's logistics products from those of the other divisions within Hub Group, such as intermodal and highway...

Technical Transportation Inc.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... Under Technical Transportation Inc.'s "Demo-Move" service, a Tech Trans team will deliver medical equipment to a prospective buyer for use in a sales presentation. Tech Trans will unpack, assemble, and run initial diagnostic tests. After the...

Meridian IQ.(NEW SERVICES)
April 1, 2005... Meridian IQ has acquired Shanghai-based GPS Logistics Group. Through this venture, Meridian IQ will strengthen its management depth and expertise in China, and has added 230 employees in 25 offices throughout Asia. (www.meridianiq.com)

Datebook.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... May 1-4. 28th Annual WERC Conference. Dallas. Warehousing Education and Research Council. 630-990-0001 or www.werc.org May 1-4. enVision 2005 Conference on Supply Chain Solutions. Atlanta. Manugistics. 877-423-0800 or www.manugistics.com...

2005 LTL general rate increases are already on the way.(Bohman on PRICING)
April 1, 2005... THE WHEELS ON THE 2005 ROUND OF LTL MOTOR CARRIERS' GENERAL RATE INCREASES (GRIs) are already turning. They look like they'll be about the same as last year's increases, only they'll be upon us quite a bit earlier. At this writing,...

Supply chain fixes for stand-still ports.(Byrne on EXCELLENCE)
April 1, 2005... RIGHT NOW--AND IT DOESN'T REALLY matter when you're reading this article--container ships carrying imports from Asia are backed up at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Chances are, those ships are carrying your company's goods, since...

Sowing the seeds of savings: by using a continuous-move strategy and consolidating its carrier base, Monsanto saves up to 15 percent on its truckload costs.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... If you've been following U.S. business trends recently, then you know that "getting bigger through buyouts" is the current mantra in many industries. And if you're a logistics manager for a company that subscribes to that philosophy, then you...

How vulnerable is your supply chain? One of America's leading experts on national security discusses the glaring security gaps and inefficiencies at U.S. ports. Is your shipment the next target?(GLOBAL LOGISTICS)(Interview)
April 1, 2005... Some call him an "alarmist," others claim he's "irrationally paranoid." Regardless of what you think or Commander Stephen Flynn following his appearances on 60 Minutes, the Today show, and CNN, his 20 years as a commissioned officer in the...

Build or buy your own 3PL: some shippers have spun off their logistics operations as 3PLs. A few have even bought 3PL expertise. What's going on?(SPECIAL REPORT)
April 1, 2005... SHIPPERS HAVE BEEN CONTRACTING with third-party logistics companies (3PLs) for years. For most, the decision to outsource largely hinges on their desire to Focus on their companies' core competencies rather than devote considerable physical and...

Software buyer seeks soul mate: compatibility and the right features are what shippers look for in a software vendor, our survey shows.(SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY)
April 1, 2005... Need to find a software vendor? Tired of searching through the maze of tradeshow booths for the supplier that can bring bliss to your supply chain? Do you sometimes wish you could place a classified ad and find that perfect someone who has the...

Playing the waiting game: implementing a successful postponement strategy in the warehouse requires knowing your limits.(Postponement/ WAREHOUSE & DC)
April 1, 2005... Putting something off until the last possible minute isn't usually thought of as an effective business practice. But that strategy has certainly paid off for manufacturers that put the final touches on products and packaging just before they...

Urban, rural, or in-between: which location works for you? Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the three options before breaking ground. Here are the factors you need to consider.(Warehouse & DC Site Selection)
April 1, 2005... If you ask logistics professionals whether it makes more sense to site DCs and warehouses in urban or rural locations, most will reply, "Well, it depends." Both have advantages and disadvantages that must be analyzed in light of companies'...

Cost-effective RFID applicator.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Looking for a cost-effective RFID solution? A new machine from Schober USA can quickly place RFID transponders under pre-printed labels. The applicator works with transponders in accordance with ISO specifications, in widths from 10 mm to 160...

New belt-curve conveyor line.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Two models of belt-curve conveyors are suitable for a multitude of applications where a conveyor line needs to change direction in a tight space. Belt Curve+ Light is well suited for moving containers and lighter parcels at slow speeds, while...

Software increases supply chain management efficiencies.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Infor Global Solutions released a new version of Infor SupplyWEB, an open-platform supply chain management software that gives users access to supply chain data from anywhere in the world. The software allows participating partners to view,...

Reference for professional truck drivers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... For the Long Haul, a trucking reference written by Don and Debbe Morrow, is now available in a third edition. This reference keeps professional truck drivers aware of critical updates related to state road regulations, such as chain laws, road...

Save battery power.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... The SURE-START Battery Saver shuts off a vehicle's battery power before damaging discharge levels occur when the engine is turned off and an auxiliary device, such as a dome light or parking light, is left on. A unique design allowing for two...

Extend order cut-off times up to 300 percent.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Extend order cut-off times up to 300 percent by intelligently sorting and processing orders with the earliest cut-off times first, "hot picking" last-minute orders, and increasing worker productivity levels--all capabilities of FastPic4...

Unique rotating-cabin lift truck.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... Because cost efficiency is critical in today's economy, it's common for forklift truck drivers in warehouses and DCs to transport multiple pallets in one trip. As a result, drivers often have restricted forward visibility and are forced to...

Palletizer easily builds double-stacked loads.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... The FL Series palletizer from Columbia has been designed to easily build double- or triple-stacked loads. The palletizer places a pallet on top of a completed load and builds additional loads; assuring tight, square loads centered on each...

Rugged hand-held computer.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... A customizable hand-held computer, the JETT RFID-Mi features a powerful Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.2 operating system and Intel XScale Technology processor. The unit features a 13.56 MHz reader/writer that can read tag IDs as well as...

Guide to furniture packaging.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... A reference manual offers simple methods for understanding complex carrier packaging requirements for furniture. Furniture Packaging is a 300-page loose-leaf manual that fully diagrams all railroad, motor carrier, and freight forwarder...

Conveyor improves operational flexibility.(NEW PRODUCTS)
April 1, 2005... The C-L100 package conveyor system was designed to decrease installation time by 30 percent and allow for maintenance surveillance during operation. Conveyors plug together on the floor and all parts are standardized. The conveyor is very...

There's a lot more than road repairs in the highway bill.(PARTING SHOT)
April 1, 2005... BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, Congress may have passed a $284 billion highway bill. As most readers know, the highway bill will pay for new road and bridge projects over the next six years. What you may not know is that there are other provisions...