Logistics Management (Highlands Ranch, CO) articles from August 2003

Logistics Management (Highlands Ranch, CO) archives from August 2003

A former shipper executive will take over the reins at the National Industrial Transportation League.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... John B. Ficker, who becomes NITL president this month, has more than 30 years of experience in transportation and logistics. Most recently, he served as logistics development manager for the Weyerhaeuser Company, where he was responsible for...

Want to get the full scoop on our Quest for Quality winners?(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... The articles that begin on Page 34 show the winners and their scores, but full reports showing the scores for all carriers in the survey also are available for purchase. There are seven reports (LTL, truckload, rail/intermodal, airfreight,...

Customs heeded shippers' concerns when it revised its proposed advance notification rules.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... In its "straw man" proposals for regulations requiring advance information on cargo coming into or leaving the United States, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection said it wanted data for cross-border truck shipments 24 hours before goods...

A long-time supporter of the maritime industry has lashed out at Congress for placing unfunded security mandates on U.S. ports.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... Former U.S. Rep. Helen Delich Bentley (R-Md.) has criticized Congress for providing billions for airline security while virtually ignoring subsidies for port security. In a recent speech, Bentley, who also is a former chairwoman of the Federal...

The U.S. government this month will begin testing technology for safeguarding hazardous materials shipments.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will conduct field tests involving 100 trucks equipped with a variety of security technologies. The truck-safety agency will assess such equipment as fingerprint biometrics for drivers,...

As of Sept. 1, the name Wisconsin Central will be no more.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... At that time, the Midwest rail line will be fully absorbed into the Canadian National (CN) system. CN purchased Wisconsin Central, which provides a rail link between Chicago and Superior, Wis., in 2001. Because the regional railroad will no...

The United States and Canada are eyeing construction of a third border crossing between Michigan and Ontario.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association reports that a Canada-U.S. coalition of government officials is considering three proposals. Options on the table include a twin span that would adjoin the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest...

Change drivers' hours-of-service rules to reflect cumulative rather than consecutive hours of time.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... That's the recommendation the Truckload Carriers Association and other petitioners such as Wal-Mart Stores are making to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in response to new rules setting time limits for truck drivers. Under DOT's...

A battle could be brewing over air-cargo screening in Congress.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is pushing legislation that would require the screening of all packages or freight placed in the cargo holds of passenger planes. Markey says it doesn't make sense to screen passengers carefully while failing to inspect...

Should Mexico be allowed to ship products to the United States on untreated wooden pallets?(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... Yes, said the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) in comments it filed last month with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To thwart the introduction of destructive pests into this country, the USDA wants to require that all wooden...

Menlo Worldwide forwarding insists that it's here to stay.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... In a media release last month the company refuted press reports that it might shut down the money-losing North American forwarding operations. Menlo Worldwide's parent company, CNF Inc., also owns Con-Way Transportation services, a family of...

Want to know how your warehouse stacks up against the competition?(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... Then check out the results of the 2003 Warehouse Benchmark Survey, conducted by the Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech and the Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC). The two groups teamed up to canvass more than 120 companies on such...

Companies that have aggressively adopted global trade technology are outperforming their competitors.(Management: an executive summary of industry news)
August 1, 2003... The gap is particularly evident in such activities as payment settlement, delivery times, and profitability. These are among the findings of a new study called "Navigating the Currents of International Trade," produced by Boston-based Aberdeen...

The quest continues.(Viewpoint)
August 1, 2003... ACCORDING TO MY DOG-EARED copy of Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definitions of "quest" include "a pursuit... an adventurous journey." We've been following that adventure for 20 years now through our Quest for Quality Survey. This...

Recent price trends in transportation services.(Price Trends)
August 1, 2003... TRUCKING Back-to-back price declines from LTL carriers in April and May gave us pause--would a deflationary trend finally take hold? Apparently not: June's data show LTL prices trending back up 0.5% from May and up 2.9% from the same month...

Yellow and Roadway get it together: surprise merger tightens LTL market a notch; smaller companies may stand to profit.(News & Analysis)
August 1, 2003... When the news came down that Yellow Corp. had announced its intention to buy Roadway Corp., the industry didn't just sit up and take notice--it leapt to its feet in surprise. The unexpected announcement hit the industry hard, and its impact was...

The big house.(News Capsule)
August 1, 2003... The Big House 3PL warehousing activities are growing and now account for 485 million square feet in North America and annual revenues of $13 billion. Here are the top five 3PLs using warehouses, by space. Company...

Ports say security plan is underfunded.(Maritime)
August 1, 2003... On paper, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) looks pretty good. The law promises to increase and improve security at ports around the country by mandating upgraded technology and tighter adherence to security standards, a...

Class 1 revenues, ROI low but improving.(Railroads)
August 1, 2003... Despite the fact that none of the remaining U.S.-based Class 1 railroads managed to operate above their cost of capital in 2002, Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Roger Nober believes that things are getting better for the rail...

Tank truckers seek to delay fingerprinting rule.(Hazardous Materials)
August 1, 2003... A plan that would require truck drivers with hazmat endorsements on their commercial drivers licenses to submit to background checks, including fingerprinting, is meeting with strong resistance from industry groups and the state agencies that...

Wal-Mart throws its weight behind RFID.(Technology)
August 1, 2003... What the world's largest retailer once did for bar coding, it may be about to do for radio frequency identification (RFID). In June, Wal-Mart announced that it would require its top 100 suppliers to use RFID tags on cases and pallets beginning...

California pushes for electric forklifts.(Materials Handling)
August 1, 2003... California could soon become the first state to mandate the use of electric and reduced-emissions lift trucks. The California Air Resource Board (CARB), which monitors air quality, plans to adopt such a measure by 2004. The board is proposing a...

Saia has recently been honored with three awards for customer service.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Saia has recently been honored with three awards for customer service. The multiregional LTL carrier received the Ryder Transportation Management "Carrier Quality Award," a new award for excellence in the superregional service category....

For the third consecutive year, AmeriCold Logistics, a temperature-controlled warehouse operator and third-party logistics service company has received Kellogg's "2002 Top Gun Award".(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... For the third consecutive year, AmeriCold Logistics, a temperature-controlled warehouse operator and third-party logistics service company has received Kellogg's "2002 Top Gun Award." The award recognizes AmeriCold's Allentown facility as the...

For the third consecutive year, USF Reddaway Inc., a regional less-than-truckload subsidiary of USF Corporation, was awarded the "Carrier Achievement Award" by shipper Hoffman Enclosures.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... For the third consecutive year, USF Reddaway Inc., a regional less-than-truckload subsidiary of USF Corporation, was awarded the "Carrier Achievement Award" by shipper Hoffman Enclosures. Although carriers in all modes are evaluated annually,...

NYK Line.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Global ocean carrier NYK Line has announced that 30 of its facilities in Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as all of the operations of its affiliate NYK Global Bulk Corporation, have recently received ISO 14001 quality assurance...

Con-Way Central Express, an operating unit of Con-Way Transportation Services, Inc., received the "Best in Class--LTL Trucking" award for 2002 from Lifetouch National School Studios.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Con-Way Central Express, an operating unit of Con-Way Transportation Services, Inc., received the "Best in Class--LTL Trucking" award for 2002 from Lifetouch National School Studios. The regional LTL carrier won the award in recognition of its...

For the second consecutive year, Schneider National has been named Wal-Mart's "Intermodal Carrier of the Year.".(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... For the second consecutive year, Schneider National has been named Wal-Mart's "Intermodal Carrier of the Year." One of nine carriers recognized, the national truckload carrier met criteria for the award that included revenue and growth, ease of...

Ward Trucking Corp., a mid-Atlantic regional LTL carrier, has taken second place in the General Commodities-LTL/Linehaul category and fourth place in the General Commodities-LTL/Local category of the American Trucking Associations' National Truck Safety Awards.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Ward Trucking Corp., a mid-Atlantic regional LTL carrier, has taken second place in the General Commodities-LTL/Linehaul category and fourth place in the General Commodities-LTL/Local category of the American Trucking Associations' National...

Freight forwarder Pilot Air Freight was presented with an award by the Defense and Distribution Depot San Joaquin (DDJC) for its exemplary service during the war in Iraq.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Freight forwarder Pilot Air Freight was presented with an award by the Defense and Distribution Depot San Joaquin (DDJC) for its exemplary service during the war in Iraq. The DDJC provides distribution services to the Army, Marines, Navy, and...

Switzerland-based Panalpina has received an award in recognition of more than two decades of outstanding service to auto parts maker the Bosch Group in Bamberg, Germany.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Switzerland-based Panalpina has received an award in recognition of more than two decades of outstanding service to auto parts maker the Bosch Group in Bamberg, Germany. Panalpina provides Bosch with freight forwarding, order management,...

Less-than-truckload carrier Southeastern Freight Lines received the Ryder Quality Award in the southern region category from Ryder Transportation Management for the sixth consecutive year.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Less-than-truckload carrier Southeastern Freight Lines received the Ryder Quality Award in the southern region category from Ryder Transportation Management for the sixth consecutive year. The award was based on the carrier's scores for on-time...

Horizon Lines (formerly CSX Lines) received Wal-Mart's annual "Carrier of the Year" award in the ocean carrier category for the third consecutive year.(Winners Circle)
August 1, 2003... Horizon Lines (formerly CSX Lines) received Wal-Mart's annual "Carrier of the Year" award in the ocean carrier category for the third consecutive year. Horizon, which specializes in the Caribbean and Latin American trade lanes, met criteria for...

Canada Maritime.(Services)
August 1, 2003... Canada Maritime has taken delivery of the first of two vessels expected to be the largest ships serving the carrier's Montreal gateway. The Canmar Venture (seen at right) entered service in July. Its sister ship, Canmar Spirit, will launch in...

Also acquiring new ships is OOCL, which is contracted for two more 8,063-TEU SX class vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.(Services)
August 1, 2003... Also acquiring new ships OOCL, which has contracted for two more 8,063-TEU SX class vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. This brings the Hong Kong based carrier's order to 10 ships, two of which have already been delivered. The most...

SmartMail Services has acquired Drop Ship Express, the Minneapolis-based mail and parcel delivery company.(services)
August 1, 2003... SmartMail Services has acquired Drop Ship Express, the Minneapolis-based mail and parcel delivery company. The merged organization will employ 1,100 people at 22 processing centers nationwide.

TradeCard Inc. will offer its financial supply chain services to customers of Maersk Logistics.(Services)
August 1, 2003... TradeCard Inc. will offer its financial supply chain services to customers of Maersk Logistics. The companies will integrate their service offerings to seamlessly deliver electronic cargo receipts from Maersk's platform to TradeCard's system.

OIA Global Logistics and Siriani & Associates.(Services)
August 1, 2003... OIA Global Logistics and Siriani & Associates have teamed up to provide international cargo services to trade associations. Siriani represents 25 trade groups comprising about 35,000 companies. Its collaboration with OIA will provide...

Menzies World Cargo and Iceland-based Eimskip have opened a new perishables handling center at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.(Services)
August 1, 2003... Menzies World Cargo and Iceland-based Eimskip have opened a new perishables handling center at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. "Freshport" provides a range of services for inspecting and handling fresh fish, meat, and ornamental fish. The...

Datebook.(Logistics Briefing)
August 1, 2003... Sept. 2-4. Logistics Leaders Forum. University Park, Pa, Center for Supply Chain Research, Pennsylvania State University, 814-865-0585 or www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr. Sept. 8-10. "How to Lay Out a Warehouse or Distribution Center" seminar....

Check carriers' tariffs for extra P&D charges.(Bohman on Pricing)
August 1, 2003... Standard less-than-truckload (LTL) rates include both a pickup at and a delivery to locations such as businesses, warehouses, and other commercial locations. But a look through just about any LTL motor carrier's rules tariff will reveal that...

Reaching for the top: which carriers and third parties provide the best service? For the 20th year, our readers name their top picks.
August 1, 2003... Two decades and counting, the Quest continues. More than 2,700 readers gave us their opinions on which carriers, third-party logistics companies, and warehouse operators deserve recognition for excellence in our 20th annual Quest for Quality...

Road masters.(National LTL)
August 1, 2003... Judging by this year's average customer-satisfaction numbers, things are moving along quite nicely for national LTLs despite the odd and sundry roadblocks plaguing ground carriers these days. If they weren't doing their jobs, they wouldn't have...

Regional reigns.(Regional LTL)
August 1, 2003... Less-than-truckload carriers continued their difficult journey over rough roads last year. Like their truckload brethren, the LTL companies were whacked by increasing insurance prices and spiking diesel fuel costs. Companies that cross borders...

Hitting top speed.(Truckload Carriers)
August 1, 2003... The road that motor carriers had to drive in 2002 was largely uphill. Insurance costs were up again and diesel fuel prices reached unprecedented heights. But something else went up in 2002 as well: overall satisfaction scores for truckload...

The haul of fame.(Rail/Intermodal)
August 1, 2003... For the past few years, the composite customer-satisfaction scores for standard rail service and intermodal had been chugging steadily upward, perhaps in response to the industry's own climb to improved stability. This year, however, scores...

Making waves.(Ocean Carriers)
August 1, 2003... This year, 18 ocean carriers were cited sby our readers as being the best in the business. That status didn't come easily, as the past year didn't exactly offer smooth sailing for ocean carriers. Choppy seas came in the form of West Coast port...

Above and beyond.(Air Carriers)
August 1, 2003... "Economy" was not the word you wanted to use around air cargo operators this past year. The sluggish economy hit the airlines hard, forcing them to cut back their flights and with them, cargo capacity. Still, they must have been doing something...

Keeping it moving.(Freight Forwarders)
August 1, 2003... For many freight forwarders, getting through 2002 was something like living in the eye of a hurricane. Throughout last year, forwarders had to contend with increased security requirements, port shutdowns, and capacity cutbacks. Certainly,...

Outstanding outsourcing.(Third-Party Logistics)
August 1, 2003... The role third-party logistics providers (3PLs) play in the supply chain world is rapidly growing, in importance, and as a result, so is the 3PL industry. But don't take our word for it--just look at how the presence of 3PLs in the Quest for...

The highest tier.(Warehouse Services)
August 1, 2003... Warehousing is becoming increasingly more complex, sophisticated, and vital. It seems that something new, from improved bar codes to handheld computers, comes along every day to redefine warehousing operations. For example, warehouse management...

Low cost ways to boost warehouse efficiency: need to improve labor efficiency in your warehouse? Before you buy expensive new equipment, try these low-cost strategies first.
August 1, 2003... Are you looking for ways to increase warehouse productivity without purchasing more equipment? If so, you're far from alone. At the height of the '90s economic boom, companies were hard pressed to find qualified people to work in their...

Uncle Sam wants your hazmat plan ... now: hazardous material shippers and carriers have until next month to come up with a plan to show the government how safeguard their shipments.
August 1, 2003... How times have changed for hazardous materials shippers. Only two years ago, shippers were dealing with state, federal, and international dangerous goods regulations that were designed solely to prevent an accidental release from harming life...

Customs casts a wider security net: customs authorities are quickly expanding trade security programs to include more links in the international supply chain.
August 1, 2003... First it was air. Then came ocean. Now it's rail and truck. Although the terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, took advantage of lax security on passenger flights, government authorities since then have focused much...

Hiring Mr. and Ms. Right: how can you find the most qualified employees for your warehouse? here are some considerations to keep in mind.(Warehouse & DC: insights for today's distribution professional)
August 1, 2003... Even in a down economy, a good warehouse worker can be hard to find. Although today's high unemployment rates mean that it's easier to find candidates than it was a few years ago, the problem is not quantity--it's quality. "It's pretty...

New WMS, RFID perk up Seattle's Best Coffee.(Warehouse & DC)
August 1, 2003... FOUNDED IN 1970, SEATTLE'S BEST COFFEE supplies coffee blends to coffee houses as well as to some 12,000 wholesale distribution points that serve retail outlets and restaurants. It was acquired in 1998 by AFC Enterprises, which also owns...

The disconnected company.(Copacino on Strategy)
August 1, 2003... It should be so easy. If separate departments in a company worked together fluidly, as a team, pulling in the same direction, and for a common purpose, that company's effectiveness would dramatically improve, and the job-satisfaction level of...

Ultralight wireless printer goes mobile.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The Mt3 is a mobile, three-inch thermal receipt printer that weighs just 23 ounces and will print approximately 800 six-inch receipts per battery charge. The unit is compatible with Bluetooth wireless technology and is protected by a durable,...

Customized plastic pallets available.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Environmentally friendly and offering the same handling capabilities as wood, "plastic lumber" pallets can be made to the customer's exact specifications. The boards are assembled with self-tapping screws that can be quickly removed for...

Software eases customs compliance.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... CUSTOMS Info v. 2.0 helps importers comply with the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection's requirements by providing resources for entering, classifying, and valuing merchandise. The classification-documentation system, known as cDoc,...

Electronic log automates driver hours-of-service reporting.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... PeopleNet Communications' eDriver Logs eliminate the need to create written hours-of-service reports by allowing drivers to enter required information into their onboard computers. Data entry can be accomplished either through PeopleNet's...

Electric truck offers superior control.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The E30-40HSD three-wheel Electric StandDrive counterbalanced lift truck from Hyster is designed for use in a variety of applications, including retail distribution, food manufacturing and processing, freight transportation, and general...

Grooved belts improve conveyor performance.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Interroll Corp. has developed a high-integrity, grooved-belt solution that is designed for use with a variety of conveyor applications, including the manufacturer's own high-torque brush-type and brushless versions of its RollerDrive product...

Dock barricade prevents accidents.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... The DJG-100 dock barricade is available in electric and manual operation models. The electric version offers one-button up and down control with a 1 hp motor and is pre-wired for 115 volts. A safety stop prevents the arm from lowering by...

GPS-powered fleet tracking system.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Networkfleet is a Web-based GPS fleet-tracking system for use in model year 1996 and later, gas-and diesel-powered vehicles with gross vehicle weights below 14,000 lbs. Along with positional updates every two minutes, Networkfleet also offers...

Corrugated pallet cuts costs and waste.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... Lightweight and economical, the SureStacker corrugated paper pallet from Bicknell & Fuller provides a useful alternative to wooden pallets. The SureStacker is made of 100-percent recyclable paper and can be customized to specific sizes and...

Hazmat catalog has been updated for 2003.(New Products)
August 1, 2003... J.J. Keller &Associates has published its 2003 Hazmat Compliance Catalog, offering a wide range of products for promoting hazardous materials safety and compliance, driver and cargo security, training, and record keeping. Products include...

Has Wal-Mart gone too far?(Parting Shot)
August 1, 2003... When Wal-Mart talks, suppliers listen. So the retail industry was all ears when the giant retailer announced that it was ordering its top 100 suppliers to place radio frequency (RF) tags, or transponders, on shipping cartons and pallets by...