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

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

NASA has begun laying the "groundwork" for interplanetary supply chains.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * NASA has begun laying the "groundwork" for interplanetary supply chains. Last month the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) awarded a contract to two Massachusetts Institute of Technology professors to create a framework for...

Back on Earth, truckers could be facing even higher diesel prices this winter.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Back on Earth, truckers could be facing even higher diesel prices this winter. That prediction comes from economist Phillip K. Verleger in a recent Wall Street Journal article on the worldwide shortage of oil refineries. Verleger, a senior...

The world's biggest container carrier wants to get even bigger.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * The world's biggest container carrier wants to get even bigger. Copenhagen-based A.P. Moller Maersk has proposed buying rival P&O Nedlloyd, the world's third-largest container line, for $3 billion. Maersk Sealand chief executive Knud...

It's time for another round of LTL rate hikes.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * It's time for another round of LTL rate hikes. Regional rate bureaus announced their general rate increases in March and April. Now many less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers are doing the same. Although it wasn't the first to announce, FedEx...

Peak-hour pricing comes to the West Coast.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Peak-hour pricing comes to the West Coast. Starting in July, importers will pay a penalty for picking up containers during daytime hours. That's when the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will launch the PierPass Program to encourage...

Do you need to work with third-party logistics providers in China?(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Do you need to work with third-party logistics providers in China? Then be sure to attend our "China and Logistics" webcast on June 21 at 2 p.m. EST. Industry analyst Jon Monroe will give a presentation on how shippers can develop an...

Look, up in the air! No, wait--on the ground.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Look, up in the air! No, wait--on the ground... For the first time in its 33-year history, FedEx Corp. will move more freight by ground than it does by air. So says Colography Group President Theodore Scherck, who closely follows the express...

Will C-TPAT go global?(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Will C-TPAT go global? Later this month, the 165 member countries of the World Customs Organization (WCO) will vote on whether to approve cargo security standards modeled after the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and a...

A new private-sector group hopes to boost intermodalism in Europe.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * A new private-sector group hopes to boost intermodalism in Europe. Last month more than 50 companies joined together to launch the European Intermodal Research Advisory Council (EIRAC). Participants include rail and ocean terminal operators,...

Still no relief in sight for the driver shortage.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * Still no relief in sight for the driver shortage. A recent report by the American Trucking Associations predicts that the shortage of truck drivers will balloon from 20,000 today to 111,000 by 2014. Although there currently are 3.4 million...

One-hundred percent screening of air cargo.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * One-hundred percent screening of air cargo is on the congressional agenda again. Congressmen Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Christopher Shays of Connecticut, and Carolyn Maloney of New York are seeking to attach a rider to the Department of...

The TSA is not going away anytime soon.(Management UPDATE: AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2005... * The TSA is not going away anytime soon, said Asa Hutchinson, former number two man in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Hutchinson offered his predictions on the future of the Transportation Security Administration and other federal...

Meet the best in logistics.(VIEWPOINT)
June 1, 2005... OVER THE YEARS, one of our toughest tasks has been getting shippers to share their logistics success stories. But since we launched the Best Practices in Logistics Management Awards in 2004, we've been able to turn an arduous chore into a more...

In April U.S.-based truckers.(TRUCKING)
June 1, 2005... In April U.S.-based truckers pushed average prices up 0.75% from the previous month and 6% from the same month a year earlier. Shippers moving specialized freight, such as hazardous materials, bulk liquids, and refrigerated products, bore the...

Prices charged by U.S.-based airlines.(AIR)
June 1, 2005... Prices charged by U.S.-based airlines for shipping freight on scheduled flights increased 0.6% in April. That hike, however, did little to counterbalance a drop in passenger ticket prices. In addition to these pricing issues, cost-control...

Price for shipping by water.(WATER)
June 1, 2005... Prices for shipping by water were all over the map in April. U.S.-based companies that provide deep-sea transportation to and from foreign ports lowered average prices 0.1% from a month ago, while those on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway...

Like the other modes of transportation we track.(TRUCKING)
June 1, 2005... Like the other modes of transportation we track, average prices charged by the domestic rail industry exceeded the rate of inflation. As expected, carload rail rates (up 0.9% from March) grew faster than those for intermodal, where pricing was...

UPS to buy Overnite, enter LTL sector: long-expected acquisition responds to FedEx's earlier push into trucking services.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
June 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- After months of speculation about its plans, UPS finally put the rumors to rest and entered the trucking business with its proposed acquisition of Overnite Corp. The Atlanta-based parcel and logistics giant said it would buy Overnite...

Shipper group promotes bill to spur rail competition.(WASHINGTON)
June 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Captive railroad shippers stand to gain from a bill filed last month in Congress to promote more railroad competition. The legislation is designed to make the rail freight system act more "like a competitive marketplace," said...

Study finds leading shippers deploy new set of best practices.(RESEARCH)
June 1, 2005... A new set of best practices is emerging to meet today's reality of capacity constraints, rising rates and surcharges, and an increasing hunger for transportation information by other corporate departments and customers. A recent Aberdeen Group...

What are America's most congested cities?(News Capsule)
June 1, 2005... The 2005 Urban Mobility Report ranked the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif., metropolitan area as the worst in the country for travel delays. Annual Travel Delay (millions of hours) Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif....

Trucking industry challenges fingerprint checks.(SECURITY)
June 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The trucking industry has taken its case against fingerprint-based background checks for hazardous materials drivers to the halls of Congress. In January the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began requiring new...

Canadian National Railway.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... Canadian National Railway has launched CN WorldWide, a wholly owned subsidiary that will offer international freight forwarding services between Europe and North America. The new division allows CN to offer integrated, door-to-door freight...

The National Cargo Security Council and Pinkerton Logistics have teamed up to provide C-TPAT validation assessments for foreign manufacturers and transportation companies.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... The National Cargo Security Council and Pinkerton Logistics have teamed up to provide C-TPAT validation assessments for foreign manufacturers and transportation companies. U.S. importers doing business with those companies can purchase their...

Quintek Technologies Inc.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... Quintek Technologies Inc. has formed Sapphire Consulting Services. The new unit will offer supply chain efficiency analysis, technology implementation, systems integration, and training for demand-driven manufacturing organizations....

Hanson Logistics.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... Hanson Logistics now offers pool distribution for refrigerated products. The new service, available to key points throughout the Midwest, consolidates refrigerated LTL shipments to obtain lower rates and provide predictable delivery schedules....

OTS Logistics Group.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... OTS Logistics Group is now managing the international agency network of consolidator NACA Logistics (USA) Inc. The arrangement extends OTS Logistics' coverage to include some 300 points in 105 countries worldwide. (www.otslogisticsgroup.com)

RoadLink USA East.(NEW SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... Eastern/GPS has been renamed RoadLink USA East. The intermodal drayage company, with 11 service centers throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is part of RoadLink USA, an integrated national network of regional operating companies that provide...

Datebook.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... June 22-24. SM[C.sup.3]Summer Shipper Meeting. Savannah, Ga. SM[C.sup.3]. 800-845-8090 or www.smc3.com June 26-28. 45th Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. American Institute of Shippers Associations. 202-628-0933 or www.shippers.org June...

Most LTL carriers have implemented 2005 GRIs.(Bohman on PRICING)
June 1, 2005... Last month we reported on the 2005 general rate increases (GRIs) that several regional motor carrier rate bureaus had approved and put into effect. Since then, many individual less-than-truckload (LTL) motor carriers of general commodities have...

A primer on profitable pricing.(Bryne on EXCELLENCE)
June 1, 2005... Most companies are in a constant state of debate over which improvement initiatives have the greatest potential to help them reach and maintain high performance levels. One such action, however, is nearly always viable: revising and upgrading...

And the winners are ...(Best PRACTICES 2005)
June 1, 2005... LOGISTICS MANAGERS today are confronting an enormous challenge: providing outstanding service while holding the line on costs. With fuel prices soaring out of control and freight capacity tighter than ever, that's a tougher assignment than it...

Boston Scientific: rethinks the box.(Best PRACTICES 2005 GOLD AWARD)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Back in March 2004, Boston Scientific Corporation had a problem that any manufacturer would love to have. The Natick, Mass.-based company had just received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the U.S. launch of its...

International Rectifier: knows where the money goes.(Best PRACTICES 2005: SILVER AWARD)
June 1, 2005... The creation of an automated, centralized "self billing" unit for worldwide freight movements makes International Rectifier worthy of recognition for implementing best practices in logistics. Although the self-billing concept is not new,...

Lexmark International: nets worldwide savings.(Best PRACTICES 2005: BRONZE AWARD)
June 1, 2005... Lexmark International Inc. created a worldwide logistics council to help it get a handle on its ocean shipping costs. But the council, a collaborative effort involving logistics, purchasing, and operations managers, brought about improvements...

Renew your carrier relationships: it's time to adopt an incentive-based approach if you want your motor carriers to perform their best.(TRANSPORTATION TRENDS)
June 1, 2005... Does this sound familiar? You tackled your company's transportation spending by using strategic sourcing and aggressively applying "e" technology to maximize your leverage. Initially you felt good because you stripped out a significant chunk of...

Greater expectations for Global 3PLs: as more shippers get involved in international commerce, third-party logistics providers face new demands about how they deliver the goods.(Third-Party Logistics Supplement)
June 1, 2005... Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have established an enviable record of satisfying their customers' needs when it comes to support and execution of contracted services and supply chain intelligence. But over the past five years or so, the...

The top 50 3pls by North American revenues.
June 1, 2005... THE TOP 50 3PLS BY NORTH AMERICAN REVENUES Gross Revenue * Company Name Phone ...

Keep it moving: attention to detail will help your shipments move swiftly and securely across the U.S borders with Canada and Mexico.
June 1, 2005... For a few weeks after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the roadways and bridges leading to the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico looked like parking lots. That backlog eventually cleared as customs agents stopped inspecting each...

EMS completes the visibility picture: when event management software is integrated into broader applications, shippers can see every step of their shipment's journey.(LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2005... When event management systems first came on the scene earlier this decade, software vendors billed it as the next "killer application." Often referred to simply as "EMS," the stand-alone products were designed to alert users via e-mail or fax...

Are there ever any happy returns? Probably not. But here are some basic guidelines to help you successfully manage returned goods in your warehouse.(Managing Returns: WAREHOUSE & DC)
June 1, 2005... Returned goods are not supposed to happen. The problem is that they do--to the tune of more than $ 100 billion a year in retail products in this country alone, an amount that is expected to grow over the next decade. For companies that...

European airports take on the world: Europe's airports are responding to trade growth by building up their cargo handling capacity and facilities.(Special Supplement)
June 1, 2005... The European political landscape is quickly changing, and with it the role and location of air cargo handling centers at key European airports. With the integration of 10 new members into the European Union (EU) last year (Poland, the Czech...

Guide explains truck cargo securement.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... The Cargo Securement Handbook for Drivers from J.J. Keller N Associates Inc. helps drivers comply with U.S. and Canadian cargo securement requirements. The 192-page book covers general cargo, specific commodities, and specialized cargoes. ...

Print/apply system detects poor RFID labels.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... A new high-speed print/apply labeling system detects and rejects miscoded or unreadable BFID labels. The Avery Dennison ALX RFID Print/Apply encodes and prints unique RFID labels and applies them to cartons, cases, and pallets. The system...

Electric order picker for tight spaces.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... The 7-Series electric narrow-aisle order picker from Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. features the latest in microprocessor technology, including anti-rattle mast staging, a spring-suspension system, and electronic disc brakes. According to the...

Swisslog WMS adds new functions.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... Swisslog has released version 3086 of WarehouseManager, its warehouse management software suite. The upgraded suite includes such new functionality as labor optimization, cockpit functions, and voice picking. The labor and cockpit functionality...

Shift inhibitor prevents fork-truck damage.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... Safety Systems & Controls Inc. now offers a microprocessor-based version of its DOT-Lok fork-truck shift inhibitor. The shift inhibitor is designed to prevent transmission, drive-line, and drive-axle failures that may occur when a driver...

Want real rail reform? Build the Iron Highway.(PARTING SHOT)
June 1, 2005... Small steps are encouraging, I suppose. They let us take heart that we're making progress, even if it's only a step or two toward our goal. That's probably how most rail shippers view the Railroad Competition Act of 2005. The legislation,...