Supply Chain Integration & Technology News

Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) in Europe, along with European ports, have started to green their operations. The steps that they have taken include the introduction of new products and services that offer shippers sustainable transport and logistics options. These options will help organizations better prepare for the green accounting requirements that are coming. This article examines the European commitment to green logistics, including the move toward better measuring and reporting of carbon emissions.

Excess non-material costs build up over time due to global supply chain evolution, growth, and lack of dedication to control expenses. See our findings on recovering 10% of unnecessary expenses. The Value of Simulation in Modeling Supply Chains illustrates how a concerted effort helps capture waste while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Ampco's ConStock program allows the inventory owner to maximize the use of their stock through Electronic Data Interchange, Kanban, JIT, or customized features to deliver cost-effective and accurate supply chain solutions in a timely manner.

Quality off-shore production and assembly are also available. More info.

Fishbowl Inventory is the #1 Selling Inventory Management Solution for QuickBooks. If you use QuickBooks as your accounting solution, but want advanced inventory control, then Fishbowl is the answer for you. Track inventory across multiple locations, down to the shelf and bin. Learn more or download our complimentary trial.

Configuration Solutions is the leading provider of product configuration software for "to-order" manufacturers of complex products.

Our solutions help our customers realize continuous 2%-4% cost savings of net revenue and achieve 100% customer satisfaction levels in the areas of quote estimating and sales, customer service, order entry, engineering, and manufacturing.

How we do it.

A voice system for order picking paid for itself in less than 18 months for a major grocery distribution center that ships more than 50,000 cases per day. The system features a direct interface to the existing warehouse management system and took only three months to switch over. Workers receive step-by-step instructions via mobile computers. This video compares voice systems with RFID.

A tracking system, recently adopted by two global companies, features battery-powered tags that do double duty, providing identification and serving as a seal to a container's door. The tags are embedded with a GPS receiver to track position. Sensors for monitoring conditions within the container are also an option.

A case study describes how an 800,000 sq ft distribution center upgraded its 10-year-old order fullment software in just one weekend. The new system features an interface similar to the old so that no training was required. The center features pick-to-light modules and 6,000 pick locations; and, it processes about 8,200 orders per shift.

Distribution centers offer many energy-saving opportunities. This article outlines a four-step process that leads to continuous improvement in energy use: measure current energy consumption, fix the basics (for example, add more efficient lighting), automate where appropriate, and monitor and control. Motors are perhaps the most crucial element for cutting energy use in the distribution center.

Synergy's Web-based collaboration platform unifies the people, processes, and knowledge that matter most to your business, creating an accurate, up-to-the-moment view of your organization's personnel, finance, workflow, documents, and asset information, enhancing decision-making, analysis, scenario planning, and ongoing management across your entire business.

BMH Robotics is a leading robotics integrator specializing in manufacturing and distribution applications. BMH Robotics's creative and robust solutions offer superior ROI's while increasing production, and reducing costs for picking, packaging, assembly, full case palletizing, and bag palletizing.

Purchasing plays two key roles in the supply chain according to this case history. First there's the obvious one of controlling costs, but beyond that, purchasing can also help to improve the transfer of knowledge between suppliers and the new product development team. To help in these roles, buyers should look for suppliers that are anxious to engage in deeper relationships.

This analysis describes how supplier management software is helping a major multinational corporation cut costs. The software generally helps customers cut the cost per supplier from an average of $720 to under $200. Spread that benefit across hundreds or thousands of suppliers, and the potential for savings is enormous.

A freight tracking system under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) could revolutionize the industry. The IntelligentFreight system will boost communications and safety levels well beyond today's state of affairs. A major benefit of the system will be improved tracking of radioactive shipments worldwide. The first application of the technology will be in tracking hazardous waste to be buried at a waste management facility at ORNL.

There comes a time for some companies when it becomes clear to logistics managers that they need to get help from a third-party logistics provider (3PL). The challenge is convincing executives to take the plunge. This article offers advice on how to talk to management on the topic. Tips include: promise to improve key metrics and emphasize the potential to reduce costs.

In their over 20 years in Asia, East West Bridge has learned to do three things very well — help their clients buy, build, and sell products in Asia. Their transparent method of servicing foreign companies to source, sample, and deliver the products you expect was designed to protect you.

The TeviTag security seal is the result of Stoffel Seals' commitment to provide a simple, cost-effective solution that increases security and efficiency. It is the first tamper-evident security device to combine Security and Logistics. View more products here...

A university-based program offers certificates in Green Supply Chain Management and Lean Supply Chain Management. The eight-week programs are delivered online by practicing experts. The Green program covers regulatory issues, sustainability practices, best practices for extended supply chains, and tools that can help cut costs and delivery time.

The human body may be mostly water, but there's also an awful lot of microbes crawling around in various regions of the body — about 100 trillion of 'em on average. Now a research team at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has created an atlas of bacterial diversity across the human body. Researchers found unexpectedly wide variability in bacterial communities from person to person in the study. The goal is to find out what is normal for a healthy person to provide a baseline that can be used to develop knowledge for healing protocols.

Help Stop Supply Chain Energy Leaks

What is your company doing to reduce energy use throughout the supply chain?