Three months ago, much of the industry was anxiously awaiting some Congressional solution for the almost depleted Highway Trust Fund and the longer term problem of critically needed infrastructure repair. The then current funding was set to expire May 31, when the extension of the previous extension was due to expire. Unable to agree on […]
Recently, I was asked by someone new to the industry for a list of “best practices.” “A ‘no-brainer,’” I said to myself. So many supply chain practitioners talk about best practices, I knew it would be relatively easy to find a list. And I was correct. The problem was not a lack of lists, but […]
My first real job began when I was 12 years old. The exalted position was in a local neighborhood grocery store, long before the proliferation of supermarkets in the country. “On-line” ordering was very popular then, and my primarily responsibility was to take orders over the telephone, laboriously record them in a ticket book, take […]
June 23 marked the release of the 26th Annual State of Logistics Report. Authored by Rosalyn Wilson, and sponsored by CSCMP and Penske Logistics, this report has been the “gospel” for costs, developments, and predictions in the supply chain industry for a quarter of a century. The new report shows a total logistics cost for […]
Fifty years ago, when you wanted to expand your distribution network and build a new distribution center, you didn’t call an industrial real estate broker; you called a railroad. Most large companies shipped their product – whether it was boxes of cereal or rolls of carpet – by rail, which meant they needed access to […]
In the course of my consulting practice, I sometimes get involved in consulting assignments and litigation that involve the breakdown of an outsourcing arrangement. Although there can be any number of causes, it seems that many of these disputes result from a deterioration of the relationship itself. The flawed relationships then lead to poor cost […]
On May 6, 2015, former U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright died at the age of 92. To those who remember Jim Wright it may be because he was the first House speaker in history to be driven from office. After 34 years in Congress, he resigned on April 30, 1989, in the middle of his […]
Several months ago, we wrote about the trends in “near-shoring”, particularly from Asia to Mexico. As wage rates increase in Asia and political and human rights issues continue to be problematic, more firms are considering production and/or distribution closer to the U.S. Mexico has emerged as the country of choice for many. While wage rates […]
In only six weeks, the 10 month extension of last year’s proposed Grow America Act will expire. Rather than approve the White House’s $302 billion four year bill, Congress simply extended the existing legislation until May 31 of this year. Now once again, it is decision time – a decision Congress has avoided over 25 […]
The government has announced that the recession we experienced for several years is officially over; but there still is considerable doubt in the minds of some supply chain managers that it is in fact behind us. In a number of firms layoffs have continued, and unemployment in some areas is higher than we would like. […]