Banks Tighten Requirements for Ship Owners’ Contracts, Threaten to Cancel Loans

Banks Tighten Requirements for Ship Owners’ Contracts, Threaten to Cancel Loans

Ship owners are having to be more careful about what companies they trade with, under threat from their banks to cancel loans when the owner enters contracts with companies the bank believes to be at risk of defaulting on contracts. This means shippers are having to settle for shorter term contracts with an increasingly smaller…

Shipping Profits Soar as Airline Cargo Industry Scales Back on Growth Estimates

Shipping Profits Soar as Airline Cargo Industry Scales Back on Growth Estimates

The news is bright for both shipping and air cargo, but shipping is seeing the lion’s share of profit growth, according to the latest reports. The International Air Transport Association revised their outlook for the global air cargo industry for 2013 down from $12.7 billion to $11.7 billion.

Cradle to Grave Approach to Supply Chain Management Can Reduce Costs, Eliminate Problems

Cradle to Grave Approach to Supply Chain Management Can Reduce Costs, Eliminate Problems

The very monotonous nature of the supply chain presents a unique opportunity for supply chain managers that few are aware of and even fewer use to their full advantage. Day after day, week after week, and year after year, companies go through the same processes of acquiring raw materials, shipping them to manufacturing facilities, turning…

Marketing for Holiday Sales to Begin Earlier Than Ever This Year

Marketing for Holiday Sales to Begin Earlier Than Ever This Year

The most popular time of year for retailers to begin promoting their Holiday season sales is the first two weeks of November. This year, however, retailers are looking to capitalize on the highest level of consumer spending confidence seen since the end of the recent economic recession. Many are beginning their promotional launch for the…

Manufacturing Leads the Way as the Economy Continues to Improve

Manufacturing Leads the Way as the Economy Continues to Improve

The Federal Reserve issued a report this week that highlights strength in manufacturing, among other sectors of the economy, which bode well for the outlook of both the national and the global economy. Leading the way are the manufacturing of automobiles, appliances, and home furnishings. There were also solid gains in mining and utilities. 

U.S. Flag Cargo Movement on Great Lakes Increases
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U.S. Flag Cargo Movement on Great Lakes Increases

The Laker’s Carrier Association (LCA) represents vessel operators on the Great Lakes.  U.S. flag Great Lakes Freighters, or lakers, carried 10.5 million tons of dry-bulk cargo in the month of August. This is an increase of more than 1 million tons, or about 10.6 percent compared to the same month of last year. It was…

Today’s Supply Chain Management Graduates Have Solid Future Ahead, Experts Say

Today’s Supply Chain Management Graduates Have Solid Future Ahead, Experts Say

Jobs in the supply chain have long suffered from a stigma of low-paying, blue collar work, according to SCM Talent Group president Rodney Apple. This misconception has led to a shortage of well-trained and highly qualified workers in the field. This meant that even during the recent severe recession, graduates in supply chain management still were…

Food Logistics Presents Special Challenges

Food Logistics Presents Special Challenges

Whitebread PLC is a leading hospitality company operating in the United Kingdom. Their brands include TGI Friday’s, Premier Travel Inns, Costa, Beefeater, and David Lloyd Leisure. For many years, Whitebread’s Food Logistics team operated successfully under a warehouse management system from Chess Logistics, however there was room for improvement in their processes to reduce costly…

Warehouse Management System Vendors Advertise Task Interleaving: Is it Doable?

Warehouse Management System Vendors Advertise Task Interleaving: Is it Doable?

A recent study released by Motorola Solutions indicated that almost half of all distribution center managers plan to implement task interleaving within the next few years. Many vendors of warehouse management systems advertise task interleaving as part of their packages. When implemented correctly, task interleaving can boost productivity within the distribution center, lowering labor costs…