Government Shutdown and Computer Glitch Muddied the Waters in Determining Unemployment Rates and Manufacturing Gains
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Government Shutdown and Computer Glitch Muddied the Waters in Determining Unemployment Rates and Manufacturing Gains

ByVincent Po

Economists had expected the unemployment rate to drop to 335,000 last week, but instead the number of unemployed workers dropped to just 358,000, a reduction of 15,000. However, the statistics werent’ very clear, since the analysts had to adjust the figure for government workers applying for unemployment due to the government shutdown. Furthermore, a computer…

Staples Hits on Key to Making Electric Trucks Successful Within the Fleet

Staples Hits on Key to Making Electric Trucks Successful Within the Fleet

ByVincent Po

Staples, a global retailer of office supplies and equipment, has found the perfect niche for using electric trucks within their fleet of almost 2,000 delivery vehicles. According to Staples director of fleet equipment Mike Payette, the trucks are ideal for short local delivery routes within cities where lots of stops are involved. With a battery…

Transparency in the Supply Chain Becomes More Important for Consumers as Well as Businesses
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Transparency in the Supply Chain Becomes More Important for Consumers as Well as Businesses

ByVincent Po

Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, automakers faced challenges getting enough parts to fulfill their vehicle orders. The technology industry also took a big hit, as so many of our electronics and electronics parts depend on Japanese manufacturers and suppliers. More recently, a South Korean company that manufacturers most of the world’s DRAM…

U.S. Infrastructure Woes Affect Trucking Companies Leading to Higher Shipping Costs
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U.S. Infrastructure Woes Affect Trucking Companies Leading to Higher Shipping Costs

ByVincent Po

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), out of the United States’ 600,000 bridges, one in nine is not in sufficient condition to handle current logistics routes. Recent bridge collapses in Washington state, Wisconsin, and Minnesota have shut down major trade thoroughfares, and the downgrading of some bridges in the state of Pennsylvania has…

What Happened to Derail BMW’s Supply Chain?

What Happened to Derail BMW’s Supply Chain?

ByVincent Po

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, or BMW, is the world’s largest and most recognizable manufacturer of luxury vehicles, catering to high-end customers in over 50 countries around the globe. BMW is most known for providing high quality vehicles, and catering to customers with excellent, timely parts and service. This has helped the company garner stellar customer…

Studies of Waste in the Food Supply Chain Raises Questions About Packaging
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Studies of Waste in the Food Supply Chain Raises Questions About Packaging

ByVincent Po

According to recent studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Australia, and other areas, foods that are wasted the most between the grower and the end consumer are those that are typically sold as non-packaged foods. This raises the question of whether or not food suppliers and retailers might help prevent much of this waste by…

Airbus Ramps Up Production in Response to Air Cargo Demands Spurred by Economic Recovery

Airbus Ramps Up Production in Response to Air Cargo Demands Spurred by Economic Recovery

ByVincent Po

According to Andreas Hermann, head of freighters for the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the economic recovery is spurring additional need for more passenger and cargo aircraft, which he expects to drive a need for the aircraft manufacturing industry over the next two decades. Though the recovery and growth is slow, it is there. Airbus is a…

Companies Turn to Transportation as Last Frontier for Cost Savings
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Companies Turn to Transportation as Last Frontier for Cost Savings

ByVincent Po

Profit margins are shrinking, and companies are running out of ways to cut costs to make up the difference. There’s little to be done about the costs of raw materials and goods, and production costs have been slashed as much as possible through automation systems. Inventories can’t be cut much more, as most companies are…

Wal-Mart Giving Mixed Signals as They Cut Back on Supplier Orders While Inventories Pile Up

Wal-Mart Giving Mixed Signals as They Cut Back on Supplier Orders While Inventories Pile Up

ByVincent Po

Is the retail giant losing customer sales? Or maybe they’re just cutting back on general merchandise orders to make room for holiday items? Perhaps they simply lack the staff to get all the inventory out of the back storage room and onto the floors and shelves? Whatever the reason, the fact is Wal-Mart has sent…

How One Internet Retailer Solved Their Logistics Issues

How One Internet Retailer Solved Their Logistics Issues

ByVincent Po

ASOS.com is an online fashion retailer, offering 60,000 products, including womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewellery and beauty. They offer both brand names and own label merchandise. The retailer rolls out about 1,500 new product lines per week. They service 6.5 million active customers, with about 23 million new customers visiting their website each month. ASOS deals…