MHI Blog -- An automated future is part of an efficiency plan at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. These ports have been losing market share for nearly a decade to rivals in Prince Rupert, British Columbia and Savannah, Georgia where it takes four days or less to unload a ship compared to as many as six days in Southern California.
According to a recent BloombergBusiness report, the Port of Los Angeles recently put an automated terminal into service, and along with the Port of Long Beach is spending $3.7 billion to boost capacity and unravel bottlenecks. Additionally, a $1 billion replacement is being built for the 47-year-old Gerald Desmond Bridge, which is too low for today’s mega-vessels.
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The Wall Street Journal -- Warehouses and distribution centers have a reputation for being plain vanilla buildings that don’t change very often. But Green Street Advisors, a prominent real-estate research firm, says industrial and logistics properties are changing faster than ever.
So fast, in terms of functionality and technology, that many landlords are at risk of losing much of the value of their portfolios to fast-advancing obsolescence. It’s the result, experts say, of a shift in buying patterns in the U.S. that is triggering rapid changes in the structures behind supply chains.
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The Verge -- Amazon is extending its one-hour Prime Now delivery service to cover goods purchased from select third-party stores, with the service launching today in Manhattan for a trio of upscale shops. Subscribers to Amazon Prime can now order groceries, baked goods, and prepared meals from D’Agostino, Gourmet Garage, or Billy’s Bakery — with their shopping then delivered via Amazon's couriers in less than an hour.
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MHI Blog -- Howard Bernstein, material handling icon and founder of Atlas Companies, died on May 18 at the age of 92.
Bernstein spent more than 75 years building his material handling business and promoting the industry, and he built friendships with everyone he met along the way.
Bernstein served as president of the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) in 1965 and attended almost every convention.
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EBN – A renaissance in small robots is blooming. Collaborative robots are inexpensive and tiny compared with the giant caged-in versions that dominate the automotive market. These new human-friendly robots work alongside human workers in the electronics industry, at auto suppliers, and in warehouses. They are priced down-market to attract small- and medium-size manufacturers. Below $50K is generally the target pricing. Often these robots are the first step in automation for a small shop.
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Ted Magazine -- In April, Amazon announced that it was moving one step closer to providing everything for business owners via Amazon Business, a new website for business owners that will expand the AmazonSupply brand and provide business owners with a place to shop for all of their business needs. From office supplies to wholesale products, Amazon Business is expected to be even bigger than AmazonSupply. As part of an ongoing series of stories looking into the future of electrical distribution, tED Magazine explores some of the key points that NAED members and suppliers should be thinking about as this online retail behemoth continues to make its way into the B2B marketplace.
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MHI Blog -- Target is joining a growing number of US retailers with item-level RFID programs. Macy’s, American Apparel. Walmart, JC Penney, Kohl’s and Dillard’s all with programs in various stages of deployment.
"We’re now working with key vendors on a fast-tracked timeline to begin inserting a ‘smart label’ on price tags that will help Target improve our inventory accuracy and enhance our ability to keep stores in stock," says Keri Jones, Target’s Executive Vice President of Global Supply Chain Operations.
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Reuters -- Not every U.S. retailer has cause to complain about the West Coast port disruptions. For those focused more on price than the latest fashion, the delivery backlog caused by the slowdown could be a treasure trove.
Off-price retailers such as TJX Cos Inc, which sell high-quality merchandise at low prices, are snapping up orders canceled by traditional stores in the congestion that follows a months-long labor dispute.
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The Wall Street Journal -- Companies are finding that the growing complexity of supply chains has a significant consequence: hiring the right people to build and manage the expansive operations is more difficult than ever.
Industry experts say an understanding of technology and an ability to work in a global environment are increasingly important in the supply chain, forcing managers to look for people with a rare mix of specialized skills to manage this crucial aspect of their business.
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Logistics Management -- Various media outlets reported this week that UPS will pay $25 million to settle allegations that it filed false claims to the federal government over guarantees it made related to delivery of Next Day air overnight packages.
The Atlanta Business Journal, cited a prepared statement by the United States Department of Justice noting that UPS provides delivery services to hundreds of federal agencies though contracts with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and U.S. Transportation Command, which provides support to Department of Defense agencies.
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Modern Materials Handling -- Every trucking firm understands the importance of a wellness program for its trucks and trailers: Preventative maintenance is essential to keeping assets on the road for as long as possible and minimizing operating costs.
At the same time, the problem of truck driver shortages continues to plague the logistics industry, despite industry efforts to stem driver losses and make the job more attractive.
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Material Handling & Logistics -- For the 28.9% of professionals polled whose organizations experienced supply chain fraud, waste or abuse during the past 12 months, employees (22.9%) were the top source of supply chain fraud.
Vendors were the culprit 17.4% of the time and other third parties, which would include subcontractors and their vendor , accounted for 20.1% of the fraud.
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Supply Management -- Earlier this year the UK government announced its intentions to be at the forefront of driverless technology following the approval of a new code of practice allowing for testing of autonomous cars.
While supporters have been quick to champion the benefits of driverless technology, in terms of road safety, emissions and congestion, there are notable concerns, particularly the knock-on effects for the British supply chain industry.
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SC Digest -- In an era of growing supply chain complexity, finding, developing and retaining talent will be perhaps the most important determinant of a company's supply chain performance, consulting firm Deloitte finds in its annual supply chain study.
"Rapid changes in supply chain activities, tools, and goals call for new skills in management and leadership," the Deloitte report says, quoting Linda Topping, VP and chief procurement officer with consumer packaged goods manufacturer Colgate-Palmolive as recently saying that: "Supply chain management is getting exponentially more complex, so supply chain talent is the price of admission for the next decade."
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EBN -- While human trafficking and slavery are criminal offenses, they still persist. In fact, our global economy tends to foster these crimes by keeping that labor component within the supply chain out of sight from the consumers of the final products. Now, lawmakers are betting that transparency, first on a state level, and, possibly, on a federal level, may help solve the problem.
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