MHI Blog — A recent article in USA Today reports that UPS has invested in 3D printing and finds the new technology important in today's manufacturing. The package delivery service teamed with SAP, business software company and Fast Radius, an Atlanta-based company with 3D printing production facilities in Louisville, Ky, to bring a seamless on-demand manufacturing process from order to delivery.

Modern Materials Handling — Why not further leverage this investment and see how Voice could affect productivity across other workflows such as cycle-counting and replenishment? Vocollect solutions are attractive because payback is typically 9-12 months and mobile workers appreciate being equipped to succeed in their job, boosting worker retention.

Ebnonline — The global franchised distributors that remain in the race in 2016 have remained largely the same, with only one or another dropping back a pace or two. The global franchised distributors that remain in the race in 2016 have remained largely the same, with only one or another dropping back a pace or two.

Bloomberg — Over the past year, prime warehouse rents are up 9.9 percent across the U.S. and up by double-digit amounts in some large urban areas, according to a recent report. In some cities, surging demand has helped set off a speculative-building boom unlike anything in recent memory. In the first three months of the year, warehouse developers in the Chicago area broke ground on more speculative projects than in any quarter during the past two decades, according to Ryan Bain, a vice president at CBRE Group. There are currently 28 warehouse users in the market for 18 million square feet of space, triple the available supply, Bain said.

MHI Blog — Approximately 50 kilometers outside of Antwerp, amongst green fields and alongside the Albert Canal, Nike's newly expanded, state-of-the-art European Logistics Campus in Belgium will serve consumers faster as part of a more responsive and sustainable supply chain.



The athletic giant ships more than one billion units of footwear, apparel and equipment every year, which demands an agile, innovative and sustainable supply chain. The expansion will make Nike's European operations (which employs more than 3,000 people) more efficient, more responsive and more sustainable, enabling growth by serving consumers across Nike.com, Nike retail and wholesale partners in 38 countries, all from a single inventory location.

Industryweek — Twenty-five years ago supplier development was the hot topic in supply management. Corporations were starting to staff-up and offer assistance in improving supplier manufacturing efficiency. It wasn't unusual for large original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to have dozens of supplier development personnel assigned to support supplier improvement efforts.

MHL News — As companies are being held accountable for supply chain transparency, there are resources available to find this type of data. According to Sissel Waage of GreenBiz, issues such as deforestation, water risk and biodiversity loss can be found via Big Data.

Supply Chain Brain — The total cost of having a vehicle fleet fell by 14 percent from 2014 to 2015 due primarily lower fuel prices, according to the inaugural Element Fleet Total Cost of Ownership Index.



Other factors that make up the TCO Index include vehicle depreciation, maintenance and interest expense. Overall, companies with fleets experienced their lowest expenses in at least five years, according to Element Financial Corp., the fleet management and equipment finance company that owns the index.

Supply Chain Management Review — The survey found that retailers based in the Americas expanded into foreign countries at a 3.1 percent pace last year, operating in an average of 22.3 countries.

Industryweek — Supply chains are facing a number of threats such as depressed oil prices, natural catastrophes and the spread of terrorism. These and other threats are reflected in the2016 FM Global Resilience Index, which ranks 130 countries and territories according to nine drivers that can affect the vulnerability of a business in those regions.

Modern Materials Handling — Why not further leverage this investment and see how Voice could affect productivity across other workflows such as cycle-counting and replenishment? Vocollect solutions are attractive because payback is typically 9-12 months and mobile workers appreciate being equipped to succeed in their job, boosting worker retention.

Ebnonline — The global franchised distributors that remain in the race in 2016 have remained largely the same, with only one or another dropping back a pace or two. The global franchised distributors that remain in the race in 2016 have remained largely the same, with only one or another dropping back a pace or two.

Reuters — Online retailers would be banned from stopping a customer in one EU country buying from a website based in another, under a proposal issued on Wednesday to make it easier for consumers to shop across the bloc.



The European Commission said its law would stop "geoblocking" where companies limit access to their websites based on user location, often forcing customers to use versions based in their own country, sometimes with higher prices.

Logistics Viewpoints — I recently spoke to Trace White and Travis Parker from HP Inc.  (HP) about using supply chain network design and visualization tools to respond to supply chain risks. This is something that their team at HP started to examine about two to three years ago. They had built a supply chain visualization tool in response to getting a better handle on how to position supply chain initiatives, such as direct ship activities. At the time, HP had visibility into their supply chain, but they lacked the speed to connect an event to the network and respond appropriately. Basically, they could see an event was happening, but were unable to make changes to their network to mitigate the damage. The company knew what to do but could not get the information quick enough.

MHI’s new Career Forum  enables manufacturing and supply chain professionals to view current job postings of MHI member companies. Go to http://www.mhi.org/careers to find the perfect opportunity for you.

Industryweek — It makes good economic sense to produce and source products and components in the market in which they are going to be consumed. Localization, producing near the consumer, often reduces total cost due to shortening supply chains and contributing to a lean and agile strategy. The savings on non-manufacturing costs as a result of producing in the market in which the products will be sold can often overcome a 15-20% manufacturing cost gap caused by an 80% wage gap.