MHI Blog -- Among the core competencies that companies must develop in order to successfully navigate the mega-trends identified by the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics is better deployment and implementation of supply chain planning and optimization tools.

As one of the original 100 contributors to the Roadmap’s development, Ian Hobkirk, Managing Director of Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors, noted that there’s no shortage of sophisticated data analysis and business intelligence tools on the market.

Supply Chain Digital -- Mobility and real-time connected businesses: Rocket Consulting is seeing growing demand for mobility related projects in the B2B and B2C space that connect businesses following the launch of its mobile logistics management application LogiScope in April 2014. LogiScope provides end-to-end delivery and returns management information in real and right time to inform decision-making, improve customer service and drive down costs.

In addition, the data derived from mobile devices and connected businesses provides a feed for predictive analytics.

The Washington Post -- Deep within a global operations nerve center in Memphis, a team of specially trained operatives scans data from nearly 200 countries, issues urgent "SNOCON" alerts and tracks a fleet of cargo jets via a glowing, wall-size "war board."

Their mission? To make sure no "Frozen" doll is left behind.

They are corporate meteorologists, commanded to help keep hectic holiday shipments on time, snow or shine. And America’s shipping giants increasingly see them as a secret weapon, both in the fight against a brutal winter and in what could be the busiest online shopping season in history.

EBN -- There's an app for that. That's long been the joke amongst smartphone toting consumers. More and more, the same can be said for supply chain management and logistics tasks.

Embracing mobility promises to increase visibility and responsiveness in the supply chain when properly leveraged. For these reasons, businesses are more and more interested in embracing mobile applications. In this year's North American Mobile Enterprise Applications report, Frost & Sullivan reported that companies reporting the use of at least one mobile worker application rose from 73% in 2013 to 82% this year. "Currently, 49 percent of businesses across North America adopt between one and ten applications, indicating a significant acceptance of these solutions," the report said.

Material Handling & Logistics -- Self-driving vehicles will change the world of logistics, according to a new study by DHL "There is a strong case for suggesting that the logistics industry will adopt self-driving vehicles much faster than most other industries," DHL Trend Research says in its report "Self-Driving Vehicles in Logistics."

One reason this industry will be quick to take advantage of the new technology is that there are different rules that would apply to a vehicle that operates in a secure private zone that is transporting goods instead of people.

BBC -- The courier firm Yodel has stopped collecting parcels from retailers as it struggles to deal with the huge jump in online orders following the Black Friday sales. 

The company says some customers will face delays of up to 72 hours as it works to clear the backlog. 

It has told clients there will be no collections from distribution centers on Thursday or Friday.

Supply Management -- Almost one in five small businesses have been the victim of "supply chain bullying", according to a survey.

The poll, by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), found 17 per cent of members had faced unfair dealing in the past two years.

Decades after the introduction of supply chain planning technology, very few companies have mastered the art and science of supply chain planning – only about 10 percent are in the very early stages of maturity with a highly integrated supply chain environment, top-down and bottom-up oriented. Two-thirds of respondents said they were only moderately integrated in terms of planning processes and technologies. Clearly, there are many opportunities in supply chain planning for better leveraging technology and integrating into the business.

For this year’s report, we contacted two industry insiders. Dick Armstrong, chair of Armstrong & Associates, weighs in on the 3PL side; and Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of both the Global Cold Chain Alliance and partnership association IARW, shares his insight on the public refrigerated warehouse side.

Triple Pundit -- Remember that old idea about how a butterfly flapping its wings in South America unleashes a crazy string of events that results in disaster elsewhere? Anybody who manages a supply chain understands the delicate interplay of events, and how one mishap can instantly derail your whole system. And how expensive the consequences can be.

Inbound Logistics found that 73 percent of companies they surveyed had experienced a disrupted supply chain. Almost a third of those companies took more than a month to recover.

Industry Today -- Demand planning and forecasting projects are popular tactics today for boosting financial results and shareholder value-for good reason. They typically produce one-time and often significant inventory reductions but also higher inventory turns that allow organizations to sustain lower inventory levels over time. The results look great on paper, prompting executives to search for more ways to "optimize" inventory throughout the supply chain.

 Too often, though, the decisions to cut inventory and methods for doing so happen with little input from those responsible for distribution operations. Sometimes, distribution centers aren’t even aware of the changes until they notice issues emerging in their once-stable environments. Even when distribution leaders do take part in the discussion, they often fail to consider the potential side effects—primarily because few understand them.

Material Handling & Logistics -- If you ever wonder where the next big idea is coming from, chances are it’ll be found within the supply chain. The following slideshow offers 10 of the best real-world implementations of supply chain process and technology, within the four broad areas that MH&L focuses on: Make, Store, Move and Compete. You’ll discover the winners of the 2014 MH&L Innovation Awards, as well as the runners-up and a couple honorable mentions.

MHI Blog -- Having successfully supplied the oil and gas industry with standard and bespoke products for four years, Ace World Companies is ready to raise its profile in the sector.

Custom material handling equipment from MHI member Ace World Companies could be negotiated on shipboard service centers in the offshore oil and gas industry as early as next year, as the sector fuels continued growth of the Fort Worth, Texas-based manufacturer.

EBN -- Corruption is sometimes portrayed as an unavoidable problem, or a cost of doing business, especially when working with partners in distant developing economies. But a handful of new corporate programs aim to improve compliance in global supply chains through specific anti-corruption training of third parties. Enforcement trends suggest that other companies would be well advised to follow suit.

In the fiercely competitive global economy few companies are wholly self-contained. Across industries, firms have partners to provide specialized knowledge, less-costly labor, market access, resources, or products. It can be challenging to keep track of what all these partners are doing day-to-day, particularly when there are dozens, or hundreds, of them operating in various nations.

Supply & Demand Chain Executive -- Staying competitive in today’s dynamic business environment is challenging for any organization. As a mid-market company, market expansion may be the right move as you pursue new business opportunities. Although the supply chain is historically perceived as a cost center rather than a value center for many organizations, when the supply chain is aligned with business strategy, you can create a powerful tool that keeps your mid-market business agile as it expands into new markets.

Your mid-market company, however, cannot grow faster than its supply chain infrastructure; understanding the range and limitations of your supply chain is critical for expansion.