Industry Trends

How AI Optimizes Supply Chain Decision Making

Feature BY MARY LOU JAY Sci-fi films may portray artificial intelligence (AI) as a threat to humanity, but in the real world of supply chain, AI provides many benefits to the humans who interact with it. As a powerful decision-making tool, AI helps workers be more effective and more productive. The term AI encompasses many related technologies, including machine learning ...

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Food and Beverage Field Is Ready to Adopt a Growth Mindset

Industry Focus BY TOM GRESHAM The food and beverage industry is a complex one. In the words of Bobby J. Martens, associate professor of economics at Iowa State University, “Food is both global and uniquely local and personal.” It also carries with it distinctive demands that are fast evolving in a rapidly changing world, and the supply chain is at ...

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Navigating the First, Middle and Last Mile

CEO Update The efficient movement of goods and products is the lifeblood that fuels supply chain operations. Each stage of this process carries its own set of complexities and challenges. One thing that is true for all stages is that speed, accuracy, efficiency and transparency are paramount. Meeting the challenges of first, middle and last mile logistics is no easy ...

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People, Process and Technology (But Mostly People)

Executive Viewpoint BY ARCH THOMASON, CEO, SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS AND CHAIR, WERC ADVISORY COMMITTEE Over the past 15 years, Sunland Logistics Solutions has grown from a small, local company with 75 total employees—most of them temporary—to a national third-party logistics provider serving Fortune 500 organizations in warehousing and transportation. We now have 14 sites and a high-performance team of about ...

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Innovations in Last Mile Logistics

AI and human intelligence are a potent blend in route planning and optimization. BY MARY LOU JAY Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently in the hype stage of new technology adoption; some proponents see it as the answer to many problems, including, for the supply chain industry, last mile logistics. While AI does have potential for resolving some last mile issues, ...

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The Debate on Dark Stores

For Grocers and Other Online Retailers, Dark Stores Offer Pros and Cons BY NICK FORTUNA Are dark stores here to stay, or are they just a supply chain experiment spurred on by a singular event and destined to fizzle out? That’s a question grocery chains and other online retailers will grapple with over the next few years as they continue ...

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Ports Turn to Tech Solutions for New Levels of Efficiency

Industry Focus BY TOM GRESHAM In the eyes of some, the port industry once appeared reluctant to adopt sophisticated technological solutions to strengthen their operations. In fact, for years, Jonathan Daniels, CEO and port director of Port Everglades in Florida, said carriers, ports and the rest of the shipping industry seemed loath at times to “go away from paper and ...

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ACE Rebrand Signals New Era in Automation and Material Handling

SOLUTIONS SPOTLIGHT BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT MHI’s Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) rebranded in 2023 as the Automation, Controls and Electrification Association (ACE), signifying a new era of innovation in industrial automation and material handling. ACE members are at the forefront of delivering automation solutions across the globe, spanning significant manufacturing and distribution sectors. This includes a range of cutting-edge offerings ...

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New Technology Drives the Hoist Industry Forward

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT BY SANDY SMITH The hoisting equipment sector may be both stable and mature—but that doesn’t negate the work of the Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI), nor does it signal that the sector will always remain that way. HMI, a 107-year-old organization, represents suppliers of hoists and trolleys and, throughout its history, has developed performance and safety standards for the industry. ...

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