Logistics Management Magazine Archives

October 2023 Logistics Management

In this Issue:

  • 13th Annual Rail/Intermodal Roundtable: Emerging optimism?
  • 3PLs bolster e-commerce fulfillment services
  • Coastal Pet Products transforms its inventory management
  • The value of FTZs
  • Top 30 Ocean Carriers: Volatile conditions persist on high seas
October 3, 2023 · Three of the nation’s top market analysts examine the current state of the freight railroad and intermodal markets, including a look at pricing, service levels, ompetition with other modes, and the slow—but steady—implementation of automation.
October 1, 2023 · A continued shift to remote work; the need for retailers to offer nimble shipping options; and the importance of warehouse operations to reduce inventory while increasing throughput are factors pushing laser-focused 3PLs to invest heavily in automation to make it all happen.
October 1, 2023 · The text discusses the evolution of the digital supply chain and the rapid changes in the supply chain industry, particularly in the retail sector.
October 1, 2023 · Lacking real-time visibility and saddled with manual processes, a growing pet product manufacturer partnered with a WMS provider to improve productivity, streamline inventory management, and scale without increasing headcount.
October 1, 2023 · It’s about this time every year that the editorial staffs of Logistics Management and sister publication Supply Chain Management Review finalize our list of presenters for our annual virtual conference.
October 1, 2023 · A recent United States International Trade Commission report delves into the economic impact, benefits, and challenges related to FTZs in the U.S. This study is the first of its kind since the 1980s.
October 1, 2023 · With too many vessels chasing too few cargoes, volumes—and rates—have spiraled downward. Consequently, the ocean lines are scrambling to find ways to prop up profits and remain competitive.
October 1, 2023 · It seems so many roads lead to smaller warehouse footprints, increased storage density and flexibility to meet order fulfillment needs. Narrow aisle and very narrow aisle trucks are addressing these needs while maximizing operator safety and trust while working at elevated heights.
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Latest in Logistics Management

Port Tracker report is bullish on import growth over the balance of 2024
For March, the most recent month for which data is available, Port Tracker reported that import volume, for the ports covered in the report, came in at 1.93 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), down 1.4% compared to February and up 18.7% annually, a period when Asian export activity was slow on the heels of Lunar New Year shutdowns, it noted.   

Varying opinions on the tracks regarding STB’s adopted reciprocal switching rule
Feedback regarding the recent adoption of the reciprocal switching rule by the Washington, D.C.-based Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, could be viewed as mixed.

National diesel average falls for the fourth consecutive week, reports EIA
The national average, at $3.894 per gallon, fell 5.3 cents, below the $3.947 national average, for the week of April 29.

New Descartes’ study examines consumer preferences, changes, and shifts in e-commerce home delivery preferences
A new study issued today by Waterloo, Ontario-based Descartes, a provider of logistics based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, showed some disparities in the intersection of online buying and home delivery processes. The study, entitled “Online Buying Grows But Too Many Customers Still Experiencing Delivery Woes,” was based on feedback from 8,000 consumers surveyed by Descartes and SAPIO Research, across Europe and North America over the first quarter. This is the third annual edition of Descartes’ e-commerce home delivery report.

Potential Canadian rail strike could damage the country’s economy
Over 9,000 rail workers poised to walk off job, disrupting critical transportation routes used by various industries.

C.H. Robinson highlights progress of its AI-focused offerings with a focus on automating shipping processes
Taking steps to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in order to automate various types of shipping transactions conducted over e-mail, Minneapolis, Minn.-based global third-party logistics (3PL) services provider and freight forwarder C.H. Robinson (CHR) today heralded the progress it has made on that front, calling the utilization a key step in breaking “a long-standing barrier to automation.

UPS announces CFO Newman to leave company, effective June 1
Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS said that effective June 1, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brian Newman will leave the company.

Preliminary April North American Class 8 net orders are mixed
FTR reported that preliminary April net orders, at 14,400 units, were off 25% compared to March and 12.5% annually. And it added that over the last 12 months, total Class 8 orders were at 267,700 units. ACT reported that April Class 8 orders, art 15,600 units, were off 1,800 units compared to March, while posting a 30% annual gain, in what it called a very easy year-ago comparison.

Senators take a close look at Amazon with Warehouse Worker Protection Act
The proposed legislation aims to regulate the use of productivity quotas and improve safety for workers.

Despite American political environment, global geopolitical risks could be easing
While there is plenty of danger around the world, the reality of interconnected supply chains may be prevailing.

Maryland DOT: $1.9 billion and up to four years to rebuild bridge sunk near Baltimore port
It will take just over four years and up to $1.9 billion to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was hit by a cargo ship and fell into the Patapsco River, according to an estimate by the Maryland Department of Transportation. The state plans to build a new span by the fall of 2028, spokesman David Broughton said. He also said it will likely cost anywhere from $1.7 billion-to-$1.9 billion to rebuild the span after the container ship Dali lost power...

April Services PMI contracts after 15 months of growth, reports ISM
The Services PMI, at 49.4 (a reading of 50 or higher signals growth) fell 2.0%. The last time the index contracted was in December 2022, when it came in at 49 and prior to that the last month seeing contraction was in May 2020, when it came in at 45.4.

2023 industrial big-box leasing activity heads down but remains on a steady path, notes CBRE report
In the report, entitled “2024 North America Industrial Big-Box Review & Outlook,” CBRE said that Food & Beverage was the third most active occupier for big-box leasing activity, at 8.6%, with Automobiles, Tires & Parts, E-commerce Only, and Building Materials & Construction rounding out the top six, at 7.0%, 5.4%, and 5.3%, respectively.

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U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed in April, reports AAR
Rail carloads, at 848,882, were down 6.5%, or 58,751 carloads, annually. Intermodal containers and trailers, at 1,018,569 units, increased 8.6%, or 80,471 units, annually.


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