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US West Coast Ports Experience Significant Import Volumes Amid Fears of January ILA Strike
The December ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index reveals that East and Gulf ports are seeing the normal December calm post-retail peak and prior to the Lunar New Year. Surprisingly, the US West Coast ports are still experiencing significant...
NRF: Import Cargo Rising as Higher Tariffs and Potential Port Strike Approach
With a strike possible again next month at East Coast and Gulf Coast container ports and President-elect Donald Trump planning to increase tariffs, the nation’s major container ports are expected to see a continued surge in imports through next spring,...
Gartner Outlines Category for Item-Level RFID within the Store
Gartner® has released the Hype Cycle for Retail Technologies 2024, authored by analyst Sandeep Unni, including the Item-Level RFID in the Store category. Avery Dennison, Beontag, Checkpoint Systems, GreyOrange, Impinj, Johnson Controls (Sensormatic), Nedap, SimplyRFID, SML and Zebra Technologies were...
Spot Rates Show Positive Signs for Carriers in 2025
The truckload market is fairly balanced as 2024 nears an end, but it is changing, according to the latest release of the ACT Research Freight Forecast: Rate and Volume OUTLOOK report. Aggregate DAT Spot Rates “Currently, with a significant capacity contraction...
Labor Management Systems Reducing Costs, Raising Efficiency in Distribution Centers
ODW Logistics, a national third-party logistics (3PL) provider specializing in integrated logistics solutions, announced the successful implementation of Takt, a modern labor management system (LMS), across several of its distribution centers (DCs). This strategic partnership empowers ODW teams with data driven...
ILA Breaks Off USMX Negotiations Over Automation Impasse
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) met this week to to resume negotiations after the October strike that took place at East Coast ports. They were unable to make initial progress, the USMX reported in a statement: “Over the...
VEKA, Inc. Finds 98.7% On-Time Deliveries with 3PL Partnership
VEKA revealed the impact of its partnership with Sunset Transportation ("Sunset"), a premier third-party logistics (3PL) provider and leader in global supply chain solutions. Since selecting Sunset because of its high level of service, company culture, and reliability, VEKA has...
Trump Election Sparks Companies to Frontload Shipments Ahead of Tariffs
ITS Logistics today released the November forecast for the ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index. This month, changes in the index reflect how the newly elected Trump Administration could impact supply chains, shipping costs, and overall trade dynamics in...
White House Representative Stephen Viña Warns of Rising China Cyber Threat
White House representative Stephen Viña served as keynote speaker at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.’s (NMFTA)™ Cybersecurity Conference last week, and shared that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has remained the most active and persistent cyber threat to the U.S. government,...
Election of Donald Trump “sends shockwaves through supply chain”
As reported by CNBC's Lori Ann Larocco, the election of Donald Trump to a second, non-consecutive Presidential term has importers scrambling to move up orders before his proposed tariffs take effect in January 2025. President-elect Trump has vowed to move...
Logistics Managers Index Shows Signs of Recovery from Ongoing Freight Recession
The monthly Logistics Managers Index (LMI) shows signs reflecting growth and a time of recovery for the freight industry. The LMI takes a broad view of logistics, measuring eight components related to the freight industry—including inventory levels and costs, warehousing...
Sunset Transportation Honored for its 55% Female Leadership and a 46% Female Workforce
Sunset Transportation (Sunset), a premier third-party logistics (3PL) provider and leader in global supply chain solutions, announced its recognition as a 2024 “Top Company for Women to Work in Transportation” by Women in Trucking Association’s (WIT) official magazine, Redefining the...
Blue Max Trucking Optimizing Dispatching, E-Ticketing, and Fleet Management for its Heavy Haul Fleet
Blue Max Trucking, one of the Southeast’s leading Dump Truck service providers, has selected technology from TruckIT to automate, digitize, and optimize its operations. Operating out of Charlotte, Blue Max generates and processes tens of thousands of paper tickets annually,...
ILA and USMX to Resume Port Contract Discussions in November
In a joint statement, the leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) today announced that they will resume Master Contract discussions in November 2024, to discuss all outstanding issues to reach a new agreement. Earlier...
Grey Orange Inventory Management and Store Execution Tech Now Available on Google Cloud Marketplace Adds
GreyOrange Inc. announced today that the company’s inventory management and store execution application, gStore, is now available on Google Cloud Marketplace. By providing real-time insights into inventory levels, item locations and stock movements, gStore enables retailers to execute store operations...
Increase in the Industrial Vacancy Rate of 6.4% Suggests Temporary Supply-Demand Imbalance In Market
New research indicates that as of August 2024, the national industrial vacancy rate in the U.S. was approximately 6.4%, reflecting an upward trend from the previous months. That same month, the Logistics Manager’s Index (LMI) stood at 56.4, reflecting moderate...
TTX Uses Integration Layer to Get Real-Time Visibility of 175K Rail Containers
TTX's signature yellow rail cars carry goods and raw materials across North America. Since 2000, TTX has invested over $13 billion in new railcar purchases for a fleet of more than 175,000 flatcars, boxcars and gondolas. TTX engaged Redwood Logistics (Redwood),...
ILA’s Daggett Praises President Biden for Role in Port Strike
International Longshoremen’s Association President Harold Daggett praised President Joe Biden for his role in last week's three-day Port strike in an open letter: "We thank you for your powerful message that 'the dockworkers from the ILA...deserve a strong contract after...
Mojix Merges with Seagull Software
Seagull Software, the developer of BarTender label management software, announced that it has merged with Mojix, a leader in item-level inventory management and traceability. With the merger, Seagull will enhance how companies manage their supply chains, combining product labeling with...
McLeod Software and Greenscreens.ai Partner for Dynamic Freight Market Pricing
McLeod Software (McLeod), has announced an enhanced partnership with Greenscreens.ai (Greenscreens), the freight industry's premier dynamic pricing platform. The integration brings advancements in freight market pricing, empowering freight brokers to make data-driven decisions more quickly and accurately. Through the partnership,...
Freight Partners Group Invests in LTL efficiency with AI-Driven Shipping
Shiplify, the primary accessorial revenue identifier for carriers, shippers and third party logistics (3PL) providers, today announced significant improvements in less-than-truckload (LTL) efficiency for Freight Partners Group (FPG). As a technology-driven logistics company, FPG specializes in integrations, and their partnership...
LK Packaging Finds Results in 4PL Partnership
Redwood Logistics (Redwood), one of the fastest-growing fourth-party logistics (4PL) providers in North America, today announced the results of their partnership with LK® Packaging (LK), a trusted provider of stock and custom packaging solutions for over 50 years. Redwood’s modern...
Longshoreman’s Union, Maritime Alliance Rattle Sabres Ahead of 10/1 Strike Threat
The United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) yesterday requesting immediate injunctive relief requiring the ILA to return to the bargaining table ahead...
Fires in Brazil Impacting Sugar Supply Chain, Prices
Two of the largest sugar and ethanol producers in Brazil late on Monday disclosed initial estimates of damages from fires that have burned sugarcane fields in the country's top state for sugar production. As a result, sugar prices have surged...
To Build Resilience, CEOs Need to Become Supply-Chain Experts
Republished from Harvard Business Review by J. Yo-Jud Cheng and Dwaipayan Roy Many S&P 500 CEOs ascend to the top of the corporate hierarchy after cutting their teeth through leadership roles in functional areas such as finance, strategy, and technology....
Port Strike on Both Coasts is Looming– ILA Threatens Walkout on Sept. 30
Nearly 300 International Longshoremen’s Association Wage Scale Delegates ended their two-day Wage Scale Meetings on 9/5 in New Jersey by unanimously supporting International President Harold J. Daggett’s call for a coastwide strike at ports from Maine to Texas on October...
Mathew Witte Appointed as New CEO, ORTEC Supply Chain Planning Americas
ORTEC announced the appointment of Mathew Witte as its new Chief Executive Officer, ORTEC Americas, succeeding Jeff Bailey, who has been with ORTEC Americas for over 19 years. The transition in leadership marks an exciting new chapter for ORTEC Americas,...
Predicting the Future of Supply Chains: Learning from the Past to Navigate Uncertainty
by Chris Gaffney, Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute Predicting the future of supply chains has always been a challenging endeavor. As someone who has spent more than 25 years in the beverage industry, I’ve witnessed firsthand how even...
Unlocking Potential: The Future of Unified Supply Chain Technology
by Blake Coram, Director, Product Management, Manhattan Associates Today’s dynamic logistics landscape demands a shift from siloed and integrated approaches to unified supply chain operations. The future hinges on building fully unified systems that transcend application boundaries and share information...
Canadian Government Steps in and Gets the Trains Back on the Rails
Following an order from Canada's labor minister, Canadian National Railway ended its lockout at 6 p.m. ET Thursday, with workers returning to their posts today, according to a statement from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Friday morning. “These collective bargaining...
Canada Rail Companies Lock Out Workers and Shut Down Rail Activity
Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, formally locked out union rail employees at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Thursday. “CPKC is acting to protect Canada’s supply chains, and all stakeholders, from further uncertainty and the more widespread disruption that would be created...
Canadian Rail Strike Set for Thursday would Wreak Havoc on US Supply Chains
The Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City both served notice to it's union employees that they would be locked out on the early hours of Thursday, August 22. On Sunday, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference also served a...
Supply Chain Cybersecurity Threats This Election Year
From Everstream Analytics Cybercriminals increasingly ramp up activities during national elections to wield influence across borders and destabilize societies they consider hostile. With half the world’s population voting in at least 61 elections in 2024, critical infrastructures and industries are...
Betco Cleans Up Delivery Execution with 4PL Support from Redwood Logistics
Redwood Logistics announced in a press release its role in revolutionizing the logistics strategy for Betco, a leading manufacturer of commercial cleaning solutions. Redwood, identified as a leading 4PL* by Gartner, helped Betco enhance on-time delivery, bolstering customer service and...
Container Explosion in China’s Ningbo Port Complicates Pacific Trade Routes
A container "loaded with lithium batteries" exploded Friday on a cargo ship in China’s high-traffic Ningbo port. Ningbo Zhoushan Port was experiencing a severe heatwave when explosion took place. No injuries were reported, but the terminal has been closed until...
Körber Supply Chain Buys Mercury Gate
Körber Supply Chain Software has signed a binding agreement to acquire MercuryGate International Inc. a leading TMS provider and a challenger in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems. “Our customers navigate dynamic, volatile supply chain environments under...
Freight Science Found New Lanes for Paper Transport Loads Two Days after Key Bridge Disaster
Headquartered in De Pere, Wisconsin, Paper Transport provides dedicated, over-the-road (OTR), intermodal, and brokerage solutions throughout the United States. The carrier engaged Freight Science’s load planning optimization solutions in early 2024, which immediately made a difference giving PTI a competitive...
U.S. Bank Freight Index Reveals that the Market Remains Sluggish in Q2, But a Bottom is Close
U.S. Bank The national truck freight market continued its downward trend during the second quarter. Both the U.S. Bank shipments and spending indexes contracted from the first quarter, although the declines lessened when compared with recent quarters. Three of five...
CH Robinson Sells European Brokerage to Sennder
C.H. Robinson announced the divestiture of its European Surface Transportation (EST) operations to Sennder Technologies GmbH, the leading digital road freight forwarder in Europe (“sennder”). This move is part of the Company's enterprise strategy to get fit, fast and focused...
DCKAP Round-Up 2024 Event in Chicago Features Tom Gale, Publisher of Modern Distribution Management
Tom Gale, CEO of Modern Distribution Management (MDM), will be the featured speaker at DCKAP's Round-Up Event on August 27, 2024, at Chicago's Adler Planetarium. DCKAP Round-Up 2024 is an evening gathering and celebration of the distribution community, offering networking...
Pre-Peak Season Shipping, East and West Coast Labor Threats Stresses Port US Ports
ITS Logistics today released the July forecast for the ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index. This month, the index reveals that pre-retail-peak season shipping activity has brought moderate volume increases to most markets, but a lack of equipment has stressed...
Stord Acquires Pitney Bowes’ E-commerce Fulfillment Business
Stord today announced the acquisition of Pitney Bowes’ E-commerce Fulfillment business. This expands Stord’s network with a new state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Hebron, Kentucky. The 640,000 square foot capacity facility is the largest warehouse in Stord’s network and includes significant climate...
Port of LA Gets $8 Million to Upgrade Port Technology
The Port of Los Angeles received nearly $8 million from the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), according to a July 16 press release. The award was the largest of five grants totaling $27 million to improve...
East Coast Port Strike ‘Growing More Likely’, says ILA Union
In a statement, Harold Daggett, the president and chief negotiator of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) said the threat of a strike after the current Sept. 30 expiration deadline is “growing more likely,” as the negotiations remain at an impasse....
Alvys Raises $20.5M in Series A Funding Round
Logistics software provider Alvys announced in a press release on Monday it has raised $20.5 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Titanium Ventures (formerly Telstra Ventures), with new investor Picus Capital and existing investors RTP and Bonfire. "This funding round marks a pivotal...
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc speaks to ‘massive impact’ of the Red Sea situation on global supply chains
Speaking at a recent online event with customers, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc has said that the coming months will be challenging for carriers and businesses alike, as the Red Sea situation stretches into the third quarter of 2024. Clerc talked about...
Is the Tight Maritime Market Driven by Surging Demand or Capacity Constraints?
US containerized imports have remained consistently high, with freight rates spiking and capacity hard to come by. Where exactly lies the problem? by Vishnu Rajamanickam *Reprinted with permission from The Logistics Report It’s been over four years since the...
Hurricane Beryl Continues to Impact Texas Logistics Operations
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning, bringing substantial rain, flooding and 94 mph winds that knocked out power to more than 2.5 million homes and businesses in southeast Texas. The Ports of...
In first Post-Coyote Move, RXO Announces Partnership to Improve Visibility for LTL Customers
RXO, now the 3rd largest 3PL in North America, today announced a partnership with Shiplify, to provide RXO’s less-than-truckload (LTL) customers with accessorial visibility ahead of delivery, improving transparency during the billing process. This is RXO's first announcement following its...
RXO Acquires Coyote Logistics from UPS for $1 Billion
RXO Inc. acquired United Parcel Service Inc.’s asset-light freight brokerage business, Coyote Logistics, for more than $1 billion. UPS purchased Coyote for $1.8 billion in 2015. The deal makes RXO the third-largest provider of brokered transportation in North America. Chicago-based Coyote...
DHL Supply Chain Names Patrick Kelleher New CEO of North America
DHL Supply Chain named Patrick Kelleher CEO of North America, effective July 1. He has been at DHL Group since 1992 and currently serves as global chief development officer. Kelleher will succeed Scott Sureddin, who will retire in December after...
New Research Shows that Rising Warehouse Labor Cost is Driving Investment in Automation
ITS Logistics today released the Q2 ITS Logistics US Distribution and Fulfillment Index, Powered by Cresa. This quarter, the index reveals that the National Industrial Real Estate Vacancy Rate eclipsed 6.2%, which is up from 5.7% in Q1. There is also...
Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, Körber Lead the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for WMS
Blue Yonder, Manhattan Associates and Körber were all named Leaders in the 2024 Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, released in May. Oracle, SAP and Infor joined them in the Leaders Quadrant of the research, led by Gartner analysts Simon...
Transfix Sells Brokerage Unit to NFI
Digital freight company Transfix has sold its brokerage unit to trucking and warehousing company NFI Industries. NFI, which is based in Camden, N.J., and has facilities at ports and freight hubs across North America, will absorb more than 100 Transfix...
Heightened Inspections Wreak Havoc with Cross-Border Supply Chains
By Jordan Dewart, Redwood Increasing security protocols — including the new Carta Porte regulations that went into effect on March 31 — have been slowing the pace of cross-border movements for logistics teams. With US-Mexico trade accounting for $798.83 billion...
Brazilian Retailer FARM Rio Invests in End-to-End Traceability Tech
FARM Rio has entered into an agreement with Mojix to enable end-to-end traceability for its products in its international operations. In addition, Mojix will empower Farm Rio to meet European digital product passport regulations by tracking all necessary aspects related...
Manhattan Associates Reports Record First Quarter Results
By Duane Reynolds Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH) today reported revenue of $254.6 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. GAAP diluted earnings per share for Q1 2024 was $0.86 compared to $0.62 in Q1 2023. Non-GAAP adjusted...
Baltimore Bridge Collapse: An Opportunity to Reinforce the Importance of Supply Chain Resilience
By Alex Chatha, Logistics Viewpoints Supply chain resilience is a hot topic the last few years since post-Covid issues and newsworthy incidents like the Houthi attacks in the red sea have raised awareness. The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore being...
Blue Yonder Takes a Cue from its History, Acquires One Network
By Duane Reynolds In the annals of supply chain history, Blue Yonder's acquisition of One Network stood as the latest chapter in a saga of strategic expansion and innovation. Blue Yonder's journey began back when it was known as JDA...
Critical Concerns Around Compliance & Geopolitical Uncertainty Featured in Q1 2024 Cross-Border Index
Redwood Logistics (Redwood), one of the fastest growing fourth party logistics (4PL) providers in North America, has pinpointed several key issues that are significantly influencing cross-border commerce. These concerns include the forthcoming elections in both the US and Mexico, increased...
April Rail Ramp Index: Collapse of Baltimore Key Bridge Raises Demand, Traffic at Regional Ports
ITS Logistics released the April edition of its monthly Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index. This month, the index data reflects the considerable demand shifts for the Ports of Norfolk, New York, and New Jersey due to the recent Francis Scott Key Bridge...
The Rise of Nearshoring in Mexico: Transforming Supply Chains in a Post-Pandemic World
By Duane Reynolds In the wake of global disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of nearshoring has emerged as a compelling strategy for companies seeking to mitigate risks and optimize their supply chains. Among the most prominent destinations...
PalletTrader Launches Inaugural Pallet Market Survey to Shape the Future of Pallet Procurement
By Jessica Garcia PalletTrader today announced the launch of the PalletTrader Pallet Market Survey, to gather valuable insights into the buying and selling patterns associated with pallet procurement. PalletTrader’s survey reviews the first quarter of 2024, seeking to tap into the collective...
