India is playing an increasingly important role in the global supply chain as both a producer and a consumer. No wonder, then, that CSCMP's India 2013 conference will bring together supply chain executives from such brand-name, global companies as Wal-Mart, Tata, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Nokia, Starbucks, and Kraft, among others.
The keynote address will be given by John Phillips, senior vice president of customer supply chain and logistics for PepsiCo Inc. Phillips will share insights into the future of the consumer value chain, including the findings from the Consumer Goods Forum Future Value Chain 2020 Initiative, a study based on input gathered from senior executives of retail and consumer packaged goods companies worldwide.
Other sessions will look at supply chain efficiency and cost management, supply chain strategic planning, infrastructure and technology, sustainability, and challenges in retail logistics.
Europe conference offers timely advice on cost control
Supply chain managers who are trying to maintain operational excellence amid Europe's atmosphere of fiscal austerity will find plenty of helpful advice at the 2013 CSCMP Europe Conference in Amsterdam. The conference theme: "How to Cut Supply Chain Costs without Paying the Price."
The program will focus on reducing administrative and operating costs, improving sourcing strategies, and using sustainability as a driver of supply chain cost reductions. Sessions will include insights, best practices, and techniques from leading supply chains.
The conference also includes the European Research Seminar, which examines current issues in European logistics and supply chain management.
Since 1967, CSCMP has sponsored executive education courses at Michigan State University that have blended academic rigor and real-world experience. This year's Supply Chain Logistics Management Executive Seminar is no different; it combines thought-leading teachings on supply chain integration, performance measurement, technology, and organizational dynamics with lessons learned from world-class logistics organizations.
The seminar is designed for experienced executives whose firms have begun or plan to implement integrated logistics within the context of an overall supply chain strategy. The seminar faculty consists of academic and industry experts who are thought leaders in supply chain and logistics management.
Program: Supply Chain Logistics Management Executive Seminar Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Dates: May 5-10, 2013 Sponsor: Michigan State University, CSCMP Info:edp.broad.msu.edu/events/16
ProMat 2013 focuses on the future
ProMat, the biennial tradeshow organized by the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA), will draw an expected 30,000 visitors to Chicago for a look at 800-plus exhibits showcasing new equipment and technology—everything from driverless forklift trucks, robots, and high-tech storage equipment to the latest in conveyors, pallets, packaging, and more.
The event, scheduled for January 21 to 24, will be held at Chicago's McCormick Place. To help visitors navigate the 300,000 square feet of exhibit space, ProMat's organizers have arranged exhibitors into four "solution centers":
The Manufacturing and Assembly Solutions Center, which will feature automated assembly support, robotics, ergonomic and safety equipment, work stations, and other equipment and systems for the manufacturing environment.
The Fulfillment and Delivery Solutions Center, which will feature solutions for traditional and e-commerce order fulfillment, order picking and packaging, third-party logistics, warehousing, distribution, and transportation.
The Information Technology Solutions Center, which will feature radio frequency identification (RFID), auto ID and data collection, and supply chain software solutions for transportation, manufacturing, logistics, enterprise resource planning, and order management, among other functions.
The Knowledge Center, which will house nearly 100 on-floor educational seminars.
All three of the show's keynote presentations will look toward the future. Henrik I. Christensen, KUKA Chair of Robotics and director of robotics at Georgia Tech, will talk about a new wave of robots that is revolutionizing manufacturing and distribution. Steve Forbes will draw on his experience as chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media to discuss the economic outlook for the next couple of years. And futurist Edie Weiner and the heads of four influential industry organizations will discuss the future of material handling, logistics, and the supply chain.
CSCMP will have a significant presence at ProMat. On the third day of the conference, CSCMP President and CEO Rick Blasgen will take part in the panel discussion led by Weiner. Additionally, Rich Sherman, director of strategic development, will moderate a panel of senior supply chain executives who will discuss how logistics and supply chain management are evolving to meet future business challenges. Panel members include CSCMP members Heather L. Sheehan, vice president of indirect sourcing and logistics for Danaher Corporation; Jeff Starecheski, vice president of logistics for Sears Logistics Services; and John Caltagirone of Loyola University, Chicago.
Event: ProMat 2013 Dates: Jan. 21-24, 2013 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA Organizer: Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) Info:www.promatshow.com
The venture-backed fleet telematics technology provider Platform Science will acquire a suite of “global transportation telematics business units” from supply chain technology provider Trimble Inc., the firms said Sunday.
Trimble's other core transportation business units — Enterprise, Maps, Vusion and Transporeon — are not included in the proposed transaction and will remain part of Trimble's Transportation & Logistics segment, with a continued focus on priority growth areas following completion of the proposed transaction.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed but as part of this agreement, Colorado-based Trimble will become a shareholder in Platform Science's expanded business. Specifically, Trimble will have a 32.5% stake in the newly expanded global Platform Science business and will receive a Platform Science board seat. The company joins C.R. England, Cummins, Daimler Truck, PACCAR, Prologis, RyderVentures, and Schneider as a key strategic investor in Platform Science along with financial investors 8VC, Activant Capital, BDT & MSD Partners, Softbank, and NewRoad Capital Partners.
According to San Diego-based Platform Science, the proposed transaction aims to enhance driver experience, fleet safety, efficiency, and compliance by combining two cutting-edge in-cab commercial vehicle ecosystems, which will give customers access to more applications and offerings.
From Trimble customers’ point of view, they will continue to enjoy the benefits of their Trimble solutions, with the added flexibility of the Virtual Vehicle platform from Platform Science. That means Virtual Vehicle-enabled fleets will receive access to the Virtual Vehicle Marketplace, offering hundreds of new and expanded applications, software, and solution providers focused on innovating and improving drivers' quality of life and fleet performance.
Meanwhile, Platform Science customers will enjoy the added choice of Trimble's remaining portfolio of transportation solutions which will be available on the Virtual Vehicle platform, the partners said.
"We believe combining our global transportation telematics portfolio with Platform Science's will further advance fleet mobility and provide our customers with a broader portfolio of solutions to solve industry problems," Rob Painter, president and CEO of Trimble, said in a release. "Increased collaboration between the new Platform Science business and Trimble's remaining transportation businesses will enhance our ability to provide positive outcomes for our global customers of commercial mapping, transportation management, freight procurement, and visibility solutions. This deal will result in significant synergies along with tremendous opportunities for employees to continue to grow in a more-competitive business."
The acquisition comes just five months after Platform Science raised $125 million in growth capital from some of the biggest names in freight trucking, saying the money would help accelerate innovation in the commercial transportation sector.
Nearly one-third of American consumers have increased their secondhand purchases in the past year, revealing a jump in “recommerce” according to a buyer survey from ShipStation, a provider of web-based shipping and order fulfillment solutions.
The number comes from a survey of 500 U.S. consumers showing that nearly one in four (23%) Americans lack confidence in making purchases over $200 in the next six months. Due to economic uncertainty, savvy shoppers are looking for ways to save money without sacrificing quality or style, the research found.
Younger shoppers are leading the charge in that trend, with 59% of Gen Z and 48% of Millennials buying pre-owned items weekly or monthly. That rate makes Gen Z nearly twice as likely to buy second hand compared to older generations.
The primary reason that shoppers say they have increased their recommerce habits is lower prices (74%), followed by the thrill of finding unique or rare items (38%) and getting higher quality for a lower price (28%). Only 14% of Americans cite environmental concerns as a primary reason they shop second-hand.
Despite the challenge of adjusting to the new pattern, recommerce represents a strategic opportunity for businesses to capture today’s budget-minded shoppers and foster long-term loyalty, Austin, Texas-based ShipStation said.
For example, retailers don’t have to sell used goods to capitalize on the secondhand boom. Instead, they can offer trade-in programs swapping discounts or store credit for shoppers’ old items. And they can improve product discoverability to help customers—particularly older generations—find what they’re looking for.
Other ways for retailers to connect with recommerce shoppers are to improve shipping practices. According to ShipStation:
70% of shoppers won’t return to a brand if shipping is too expensive.
51% of consumers are turned off by late deliveries
40% of shoppers won’t return to a retailer again if the packaging is bad.
The “CMA CGM Startup Awards”—created in collaboration with BFM Business and La Tribune—will identify the best innovations to accelerate its transformation, the French company said.
Specifically, the company will select the best startup among the applicants, with clear industry transformation objectives focused on environmental performance, competitiveness, and quality of life at work in each of the three areas:
Shipping: Enabling safer, more efficient, and sustainable navigation through innovative technological solutions.
Logistics: Reinventing the global supply chain with smart and sustainable logistics solutions.
Media: Transform content creation, and customer engagement with innovative media technologies and strategies.
Three winners will be selected during a final event organized on November 15 at the Orange Vélodrome Stadium in Marseille, during the 2nd Artificial Intelligence Marseille (AIM) forum organized by La Tribune and BFM Business. The selection will be made by a jury chaired by Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the Group, and including members of the executive committee representing the various sectors of CMA CGM.
Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded in August, though growth slowed slightly from July, according to the most recent Logistics Manager’s Index report (LMI), released this week.
The August LMI registered 56.4, down from July’s reading of 56.6 but consistent with readings over the past four months. The August reading represents nine straight months of growth across the logistics industry.
The LMI is a monthly gauge of economic activity across warehousing, transportation, and logistics markets. An LMI above 50 indicates expansion, and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.
Inventory levels saw a marked change in August, increasing more than six points compared to July and breaking a three-month streak of contraction. The LMI researchers said this suggests that after running inventories down, companies are now building them back up in anticipation of fourth-quarter demand. It also represents a return to more typical growth patterns following the accelerated demand for logistics services during the Covid-19 pandemic and the lows of the recent freight recession.
“This suggests a return to traditional patterns of seasonality that we have not seen since pre-COVID,” the researchers wrote in the monthly LMI report, published Tuesday, adding that the buildup is somewhat tempered by increases in warehousing capacity and transportation capacity.
The LMI report is based on a monthly survey of logistics managers from across the country. It tracks industry growth overall and across eight areas: inventory levels and costs; warehousing capacity, utilization, and prices; and transportation capacity, utilization, and prices. The report is released monthly by researchers from Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, and the University of Nevada, Reno, in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).
That hiring surge marks a significant jump in relation to the company’s nearly 17,000 current employees across North America, adding 21% more workers.
That increase is necessary because U.S. holiday sales in 2023 increased 3.9% year-over-year as consumer spending grew even amidst uncertain economic times and trends like inflation and consumer price sensitivity. Looking at the coming peak, a similar pattern is projected for this year, with shoppers forecasted to drive a 4.8% increase in holiday retail sales for 2024, Geodis said, citing data from Emarketer.
To attract the extra workforce, Geodis says it will offer competitive wages, peak premium pay incentives, peak and referral bonuses, an expedited payment option, and flexible schedules. And it’s using an AI-powered chatbot named Sophie to serve as a virtual recruiting assistant.
“We acknowledge the immense responsibility we have to our customers to deliver exceptional service every day, and this is especially true during peak season,” Anthony Jordan, GEODIS in Americas Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in a release. “Because peak season is the most business-critical sales period of the year for many of our retail clients, expanding our workforce is vital to ensure we have a flexible, dynamic team that can handle anticipated surges in demand.”