Today’s Supply Chain Management Graduates Have Solid Future Ahead, Experts Say

Today’s Supply Chain Management Graduates Have Solid Future Ahead, Experts Say

Jobs in the supply chain have long suffered from a stigma of low-paying, blue collar work, according to SCM Talent Group president Rodney Apple. This misconception has led to a shortage of well-trained and highly qualified workers in the field. This meant that even during the recent severe recession, graduates in supply chain management still were…

Food Logistics Presents Special Challenges

Food Logistics Presents Special Challenges

Whitebread PLC is a leading hospitality company operating in the United Kingdom. Their brands include TGI Friday’s, Premier Travel Inns, Costa, Beefeater, and David Lloyd Leisure. For many years, Whitebread’s Food Logistics team operated successfully under a warehouse management system from Chess Logistics, however there was room for improvement in their processes to reduce costly…

Warehouse Management System Vendors Advertise Task Interleaving: Is it Doable?

Warehouse Management System Vendors Advertise Task Interleaving: Is it Doable?

A recent study released by Motorola Solutions indicated that almost half of all distribution center managers plan to implement task interleaving within the next few years. Many vendors of warehouse management systems advertise task interleaving as part of their packages. When implemented correctly, task interleaving can boost productivity within the distribution center, lowering labor costs…

Overall Economic Outlook Continues to Give Mixed Signals

Overall Economic Outlook Continues to Give Mixed Signals

As businesses, individuals, and the government continue to keep their fingers on the pulse of the economy, it continues to give mixed signals about what the future holds. Some sectors, such as automotive sales, continue to be strong, as new jobs are added and unemployment rates continue to shrink. However, consumer confidence and consumer retail…

Transportation Industry Braces for Next Round of Federal Regulations on Rail Cars
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Transportation Industry Braces for Next Round of Federal Regulations on Rail Cars

Biannually, officials from the business industry and transportation industry hold a meeting to discuss issues affecting the transportation of raw materials and goods. This year’s meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, September 17 in Bismark, North Dakota, is expected to be consumed with discussion about new federal regulations expected to be handed down by the Obama administration…

World’s Second Largest DRAM Manufacturer Loses Up to Half Its Production in Chinese Factory Fire
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World’s Second Largest DRAM Manufacturer Loses Up to Half Its Production in Chinese Factory Fire

SK Hynix is the world’s second largest supplier of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chips, claiming about 20 percent of global market shares in the industry. These chips are necessary to store data in computers, as well as mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and notebook computers. Hynix is a South Korean based company…

Women in the Supply Chain: How Top Female Supply Chain Executives are Making a Difference

Women in the Supply Chain: How Top Female Supply Chain Executives are Making a Difference

Does the glass ceiling still exist? Women now hold about 25 percent of the management positions in the petroleum sector, according to Women in Canada’s Oil and Gas Sector, but most of them are employed in lower-level management positions, not as senior executives. However, some women have broken all the barriers, and serve as leading executives…

States Put the Squeeze on Businesses in Attempt to Address Cash Flow Problems
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States Put the Squeeze on Businesses in Attempt to Address Cash Flow Problems

States around the country are passing or attempting to pass legislation to try to fill state coffers, but many businesses feel that the result is simply going to be driving business away. The issue has become a three-way battle among legislators looking for new ways to bring in cash for projects such as road improvements,…

Are Manufacturing Sectors in the U.S. in an Upswing or Falling from Grace?
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Are Manufacturing Sectors in the U.S. in an Upswing or Falling from Grace?

Are we loosing or gaining momentum in the manufacturing sector here in the U.S.? If you ask the Institute for Supply Management, things are looking pretty good. They stated recently that their PMI, or Report on Business, climbed 0.3 percent totaling out at 55.7 percent in the month of August, reaching its highest peak of…

New Report on Non-Manufacturing Economic Growth Shows Increasingly Positive Signs
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New Report on Non-Manufacturing Economic Growth Shows Increasingly Positive Signs

More good news on the economic front shows growth and strength even outside the encouraging sector of manufacturing. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM has released their Non-Manufacturing Report on Business indices since January 2008. August of this year showed some of the highest readings since the report was launched. The indices used to measure…