Supply Chain: Lowering Your Total Cost of Business

How 5S in the Warehouse Can Increase Throughput and Reduce Waste

Early in Hiroyuki Hirano’s classic sourcebook on 5S methodology in warehouse operations and factories, 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace, he introduces readers to the “red-tag” strategy for visualizing waste.…
3 Cold Chain Logistics Challenges—And How to Solve Them

Cold chain management has transformed to meet the growing global demand for fresh food and pharmaceuticals. This transformation has not always been easy, though: businesses running cold chain logistics operations…
Reverse Logistics and Sustainability: Reducing Waste in the Supply Chain

Reverse logistics, or aftermarket logistics, describes an integral part of supply chain operations where materials and products must return to their point of origin for proper disposal or value recapturing.…
Breaking Down Warehouse Operating Costs

Warehouse operating costs constitute an unavoidable component of supply chain expenses that impact a company’s bottom line. Since these costs differ from company to company, there is no universal formula…
Supply Chain Cost Reduction Challenges

Operations managers routinely look for opportunities to scale up in order to address supply chain cost reduction challenges. Scaling can allow managers to take advantage of lower rates and increased…
How to Lower Freight Costs

In response to pandemic uncertainty, logistics managers are closely examining how to lower freight costs by increasing efficiency, reducing waste, minimizing risks, and spending smarter. While the pandemic’s long-term impact…
How Strong Are Wood Pallets?

Wood—a fundamental component of nearly every early American industry—has been essential to modern shipping and logistics for decades in the form of wood pallets. But just as the homebuilding and…
5 Hidden Costs in Your Supply Chain

Cost reduction is always a challenge in a supply chain. Every step in the supply chain—from sourcing and manufacturing, to warehousing, logistics, and transport—incurs additional costs that businesses try to…
4 Ways to Improve Your Supply Chain Transportation Efficiency

In transportation logistics, every mile and every minute matters. Slowdowns and inefficiencies compound. While some supply chain operating costs cannot be significantly reduced, transportation logistics offers opportunities to trim unnecessary…
How to Improve Energy Efficiency in the Supply Chain

ARTICLE UPDATED ON JULY 27, 2023 During his remarkable conquests, Alexander the Great reportedly shared a remark regarding the individuals responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of his supply chain.…