Numbers from the first quarter of this year show that the U.S. economy is “back in business.” But can it keep up the momentum?The good news comes from the latest Index of Globe Trade from Tradeshift, a B2B supply chain payments platform. The first quarter of 2021 was “the first tim

Humans have been fascinated with automation since the Dark Ages.The first major step toward automation in human history was the invention of the wheel, which enhanced transportation in a way that was previously unimaginable. Fast forward to the present, and automation in operations, manufacturing, f

In traditional approaches to supply chain management, retailers and manufacturers dedicate exorbitant amounts of time and manpower to inspecting each part or product. But human error can still compromise quality and performance integrity during the inspection process, with potentially expensive cons

Recent months have provided a telling reminder of just how fragile supply chain integrity can be. While some industries have been forward-thinking in streamlining processes and electronic sharing of information, protein commodities are a different matter altogether.Food loss within the supply chain

The restaurant and food service industry has gone through massive transformation over the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic and home-bound lifestyle have changed the way people dine and enjoy restaurant food, making way for a new world of food mobility. Contactless food delivery has become mains

Of all industries subjected to shocks from the global pandemic, few were shaken as severely as the food sector. Farms destroyed millions of pounds of fresh goods they could no longer sell, while meat plants fought to stay open as ailing workers stayed home. Grocery demand shot up, food service busin

Manufacturers are constantly balancing a complex web of functions that span product innovation, engineering, planning, production and logistics. These highly interconnected processes span across the organization and its partners, creating gaps in data, information latency and barriers that create co

The past 15 months have been hectic for freight procurement and logistics management. And while consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic look to be reaching a plateau, shippers are still working hard to ensure they’re in the best position to recover and handle any new challenges.Here are three ch

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown new light on the importance of developing a comprehensive and effective management strategy for tracking and limiting risk in your company’s international supply chain. If you don’t have a risk management framework in place, you won’t be p

The Biden Administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force was created to focus much-needed attention on critical U.S. supply chains. Its recently released report outlines steps to make that happen.By addressing supply chain vulnerabilities uncovered by the COVID-19 pandemic and other disr

If a golfer were trying to correct her slice, she wouldn’t expect to fix it simply by buying the newest and most expensive golf club. Understanding her stature, swing path and preferences is key to fixing underlying issues and developing a better overall swing.The same goes for complex supply

Supply chain disruptions have become a common occurrence in the wake of 2020, and will likely remain so for some time. The recent computer chip shortage has created problems across industries, leading companies to reassess how they mitigate supply chain risk.The confluence of a global pandemic, weat

America’s massive food waste problem touches nearly every facet of society, from the farms that produce our food to what we put on our plates. In the U.S., an estimated 35% of all food goes unsold or uneaten — and most of that ends up in the trash.All that wasted food puts a huge financi

As supply chains become more integrated and complex, healthy relationships between trading partners are more important than ever. Each year, companies lose millions of dollars on the inefficient management of these relationships, which are constantly evolving and need to be adaptable and resilient i

Solar power is among the biggest priorities of the global sustainability movement. In March, Bill Gates-backed Heliogen announced the first solar-powered mine in the United States. On Earth Day, Greta Thunberg testified to Congress about the dangers of the fossil fuel industry.But if you knew the so

For luxury brands weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, the staunch refusal to allow discounting might turn out to be a luxury they can’t afford.The luxury segment of retail — fashion apparel, jewelry, even high-end cars — often survives economic downturns better than mid-range goods.

Demand for last-mile delivery services is booming around the world — expected to jump 78% globally in the next decade, according to a World Economic Forum report. This will drive up urban delivery vehicle numbers by 36%, and as a result, congestion will rise more than 20% while emissions jump

In the midst of a global pandemic, and a year after we experienced the initial supply chain disruptions it caused, the Suez Canal blockage in March wreaked havoc on an already-fragile global supply chain. The grounding of the 400-meter-long Ever Given container vessel held up hundreds of ships for a

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we should expect the unexpected. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t be prepared for what’s next. As supply chain professionals, our job is to keep the wheels of commerce turning. But what will that job entail as the

In the fast-moving world of e-commerce, retail sales have continued to exceed all expectations. In the last year alone, third-party sellers and businesses on Amazon.com Inc. have contributed to the marketplace's annual revenue increase of 38%, and few of these multinational selling machines show