From digital twin to building information modeling (BIM), the blending of the physical with the digital is nothing new in the manufacturing world. What is new, however, is a growing expectation among customers across the industrial landscape that their suppliers deliver a smoother and more reliable

At the start of the pandemic, e-commerce consisted of 11.4% of total retail sales in the U.S. One year later, by the end of March 2021, that number had risen to 13.6%. Putting that into perspective, COVID-19-fueled online shopping more than doubled e-commerce’s market share growth in a typical

Recently, The Sustainability Consortium, in conjunction with Arizona State University, published a study on the feasibility of using digital tags to track clothing throughout its lifecycle. The goal was to promote more sustainable production and consumption through better information about products&

COVID-19 taught us the importance of supply chains when everything from raw materials to finished goods became delayed or simply unavailable to manufacturers and retailers. It also accelerated a dramatic shift in the logistics and delivery side of the supply chain equation as consumers moved from br

To reap the rewards of a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy, manufacturers need to understand and overcome the risks. Here’s how. Many manufacturers have made significant efforts in recent years to move closer to a D2C retail strategy. Nike Inc. for example announced plans to stop selling

Increasingly common and severe disruptions have placed a spotlight on inadequate processes and operational weaknesses across supply chains. And while it is near impossible to predict every possible scenario, reluctance by businesses to adopt new technology solutions and approaches will continue to e

It’s tough finding a global supply chain today that isn’t nominally committed to achieving a green future. But coming up with a road map for reaching that destination takes more than inspiring words in an annual statement.Major brands like Walmart Inc., Microsoft Corp. and McDonald&rsquo

Recently, Amazon.com informed businesses using its Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program that its fulfillment centers are reaching maximum storage capacity. As a result, access to the remaining space is being allocated across all sellers.In practical terms, this means that Amazon is limiting injection t

Industry and government leaders have long sought ways to mitigate risk in supply chains. Despite the long-standing need for more resiliency, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new urgency to the task. By early 2020, 75% of businesses experienced a supply chain disruption, while the demand for goods and s

According to data from the Halle Institute for Economic Research on the use of robots in German plants, adoption of the technology is still uncommon, even in a country with the highest robot density in Europe. Progress is further skewed toward larger plants where the exponential cost of sophisticate

One year after the most volatile and disruptive peak season in recent history, the freight industry is preparing for yet another peak. Supply chain managers are making plans with uncertainty, key lessons and new risks baked in. And while some risks and constraints — like vaccine distribution a

In the rapidly growing world of e-commerce, where guaranteed one- or two-day delivery times are now the norm, warehouse automation and similar tactics are becoming key differentiators. Retailers and brands are continuously looking for new ways to keep up with ever-increasing order volumes and custom

Retailers with high-volume and purchase frequency are faced with the challenge today of determining how best to support their customers’ growing dependence on e-commerce. With the growth that occurred in 2020 and is continuing today, manual fulfillment processes at the store level are increasi

For many food businesses, the past 16 months have been one of the most challenging periods they have ever faced. Even though the worst impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have seemingly been overcome in many regions, it is likely to be many months before the disruptions caused to international supply c

The COVID-19 pandemic brings about a remote work order to comply with social distancing requirements. The changes brought about by the pandemic are here to stay and will manifest into a new normal in the post-pandemic world. The procurement function has been in the limelight during this crisis.

Hosting Saturday Night Live in May, Elon Musk let slip a seemingly offhand remark about Dogecoin in his opening monologue. Following a few lines of effusive praise for the cryptocurrency, he called it a “hustle,” causing an immediate plunge in the value of Dogecoin by nearly 30%. And whi

Relationships between manufacturers and distributors need to be as seamless as possible, to ensure that inefficiencies are quickly addressed, processes are aligned, and communication is open and frequent. This is especially true when it comes to unique distribution and sales scenarios that call for

The concept of everyone in a choir singing from the same page of the hymnal has deep historic and cultural roots. But for those working in manufacturing, achieving this vision has been a struggle.People in product design, engineering, procurement, assembly, testing and servicing are each focused on

When it comes to revitalizing America’s food supply chains, it takes the expertise of a true renaissance manager. The year 2020 exposed a number of issues with America’s food supply chains, prompting strong responses from the Biden Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The European Commission in April adopted a comprehensive package of measures aimed at directing more investments toward sustainable activities across the European Union. As part of the European Green Deal strategy, the initiative is intended to improve the overall health of EU citizens and achieve c