Chain links: What we’re reading this week
RFID sales roll on. UPS stays bullish on China. And a primer on how transport and logistics firms can boost their profits
RFID rolls to sales of $10.1 billion in 2015
Technology buyers in supply chain and other market segments pushed RFID tags to burgeoning sales in 2015, with 9.1 billion tags being sold in 2015, up from 7.8 billion tags in 2014, according to a IDTechEx Research report titled "RFID Forecasts, Players, Opportunities 2016-2026" report.
Source: IDTechEx Research
What does the Trans Pacific Partnership mean for supply chain professionals?
Details on the Pacific Rim trade deal, formally known as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), were finally released last Friday. Since then, the ARC Advisory Group’s Clint Reiser has spent a good deal of time reviewing how the TPP trade agreement will impact logistics and supply chain professionals. Find out what he has to say in this Q&A with Steve Banker.
Source: Forbes.com
The future of delivery might involve small drones zooming above pedestrians, cyclists and motorists at high speeds. Amazon and now Wal-Mart are moving down this path. Or it might be something a lot slower that travels on sidewalks.
Source: The Washington Post
Consolidation in the 3PL industry: Why is it happening, and what does it mean?
Dr. Robert C. Lieb, professor of Supply Chain Management at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University, has been conducting research on the third-party logistics (3PL) industry for more than two decades. In this article, he reveals what CEOs of major 3PLS in Europe, North America, and Asia had to say about the current wave of 3PL mergers and acquisitions. He also outlines the kinds of problems that often arise in 3PL mergers, and briefly suggests some ways to address or prevent them.
Source: CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly
New York Times turns thumbs-down on House-passed highway bill
A Gray Lady editorial says the bill falls short on highway funding and safety.
Source: The New York Times
Despite worries over the economic slowdown, UPS Inc. said 2015 will turn out to be one of its best years there, according to Nando Cesarone, president of UPS Asia Pacific region. Cesarone said UPS found opportunities in China long before the economy showed double-digit growth, and it will do so again.
Source: China Daily
Creating value in transportation and logistics
Transportation and logistics companies have been struggling more than other sectors to improve their capital-market performance. This article discusses how they can increase their economic profit.
Source: McKinsey & Co.
Modern warehousing capabilities mirror the goals of industrial Internet of Things
Machine vision sensors provides the basis for the increase in automation in the warehouse, according to this blog post by Sal Spada, research director for discrete automation at ARC Advisory Group.
Source: Logistics Viewpoints
What We're Reading This Week news feed
