Topic: Mobile & Wireless

With suppliers jumping on the RFID bandwagon and more deployments looming on the horizon, the future of RFID remains promising. Here are the market drivers that continue to push ADC/RFID adoption and examples of facilities that are putting it to work.

With social media, it seems like its impact on actual supply chain and logistics operations is not clearly defined, or, for that matter, truly even exist in a meaningful way.

Our technology correspondent examines the current state of the warehouse management systems (WMS) market, explores key trends driving the industry, and highlights the new, smarter capabilities that are just around the corner for both vendors and users.

When the athletic footwear flipped the switch on its 520,000-square-foot paperless/wireless DC, it completely transformed the way it processed orders to accommodate rapid growth. Its mobile equipment affords real-time inventory management, improved communication among floor supervisors, and new efficiencies in shipping operations.

To support the productive enterprise, supply chains must embrace resiliency and become “massively multidimensional.”

Consensus views on a U.S. manufacturing resurgence have largely centered on rising labor costs in markets such as China as the key driver of re-shoring back to the U.S.

Despite economic and financial uncertainties, the first half of 2012 has been moderately successful for many leading European carriers, ports, and 3PLs.

Software provider to embed mobility across its solution footprint.

Our technology correspondent takes a closer look at what wireless technology is being adopted, how it’s being used, and what benefits logistics professionals are deriving from their mobile investments either inside the four walls or on the road.

The survey which examines the state of the industry, and how manufacturers are adapting and improving their supply chains, also explores and how technology plays a role in enabling manufacturers to be more successful.

The logistics industry has yet to climb back to the profitability it hit in 2007–the precipice from which it dropped during the recession. According to the report’s author and industry analysts, it may be a while until the overall industry hits full stride again.

There are various parts of the bill which stand to have a direct impact on freight transportation, logistics, and supply chain stakeholders.

This news follows weeks of acrimonious negotiations between the House and Senate, which suggested that talks would not advance to this level and that a tenth continuing resolution—to keep funding at current levels—would be introduced prior to the current one expiring at the end of June.

With progress on a new federal transportation bill at an ongoing standstill, House Speaker John Boehner said in a Reuters report yesterday that should negotiations on a new bill between the House and Senate fail to yield meaningful progress by June 30, when the most recent extension expires, the next step may be a six-month extension.

A railroad expert provides guidance on things rail shippers should be in the know on.

The market’s top analysts discuss the trends that are pushing mobility deeper into every-day use and explain just how far we are from realizing real-time supply chain management—complete with logistics visibility that was once only the stuff of dreams.

In a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stressed the need for America to have a “clear strategy to improve freight mobility and the movement of goods from farm and factory to market.”

While prospects of a new long-term transportation bill remain dim, the United States House of Representatives yesterday signed off another extension—the tenth since September 30, 2009—to keep federal transportation funding intact at current spending levels for 90 days through the end of September when the current one expires.

Proponents have changed the conversation and have started tagging at the item level in what the industry is now calling a “source-to-store” approach.