fun at 50

Our February issue marks a milestone of sorts: it's the 50th issue of DC VELOCITY. To reach this point has involved a lot of work, a whole lot of optimism, and perhaps just a touch of insanity.

We also owe a large measure of thanks to advertisers who took risks on what was nothing more than an idea a little over four years ago, and all those who have joined us since. I owe a particular debt of gratitude to a dedicated team of talented employees and contributors, to an investor who was willing to make a huge bet against long odds, and certainly to our readers. One of the most important measures of a magazine's vitality is whether its readers take a proprietary interest in the publication.

And that has been the case: You have been willing to applaud and to criticize, and we welcome both.

It has been an interesting ride to this point. After our very first year of operation, for example, we were recognized as one of the top 10 business magazines in our circulation category by the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Like just about every other business, we have also extended our reach into that amorphous thing called the Internet.

In every issue, we aim to bring readers useful business information and do it in an engaging way. We started with the premise that business writing need not be boring and dry. We write about things that may not get great visibility in the popular press but which underlie our economic well being. If goods and services are the lifeblood of the economy, logistics and distribution (which encompasses transportation, material handling and more) are the arteries and veins. How could that be boring?

I trust you will find this issue to be no exception. We lead off with an interview with Major General Charles Fletcher, head of the U.S. Transportation Command, whose operations are responsible for some of the most critical logistics operations imaginable. Contributing Editor Steve Geary brings insight into the fundamentals of choosing the best sites for DCs and warehouses. Executive Editor John Johnson, one of the best informed editors in the business when it comes to RFID, examines how the technology may pay off for retailers in the long run. And in a second feature story, he looks at Mexico and its efforts to develop logistics infrastructure and recapture manufacturing. Other stories report on how conveyor manufacturers are responding to market demands and how carriers have developed time-definite services to help customers meet their own customers' requirements. Add that to our usual mix of insightful columns and news analysis, and we think we have a pretty good package for issue number 50. But as always, you are the final judge. We'd like to hear what you think.