Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

fastlane

Cliff Lynch's annual letter to Santa Claus

I fervently hope you can load congressional stockings with a full ration of wisdom, judgment, and the spirit of cooperation because we simply must repair the country's infrastructure.

Dear Santa,

It has been another difficult year for many of us in the supply chain profession. Although we've seen little spurts of improvement here and there, the economy is still weak. I'm sure you're seeing it in your toy orders again this year. While there are many supply chain managers out there who are finding creative ways to manage costs while maintaining an acceptable level of customer service, they can't carry the burden alone. There still are a number of broader issues with which we could use some help.


As you've probably heard, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood went off on Congress, at least the Republican contingent, for not providing funds to repair and improve the country's crumbling infrastructure, and announced that at the end of President Obama's current term, he was out of there. Some now are calling him a "whiner," but the fact of the matter is, no one in Washington seems to be able to get along anymore. I want to be careful to stay away from any political comments, but I fervently hope you can load congressional stockings with a full ration of wisdom, judgment, and the spirit of cooperation. I don't know what your organizational structure looks like right now, but maybe you could spare a few elves to provide some counseling. Whatever you can do would be appreciated because we simply must repair the country's infrastructure. I'm sure you remember the president calling for a doubling of U.S. exports by 2015. This would be great, but if we accomplish this, we could create a supply chain nightmare for ourselves. I'm not convinced our river locks, highways, and rail infrastructure are up to it.

But enough about infrastructure. As important as it is, there are other serious concerns we're grappling with as well. There is a major controversy brewing over a proposed $7 billion pipeline that would connect the Alberta oil sands in Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries. Over 1,000 protestors have been arrested in front of the White House, so it is not a universally popular project. As you might imagine, the controversy revolves around possible harm to the environment and "dirty" fuel sources, but we desperately need the oil in this country. As long as we continue to use oil—and I believe we will rely on it for some time to come—it would be nice to have better control over supplies. Some of our oil sources are a little shaky, at best. I realize this is a tough one, but please take a look at it and see what you can do.

There is what I believe to be an exciting idea to increase allowable truck weights from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds for trucks equipped with six axles, rather than the usual five. Truck size would not be affected, but the extra axle would enable the vehicle to handle the additional weight without any negative effects on highway infrastructure, safety, fuel costs, or the environment. In fact, there is strong evidence that just the opposite would be true. The Senate recently approved the measure for Vermont and Maine, where tests had been under way, but the hope is that each state will be given the option to increase weight limits on its own portion of the interstate highway system. You should have some interest in this one. If it works on the highways, it ought to be just as effective for sleighs. If you could carry more presents per trip, it would be easier on you and would avoid any hours-of-service problems with the reindeer.

Of course, there are other ongoing concerns I have written to you about before. Issues related to capacity, rates, possible driver shortages, and increased regulation will no doubt flare up in 2012. Through it all, we need your calming influence and spirit of collaboration. Just remember: If all else fails, you can simply cut off the toys.

Merry Christmas!

Clifford F. Lynch

The Latest

More Stories

Clorox partnership helps suppliers meet carbon reduction targets

Clorox partnership helps suppliers meet carbon reduction targets

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) provider The Clorox Co. has partnered with Manufacture 2030 (M2030) to help Clorox's suppliers meet their carbon reduction targets and advance the company's long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

In addition to its flagship Clorox bleach product, Oakland, California-based Clorox manages a diverse catalog of brands including Hidden Valley Ranch, Glad, Pine-Sol, Burt’s Bees, Kingsford, Scoop Away, Fresh Step, 409, Brita, Liquid Plumr, and Tilex.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

U.S. map with drought risk

Everstream Analytics quantifies how climate risk affects supply chains

Supply chain risk analytics company Everstream Analytics has launched a product that can quantify the impact of leading climate indicators and project how identified risk will impact customer supply chains.

Expanding upon the weather and climate intelligence Everstream already provides, the new “Climate Risk Scores” tool enables clients to apply eight climate indicator risk projection scores to their facilities and supplier locations to forecast future climate risk and support business continuity.

Keep ReadingShow less
packaging supplies plastic films

Innotex Packaging launched from merger of three companies

The investment firm LongueVue Capital has bundled three shipping product companies together to create Innotex Packaging Solutions, calling it an integrated flexible packaging solutions provider that unites Summit Plastics, ClearView Packaging, and Fredman Packaging.

According to New Orleans-based LongueVue, the “strategic rebranding” brings together the complementary capabilities of these three companies to form a vertically integrated flexible packaging leader with expertise in blown film production, flexographic printing, adhesive laminations, and converting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Stampin’ Up!’s Riverton, Utah, distribution center

Stampin’ Up!’s Riverton, Utah, distribution center

Picking reimagined

What happens when your warehouse technology upgrade turns into a complete process overhaul? That may sound like a headache to some, but for leaders at paper crafting company Stampin’ Up! it’s been a golden opportunity—especially when it comes to boosting productivity. The Utah-based direct marketing company has increased its average pick rate by more than 70% in the past year and a half. And it’s all due to a warehouse management system (WMS) implementation that opened the door to process changes and new technologies that are speeding its high-velocity, high-SKU (stock-keeping unit) order fulfillment operations.

The bottom line: Stampin’ Up! is filling orders faster than ever before, with less manpower, since it shifted to an easy-to-use voice picking system that makes adapting to seasonal product changes and promotions a piece of cake. Here’s how.

Keep ReadingShow less
autostore AS/RS at toyota materal handling site

New AutoStore AS/RS at Toyota Material Handling’s DC will increase parts volume and fulfillment speed

With its new AutoStore automated storage and retrieval (AS/RS) system, Toyota Material Handling Inc.’s parts distribution center, located at its U.S. headquarters campus in Columbus, Indiana, will be able to store more forklift and other parts and move them more quickly. The new system represents a major step toward achieving TMH’s goal of next-day parts delivery to 98% of its customers in the U.S. and Canada by 2030, said TMH North America President and CEO Brett Wood at the launch event on October 28. The upgrade to the DC was designed, built, and installed through a close collaboration between TMH, AutoStore, and Bastian Solutions, the Toyota-owned material handling automation designer and systems integrator that is a cornerstone of the forklift maker’s Toyota Automated Logistics business unit. The AS/RS is Bastian’s 100th AutoStore installation in North America.

TMH’s AutoStore system deploys 28 energy-efficient robotic shuttles to retrieve and deliver totes from within a vertical storage grid. To expedite processing, artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced software determines optimal storage locations based on whether parts are high- or low-demand items. The shuttles, each independently controlled and selected based on shortest distance to the stored tote, swiftly deliver the ordered parts to four picking ports. Each port can process up to 175 totes per hour; the company’s initial goal is 150 totes per hour, with room to grow. The AS/RS also eliminates the need for order pickers to walk up to 10 miles per day, saving time, boosting picking accuracy, and improving ergonomics for associates.

Keep ReadingShow less