Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Federal grant helps advance Southern Utah multimodal logistics facility

$445,000 grant will fund research and planning of facility and infrastructure in Cedar City, Utah.

train-g29d869277_640.jpg

The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) is moving forward with plans to create a multimodal logistics facility in Southern Utah thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).


The facility would be located in Cedar City, Utah; UIPA is working with local officials and Iron County Economic Development to move the project forward, the groups said August 12. The USDOT grant is for $445,000 and is part of the agency’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program.

The first phase of the joint project includes a market assessment and business case analysis for the center and accompanying infrastructure needs. The project is part of ongoing efforts to help reduce truck traffic on Utah highways by transitioning more cargo to rail for local businesses, the groups said.

“This will significantly impact air quality, improve mobility, and add resiliency to Utah’s logistics infrastructure,” UIPA, Cedar City officials, and Iron County Economic Development said in a press release announcing the grant.

“We are very excited to receive this grant from USDOT and are looking forward to developing a multimodal logistics hub in southwestern Utah. With support from the Utah Inland Port Authority, Iron County, Cedar City, and Utah’s southwestern counties, we are looking to strengthen regional supply chains and to bring great jobs to our corner of the state,” Danny Stewart, director of Cedar City–Iron County Economic Development said in the press release.

UIPA, Cedar City, and Iron County representatives expect to begin evaluating requests for proposal (RFP) submissions over the next few months. They expect to formalize the RPF winner in January, which will begin the research and planning phase, according to spokesperson for the groups.

The Latest

Artificial Intelligence

AI: Is it the real deal?

More Stories

Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics economy picked up speed in January

Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded in January, growing at its fastest clip in more than two years, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The LMI jumped nearly five points from December to a reading of 62, reflecting continued steady growth in the U.S. economy along with faster-than-expected inventory growth across the sector as retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers attempted to manage the uncertainty of tariffs and a changing regulatory environment. The January reading represented the fastest rate of expansion since June 2022, the LMI researchers said.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

Disrupting the furniture supply chain: An interview with Jay Rogers

As commodities go, furniture presents its share of manufacturing and distribution challenges. For one thing, it's bulky. Second, its main components—wood and cloth—are easily damaged in transit. Third, much of it is manufactured overseas, making for some very long supply chains with all the associated risks. And finally, completed pieces can sit on the showroom floor for weeks or months, tying up inventory dollars and valuable retail space.

In other words, the furniture market is ripe for disruption. And John "Jay" Rogers wants to be the catalyst. In 2022, he cofounded a company that takes a whole new approach to furniture manufacturing—one that leverages the power of 3D printing and robotics. Rogers serves as CEO of that company, Haddy, which essentially aims to transform how furniture—and all elements of the "built environment"—are designed, manufactured, distributed, and, ultimately, recycled.

Keep ReadingShow less
chart of GenAI effect on workforce

Gartner: GenAI tools create anxiety among employees

Generative AI (GenAI) is being deployed by 72% of supply chain organizations, but most are experiencing just middling results for productivity and ROI, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

That’s because productivity gains from the use of GenAI for individual, desk-based workers are not translating to greater team-level productivity. Additionally, the deployment of GenAI tools is increasing anxiety among many employees, providing a dampening effect on their productivity, Gartner found.

Keep ReadingShow less
warehouse worker driving forklift between racks

German 3PL Arvato acquires two U.S. logistics firms

The German third party logistics provider (3PL) Arvato this week acquired the U.S.-headquartered companies Carbel LLC and United Customs Services, saying the move would grow its client base, particularly in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle segments.

According to Arvato, it made the move in order to better serve the U.S. e-commerce sector, which has experienced high growth rates in recent years and is expected to grow year-on-year by 5% within the next five years.

Keep ReadingShow less
photo collage of warehouse tech

Supply chain pros are wary of inflation and labor woes

The top worries that supply chain leaders hope to address with new innovations this year include inflationary concerns (68%) and labor shortages (50%), according to a survey on innovation from the third-party logistics provider (3PL) Kenco.

And many of them will have a budget to do it, since 51% of supply chain professionals with existing innovation budgets saw an increase earmarked for 2025, suggesting an even greater emphasis on investing in new technologies to meet rising demand, Kenco said in its “2025 Supply Chain Innovation” survey.

Keep ReadingShow less