Auto industry calls on government to fund semiconductor capacity

An industry group warns the shortage could cause a production shortfall of nearly 1.28 million vehicles in 2021.

By Matt Leonard • April 7, 2021

4 tools to fight fraud, counterfeits and cyberattacks in the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain

Visibility technologies and real-time data provide one version of the truth in a rapidly-built supply chain.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 7, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Inventory Management

Read how retailers and brand manufactures are rethinking inventory management.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Cardboard prices reach record high amid e-commerce demand

Box producers are running on lean inventories, as online buying booms and creates greater demand for packaging materials.

By Matt Leonard • April 6, 2021

The omnichannel age is here — and it's expensive

Profit margins are often lower for pickup than delivering from a warehouse, as retailers consider store costs, shipping expenses and channel-specific overhead.

By Ben Unglesbee • April 6, 2021

Gap designs fulfillment system to prioritize 'most valuable' customers

Delivery speeds will be tiered as gold, silver and bronze, which the CEO said would help manage costs.

By A.B. Brown • April 6, 2021

Chewy boosts automated fulfillment network through new warehouses and retrofits

The e-commerce company plans to open its second automated fulfillment center in Q2 and a "limited catalog facility" in Q3.

By Matt Leonard • April 5, 2021

Walmart, H&M among retailers in US most exposed to Suez Canal disruptions

Construction and chemical companies are also expected to feel the impact, as more than 300 vessels wait to pass through the canal.

By Matt Leonard • March 31, 2021

Cyberattack against Molson Coors pushes production, shipments later into 2021

Plant operations often run 24/7, which makes it difficult to patch technology on a regular basis, one expert said.

By David Jones • March 31, 2021

Boston Dynamics stretches into warehouse game with material-handling robot

The bot, named Stretch, automates the truck unloading process at an expected rate of 800 cases per hour.

By Matt Leonard • March 30, 2021

Meet the vertical automated grocery store

Boston-based startup Urbx aims to build its futuristic stores in cities across the country and provide micro-fulfillment technology to retailers.

By Jeff Wells • March 30, 2021

Home Depot, Lowe's build on supply chain foundations to make quick work of omnichannel

When the pandemic arrived around the same time as the home improvement retailers' busy spring season, they had to pivot to meet demand.

By Shefali Kapadia • March 29, 2021

What Walmart learned from its machine learning deployment

Successful ML implementation means using automation as a tool, not the solution.

By Katie Malone • March 26, 2021

Nike's imports drop 39% amid port congestion, straining inventory

The YoY drop in February came after the retailer faced weeks-long delays, affecting the timing of wholesale shipments.

By Matt Leonard • March 24, 2021

Inventory levels tumble, threatening retailers' spring and summer sales

Retail inventories fell nearly 6% YoY in January, as port congestion made it difficult for imports to make it to their final desinations.

By Matt Leonard • March 23, 2021

AutoStore builds Innovation Hub to stress test micro-fulfillment robots

The company says automated micro-fullment technology is vital to enabling retailers to meet demand from customers who are likely to turn elsewhere if they cannot get purchases quickly.

By Sam Silverstein • March 23, 2021

5 steps supply chains should have taken for effective vaccine distribution

Perhaps most disappointing has been the failure to use one of the most common tools for supply chain logistics: the barcode, according to Karen Conway, vice president of Healthcare Value at Global Healthcare Exchange.

By Karen Conway • March 23, 2021

E-commerce boom keeps rents high in undersupplied warehouse market: CBRE

Dedicated e-commerce facilities made up more than 27% of the industrial real estate market share — more than any other industry, the firm found.

By Matt Leonard • March 23, 2021

Dollar General to curb logistics costs by expanding private truck fleet

The company's existing fleet accounted for more than 20% of outbound logistics at the end of last year, the COO said.

By S.L. Fuller • March 23, 2021

Williams-Sonoma to expand manufacturing, distribution capacity by up to 30%

The company's expansion will add about 2 million square feet to its distribution network.

By Matt Leonard • March 22, 2021

6 charts show how a pandemic upended retail supply chains

Consumers moved online and retailers pivoted to move inventory locked in brick-and-mortar locations.

By Matt Leonard • March 22, 2021

Honda, Toyota limit production amid Port of LA congestion, supply shortages

Semiconductor and plastic shortages are challenging automakers' lean and just-in-time operations.

By Matt Leonard • March 18, 2021

HelloFresh to adjust packaging, shipping as it scales sustainable operations

The company is working on a tool to help avoid shipping boxes with unused space by calculating the levels of secondary packaging each kit needs.

By Sam Silverstein • March 18, 2021

Stitch Fix threads in carrier diversity after longer cycle times during peak

The CFO called carrier diversification "very important," with outbound and reverse logistics embedded in the fabric of Stitch Fix's business model.

By Shefali Kapadia • March 17, 2021

Packaging automation hits fast track in 2021

Automated technology has matured to the point that using it for packaging is not just possible — it's a necessity to keep up in the e-commerce era.

By Jen A. Miller • March 16, 2021

CPGs report higher supply chain costs with no signs of dropping this year

A majority of CPG companies expect manufacturing, warehousing, transportation and raw materials costs to continue at 2020 levels.

By Matt Leonard • March 16, 2021