CPG Logistics Blog


May 15, 2013

Managing supply chain risk is a daily challenge for both parties in a logistics outsourcing partnership.  The strategies to manage risk typically include transferring the risk to another party, avoiding the risk, reducing the negative effect or probability of the risk, or even accepting some or all of the potential or actual consequences of a particular risk.

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May 08, 2013

Every time I research rail traffic in North America, I read a steady stream of good news – traffic is up, investment is up, efficiency continues to improve. In light of this past Earth Day, the AAR (Association of American Railroads) states that studies report railroads are on average four times more fuel efficient than trucks.

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May 01, 2013

Social media is here to stay…at least until the next big thing comes along.

Not too long ago, CPG companies struggled to prepare themselves for the electronic age. Now, companies do everything they can just to keep up. Smart companies continually experiment with...

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April 24, 2013

I have met with many CPG manufacturers over the past 6 months. During those meetings, we talk about trends in the customer’s business or in the marketplace. One that comes up over and over is the requirement for multi-channel distribution based on the growth of online sales. CPG companies that once focused solely on gaining shelf space at the retail store are, for a growing portion of their business, skipping the store shelf and going direct to the consumer.

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April 17, 2013

Would you manage your own logistics workforce if you could do so at the least total cost?  Many would say “yes.”  They like the direct control over operations this gives them and the “insider knowledge” their own staff bring about the company’s operations. 

But what if you could get this same level of control and knowledge by working with a 3PL that could also drive down your staffing costs 10%–20%? 

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April 10, 2013

Leadership, whether in logistics, food manufacturing, or crayon making, comes down to individuals.  People make a company successful. People who are invested in the company make the difference. This is one of the characteristics of a “great company” made famous by business writer Jim Collins. Without invested, engaged people, organization don’t make the leap to greatness.

So, how do we keep our great people while attracting the next generation of logistics...

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April 03, 2013

As a candidate attending Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, I learned what it meant to be a leader with the help of the Six Troop-Leading Steps, commonly referred to as BAMCIS.  My Sergeant Instructors (Drill Instructors are only at enlisted boot camps at Parris Island and San Diego) were diligent in ensuring that their future leaders understood and lived the Six Troop-Leading Steps.  These steps certainly apply to warehouse...

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