Warehousing 2018: from cost centre to growth centre

Warehousing operations and IT professionals need to respond positively to the significant changes and challenges that will be influencing the industry over the next five years – or face disaster. 

At its most basic, warehousing is a simple concept. It’s about storing materials or goods and filling orders from one end of the supply chain to the other. But in the real world of today, tomorrow and especially five years from now, growing complexity means warehousing is evolving to become anything but simple. Today’s warehousing professionals are feeling significant pressures from multiple internal and external sources.

The global recession affected the industry in many ways. In an effort to free up capital, there were major cuts in held inventory, adding capacity was deprioritised and expansion of existing or construction of new warehouses and distribution centres was scaled back or halted altogether. Now, as the economy has begun to grow, warehouse operations are growing again. But as they grow, they are also being transformed by a number of issues that go well beyond simple increases in volume and throughput.

New warehousing realities

Today’s warehouse professionals face a series of significant changes in the ways warehouses, distribution centres and the entire supply chain operate. More facilities and larger spaces demand high-speed mobile communications virtually everywhere on or off the floor. A virtual acrossthe- board customer demand for personalisation is driving an increase in the number of SKUs, leading to increased inventory visibility, accuracy and efficiency needs. New regulations call for more accurate product tracking and tracing. Fuel cost volatility impacts logistics and much more. The growth of omnichannel transactions creates the need for increased inventory control, flexibility and faster, more accurate fulfillment. All these factors contribute to the need to convert warehouses and distribution centres into assets for competitive differentiation.

Top alignment opportunities

Today, the reality in many, if not most, warehouse operations is the existence of separate islands of information. The vision for the future is the linkage, integration and consolidation of the Warehouse Management System (WMS) with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), the Yard Management System (YMS) and Transportation Management System (TMS). These linkages help remove inefficient information silos, promoting collaboration and increasing the recognition that changes in one process can and will affect others downstream and upstream. For example, changes in packing and staging can affect load plans, trailer drops, route selection, rates and more. Anticipation of – and response to – these effects is crucial to not only improve warehouse efficiency and productivity, but also to create a more synchronised and agile supply chain.

Ensuring IT and Operations alignment

However, before a company can start planning for the future, the organisation must first identify its current status, honestly answering the question, “where are we now?” Then management must clarify its vision of where the company wants to be in two, three, four and five years, and make the critical decisions of where to invest, and what types of investments should be considered.


To maximise warehouse and DC productivity, operations and IT leaders must be on the same page in terms of technology systems and business processes. Although partial alignment usually exists between IT and operations today, in many instances there is still a basic technology divide. It starts with differences in overall assessment of current capabilities and risk perspectives for the future. Survey results demonstrate that today IT often perceives higher levels of WMS integration with other systems than does operations; in addition, IT projects higher incremental integration rates by 2018 than their operations counterparts. Today’s IT departments also tend to be more aggressive in setting new standards and deploying new tools to reduce technical risk – and to be more accepting of business risk – than operations, which is usually more risk-averse and focused on running the day-to-day operations of the warehouse with minimal technical disruption. Bringing the two departments together to share a common vision is one of the most crucial goals moving ahead in the next five years.

An evolution from cost centre to growth area
What steps should an organisation be considering in response to the major changes that will impact warehousing operations today and in the next five years? The time to start is now, and the best way to begin is by carefully analysing the issues and evaluating the steps to be taken to help warehouses increase productivity while decreasing costs.
As customer satisfaction and supply chain efficiency become more important drivers of warehousing operations, the industry is re-examining its perceptions of the business. Fewer organisations continue to view warehouses and DCs simply as commoditised links between endpoints of the supply chain. Senior business executives across all market segments can no longer afford to simplistically look at warehouses as necessary evils that are fundamentally cost centres.
Increasingly, industry professionals are viewing warehouses and distribution facilities as historically underleveraged centres that can drive competitive differentiation and, by doing so, increase profitable growth. This reshaped vision of warehouse operations as a fundamental driver of top-line and bottomline business value, points the way to achieving the ultimate objective of flawless fulfillment.


Extract Taken From goo.gl/2m5rfq
Zebra technologies
www.logisticsnews.co.za

Productivity and morale in the WH

It’s a well-known fact that happy and motivated workers produce better results. A recent study found that happier workers were 12% more productive than their counterparts. It underlines staff morale and wellbeing is not just an HR goal: it’s fundamental to business performance levels.

                                                                                      
The logistics sector employs millions of workers around the world and must actively manage morale to ensure it attracts and retains the best employees. The warehouse is a key focus here, and traditionally may not be seen as the happiest of working environments. But warehouse managers do now have the tools to keep workers motivated, in both what they are doing and how they are doing it, without even physically being there.

The concept of talking to a machine may not sound like a great motivator, but voice technology has been found to have positive effects on warehouse workers’ worklife balance and overall wellbeing. How? Through providing clear guidance and direction over the course of the shift, and enabling greater efficiency. Through voice-directed work, warehouse staff use small belt-worn portable devices and headsets, leaving them hands-free and eyes-free, focused on the task at hand.
Instructions from the warehouse management system are delivered through the headset, one simple command at a time. The picker confirms each instruction verbally and the system is updated in real time. As instructions are given on an as-needed basis, pickers can concentrate on single actions without distraction or delay, thereby reducing errors.

Compared to manual processes, which involve checking lists or screens while simultaneously trying to carry out high volumes of goods without making mistakes, a great deal of the stress associated with warehouse picking can also be removed.

The result? Businesses adopting voice have seen an average increase of 20% in worker productivity compared with previous systems. At the same time, accuracy rates have risen up to 99,98%, critical when considering that the cost of returning an incorrect item is up to five times as much as processing a new sale.

Incentivise: But how does being more efficient make workers happier? It’s the responsibility of the warehouse manager to ensure that a good job does not go unrewarded. But again, voice can help. With voice in place, it is possible to introduce competition and make elements of the working day a game, offering rewards for completing additional tasks or meeting all targets for a set period. With precise instructions given by the warehouse management system, there can be no suggestion of bias towards workers, levelling the playing field for all.

Health and safety: Health and safety should also be considered as important to overall worker morale. Warehouses can be inhospitable at times but the increasing use of technology is helping to produce safer working environments. For example in freezer picking, wearing a voice headset means no need for workers to remove gloves to type information into a mobile computer, a small yet incredibly strong benefit through the course of a working day. Working with both hands free also makes it easier to lift heavy items safely, and having both eyes free means better awareness of the surroundings, thereby reducing the risk of accidents.

Meeting peak demands: Having a more skilled and motivated workforce will truly pay dividends when seasonal peaks arise. By ensuring better accuracy, and putting people at the heart of the process, voice technology can help tackle these peaks without impacting negatively on workers. By being able to plan for peaks, voice customers have reported they don’t experience issues or see them as a major concern, citing the fact that they are able to upskill new workers quickly and effectively – and meet demands as normal.

Extract Taken From goo.gl/5MzMST
Honeywell Vocollect Solutions
www.logisticsnews.co.za

The role of mobile computers in the warehouse data web

Because lift trucks were not historically known for their brains, mobile computer terminals have been used to bring warehouse intelligence to the operator. Lately, as lift trucks become more connected and computerized, they are changing the patterns of how and where data moves through a facility, its devices and its equipment. There is massive potential for operational improvements from connecting telematics, warehouse execution, labor management and more. But, if you imagine each thread of communication as a string, many operations look more like spaghetti than a neatly woven braid.
“There seems to be a lot of technology all around in the warehouse, but not a lot of it is integrated,” says Mike Maris senior director of transportation and logistics at Zebra Technologies. “The key is to establish one central point of conversation or data transmission.”

It’s important to know if a given forklift is running hot, needs oil or has any leaks, but today that truck is trying to communicate through fixed or wireless connection to a central maintenance resource in the warehouse. The natural progression, Maris says, is to have the lift truck communicate with the mobile computer mounted on it, to work together as one point of communication between operator, manager and all related systems.

“People hear the term Internet of Things and either have a lot of preconceived notions about what that means or no clue whatsoever,” Maris says. “I see IoT coming together at the mobile computer, so the lift truck itself can communicate to broader systems, instead of a dedicated portal from the lift truck.”
Rugged, touchscreen computers are not just a way to receive instructions, it’s a window into virtually countless potential data streams. One screen can direct an operator for tasks like let-down, putaway, or picking, and also present telematics and maintenance information that’s relevant to the operator or to a technician. Push-to-talk or VoIP capabilities can support communication within or between facilities. Real-time maps might help an operator navigate more efficiently and could display stop signs or other traffic warnings. A central hub could prove most useful to a manager trying to make sense of all the information.

“The question is how to take all these analytics—the telematics on the lift truck, the warehouse management system (WMS), the yard management system—and boil it all down to really understand in a small packet what you need to know and what you don’t,” Maris says. “Analytics engines will be a big part of what you see in a warehouse, across forklifts and even pallet jacks.” Maris notes ongoing efforts to work with software and WMS players to make use of mobile equipment integrated with the truck.

“If the WMS knows three or four forklifts are already in an aisle, it could reorder work priority,” Maris says. “It knows the aisle will get jammed if it adds two more forklifts, so it will send them to other tasks. That is where we will see that next 10% to 15% productivity improvement. Software folks realize that and are working hard to get to that point, and we’re trying to get them the hardware to do that.”


Extract taken from  goo.gl/Ag9AOA

Josh Bond

http://www.supplychain247.com

Supply chain rigidity could be costing you billions

Getting the right product to the right people at the right time – that’s at the heart of what demand and supply planning is all about. But as anyone who works in supply chain knows, it’s a lot easier said than done. Forecasts are wrong more often than they’re right, and shifting consumer priorities means your supply chain has to be able to react to change and shift directions in seconds.

The success of your business depends on it, because if you can’t adapt and adjust, your customers will find someone who can. Exemplary customer service matters to your bottom line. Whether you work in business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C) or any other space, the reality is, we all have customers to serve. Supply chains are built around that fact.

Can your company really afford to lose that many customers?

As Shep Hyken, Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations, says in a recent Forbes article, “Every statistic and fact out there indicates that service gives any company a competitive advantage, and the lack of it can be the demise of the business.”

If you work in a B2C environment, you may be less concerned about losing one or two customers. After all, you likely have thousands of them. But even a single customer can have an impact on your financial results – especially given a growing trend to share dissatisfaction on social media. More than one company has fallen victim to the power of social sharing, and not in a good way. One angry customer now has the ability to reach thousands, or even millions of other people, sharing negative views about your company. It’s the power of word of mouth marketing and it shouldn’t be ignored. NewVoiceMedia’s report shows 42% of dissatisfied customers are now likely to post an online review or complain via social media.

For those in B2B, losing one customer could represent a sizable portion of your business. Your pool of prospective customers tends to be more limited, and each sale tends to be higher value. You need to treat each of them like the high value partner they are.

Minimize your risk of unhappy customers

So how can you minimize the risk of losing customers? By ensuring you’re doing everything you can to promote a customer-centric end-to-end supply chain process across all nodes. That means breaking down silos and building visibility across the end-to-end value chain so you can respond to your customers’ changing requests faster and more accurately.


 There are five key things customers look for in their experiences with you:

1. An easy experience
2. Knowledgeable people
3. Friendly experience
4. Speedy service and a quick response
5. Consistency

Alexa Cheater
Extract taken from Supply Chain Blog
http://blog.kinaxis.com

Truckers prepare for era of driverless trucks

Truckers prepare for era of driverless trucks

Forget what the experts and technogeeks are predicting for the era of driverless vehicles and trucks. What are the oddsmakers saying?
Actually, Las Vegas is quite bullish on the prospect of driverless vehicles.
In fact, Jim Murphy, an oddsmaking consultant for sports and non-sport novelty bets focused on the entertainment business, politics, technology and financial markets, is predicting that 21 million autonomous cars will be sold within the next 15 years.
“Autonomous cars–better known as ‘self driving cars’–may seem the stuff of science fiction but they’re close to becoming reality,” says oddsmaker Murphy of sportsbettingexperts.com.
His over/under on deaths this year involving autonomous vehicles? Two and a-half. If you bet the over, you can make $150 for a $100 bet. Under two and a-half deaths in autonomous vehicles will cost you $170 to earn $100.
“Despite plenty of Luddite media scare stories autonomous cars are safer than traditional vehicles,” Murphy says.
But actually there is a lot of work being done behind the scenes involving some of the biggest names in and out of transportation. Mercedes has its “Future Truck 2025” already on the highways. Apple and Microsoft are involved. There is another combine, Waymo/Google/Alphabet, working out kinks in technology.  Lyft and General Motors are combining efforts. And of course Tesla and its innovative CEO Elon Musk, the peripatetic Canadian-American business magnate, investor, engineer and inventor is bullish.
So what’s happening in trucking? Last October, a unit of Uber called Otto successfully produced a self-driving truck that hauled a load of Budweiser beer without incident on a 120-mile trek through Colorado.
Otto’s co-founder, Anthony Levandowski, a former self-driving car engineer for Google, has said he believes the most important thing computers will do over the next ten years is drive cars and trucks for people.
That will have huge human resources ramifications for trucking, which currently has a shortage of 20,000 drivers that could grow to more than 100,000 within a decade because of demographics, increased drug and alcohol testing and tougher security screenings.
Driverless trucks would change that dynamic in a hurry. “We are going to see a wave and an acceleration in automation, and it will affect job markets,” Jerry Kaplan, a Stanford lecturer and the author of “Humans Need Not Apply” and “Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know,” recently told the L.A. Times. “Long-haul truck driving is a great example, where there isn’t much judgment involved and it’s a fairly controlled environment.”
Preparing for such a day, the trucking industry is rapidly coming to grips with how driverless trucks may be regulated.
The Trucking Alliance Board of Directors, which represents eight large trucking companies that operate 68,000 trucks, 175,000 semitrailers and containers, and employ more than 52,000 people, unanimously passed a resolution that “supports the development of advanced vehicle technologies that enable commercial drivers to utilize highly automated driving systems, enhancing their safety and security.”
The Trucking Alliance also supports the use of these technologies to achieve safety performance levels that rival commercial airlines and support other initiatives that focus on drivers and their safety, such as the following:

• Supports advanced driver assisted technologies in commercial vehicles, rather than commercial vehicles that rely solely on full automation;
• Believes that commercial drivers are an indispensable asset to the safe operation of commercial vehicles;
• Maintains the principle that commercial drivers are necessary to improve the safety and security of the general public; and
• Believes that commercial drivers are integral to supply chain accountability. This would include managing unforeseen weather events, emergencies, detours, vehicle conditions, computer software programs, cybersecurity disruptions, cargo security, and in providing efficient customer services”

Meanwhile, an autonomous truck with a big “brain” has been launched by Embark, a San Mateo, Calif.-based company whose employees include alumni from SpaceX, Audi’s self-driving team and StanfordAl (artificial intelligence).

“Automated technology has the potential to help eliminate human error and reduce crashes and fatalities,” Chao said. “So there’s a lot at stake in getting this technology right.”



Extract taken from goo.gl/Uo6sMW

Written by John D. Schulz

www.logisticsmgmt.com

Tips on Improving Warehouse Productivity

Managing inventory effectively and maximizing warehouse productivity rank on top of the priority list of almost all warehouse managers,

We offers some tips on how to improve warehouse management.

Apply Cross-Docking to Maximize Space

The objective of cross-docking is to reduce the shelf storage time of stocks in the warehouse. It helps in transporting warehouse delivered goods quickly to the outbound carriers that can take the stocks to distribution centers. Make sure that the warehouse layout supports cross-docking.

Implement Strict Standards for Safety

Don’t make the warehouse an unsafe place for employees. If the staff isn’t trained properly, the result will be numerous accidents and high injury rates. Ensure that only the well-trained and experienced employees operate heavy duty equipment such as forklifts. Mark the safety protocols in the warehouse, such as indicating a safe distance from danger zones.

Incorporate Efficient Weighing Systems

Make efficient weight scales, such as truck scales, an integral part of your warehouse as it helps in optimizing all the weighing processes. By improving the accuracy of the billing and shipping tremendously, revenues can be increased. The overall workflow productivity is also enhanced.

Use Technology to Enhance Inventory Management

New robotics technology has become the most sought after technology in many companies. Automated vehicles come a close second. By incorporating self-driving technology in the warehouses, human labor can be assigned to more critical jobs and enhance safety and efficiency.

3-D printing technology allows on-demand production of various components for manufacturing at the location itself. It can effectively eliminate the need for any transportation, thus reducing the cost and lead times significantly.

Innovation of newer, lighter and stronger materials like nanotubes and graphene  will improve warehouse productivity as less energy is needed to transport lighter materials and equipment.

Extract taken from goo.gl/USrdb3

Written by MH&L Staff

Diesel prices drop for fourth straight week, reports EIA

The Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported this week that the average price per gallon of diesel gasoline dropped for the fourth straight week, with a 0.4 cent decline to $2.558 per gallon.

This follows declines of 0.7 cents, 1.6 cents, and 1.2 cents, respectively, over the previous three weeks.

The last four weeks of declines were preceded by gains over the previous six weeks, with the average price per gallon increasing a cumulative 17.7 cents from the week of November 28 to the week of January 9.

The average price per barrel of West Texas Intermediate Crude is at $52.27 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

A recent Reuters report said that oil prices were steady as news of lower production by OPEC and other key exporters was balanced by reports of more drilling and higher output in the United States. And it added that U.S. oil production has risen by more than 6 percent since mid-2016, though it remains 7 percent below the 2015 peak. It is back to levels reached in late 2014, when strong U.S. crude output contributed to a crash in oil prices.

In its most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA is calling for diesel prices to average out at $2.73 in 2017 and $2.84 in 2018, with WTI crude oil pegged at $52.50 per barrel in 2017 and $55.18 in 2018.




Extract taken from   goo.gl/KHhpdo

LM staff

http://.logisticsmgmt.com/

Electric Truck Sales to Surpass a Third of a Million by 2026

According to a new report from Navigant Research, global annual electrified powertrain medium- and heavy-duty truck sales are expected to grow from about 31,000 vehicles in 2016 to nearly 332,000 by 2026.

The report forecasts sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks for each major world region — segmented by electrified powertrain type, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell — through 2026.

As local and national governments impose stricter emissions targets for commercial vehicles, they are also looking for ways to incentivize fleets to invest in medium- and heavy-duty fuel efficiency technologies as well as cleaner-burning fuels.

Though conventional diesel-powered vehicles are becoming cleaner and more efficient, the added initial and operating costs associated with these changes are helping to reduce the incremental cost of moving to electric-assisted and all-electric powertrains.

“New and established suppliers are starting to offer alternative powertrains as well as complete electric vehicles for niche applications,” says David Alexander, senior research analyst with Navigant Research. “Limited daily range and a drive cycle featuring a lot of stopping and starting are applications that benefit most from electric drive capabilities, and delivery and refuse collection vehicles are expected to be the primary targets in the short term.”
Technology advances and production experience in the bus market can be transferred readily to trucks, and the growing demand for electric cars has stimulated investment in battery manufacture that has resulted in falling battery pack costs, according to the report. However, even with these positive factors, electric drive trucks are still expected to remain a niche market, at around 5 percent of sales in 2026.


The report — Electric Drive Trucks — breaks the forecasts for the global truck market into medium-duty trucks and heavy-duty trucks for each major world region. Both of these vehicle categories are assessed for potential sales of electrified powertrain types: hybrid (gasoline and diesel), plug-in hybrid (gasoline and diesel), battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell.
Global market forecasts for annual sales, segmented by region and powertrain type, extend through 2026. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

Extract taken from   https://goo.gl/9EUas5

Trucking news staff

http://mhlnews.com/

Tech StartUps that will Transform Warehousing

Beyond robotics software startups tech-enabled approaches are branching into warehousing, according to research by CB Insights.

CB Insights points to examples of  Flexe, which they call “AirBnB for warehouse space” and the proliferation of  several augmented reality smart glasses for warehouse workers such as GetVu as startups that will change the warehousing landscape. 

The research highlights a few companies, their funding, and how they will impact the sector. 

Warehouse & inventory management software - These companies offer software-as-a-service platforms, generally cloud-based, for warehouse management and inventory tracking functions. Temando leads with $50 million in funding, and works with Asos, Trademe, Krispy Kreme, and more. UK-based Peoplevox ($6 mmillion in funding) pairs its SaaS platform with warehouse-optimization consultants.

Warehouse robots - Automated and remotely controlled robots for order picking and inventory management. Seegrid, with $63 million in funding, makes automated vision-guided vehicles for companies like BMW, Volvo, Walgreens, 3M, Honeywell, and the USPS.

Worker wearables - GetVU, Atheer, and XOEye produce augmented reality smart glasses to aid warehouse workers, and Kinetic makes wearables that attach to workers’ belts to analyze movements and help prevent injuries.

Indoor asset tracking - These companies offer software, bar code readers, and RFID tags, focusing on improving the tracking of goods and equipment in warehouses.

On-demand warehouse space - Flexe ($20.6 million in funding) offers an online marketplace connecting retailers that need warehouse space with warehouses that have extra capacity.

Extract taken from   https://goo.gl/UxtgS0

By MH&L staff

http://mhlnews.com/

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index drops, but growth is expected in 2017

While the trucking sector appears to be regaining its footing to an extent, the most recent edition of the Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) from freight transportation consultancy FTR shows that it is happening at a somewhat lower rate in advance of a potential expected capacity reduction next year.
The TCI reflects tightening conditions for hauling capacity and is comprised of various metrics, including capacity, fuel, bankruptcies, cost of capital, and freight.

According to FTR, a TCI reading above zero represents an adequate trucking environment, with readings above ten indicating that volumes, prices, and margin are in a good range for carriers.
For October, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI came in at 2.84 compared to September’s 5.47. In June, July, and August, the TCI came in at 2.93, 5.99, and 6.76, respectively. May’s 1.69 was the lowest level for the TCI since 2011.

FTR said that this reading reflects the continuation of a current pullback ahead of expected 2017 capacity tightening, with the TCI , which is still in “low positive territory,” expected to reflect improving conditions for carriers when capacity tightens due to regulations being implemented, something which FTR said will improve pricing and margins for carriers through 2017. And it also noted that the TCI is expected to reach its peak in late 2017 or early 2018.

“Despite the pullback in the October TCI there is sufficient evidence in the marketplace to indicate a turnaround is in the works for truckers,” said FTR COO Jonathan Starks in a statement. “The spot market has shown a dramatic change with posted loads showing a 40% increase in November versus last year. Combine that with the recent reductions in truck capacity that have finally occurred, and you arrive at a market that is set to see year-over-year rate increases for the first time since the second quarter of 2015. That is 80+ weeks of negative results - even a small improvement will feel really good about now. The change in administration at the White House creates some inherent uncertainty, but we will have a better picture of a Donald Trump presidency fairly soon. The biggest unknown is the impact of ELDs on the marketplace in 2017. If regulations are delayed or expunged, the impact on 2017 will be muted and pricing won’t be as strong as expected. However, the market is already showing a positive shift, and the negative pricing of the last two years is unlikely to last much longer.”

What’s more, the freight environment remains in a pattern of largely flat growth, although there have been recent signs for optimism, including a better than expected third quarter GDP estimated over 3 percent, decent job growth figures, and signs of increased consumer spending.

But these alone have not been consistent enough to translate into sustained economic growth, coupled with excess trucking capacity still being hampered by elevated inventories, which have shown signs of heading down recently.

Extract taken from   https://goo.gl/HqkVll

By LM staff

http://www.logisticsmgmt.com

FTR Analyzes Potential Impact of Election on Trucking Industry

In a note to its subscribers, FTR foresees limited short-term impact to the overall economy — and the transportation industry in particular — as a result of the U.S. presidential election results.

Behind this assessment is the fact that the new President won’t take office for three months, and then any proposed legislation will take time to move through the legislative branch of government.

According to Noël Perry, transportation economist at FTR, “There are certainly particular risks that arise any time there is a change in elected power; but there is little near-term change in the outlook for the U.S. economy, as budgets are set and policies are intact until later in 2017.”

Some possible risks to watch for according to FTR:

Since the President does control foreign policy, trade agreements with the Chinese and Mexico are likely to be addressed early on in the new administration with the risk of an increase in inflation.

Regulations and enforcement will be addressed. And if electronic logging device (ELD) implementation gets sticky because of the FMCSA’s slowness in publishing complete technical standards, the new administration is much more likely to postpone the December 2017 deadline. That said, trucking regulations in general will not be a priority.

If a major tax cut bill is in place by summer of 2017, it would likely stimulate the economy and add up to 1 percentage point to GDP growth for as much as a year. At the same time, trade negotiations could stimulate exports and raise the cost of imports, with an acceleration in inflation likely. That may force a significant raising of interest rates by the Federal Reserve, making recession in late 2018 or 2019 a distinct possibility.

FTR does not expect to change its industry forecasts based on the election results but will be monitoring any activity that may cause an adjustment and will continue to advise their subscribers accordingly.

Extract taken from   http://goo.gl/VMk7jK

By Trucking News Staff

http://www.truckingnewsonline.com/

How a new breed of warehouse is fuelling eCommerce


Traditional warehouses — large buildings sitting in affordable rural areas along popular shipping routes — have been replaced by new breeds of fulfillment centers. Retailers’ warehouse strategies are changing dramatically and becoming a more critical piece of the ecommerce landscape — from how the geographic location of each warehouse is chosen to how products are documented and placed in a warehouse’s inventory. These logistical innovations are allowing retailers to stay competitive and offer shipping options that keep their customers happy.
From retail powerhouses to small businesses, companies are using fresh warehouse tactics to fuel their ecommerce success.

Walmart Uses Drones in the Warehouse

In a recent demonstration, Walmart suggested it may soon be using drones in at least one of its distribution centers to inspect labels and inventory, a process that now takes employees about a month to complete with handheld scanners. Currently, Walmart uses a mix of supercenters and distribution centers to fulfill orders placed online.

This new venture with drones comes at a great time, as Walmart recently rolled out its new two-day subscription shipping service, Walmart ShippingPass. The service also offers free returns online and in-store. With more orders and returns bound to be made by subscribers of ShippingPass, speeding up the logistics process with warehouse drones will help the Walmart operations staff keep up with the imminent increased demand.

Target Transforms Storefronts into Warehouse Space

It’s no secret that brick-and-mortar stores are struggling to stay relevant. But companies like Target are now pushing past its brick-and-mortar roots by converting some of its storefront space to mimic warehouses in order to increase sales and adapt to the changing needs of the consumer. Target fulfilled 30 percent of its online orders from stores in Q4 as well as netting a record number of online customers who picked up their orders in person over the holiday season.

Although many retailers are still trying to strike the right ratio of inventory on store shelves vs. warehouse shelves, the proof for this strategy is in the pudding. Online sales for Target in Q4 jumped 34 percent, beating even the formidable Amazon — which had its biggest holiday shopping season ever and grew 26 percent in net sales. Target and other retailers will continue to adjust where products are kept as they diligently monitor where the demand originates.

Traditional retail is adjusting to the different expectations of consumers, changing their entire supply chain and points of sale to allow the consumer to have an excellent experience whether they buy in-store, online or via a catalogue. Customers can also choose whether they pick the goods up in-person or get them shipped with traditional methods, even within a couple of hours.

Amazon Builds Urban Warehouses

From 2013 to 2016, Amazon has opened roughly 33 of its 78 “traditional” warehouses in the U.S., according to estimates from MWPVL. On the other hand, Amazon opened 60 Prime Now hubs and fresh delivery stations in that same time frame. Prime Now hubs, according to MWPVL, are fulfillment centers built in dense urban areas that are filled with only the bestselling items for that particular metro area. These Prime Now hubs cater to customers who want one- and two-hour delivery timeframes.

Amazon is also experimenting with a third type of warehouse — the “sortation center.” Amazon sends small parcels to these facilities so it can rely less on FedEx and UPS and more on the U.S. Postal Service. Amazon employees sort and ship these packages to individual post offices since USPS is able to deliver small, lightweight packages for much less than private couriers. Amazon’s mix of all three types of warehouses will allow it to experiment in order to figure out the most efficient way to reduce the costs of shipping.

SMBs Use Predictive Data to Pinpoint New Warehouse Locations

Even small and medium-sized businesses are optimizing their warehouses in order to improve delivery times. For example, shipping software provider Endicia is working on using customer data and predictive analysis to guide the business decisions of small online retailers (its customers) in order to improve delivery for the end-consumer.

Predictive technology allows small businesses to meet consumer expectations and stand toe-to-toe with competitors. Looking at data from past shipments from customers can help small businesses figure out the best place to build a new warehouse, supply future shoppers with a more accurate delivery window, identify where to stock products based on customer demand, etc. The possibilities are endless when businesses have access to a large amount of data points.

Online customer expectations for shipping are constantly changing and becoming more challenging to meet. Traditional warehouse models alone do not make sense for online retailers who are trying to keep up with their customers’ shipping demands. The ability to offer affordable two-day shipping, same-day shipping and affordable returns requires some innovative thinking on the part of ecommerce businesses.

Online retailers that want to offer faster and more convenient shipping options to their customers need to adapt the right mix of innovative warehouse strategies for their businesses. Researching which locations make sense to build future warehouses, finding more efficient ways to account for inventory and using already owned space to house products offered online are all ways that a small business can keep up with the big names in retail.

Extract taken from   http://goo.gl/DKz9FD

By Amine Khechfé

http://www.supplychaindigital.com/

Strong Truck Engine Sales Seen Ahead of Class 8 Emission Standard

Total North American Class 8 truck production peaked in 2015, with ACT Research predicting at that time lower demand in 2016 and 2017 followed by recovery.

A pre-emission boom is forecast in 2019 and 2020, before a sharp drop into 2021, according to a new report by ACT Research and Rhein Associates.

The N.A. On-highway CV Engine Outlook, available now, is designed to present historical trends, current activity and forecasts of engine demand in on-highway commercial vehicles. The report analyzes significant trends in engine displacement, engine type (diesel, gasoline, natural gas, and other), captive versus non-captive engines, and premium versus non-premium power for Class 8 vehicles.

“This analysis of engine history and its related forecast highlight the trends in engine type and displacement,” said Tom Rhein, president of Rhein Associates. He added, “New and revised engine introductions over the next few years —together with emission impacts — will lead to changes in demand.”

According to Ken Vieth, ACT’s senior partner and general manager, “The Class 8 engine analysis centers on diesel engines because gasoline engines are not available in trucks of this size. And OEM-installed alternative-fuel engines (natural gas) are currently only available from Cummins Westport: ISL-G (8.9L) and ISX-12G (11.9L).”

Vieth continued, “Demand for natural gas engines has slowed in 2016, constituting less than 2 percent of total engines used in Class 8 trucks.”

Rhein Associates is a major supplier of powertrain information to worldwide clients enabling accurate and informed business decisions and marketing plans. RAI produces three publications: The Rhein Report (leading monthly newsletter), The Future of Diesel Engines (a five-year history and forecast book), and various engine databases as well as accomplishing various consulting projects.
ACT is a worldwide leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market

Extract taken from   http://goo.gl/9RCLEQ

By Trucking News Staff

http://www.truckingnewsonline.com

Motor Carrier Regulations Update: Caught in a Trap

The New York Times has called President Barack Obama the “regulator in chief.” Why? The nation’s 44th president has led a regulatory assault on American business—specifically the $748 billion trucking industry.

In fact, during Obama’s two terms, Washington regulators have produced 600 major regulations with dozens more in the pipeline. And while not all of them affect trucking, of course, many do. They cover everything from emissions, safety reporting of accidents, hours-of-service (HOS), electronic onboard recorders, entry-level training, fuel-mileage standards, overtime pay, hair follicle testing for drug cheaters, speed governors, sleep apnea testing, diesel emission standards and visas for foreign workers who might ease the truck driver shortage.

While economically deregulated since 1980, interstate trucking is still massively regulated at the federal level by the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and scores of other units within other departments. In the meantime, states are nearly as aggressive.
Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former chief of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), sees all the fine print coming out of the agencies in Washington and sums it up in three words: “A regulatory tsunami.”

In 2016, George Washington University’s Susan Dudley and Washington University’s Melinda Warren conservatively estimated that 279,000 federal workers staff regulatory agencies. To put this in perspective, in 1960 at the end of President Dwight Eisenhower’s second term, that number was just over 57,000.

William Kovacs, U.S. Chamber senior vice president for Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs, says that Congress is mostly at fault. He says Washington bureaucrats feel they need to do something to justify their jobs, and trucking appears to be a ripe target.

The result in trucking is that the industry is not only being hit with new and creative rules, but it’s seeing a backlog of other rules such as the HOS 34-hour restart provision awaiting final word from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Whatever happens on these various rules, one thing is certain: shippers will pay more. That’s because in the thin-margin trucking business—carriers make on average 3% to 4% margin even in good years—there’s no place else to absorb these costs.

“It’s going to feel like a tremendous weight to bear because we have everything coming at us,” says Derek Leathers, president and CEO of Werner Enterprises, the nation’s 4th largest truckload (TL) carrier. “But to the extent that you can get out in front of regulations, it can work to your advantage.”
Analysts are warning that while the large mega-carriers have the savvy leadership and economies of scale to survive, other less well-capitalized carriers may fall victim to the regulatory onslaught.
“Looking ahead, smaller carriers may struggle under the weight of forthcoming regulations, competition for drivers and their reliance on truck brokers,” says John Larkin, veteran trucking analyst for Stiefel Inc. “Some slow consolidation may be inevitable as small carriers decide it’s not worth continuing in business given a challenging spot market and the coming requirement to operate in absolute compliance with federal regulations.”

With this heated environment in mind, let’s take a deeper dive into the regulatory maze facing truckers and work to figure out which new rules will be making the most impact on shipper transportation strategies and budgets.
“Black boxes”

Electronic logging devices (ELDs), also known in trucker parlance as “black boxes,” are about the size and weight of a Bible and are abhorred by many drivers and adored by most large trucking fleets.
Major truck fleets have long hinted that some independent drivers fudge their legal hours of service using paper logs—hence the reason that larger fleets pushed for mandatory ELDs. However, the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA) has sued the DOT on grounds that the devices don’t help safety and merely are another tool for “harassment” of drivers. The case is pending in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. 

ELDs are not necessarily a new development. In fact, the 28 European Commission countries as well as some Central and South American countries currently require them. Costing about $300, these tamper-proof devices are in line to be required on all trucks in the United States by the end of next year—and major fleets say they’re worth every dollar.

“Simply put, it makes us safer as an industry,” says Chuck Hammel, president of less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier Pitt Ohio. He adds that the immediate productivity hit in eliminating illegal hours is between 7% and 10%, but that can be mitigated over time as carriers learn what they can and cannot do.

“ELDs provide many operational advantages internally,” says Hammel. “First and foremost, it gives you visibility as to when the driver is moving or sitting and exactly how many hours the driver has left to drive. This is critical information to have when scheduling pickups.”

Big carriers such as Swift Transportation, Schneider, Werner and others have been using ELDs for many years. In fact, Werner was the first large carrier to convert from paper logs to ELDs in 1998. “ELDs don’t make a fleet safer by themselves,” says Werner’s Leathers. “That comes through investments in safety training and creating a culture of safety within the organization. But it assures that shippers, carriers and drivers are on the same page when it comes to expectation of transit times.”















The emissions game

A new Class 8 truck cost roughly $80,000 a decade or so ago. Today, that same truck costs roughly $140,000 before any fleet discounts for multiple orders.

The 2017 model Peterbilt, Freightliner, Paccar, Volvo or Mercedes all come outfitted with world class emissions controls, costly electronics and other devices that OEMs say have eliminated as much as 98% of particulate matter into the atmosphere.

As Phase 2 of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA truck emissions regulations are set to start in the coming years, carriers and government officials say shippers ought to get ready to help pay for them. The EPA estimates these Phase 2 rules, which start on Jan. 1, 2018, for trailers will be followed by tractor regulations coming in three rollouts through 2027. The EPA says that the move is projected to cut greenhouse gases (GHG) 13% by 2021, 20% by 2024 and 25% by 2027.

However, it will come with a considerable price. The cost for the trailers-only rule in 2018 is estimated at $1,090, but the per-vehicle tractor costs will be $12,300 by 2027.

“These standards are ambitious and achievable, and they’ll help ensure that the American trucking industry continues to drive our economy—and at the same time protect our planet,” says Gena McCarthy, EPA administrator. “We expect these will drive innovation as well as protect the air we breathe.”

ATA officials contend they were “cautiously optimistic” that the new rules were workable, and that the 10-year phase-in period for the regulation would not be unduly disruptive to fleets and manufacturers.

“While today’s fuel prices are more than 50% lower than those we experienced in 2008, fuel is still one of the top two operating expenses for most trucking companies,” says ATA president and CEO Chris Spear, noting that ATA worked with Washington officials for the past four years to ensure that these fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards took into account the wide diversity of equipment and operations across the trucking sector.

“ATA developed and adopted a set of 15 guiding principles to serve as our major parameters for inclusion in the final rule,” says Glen Kedzie, vice president and energy and environmental counsel for the ATA. “We’re pleased that our concerns such as adequate lead-time for technology development, national harmonization of standards and flexibility for manufacturers have been heard and included in the final rule.”

But some carrier executives are skeptical of the EPA because of past problems with emissions regulations. John White, chief marketing officer for U.S. Xpress, says that the recent EPA-required changes in 2010 and 2012 resulted in some problems with engine filters and after-market treatments.
“All of the larger fleet operators accelerated our trade-in cycles because of down time and maintenance,” says White. “We dumped a lot of low mileage trucks onto the used truck market place.”

Speed limiters, and more

What else is coming down the regulatory pipeline for trucking? For one, the government wants to put the brakes on the trucking industry. In fact, NHTSA and the DOT are proposing speed governors on new trucks with a maximum speed probably around 62 to 68 miles per hour, although it says it’s waiting for public comments to determine the exact highest speed.

Transportation secretary Anthony Foxx says that the safety measure could save lives and more than $1 billion in fuel costs each year; and, more importantly for truckers, the rule wouldn’t require the retrofitting of the approximately 3.5 million older tractor-trailer trucks on the highways.

“It’s a reasonable rule,” says Leathers. “We have speed limiters set at 65 mph, but they can be brought down to 62.” The key, he says, is to find the correct relationship between safety and fuel economy.

Since 2006, the ATA has adopted a policy in favor of limiting the maximum speed of new trucks to 68 miles per hour. The proposed ruling sets up yet another fight between owner-operators, which are against the governors, and the organized trucking industry, which is in favor of the speed limiters.

OOIDA says that according to DOT data, less than 8% of fatal crashes involving trucks are speeding-related, compared to almost 30% for passenger vehicle crashes. The owner organization also says that speed limiters for trucks would result in a significant speed differential between cars and trucks on roads like interstate highways.

Safety advocates contend that the safest highways are those where traffic travels at the same or similar speeds. For every speed differential of 1 mile per hour between vehicles, the likelihood of interaction increases. Trucking executives agree that speed uniformity on the highways is key. “Speed should not be a competitive landscape,” adds Leathers.

Road ahead

State regulators are not far behind Washington bureaucrats when it comes to causing heartburn for truckers. Trucking executives say that state-specific regulations in California and elsewhere governing meal breaks, overtime pay and other issues threatens to create a “patchwork” of inefficient state regulations affecting interstate commerce.

Already, some LTL carriers have instituted a “California surcharge” of 2% or more on shipments in and out of the Golden State. As states get more aggressive in targeting the trucking industry for taxes and other fees, carriers worry that they’ll be ripe targets or even more creative rules.

“It’s an onslaught,” adds Werner’s Leathers. “It’s more than I’ve seen in a lifetime, and it just keeps on coming. They seem very efficient in finding ways to legislate things that cannot be legislated.” 

Extract taken from   http://goo.gl/J1iqAb

By John D. Shulz

http://www.logisticsmgmt.com

Uber sets its sights on long-haul trucking and brokerage markets

For shippers, carriers, brokerages and really all other industry stakeholders that have not given much thought to the possibility of Uber becoming a truckload carrier, it appears it may be time to change that mindset.

That is due to a couple of different reasons. One is the ride sharing service’s recent acquisition of self-driving truck startup company Otto for roughly $680 million. Upon completion of this deal in August, an Otto blog posting noted that “with Uber, we will create the future of commercial transportation: first, self-driving trucks that provide drivers unprecedented levels of safety; and second, a platform that matches truck drivers with the right load wherever they are,” en route to building the backbone of what it called the “rapidly-approaching self-driving freight system.”

Another reason was clearly spelled out in a Reuters report published yesterday that explained, with Otto in the fold, Uber is keen on becoming both a freight hauler and technology partner for trucking. And this comes with the expectation that in 2017 Otto-branded trucks, as well as others with Otto technology, will start moving freight headed for warehouses and stores, Otto Co-Founder told Reuters.

Uber’s goals are seriously ambitious to be sure. The report explained that it is now pitching its services to shippers, truck fleets, and independent drivers, not just to outfit trucks with self-driving technology but also to be a player in the highly competitive $700 billion truckload brokerage arena, too, which is replete with major players such as C.H. Robinson Worldwide, XPO Logistics, Echo Global, and many other players.

But the goals may need to be tempered somewhat, on the actual freight-hauling side specifically, with a current fleet of six trucks that Otto plans to expand to 15.

What’s more, it is one thing to say you are going to do these things and truly influence the market in profound ways, but it’s an entirely other thing to execute and make that happen.

That was made clear in a report issued earlier this year by supply chain consultancy Armstrong and Associates, which was based on feedback from 27 companies providing Uber for Trucking services, or “Digital Freight Matching” (DFM), which Armstrong said reflects these types of services far more accurately.

“One of the key components of Uber’s model is the commodity-like nature of the ride-hailing service,” Armstrong said.  “The principle behind Digital Freight Matching may be simple, but the trucking industry is not. Domestic transportation is not a simple commodity. Complexities arise in the form of specialized equipment types, shipments transported via multiple modes, and necessary exception handling for service issues such as equipment breakdowns.

Shipments are high-value and time sensitive. Placing an Uber-like app atop a complex industry doesn’t truly address the problem. Shippers and Carriers alike will be disappointed if this is the extent of the ‘solution.’”

And even with its now publicly stated goals to enter the freight transportation market, many industry observers do not expect immediate buy-in to Uberization within the space by Uber or other like-minded companies.

Stifel analyst John Larkin made that clear in LM’s Truckload Brokerage roundtable earlier this year, noting that while Uberization is something that will evolve but not burst onto the scene either.

“Shippers…are simply not going to turn over a $250,000 load to a company that has technology, but little knowledge or experience in the highly nuanced world of freight transportation,” he said. “Instead, the larger, better capitalized brokers will incrementally move us in the direction of more automated brokerage by rolling out automated modules that will gradually make brokerage less people intensive. Shippers will undoubtedly experience less heartburn with this approach.”

While self-driving trucks bring potentially bring some bright spots into freight transportation, such as possibly helping to alleviate the longstanding driver shortage, it also will come with challenges, including the impact of poor transportation infrastructure, and legal ramifications that could stem from accidents involving self-driving trucks, YRC President James Welch said at this week’s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Annual Conference in Orlando.

While it is clear self-driving trucks are a part of the future, there is a lot of ground to cover before it comes to fruition. Uber appears to be game in attempting to make a splash into the market, with an eye on becoming a market player, too. It is way to early to say what will or won’t happen, but it certainly looks like it will be an interesting ride.

Extract taken from   http://goo.gl/h6SwNT

By Jeff Berman

http://www.logisticsmgmt.com

OOIDA Asks Senate Panel to Nix Plans for Speed Limiters on Trucks

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has asked the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations to exclude language from any federal spending measures that mandates the installation of speed limiters on heavy commercial vehicles.

The association says that to do so would undermine the regulatory process and take away the public’s ability to make informed comments to an already proposed rule.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced recently a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require U.S. trucks larger than 26,000 pounds be set at a maximum speed of 60 or 65 or 68 miles per hour.

OOIDA points out that language currently included in the Senate THUD bill would force the FMCSA and NHTSA to issue a final rule that mandates this policy, ignoring the sacrosanct ability of industry stakeholders to help shape the regulations affecting them through the traditional federal rulemaking process.

OOIDA says Congress should take time to understand the true impact this policy would have on highway safety and allow the rulemaking process to continue, rather than imposing a mandate through the appropriations process.

“Congress has never analyzed the effect of mandating lower speeds for heavy vehicles through any public hearing or forum,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of OOIDA. “We believe the Senate’s first significant action on the issue should not be in the form of mandating something that decades of research has proven increases the likelihood of crashes between trucks and other vehicles.”

“The agencies making the proposal fully acknowledge the potential for increases in crashes between trucks and other vehicles, and only want to attempt to mitigate the severity of such crashes.”

“Such a mandate would have serious consequences such as promoting road rage among other motorists and creating ‘rolling roadblocks’ of trucks on highways,” said Spencer. “Many states that used to have lower, separate speed limits for trucks have realized this was not the best idea and changed their policies to the same speed limit for all vehicles.”

OOIDA wants the motoring public to know that this is a nationwide policy that would affect all who use the roads where large trucks travel. The association is opposing it and encourages the motoring public to join in opposition.

“Highways are safest when all vehicles travel at the same relative speed,” said Spencer. “This wisdom is backed by science. NHTSA’s messages have promoted the practice for years based upon their own research, going back decades.”

OOIDA is a national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers with more than 158,000 members nationwide.




Extract taken from goo.gl/rfMSVB

http://www.truckingnewsonline.com

FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index heads up from June to July

Freight transportation consultancy FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) showed signs of improvement, the company recently reported.

The TCI reflects tightening conditions for hauling capacity and is comprised of various metrics, including capacity, fuel, bankruptcies, cost of capital, and freight.

According to FTR, a TCI reading above zero represents an adequate trucking environment, with readings above ten indicating that volumes, prices, and margin are in a good range for carriers.
For July, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI headed up to 5.99, an improvement over June’s 2.92, and May’s 1.69, which is its lowest reading going back to 2011.

Reasons for July’s improvement cited by FTR included moderate economic growth, and a regulatory agenda that will tighten capacity utilization, with the firm adding that building regulatory drag over the next 18 months should increase pricing and margins for fleets that have capacity. And it added that TCI readings for the remainder of 2016 and into early 2017 are expected to be in the same range at July.

“The freight market is doing slightly better than just treading water, but there is still a disconnect between activity in the spot and contract markets,” said FTR COO Jonathan Starks in a statement.

“This is a result of the slow growth environment that we are in right now. You use your contract carriers whenever you can. There just hasn’t been enough extra freight to spill over into the spot markets. Plus, shippers were able to use the big drops in spot rates to help put pressure on their contract carriers. I believe that those conditions will soon be turning, especially for van freight. Van loads on the load boards are up this summer, and capacity has noticeably tightened. It isn’t extremely tight, but compared to last year it is a welcome relief for carriers. That should soon take root in contract rates, especially as shippers and carriers prepare for their 2017 negotiations.

Starks said that one note of caution is in the flatbed segment, as the big reductions in oilfield activity has continued to put too much carrier capacity back into the spot market, and pricing is still weak for this segment. And he noted that until oil prices move higher or housing and business investment rally, the long-haul flatbed market is going to continue to struggle for volumes and rates.”

Stifel analyst John Larkin observed on a conference call hosted by his firm this week that trucking continues be in a very difficult rate environment in 2016, especially on the spot market side of the sector, with current spot market pricing likely not sustainable.

Larkin added that smaller trucking companies are downsizing and dropping out of the market altogether, or experiencing some financial pain.

On the contract pricing side, which he said “held up beautifully in 2015,” has accelerated this year, with some shippers tossed aside talk of collaboration and reverted to aggressive pricing practices.

“Some of the big fleets are downsizing, which fits in nicely with smaller ones doing the same thing and ultimately will bring supply and demand into balance, as capacity-sapping regulations are rolled out from 2017-2019, that will further tighten supply and demand and improve the pricing outlook, but we don’t expect pricing to be any better than it is right now, until, at the earliest, in the second quarter of 2017, and it is not clear it will even improve then.”

Extract taken from 
By Jeff Berman   goo.gl/EYazzq
http://www.logisticsmgmt.com