IoT applications have been tested in recent times for all kinds of businesses. Now, it is time to envision how to apply the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve supply chains. This research paper:

• Provides a framework companies can use to envision how to apply the IoT to their supply chains
• Applies the IoT framework to semiconductor, automotive, and ecommerce supply chain improvements
• Explains the capabilities organizations must have to implement IoT technologies

If you suspect that carriers reject multi-stop truckloads more often than single-stop loads, you're only partially right. This white paper explores:

• Factors that increase the price for multi-stop truckloads
• Factors that lower the price for multi-stop truckloads
• Strategies you can employ to make multi-stop freight more attractive to carriers and better control your costs

Can shippers improve select attributes of their freight or employ strategies to experience a better freight market? ? This project focused on the correlation of truckload shipment tender lead time to corridor volumes and volatility, regional sensitivity, and tender rejection rates.

Does paying higher rates bring better carrier service? Researchers at MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) worked with C.H. Robinson and TMC, a division of C.H. Robinson, to find out. This white paper provides highlights of the findings:

• Whether paying more results in better on time pickup or delivery percentages.
• Whether there is a correlation between acceptance ratios and carrier pricing in a lane.
• Whether there is any correlation between on time pickup and on time delivery.

Boston Consulting Group and C.H. Robinson collaborated to examine how the Panama Canal Expansion in 2016 will impact logistics. Read the conclusions:

• The expansion could shift 10% of container traffic between East Asia and the U.S. from West Coast ports to East Coast ports
• The battleground on which U.S. ports compete for customers will move several hundred miles west, to a region that accounts for more than 15% of GDP
• Shippers and carriers will have to adapt their strategies and operations as logistics grows more complex

Anecdotal evidence and some qualitative research suggests that "favored shippers"—companies for which carriers prefer to haul freight—obtain better pricing and service. But do they? In this paper, Iowa State University researchers explain:

• How they sought to understand the voice of U.S. truckload carriers
• How they quantitatively measured the effects of "favored shipper" characteristics on transportation costs
• What characteristics actually make shippers favored in the transportation marketplace

There is currently no widely accepted, accurate template for calculating emissions for individual LTL shipments. Graduate students at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) used actual LTL shipment data from TMC, a division of C.H. Robinson, and a national LTL carrier to examine the issue. Read the results:

• Why existing methodologies for measuring carbon emissions for LTL shipments are highly inaccurate
• How a detailed model and a simplified model for calculating emissions performed
• How an easy-to-use formula derived from the simplified model can help companies measure LTL carbon emissions with greater accuracy

Do regular procurement events help control transportation costs, or are frequent rebids a waste of time? This white paper answers the question, based on the results of Iowa State University research:

• How carriers adjust and honor contract rates between procurement events
• Why regular procurement events lower costs
• How procurement events promote strategic relationships with service providers

This report looks at truck transportation between Canada, the United States, and Mexico and how four trends seem likely to impact shippers and carriers in the current environment. It addresses how:

• Industries are taking advantage of nearshoring in Mexico
• Canada's investment in transportation infrastructure is allowing the country to more easily access Asian markets, often bypassing the United States
• Ecommerce is bringing new opportunities and challenges to logistics suppliers
• Digitization in the freight marketplace enables smaller carriers to obtain easier access to shipments

You could be missing potential savings on less than truckload (LTL) service, but where should you look for the best opportunities? This white paper highlights:

• What shipping data you will need to assess LTL shipments
• How to understand the key shipping characteristics that can identify the best cost reduction opportunities
• Five areas where LTL savings are commonly found

Companies that take control of inbound freight management have discovered efficiencies, but that is far from the only benefit. Discover the 10 best practices for inbound supply chains that can also help:

• Reduce inventory
• Improve cash-to-cash cycles
• Save on transportation

Open discussions with people in your organization about how potential business decisions impact the transportation budget—and how the business can decide whether the tradeoff is worth it—before the decisions are made. In terms just about anyone can understand, it explains the key drivers of transportation cost increases:

• Shipment sizes
• Changing networks
• Product mix
• Fuel surcharges
• Truckload’s unique shipper/carrier contract

Cold chains—whether they span a state, region, or the globe—often lead to unique challenges. A strategic approach to temperature controlled shipping should include the right combination of collaboration, communication, and best practices. Learn which best practices can lead to better outcomes:

• Establishing clear expectations
• Sharing responsibilities
• Balancing cost and technology

Incorporating intermodal service into a supply chain can be a strategic method of adding efficiency and achieving cost savings. Shippers with the right supply chain characteristics can make the most of intermodal service. Aspects to consider include:

• Origins and destinations of shipments
• Products being transported
• Seasonality of demand

Many factors affect the level of commitment that carriers and shippers have to each other’s business. But shippers who understand the dynamics behind carrier pricing and service levels are better positioned to:

• Improve predictability and flexibility of available capacity
• Have more productive relationships
• Obtain more positive carrier service

A tight truckload market often challenges shippers looking to secure capacity. Whether planning ahead or reacting during a tough situation, there are strategic measures to help align business goals for both shippers and carriers. This white paper explains:

• How to keep tight capacity from holding your supply chain back
• What steps you should take now, in the next 90 days, and in the long term
• 12 strategies to thrive during a tight capacity market

This two-part white paper series explores truckload procurement in the European Union and United States. It looks at the similarities and differences in each market, along with key factors to consider as part of an overall transportation strategy that crosses regions. Part 1 examines:

• Carrier demographics and size
• Equipment and fuel
• Cabotage
• Drivers and Hours of Service (HOS)

This two-part white paper series explores truckload procurement in the European Union and United States. It looks at the similarities and differences in each market, along with key factors to consider as part of an overall transportation strategy that crosses regions. Part 2 examines:

• Procurement events
• Supply, demand, and peak seasons

It’s mission critical to optimize efficiencies and savings while moving freight around the world. Find out how to employ best practices in global forwarding:

• How to get more use out of available space with cargo consolidation
• How to estimate exposure and manage cargo risk
• Why understanding Incoterms^®, free trade agreements, and ACE may lead to savings and efficiency improvements

China represents tremendous opportunities for automakers and the companies that serve them. There are specific qualities that companies should seek in a qualified logistics provider to grasp their best opportunities. This white paper explains:

• The top logistics challenges for the automotive industry in China
• How logistics providers can support automotive companies in China

When companies can’t fill an entire container with their own freight, air and ocean freight consolidators offer strategic options. Discover:

• The types of consolidation available
• The strongest lanes for consolidated freight
• Good and bad consolidation candidates
• Questions to ask before selecting a freight forwarder

Air cargo can help optimize your global supply chain with speed to market and the best combination of service and price. This white paper explores

• How air cargo can provide quick response to market demands
• The value of technology in air cargo services
• The benefits of air cargo in emerging markets

This white paper explains the top three issues unique to trade between Canada and the United States, and offers tips that can help streamline cross-border shipping. It explores:

• How the exchange rate impacts the value of products and the cost to hire a carrier
• The 3 most common reasons for delays at the border
• Factors that affect carrier capacity on both sides of the border

Questions often arise when shippers that import to the U.S. try to navigate the complexities of customs regulations. These questions, if not addressed properly can lead to mistakes and costly errors. Building a proactive strategy for exercising “reasonable care” is critical to understanding:

• The most common customs mistakes and best practices to avoid them
• The true cost of noncompliance
• The importance of a strong import compliance strategy

Coordinate worldwide suppliers and vendors so your global freight arrives on time, wherever you do business. This white paper highlights how to use global vendor management programs, including:

• How Purchase Order (P.O.) management works
• How companies combine global consolidation, visibility, and P.O. management to meet specific goals
• How these programs are helping companies control global freight more efficiently and cost effectively

Global air and ocean shipments must follow unique international regulations that often favor carriers. Understanding how your cargo insurance policy covers your risks and liability is critical for regulatory compliance and protecting the value of your goods. The white paper helps you understand global shipments.

• What regulations and international laws affect your shipments
• How cargo insurance protects the value of your goods around the world
• Why it is essential to understand exclusions in your insurance policy

Globalization puts forward opportunities to companies of any size who can effectively provide or source products and services in dynamic markets. Review our white paper and learn:

• How to gain a competitive advantage through global transportation logistics
• Factors that influence international shipments
• Five characteristics of a global TMS and why companies worldwide should consider TMS technology

Discover whether a China warehouse solution is right for you by learning about:

• The benefits of overseas warehousing and shipping directly to end customers
• Potential challenges
• Implementation strategies

As U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) steps up enforcement of customs regulatory compliance, more companies are facing customs audits. Learn what increases your risk of undergoing a Focused Assessment and how you can prepare an audit team to successfully face such an event. This white paper examines:

• Why CBP’s enforcement is increasing
• How to know if your company is a likely target
• What to do before, during, and after a Focused Assessment

How does a company decide that outsourcing logistics is the right choice? This white paper can help companies decide by exploring:

• Misperceptions about the realities of outsourcing
• How to set reasonable expectations for what outsourcing can contribute to your organization
• How much of a role you will need to play to achieve the successful business outcomes you seek

Natural disasters and other events can disrupt connections between you, suppliers, and customers. You can circumvent disruptions or minimize their impact on the supply chain. This white paper explores:

• Which companies face the greatest risk for disruption
• What supply chain mapping can reveal about risk
• How you can build resilience into your supply chain

Logistics outsourcing agreements can require the provider to place highly knowledgeable, strategic staff onsite at the company’s location. This paper looks at the strategic onsite role—both from the perspective of companies that utilize these highly skilled resources and the onsite staff themselves. It explores:

• Best practices that can increase successful outcomes
• How to measure the success of a strategic onsite relationship
• Questions you should ask a potential provider about their onsite employees

Customer demands are changing the dynamics of competition in many industries. Companies that make their supply chains more flexible can drive their business goals faster and create a better experience for the end customer. Learn how:

• Customer demand affects supply chain dynamics
• Companies can manage supply chain costs and risk to drive strategy
• Technology can accelerate the global supply chain and help satisfy customer demand

Chemical manufacturers face unique supply chain requirements. The way a chemical company responds to supply chain risks can ultimately determine their success. Research shows market leaders:

• Source critical supply chain expertise and experience
• Apply process engineering to integrate sales and operations with business management practices
• Use integrated technology for visibility to the full order life cycle

You can improve efficiency and lower costs by outsourcing your LTL (less than truckload) freight. Read this paper to discover:

• Why companies outsource LTL
• How LTL pricing and discounts can work for you
• Advantages of collaborative LTL outsourcing
• 5 criteria for selecting an LTL outsource provider

With globalization of raw material sources and a growing number of origins and destinations for project cargo, efficient transportation is becoming crucial to success. This white paper explores:

• How transportation impacts the project cargo supply chain
• The role of transportation, from preplanning to project completion
• How transportation best practices can improve project cargo outcomes

Food and beverage companies that employ best practices in perfect order fill find opportunities for revenue growth and cost reduction. Find out how fulfilling the perfect order helps companies:

• Maximize productivity and profits
• Protect brand equity
• Improve customer satisfaction and competitiveness

Explore these ten ways to cut transportation costs and learn:

• How can you achieve the greatest transportation savings with the least amount of effort
• What kind of ROI you can achieve as a result