Supply Chain
- FedEx, UPS tweaks could spur more large package feesNew rules starting this month will add cubic volume measurements to the carriers' assessments for determining certain surcharges.
- UPS, FedEx discounts heat up, but shipping costs still surgingGround delivery rates hit a record high in Q4, although carriers are willing to make concessions for more lucrative volume, per the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index.
- PepsiCo uses digital twins to trial plant changesThe multi-year pilot with Nvidia and Siemens creates physics-accurate 3D replicas of U.S. plants and warehouses, with plans to eventually expand globally.
- OpenAI seeks US suppliers for AI supply chainThe AI giant launched an RFP seeking domestic suppliers to build out AI hardware, robotics components and data center capacity.
- Trump threatens tariffs on 8 countries in push for GreenlandThe U.S. president said the levy on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland would start at 10% on Feb. 1.
Packaging
- Warehouse Labor: A Delicate Balancing ActFour years after COVID-19, labor disruption continues. To be fair, labor shortages and dislocation predate the pandemic and have more to do with the tectonic shift in supply chain operations from traditional business-to-business fulfilment to direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Driving Efficiency and Sustainability in PackagingAs supply chains continue to evolve, packaging will remain a critical and often overlooked component of supply chains.
- Linerless Labels: A Triple Win of Benefits in Warehousing and ManufacturingThe concept is simple: using self-adhesive shipping labels that don’t come with a liner backing.
- A Packsize Customer Story: Staples — Expertise Meets TechnologyStaples, a global leader in office supplies and solutions, sought to address the growing challenges of packaging inefficiency and sustainability across its distribution centers. As the volume and variety of customer orders increased, Staples recognized that traditional packaging methods resulted in excess waste, higher shipping costs, and operational bottlenecks.
- Six Mistakes That Could Haunt Your Operations This Peak SeasonThe retailers and logistics providers that dominate this peak season won't be the ones with the biggest budgets or the most warehouses.
Material Handling
- KION Group and Li-Cycle form battery recycling partnership focused on circular economyKION Group signs agreement with Li-Cycle, a leader in lithium-ion battery resource recovery. Recycling will initially be carried out beginning later this year in a new Li-Cycle plant in the Magdeburg, Germany area with expansion into other countries, including France.
- ProMat 2023 insights: Integrated robotics direction seems well-matched to the timesLabor availability issues remain a core driver for warehouse automation and robotics, but ProMat exhibitors were also talking up analytics, algorithms, and digital twin modeling as a means of containing costs in inflationary times.
- ProMat 2023 attendance sets new mark at nearly 51,000 registrantsProMat returns as biggest supply chain event in its history, with an overall registration count of 50,924 and 1,051 exhibitors.
- Gap Inc. expands its e-fulfillment networkA new 800,000-square-foot DC in Texas optimizes fulfillment processes and the network.
- MHI announces winners of 2023 MHI Innovation and StartUp awardsLast night, during Industry Night at ProMat 2023, MHI announced the winners of the 2023 MHI Innovation and Startup Awards.
Transportation & Distribution
- STB Rejects 'Incomplete' Application for Proposed Rail Mega-MergerOther railways had voiced concerns over a lack of transparency from UP and Norfolk Southern in the lead-up to the STB's decision.
- Port of Long Beach Sees Record Year for Cargo Volumes in 2025With the Port of Long Beach expecting to handle 9 million TEUs in 2026, CEO Noel Hacegaba stressed the need to operate "like a 115-year startup."
- Beyond Buy: Securing the Post-Purchase Supply ChainAs the retail market continues to change and e-commerce becomes more dominant, delivery disruptions have evolved from isolated inconveniences into signs of deeper structural issues across the supply chain. These challenges are no longer confined to the last mile; instead, they often stem from fragmented upstream systems, inventory mismatches, and poor coordination between distribution, carriers […]
- Port of Los Angeles Reaches New Phase in Interchange ProjectThe Port of Los Angeles also realigned Knoll Drive, which borders the west side of the facility across the water from Terminal Island and runs parallel to I-110.
- U.S. Cargo Imports Expected to Tick Up in JanuaryU.S. import volumes are forecast to come in around 2.1 million TEUs for the opening month of 2026, which would be a 6.6% increase over December 2025.