Articles
What Size Logistics Company is Right For You?
Logistics Industry April 22, 2010
The 3PL world can be very confusing for anyone who is interested in potentially outsourcing their logistics needs. Questions abound and there are hundreds of possible solutions. Once you've decided to move forward, some of the more common questions are: - Which provider should I use and what's the difference between them? - What are the costs for doing this and how do I go about setting this up? - Will I lose the visibility of my product and become just another customer in the vast sea of accounts that the company I go with services? How do I know that I'll get the attention that I need from my provider?
McKenna Logistics Centres Announces New Greenbills Program
Logistics Industry April 21, 2010
McKenna Logistics Centres, a leading Canadian provider of logistics services, are happy to announce that we will be making the switch from printed invoices to electronic invoices for our customers around the world. With a simple conversion process, customers will easily be switched over from paper invoicing to eInvoicing and reap the following benefits:
Internet Order Fufillment
Independent Retail Industry April 9, 2010
Demand for E-tail Internet Order Fulfillment in the Logistics Industry In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, it is extremely important for businesses to embrace the latest methods and trends to conduct their business. With the advancement of technology, specifically the Internet, businesses have discovered new avenues of opportunity by improving the transactions of traditional business models in terms of efficiency, productivity, profitability, and competitiveness. The impact of E-commerce, and subsequent growth of B2C transactions (business to consumer) means that an efficient and cost effective order fulfillment model is more necessary than ever.
The Logistics Around Household Goods
Home and Houseware November 17, 2009
If you take off your logistics professional hat for a minute then you can better see the challenges that surround home and houseware products. Open any newspaper or flyer, listen to any TV or radio ad, walk into any big box store or retail boutique and you are inundated with an incredible number of options of nice to have or improved function products for the home. Everyone knows there are a few thousand manufactures of knives, toasters, chairs, garden hoses etc. out there but if you asked anyone on the street for a brand name they can probably only name one or two; and most likely they will throw the name of a gimmick product rather than the top of line. Think SlapChop. Also, the retail giants are not specialized any more in catering to a specific part of the house; Canadian Tire is no longer a big hardware store, WalMart is now very successful in food and Costco will sell anything that fits on its shelves, in bulk.
The Numbers Game
Logistics Industry November 9, 2009
A key question in picking or staying with a current logistics provider is whether or not they can provide you with the same data that you are accustomed to having if you are running your own internal warehouse operation. It seems like a simple question but it is usually not asked until the decision on the 3PL has already been made. When adding a third party distribution centre (DC) to your business environment, understand the numbers you need to know and make sure that the 3PL you are looking at can provide them.
Calgary versus Vancouver
Transportation Industry November 9, 2009
When choosing a center for regional distribution logistics in Western Canada, Calgary has enjoyed advantages in recent years, particularly very low transportation rates into Vancouver, and a central location that minimized transit times. With these obvious advantages, coupled with the rapid growth in Western Canada, it might seem safe to assume that the future looks rosy for logistics in Calgary. There are several key factors that weigh in against this, though, and the recent economic downturn has highlighted them. It is important to have a full understanding of the pros and cons of both marketplaces before committing to logistics location.
