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Sitting may be killing us, but standing all day is just as bad
Cait Harrison Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe know sitting all day in an office chair is killing us, and there's no shortage of stories in the news telling us so. And while you should limit sitting, standing for long periods isn't that much better, according to a new study. The research, published in Human Factors, the Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, found that workers who stood all day experienced significant muscle fatigue, regardless of age and gender.
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Unions pose a continuing threat to warehouses
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingThe inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009 gave the U.S. its most union-friendly president since Harry Truman left the White House nearly 60 years ago. This has led to a boost in union activity throughout the country.
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What can Nicaragua’s new Gran Canal do for global LNG trade?
Lucy Wallwork Natural ResourcesWhen it opened to great fanfare in 1914, the Panama Canal revolutionized the global trade of oil, raw materials and manufactured goods by allowing ships to cross between the Atlantic and the Pacific without navigating round the "sailors' graveyard" of Cape Horn.
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In turbulent times, Drucker’s advice still rings true
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingPeter Drucker, a world renowned pioneer in management theory, died in 2005 at the age of 95. Yet his book, "Managing in Turbulent Times," reads as though it were written yesterday. Drucker was one of the first management gurus to recognize the importance of logistics. He understood why warehousing must be a lagging factor in a recession. When sales suddenly drop, inventories build, warehouses are filled, and warehousing companies prosper.
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Marketing your warehouse magic
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingSome managers believe warehousing is a task that can be handled adequately by anyone with a strong back. Therefore, the business of warehousing service is in constant danger of becoming a commodity. Commodities normally are sold by price, with few vendors recognizing special features about the product they are selling.
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Freight brokerage: What the warehouse manager needs to know
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingA freight broker is a company or individual who serves as a liaison between a buyer of transportation and one or more carriers. The popular vision of this occupation was vividly described by Cliff Lynch: "All too often, the term freight broker conjures up visions of Joe Bob parked in a booth at the Flying Z truck stop with his cellphone, a pad and pencil, and a generous portion of chicken-fried steak." Joe Bob is sitting beside the "posting board" located in every truck stop looking for loads.
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Finding metrics that mean something in the warehouse
Ken Ackerman Distribution & Warehousing"You cannot manage what you cannot measure," yet the majority of warehouses we inspect have either no metrics at all or have measurements no one really uses. The second situation is even worse than the first, because it signifies a failed attempt by management to create a meaningful measurement system.
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Indirect costs: The silent profit squeezer
Cristiano Fae Vallejo Distribution & WarehousingIndirect costs can significantly undermine the profitability of organizations. The difficulty in identifying, locating, consolidating and controlling overhead costs leads many managers to neglect the negative impact this has on the balance sheets of their organizations. On the other hand, competition and the increasing pressure on price makes it increasingly difficult to achieve the profitability expected by shareholders.
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Don’t forget the service aspect of warehousing
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingBecause warehousing is essentially a service business, the nurturing of relationships is at the heart of success in this industry. We will explore examples of both the good and the bad, and each will remain anonymous. How many examples can you find of service companies that have forgotten the meaning of service?
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A warehouse manual on manual handling
Ken Ackerman Distribution & WarehousingFor thousands of years, humans have handled cargo manually. Visitors who see ancient structures in places like Egypt and Peru are mystified by our ancestors' apparent ability to lift and move heavy materials with no mechanical aids. In our current era of robotics and other high-tech solutions, it is easy to overlook the necessity and the importance of manual handling. Let's consider the when and the why of manual handling. Then we will look at how it is done, and finally we will look at some of the equipment options.
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