Inbound Logistics | July 2023

CONTENTS JULY 2023 | VOL. 43 | NO. 7

GOOD QUESTION Who would be your lifeline during a logistics crisis? Why?

36 RISKS & REWARDS What you don’t know about your suppliers can hurt you 38 SMART MOVES The future of work is already here 40 VIEWPOINT Asset management is everyone’s job 42 SC RESILIENCY Reducing the impact of global events 44 LEAN SUPPLY CHAIN Autonomous at last? 46 AUTOMOTIVE Auto industry shifts logistics strategies 48 RESHORING What to consider before you shift 50 OCEAN TRANSPORT Could ocean be the best solution? 52 GREEN LANDSCAPE Greening the last mile 54 TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT Market swing: prepare now or lose later

The changing baby supplies market

CONTENT PARTNERS SOLVED 58 Securing unmatched private equity solutions –Hub Group 59 Mileage audit spots excess charges and saves money for shippers –RSI Logistics 60 Advantages to building an Indianapolis warehouse network –MD Logistics 61 Powering up a better supply chain –RedStone Logistics 62 Masterful moves: overcoming deadlines, pressures, and distance with extraordinary service –Holman Logistics 63 Clean shave: brand handily achieves global expansion with 3PL partner –SEKO Logistics 64 Full steam ahead, don’t let ocean costs detain you –Trans Audit 65 3PL provides a well-oiled, single-source solution –Trinity Logistics 66 Providing transformative fulllment services –All Points ATL THOUGHT LEADERS 118 How shippers are taking control of supply chain management –DAT Solutions 119 Automating warehouse operations: where to start and how to maximize gains –Engineering Innovation 120 Navigating supply chain uncertainty and volatility with proven solutions –The Logistix Company 121 Solve inbound processing problems to boost fulllment performance –WS I 122 Navigating the insourcing vs. outsourcing debate in post-COVID logistics –Capstone Logistics

INPRACTICE 20 LEADERSHIP After 15 years providing seed capital for startups, Allan Marshall returns to the C-suite to lead Upexi to $100 million in projected revenue for 2023. 22 READER PROFILE Ramesh Murthy ensures a polished supply chain for Bob’s Discount Furniture. 187 CASEBOOK Morton Food Service boosted productivity by partnering with VAI to launch mobile order entry, suggested purchasing, warehouse management, and analytics applications. 191 IT TOOLKIT Bayer Crop Science turned to Blue Yonder to install transportation management solutions that improved asset utilization, streamlined miles traveled, increased operational eciency, and provided increased visibility into several hundred locations in more than To eliminate the baggage that comes with ine¨ective returns processes, Samsonite installed a returns management system from ReverseLogix that o¨ers increased visibility into the customer experience. 70 countries. 195 ETALES

INFOCUS 1 INFO SNACKS 18 VERTICAL FOCUS: BABY SUPPLIES 24 NOTED 28 TAKEAWAYS 214 IN BRIEF 224 LAST MILE Back-to-school report card INSIGHT 8 CHECKING IN 3PLs and AI – a historical combination 10 DIALOG 12 10 TIPS Boosting supply chain visibility 14 GOOD QUESTION Who would be your lifeline during a logistics crisis? Why? 16 WHAT’S THE WORD? 32 3PL LINE Thinking inside the box truck 34 IT MATTERS 3 ways predictive analytics improves fulfillment

56 CROSS-BORDER Strategies to overcome cross-border obstacles INFO 198 SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS 202 WEB_CITE CITY 218 CALENDAR 220 RESOURCE CENTER

Inbound Logistics (ISSN 0888-8493, USPS 703990) is mailed monthly to approximately 60,000 business professionals who buy, specify, or recommend logistics technology, transportation, and related services, by Thomas, a Xometry company, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 800, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Periodicals postage paid at North Bethesda, MD, and additional mailing oces. All rights reserved. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the validity of claims of any products or services described. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic means, or stored in any information retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Postmaster send address changes to: Inbound Logistics, P.O. Box 1167, Lowell, MA 01853-9900

6 Inbound Logistics • July 2023