Purdue University Wins 5M Grant for Truck Platooning Research

Purdue University Wins 5M Grant for Truck Platooning Research

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Purdue University a $5 million grant to research truck platooning, focusing on improving fuel efficiency and communication between vehicles. The project aims to enhance the fuel economy of heavy-duty trucks by 20%. This initiative explores the potential of coordinated driving strategies to reduce aerodynamic drag and optimize fuel consumption within a convoy of trucks. The research will also address the challenges of maintaining safe following distances and reliable communication in real-world platooning scenarios, contributing to advancements in smart logistics and sustainable transportation.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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US Manufacturing Adapts to Challenges with Innovation Push

US Manufacturing Adapts to Challenges with Innovation Push

US manufacturing, despite growth expectations, faces challenges like weak domestic demand, rising healthcare costs, and a shortage of skilled workers. While companies are actively investing in technologies like IoT and 3D printing, the absence of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) hinders digital transformation. This analysis identifies these issues and proposes strategies to overcome them and seize opportunities. Recommendations include increasing technology investment, addressing the digital gap with MES implementation, strengthening workforce development, controlling costs, and proactively expanding into new markets. These actions are crucial for sustained growth and competitiveness in the evolving manufacturing landscape.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Kuehnenagel Adds Emissions Data to Invoices to Boost Supply Chain Sustainability

Kuehnenagel Adds Emissions Data to Invoices to Boost Supply Chain Sustainability

Kuehne+Nagel is incorporating emission data into its ocean freight invoices to enhance environmental awareness within supply chains and empower customers to make data-driven, eco-friendly decisions. Leveraging data from the Clean Cargo Working Group, this initiative underscores the role of logistics providers in sustainable development. By transparently displaying carbon footprints, K+N enables businesses to optimize their transportation strategies, achieve emission reduction targets, and set a new standard for sustainability within the industry. This move promotes informed choices and contributes to a greener future for global logistics.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Global Supply Chains Focus on Resilience Amid Rising Risks

Global Supply Chains Focus on Resilience Amid Rising Risks

The report reveals frequent supply chain disruptions, yet nearly half of businesses fail to analyze the root causes, lacking deep visibility. IT disruptions are a major threat, and cybersecurity risks are significant. Building a resilient supply chain requires improved visibility, enhanced risk assessment, optimized supplier management, strengthened contingency plans, and investment in talent development. Going beyond Tier 1 suppliers is crucial to create a more robust network. Companies need to proactively identify vulnerabilities and implement strategies to mitigate potential disruptions, ensuring business continuity and minimizing the impact of unforeseen events.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Firms Upgrade CRM Systems to Boost Supply Chain Efficiency

Firms Upgrade CRM Systems to Boost Supply Chain Efficiency

This report explores how CRM system upgrades can empower supply chain management and enhance multi-tier visibility. It analyzes the crucial role of CRM in supply chain operations, identifies challenges in current integrations, and proposes strategies such as building a unified data platform, adopting standardized interfaces, and optimizing business processes. The report emphasizes the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to help companies build a more efficient and agile supply chain. The goal is to provide insights for businesses looking to improve their supply chain performance through CRM integration.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Transportation and Logistics Sector Sees Rising Salaries Amid Tech Talent Demand

Transportation and Logistics Sector Sees Rising Salaries Amid Tech Talent Demand

Compensation for transportation technology talent leads the science and technology industry, driven by technological innovation and talent scarcity. Specific areas like autonomous driving engineers are highly sought after, with San Francisco leading in compensation, but emerging cities are rising. Rising salaries will reshape the talent structure and skill needs of the supply chain. Companies should build talent ecosystems, and governments should strengthen talent development and introduction to jointly usher in a golden age for transportation technology talent. This requires proactive strategies to attract, retain, and develop skilled professionals.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Firms Shift Focus from Lean Costs to Supply Chain Resilience

Firms Shift Focus from Lean Costs to Supply Chain Resilience

This paper emphasizes the importance of reliability over cost-effectiveness in supply chain management, highlighting the various transportation risks involved. By employing strategies such as comprehensive risk assessment, adapting to seasonal changes, establishing business interruption procedures, and evaluating supplier financial stability, companies can build more resilient supply chains. This allows them to withstand disruptions and ensure business continuity. The Gap fire incident serves as a case study, underscoring the critical role of risk management in the supply chain. Building resilience is key to mitigating potential losses and maintaining operational stability.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Hostess Revives Brand with Supply Chain Overhaul

Hostess Revives Brand with Supply Chain Overhaul

Hostess Brands achieved a successful revival from near bankruptcy through supply chain reshaping. Key strategies included embracing a DTC model to accelerate inventory turnover, driving innovation to create seasonal bestsellers, reshaping the S&OP process with a consumer-centric approach, and optimizing demand forecasting through data-driven insights. This case inspires businesses to prioritize consumers, embrace digitalization, foster continuous innovation, adapt flexibly, and operate leanly, transforming the supply chain into a cornerstone of corporate success. The focus on data and direct connection with consumers proved crucial for their turnaround.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Supply Chain Digital Twins Risk Growth by Overlooking Customers

Supply Chain Digital Twins Risk Growth by Overlooking Customers

Gartner's research indicates that while most enterprises are actively exploring Digital Supply Chain Twins (DSCT), few plan to incorporate Digital Twins of Customers (DToC) into their strategies. This oversight may hinder the full potential of digital twin technology. Businesses need to shift their perspective, placing the customer at the core, and enhance data collection and analysis. Building a customer-centric digital twin ecosystem is crucial to unlocking the true value of digital twins and gaining a competitive advantage. Prioritizing customer understanding within the digital twin framework is essential for maximizing its impact.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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Digital SOP Boosts Supply Chain Efficiency

Digital SOP Boosts Supply Chain Efficiency

This article delves into the modern upgrade of S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning), emphasizing the importance of digital transformation and analyzing the cost reduction and efficiency gains brought about by digitizing supply chain documentation. It also summarizes the key elements for successful S&OP implementation, identifies common pitfalls and corresponding strategies, aiming to help enterprises build an efficient, collaborative, and intelligent supply chain system. The paper provides practical insights for companies seeking to optimize their S&OP processes and achieve better supply chain performance through digitalization and enhanced collaboration.

01/29/2026 Logistics Industry Insights
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