Export or die, urge the politicians and pundits. You have good quality, competitively priced products and international customers willing to buy them. Now all you have to do is deliver. Ken Hurst seeks out some advice on how to go about it
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The statistics don't lie when it comes to loading and unloading of goods – this is one of the most dangerous tasks in the workplace. So how do those in the know go about improving safety in this critical area? Laura Cork finds out
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When a number of local transport firms come together under the umbrella of a national pallet network, their combined muscle can offer a highly cost-effective means of moving goods for manufacturing customers, as Laura Cork discovers
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Manufacturing agility relies on the right levels of raw material being held in the right place. How can manufacturers balance the pros and cons of holding stock in the factory, in a nearby warehouse or at a supplier site on the other side of the world? Laura Cork reports
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Conducting a fine-tuned lineside logistics operation calls for experience, timing and a large dose of trust, as Laura Cork finds out
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Tough economic conditions mean manufacturers want more bang for their buck from third party transport and distribution suppliers. Robin Meczes reports on a raft of added-value services
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Lean is trumpeted as the panacea for manufacturing, but over reliance on excessively lean supply chains can swiftly result in a worldwide collapse. Laura Cork reports back from a recent supply chain roundtable event where this and other issues were debated
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Palletised distribution has taken off in a big way in the past couple of decades, with the emergence of pallet networks. Laura Cork looks at this mode of transport and asks if it delivers on the promise
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How can manufacturers gain more flexibility from an already stretched transport and distribution operation? Laura Cork finds out
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Fuel prices are hitting the headlines again, thanks to the latest increase in fuel duty. Laura Cork asks if manufacturers are bearing the brunt of the rises and whether there is a viable alternative to road transport for moving goods in and out of factories in this country
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Appointing a logistics firm doesn't have to be all about moving boxes from A to B. Find the right provider and you could tap in to a wealth of different ways to boost supply chain efficiency, Max Gosney reports
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The best laid plans of logistics companies and their manufacturing customers can go awry, particularly when severe winter weather hits the UK. Laura Cork looks at how businesses can overcome weather-related or traffic-related disruption on our roads
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It's no easy task trying to manage several third party logistics companies. Some manufacturers, therefore, are looking to add another
layer to their logistics operation by introducing a specialist – a fourth party – to drive greater supply chain efficiencies. Laura Cork reports
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Shared-user logistics has been around for quite a while. Even in its most basic form, it's a cost-efficient route but, as Laura Cork
discovers, greater collaboration is really starting to pay dividends
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Driving up efficiency throughout the transport operation is critical for UK manufacturers. Making the most of every mile not only lowers distribution costs, but reduces the environmental impact, too. Laura Cork reports
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Just-in-time manufacturing requires that consignments of goods are transported to the point of demand and this system relies on a well-ordered distribution structure – could this fall out of favour as environmental drivers overtake lean principles? Laura Cork reports
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As environmental concerns race up the business agenda, followed – or driven – by the surge in fuel costs, the ‘greenness’ of transport operations has become a crucial matter that can impact the bottom line more than ever. Laura Cork reports
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With diesel prices spiralling uncontrollably and the burgeoning spread of global supply chains, are manufacturers having to choose their distribution partners differently? Do global logistics services spell the end for the traditional local haulier? Laura Cork reports
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Can manufacturers beat logistics providers when it comes to managing a transport operation? Laura Cork climbs into the driving seat to find out
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These days, few logistics firms offer only the vanilla option of transporting goods - their multi-flavoured services can add significant value for manufacturing customers.
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