Blogs

Is just-in-time manufacturing entirely to blame for the shipping crisis and ongoing supply chain issues? Experts seem torn on the matter. Ailing after World War II, Japan set its sights on rebuilding its industry sector with some help from its friends in the West. For the next 30 years, they experimented with different ways to utilize cash flow, real estate, labor, and resources to maximize profits. Then, Toyota pioneered the first iteration of just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing: the practice of making products to order, instead of managing an unwieldy inventory. Also sometimes referred to as a...

With self-driving cars and self-remembering kiosks also on the horizon, QSR franchise leaders must seriously consider investing in upcoming automation trends to save on rising labor costs. Several Asian countries have embraced technology in their respective QSRs. Exacerbated by challenges across the board, it may be time for the West to catch up. Several factors have repeatedly pummeled the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry over the past few years. Between emerging (and shifting) pandemic situations, labor shortages, and supply chain stumbles, it's impressive that many QSRs were able to...

While 2022 may be a good year for industrial warehouse developers, the ongoing supply chain and shipping crisis make it a real catch-22. How can industrial warehouse developers navigate the future? When we think about pandemic-related shortages, we usually first turn to semiconductor foundries, or the parking lot of container ships sitting off the California coast. However, physical industrial warehouse space has also become hard to find. With record-low vacancy rates worldwide, industrial real estate developers are scrambling to keep up with growing demand. Landlords of established spaces are...

As more companies embrace advances in manufacturing automation, those who refuse to change may find themselves left behind. However, investment in these new technologies comes with its own hurdles. Read more about this trend and strategies to assess potential automation investments. Even as the US shifts into a post-pandemic norm, American manufacturers will likely continue to face labor shortages. Despite pushes for increased wages, flexible scheduling, and improved workplace conditions to alleviate the strain, analysts believe the labor issue will continue to persist into the foreseeable...

With a fast-changing market and predictions of increased demand, lagging in adaptability and forethought will have you falling behind the pack in no time. You need to build a delivery strategy that accommodates and anticipates shifting conditions. It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has placed shipping and supply chains under severe pressure. Last mile delivery now comprises 53% of overall shipping costs, and up to 41% of total supply chain costs! This has also become the most time-consuming part of the shipping process. Unlike large-scale shipping, in which bulk product volumes are...