Effective supply chain management helps to deliver streamlined product flow, healthy relationships with suppliers, and excellent customer service. According to Deloitte, 79% of businesses with supply chains that perform highly enjoy better than average revenue growth, and the role of a modern, well-designed warehouse within the supply chain should not be underestimated.

Many warehouse-based businesses are now reopening following months of lockdown or partial activity, while others are having to adapt existing processes to protect their workforce and keep operations running smoothly. If this applies to your business and you’re keen to get back to normal operations as soon as possible, there are several ways to prevent coronavirus from spreading in warehouses, without sacrificing productivity.

In 1666, the Derbyshire village of Eyam suffered an outbreak of plague that claimed the lives of 260 inhabitants, allegedly after a contaminated package of cloth arrived from disease-riddled London. This primitive supply chain may not reflect the dangers posed by Covid-19 – unlike the fleas that were responsible for the Eyam tragedy, transmission of Coronavirus through the shipping of goods is unlikely – but nevertheless, it demonstrates that modern supply chains need to take preventive actions to minimise the risk of the current-day pandemic. How do you do this while returning to normal and profitable working patterns?

Warehousing and logistics businesses are increasingly under pressure to reduce overheads and streamline operations to remain profitable. If you’re fighting this uphill battle, consider the use of mobile printers.

They may be just what you need to improve margins, by streamlining labelling and distribution operations in your organisation.

Increasing efficiency within the supply chain has many benefits. It reduces wastage, improves productivity, and enables a faster and leaner system. Controlling a supply chain involves controlling visibility, and software is increasingly the best way forwards.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology takes over primary administrative roles, meaning fewer errors and greater speed. Here are some of the ways that the latest supply chain efficiency techniques can help.

As e-commerce continues to expand, so will the use of third party logistics (3PL). To make sure your logistics business is the one chosen by retailers, what are the expected market trends to watch for in 2019?

Most transport planning has a degree of reliance upon tried and tested skeleton routes and supply chains. These familiar friends can make planning easier, but they can be hiding significant inefficiencies. When it comes to transport, minutes and load optimising these matter, so reviewing the integrated transport planning strategy (ITPS) is the foundation of good productivity.

Selecting a warehouse management system (WMS) supplier is an important process, so it's worth taking the time to get it right.

However, you'll still have plenty to do after that in order to get your system up and running. The first job on your list should be to work with your new vendor to produce a project plan.

So, what does this involve?

Implementing a new warehouse management system (WMS) could revolutionise your business and improve your bottom line.

However, it's essential to choose a suitable system and vendor. Here are five things to consider when sourcing a new WMS.

Utilising logistics consultants can be a highly effective way of boosting your company's efficiency.

However, if you want them to help you to find and implement a new warehouse management system (WMS), you'll need to work together.