NewStream Blog

Business today is growing. Whether it be a one-person operation out of a garage or a multi-million-dollar operation, businesses will always have the need to expand their inventory. As a supply chain strategy, businesses will choose either to build or add on to warehousing to increase storage capacity or to outsource their warehousing and distribution to a third-party logistics provider (3PL).Which is the best option for your company? the pros and cons of building or expanding a new warehouse compared to outsourcing.

At the turn of the twentieth century, the assembly line was created, an innovation in manufacturing so powerful that it is still used to this day. Even though the assembly line has become a mainstay in manufacturing for over 100 years, there are still aspects of the process that can be continually improved upon and optimized to reduce inefficiencies and waste. Productivity can be measured by the units of work produced per unit of time using raw materials and can be raised or lowered depending on how streamlined the assembly line is. Low productivity levels can be extremely detrimental to the manufacturing process and ultimately a company’s profitability, so how can we improve productivity in an assembly line?

Countless, if not all, manufacturers around the globe use the assembly line as the primary way to construct their product. But as with all things, the assembly line has its weaknesses as well. One such weakness is that sometimes there are just too many components for each product to be built efficiently. How do companies then overcome this issue? Fortunately, the process of sub-assembly has revolutionized how companies do manufacturing, especially with outsourcing their product sub-assembly. So, what is a sub-assembly, and how does it benefit companies?

Product packaging is something that people typically don’t think about when making daily purchases, but it is something that has profound implications for both manufacturers and consumers. Good product package design does much more than just store and protect the product. Failure to have quality package production at a company’s disposal can lead to suffering profit margins and poor customer satisfaction. Incorporating product packaging services into the product planning process will not only increase total sales but will also increase customer value by positively influencing purchase decisions. Why is packaging important in product planning?

Many businesses looking to grow often do not have a solid idea of what to look for in a third party logistics provider (3PL), or even which 3PL is the right fit for them. Aside from being great cost-reducers for supply chain management, partnering with a 3PL can be an amazing benefit to any business looking for warehouse management or transport facilities. How should customers differentiate between the many 3PL companies out there?