inbound
Whether it’s delivering fresh fish to the Midwest or ripe strawberries to
Minnesota in January, we’ve come to expect the fresh food supply chain
to produce minor miracles on a daily basis. Now, a new industry blog is
addressing some of the unique challenges associated with transporting
fresh fruits and vegetables.
Freshspective is a weekly blog covering news, trends, and happenings
in the fresh food space, launched by Robinson Fresh, a produce compa-
ny based in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Aimed at growers, retailers, wholesalers, and foodservice providers,
the blog covers industry issues such as the increasing global demand for
fresh fruits and vegetables, shifting demographics, and stiff competition
among food suppliers. Recent topics have included upcoming changes
in the Food Safety Modernization Act, balancing technology and process in order to better maintain the cold chain, and how to capitalize on
local produce programs.
In contrast to consumer-focused food industry blogs, the site features
posts written by company employees, industry experts, and leaders in
the fresh produce and cold chain space. Read the posts at http://blog.
robinsonfresh.com.
The Swedish retailer Ikea offers a seemingly limitless array of housewares and
furniture to American shoppers, but
there’s one item the company recently moved to eliminate from its supply
chain: greenhouse gas emissions.
Ikea and its third-party logistics service provider, National Retail Systems
Inc. (NRS), announced that they will
begin using nonpolluting electric vehicles to pull shipping containers packed with the retailer’s unassembled
furniture and other goods from the Port of Los Angeles to a nearby
yard. According to NRS, the “ElecTruck” drayage tractors—Navistar
International Class 8 tractors converted to battery-electric propulsion
systems—will run solely on battery charge, eliminating the use of fuel.
When their batteries run low, the vehicles will “refuel” by plugging into
special charging stations built by NRS.
The first stage of the zero-emissions initiative will cover only trips
from the port to the 3PL’s yard. However, the vehicles have an operat-
ing range of 100 miles, which means they could potentially be used to
ferry goods from the NRS yard to Los Angeles-area Ikea stores.
“We are excited to work with Ikea in rolling out zero-emissions
electric drayage trucks in Los Angeles and hope that the operation is a
success,” NRS COO and president Raymond Wisniewski said in a press
release. “I look forward to expanding our green technology and reducing our carbon footprint.”
Fresh talk on produce supply chain issues
Ikea assembles zero-emissions drayage plan
Students at the University of Central
Arkansas’ business school will soon
have a chance to study motor carrier safety, operational excellence,
and industry regulation, thanks to
a $3 million endowment gift to the
Conway, Ark., school.
Awarded by the Arkansas
Commercial Truck Safety and
Education Program (ACTSEP), the
grant will help expand the school’s
supply chain logistics management
program, support faculty and student research, and establish a scholarship program.
Beginning with the 2015–2016 academic year, business students at the
school will be able to pursue a four-year major in supply chain logistics
management that includes the study
of motor carrier operations, regulation, safety, risk management, transportation policy, and labor relations.
“Trucking companies must employ
properly trained managers to oper-
ate safely and profitably,” said Doug
Voss, associate professor of logistics
and supply chain management at
the University of Central Arkansas
(UCA), in a press release. “UCA stu-
dents will lead the trucking industry
in safety, operational excellence, and
future regulatory discussions.”
Founded in 2013 by the Arkansas
Highway Commission, ACTSEP was
formed to promote roadway safety in
the state, primarily through increased
regulatory compliance, industry
training, and education programs.
The commission also awarded money
to the Arkansas Trucking Association
and the Arkansas Highway Police.
Arkansas college gets
$3 million grant for
truck studies
