From aerospace to medical technology, the high-tech industry is seeing more growth and more job creation in the United States. In particular, the area of sustainable technology and green initiatives, such as solar power, is really starting to boom.

Wired Magazine recently featured a major study on employment growth in the US. I was particularly interested in the high-tech job growth occurring along the I-85 highway in the southern states, from Alabama to Virginia. Check out this interactive map to see some specific companies in this sector and the story of their recent growth: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/05/ff_jobsi85/

The Wired study had a lot of interesting surprises overall, including maps that show how large areas of the US have experienced explosions of high-tech jobs. In some cases, these areas showed 10,000 new jobs in certain geographical areas.

Recently, the experts at Tompkins took a look at the top priorities for profitable growth in 2011 in the high-tech industry.

Since it is already the middle of the year, we looked back to see what we got right and what we may have missed. One thing that we definitely didn't emphasize enough in our original priorities was the incredible pace of growth in high tech.

This rapid pace presents some special challenges for companies: managing suppliers, deciding when to outsource, and recruiting change management leaders, to name just a few.

Read more in this updated article here.

GoGoGo!

Jim

More Resources

High Technology Education Center

You never know when that kind word or smile is going to make someone’s day. You never know when that little spark of an idea that you throw out will grow into a larger fire in a colleague’s mind.

You also never really know how everyday people – working at coffee shops, in healthcare, in banking, as bus drivers, or really any job – make a positive difference toward achieving extraordinary goals. But it happens every day on the street and in the supply chain.

People who manage supply chains and lead global business operations can make a positive impact in the world. For instance, an executive who takes the time to understand the service supply chain of his or her organization can help the company's reverse logistics processes integrate more effectively while making the environment a little greener.

Focusing on your service supply chain, especially if you are an executive, has a major impact on your company’s sustainability through improved reverse logistics. Consider this: a recent survey by the Supply Chain Consortium found that only 40 percent of the respondents had dedicated organizations for service supply chains, and only 38 percent are led by executives with the title of vice president or above.

Clearly, more executive sponsorship here could translate into major benefits for the company’s bottom line, customer service, and sustainability.

Tompkins Associates' experts just reviewed the 2011 priorities for profitable growth in the area of service supply chains. The latest, mid-year updates on this topic are available here.

Did we get it right for 2011? Check out the article to learn more.

GoGoGo!

-- Jim

More Resources

Sustainable Business

Service Supply Chain

It seems that now is the perfect time for Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) to help clients improve their performance and customer service.

Why? Easing out of the recession, companies are looking to shore up their core competencies and outsource areas that are non-core. But it is also a critical time for decision making as the economy begins to stabilize and the transportation industry remains in flux.

Transportation has really become a hot topic lately as I talk with colleagues and clients around the globe about rising prices. Without a doubt, the cost of transportation impacts everything and everyone along the supply chain.

Freight volumes are rising to meet demand, but truckload capacity is low due to driver availability, post-recession reduced fleets, and the impact of CSA2010 regulations on driver hours. DC Velocity suggests that rig counts are down by as much as 15 to 20 percent from their 2006 peaks.

With this shortfall in truckload capacity, we have developed a few tips to help LSPs keep their motors running. Read the new article, LSP Top 11: Market Forces Drive Freight Costs Up.

On another note, LSPs are also growing stronger through mergers and acquisitions. They are able to cover more geography and consolidate resources and customer bases – a real benefit for the companies they serve. For example, Swan & Hercules Global Logistics (SHGL) recently acquired the Australia / New Zealand-based GP Logistics (PDF), expanding SHGL’s customer base by an additional 2,000 customers and 50,000 square feet in North American consolidation space.

To learn more about truckload trends, be on the lookout for a copy of the Domestic Transportation Report by Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium, which will be available to download later this month.

So how is your relationship with your LSP? What transportation issues are you experiencing as freight volumes increase? And if you are an LSP, what other trends are you seeing in your industry?

Go!Go!Go!

Jim

More Resources

Supply Chain Consortium for LSPs

LSP Resources

LSP Top 11 in 2011

Photo Credit: doug_wertman

Just a few weeks ago, General Motors broke ground on a new addition to its Baltimore operations that will be focused on making electric car components.

It’s an indication of the new priorities that automakers around the world are focused on, especially as the China market grows and breakthroughs in electric car battery technology are made.

The industry experts at Tompkins recently published a mid-year update to the Top 11 Priorities for 2011 for the Automotive Industry, which got me thinking about the exciting changes that the automotive industry will be experiencing over the next few years.

For instance, who knew that some of the most important words in an auto industry executive’s vocabulary in 2011 would be “vehicle electrification,” “charging stations,” “emission intensity” and “molten salt batteries”?

US manufacturing and job creation will also see the effects of new trends in the automotive industry. While only about 1 percent of the advanced batteries were made in the US just a few years ago, dozens of new manufacturing plants are slated to be built to help fulfill demand for electric vehicle batteries.

What else do you see ahead for the auto industry? Would you buy an electric car, or are you planning to soon?

GoGoGo!

Jim

Photo Credit: faster_panda

Lately, in the area of “uncertainty,” we have been seeing fluctuating gas prices and fluctuating sales. One week, home sales are up; the next week, they are down. And this same trend is happening with unemployment. 

As we keep saying, “uncertainty is certain.” This uncertainty has been impacting many industries, especially retail. (Read our update to the Top 11 Priorities in 2011 for the retail industry.)

An article by Financial Times recently noted that economic uncertainty and high fuel prices are weighing on shoppers and causing mixed sales results.

At the same time, the advancement of technology and mobile shopping is encouraging consumers to spend online. Retail and consumer product companies alike are experiencing an increase in Internet sales, which has caused them to change their online selling strategy.

Mobile Commerce Daily’s article on a survey completed by InMobi says that the results reveal that mobile shopping is expected to reach $9B this year, compared to $2.4B in 2010. (Check out this Top 11 Consumer Product Industry update.)

With new challenges and uncertainties of 2011, retail and consumer product companies have a lot to contend with this year. Being prepared with a strategy and the ability to adapt will go a long way.

What challenges are you experiencing? And what are you doing to overcome them?

Go!Go!Go!

Jim

Photo Credit: mikeatqazam