| Heard & Overheard |
While some industry observers believe radio frequency identification (RFID) implementations will lessen the demand for warehousing and industrial real estate, David Twist, director of research for AMB Property Corp. (www.amb.com), thinks otherwise.
“Our research indicates that RFID-generated inventory reductions will be more than offset by increases in SKU proliferation, shorter product life cycles, globalization and distribution outsourcing,” Twist says. “The net effect of RFID on the demand for occupied industrial real estate will likely be less than 1% of overall net demand.”
“RFID's impact on logistics real estate will be less focused on reduction in space needs and more focused on driving efficiencies through configuration and design,” Twist adds. He makes the following suggestions:
- Look for increases in crossdock facilities as goods move more quickly.
- Clear height will become less important, while layout of the storage and staging areas becomes more important.
- Dock doors will become increasingly productive as trucks spend less time in loading activities.
“In sickness and in health, in Akron and Duluth...”
The logistics profession by its very definition is a nomadic one, so it's comforting to know that 77% of women polled in a recent survey say they would relocate for their husbands' careers. The study was conducted by Allied Van Lines (www.allied.com), a provider of specialized transportation services.
However, of the men polled in the survey, only 58% of husbands say they would relocate for their wives' careers.
Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) indicates that for the first time, women represent more than half (50.6%) of all white-collar workers, so we could see husbands starting to follow their wives more often in years to come.
Can you say Kiss-Kimp?
Recognizing a shift in the interests and responsibilities of its members, as well as facing a decline in membership, the Council of Logistics Management will change its name to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) as of Jan. 1, 2005. On that date, the group's website will change to www.cscmp.org.
CSCMP has not yet issued an advisory on how to pronounce its new acronym.
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