Logistics Hubs as Drivers of Innovation

This is an important idea.

Ken Cottrill's avatarSupply Chain @ MIT

A European initiative aims to foster collaboration between companies in logistics clusters. Pictured is the Grupo Carreras facility in the PLAZA logistics park near Zaragoza, Spain. A European initiative aims to foster collaboration between companies in logistics clusters. Pictured is the Grupo Carreras facility in the PLAZA logistics park near Zaragoza, Spain.

A European Commission (EC) initiative called Horizon 2020 – 2105 Smart, Green and Integrated Transport will facilitate collaboration between logistics clusters on developing supply chain solutions, particularly projects that promote environmental sustainability. In addition to helping companies bring new ideas to fruition, the initiative gives academic centers such as the Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC), Zaragoza, Spain, an important supporting role in unlocking the collaborative potential of these hubs.

Key players came together at the first European Logistics Clusters Forum, on October 14 -15, 2014, in Brussels, Belgium, to explore their possible involvement in the initiative. The bidding process is expected to begin early next year and run until the last quarter of 2015. The EC is providing some €18 million (about $23 million)…

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Suez route dominates Asia-USEC trade

With all the talk about the Panama Canal, we see that ship size matters. Ships of about twice the size can use the Suez as opposed to the Panama Canal now, and carriers are going that way from Asia to the East Coast now.   It’s too early to conjecture what will happen when the widened Panama opens.

Suez route dominates Asia-USEC trade | Shipping Tribune.

Innovative Companies 2014: Breaking Through Is Hard to Do

Boston Consulting Group publishes their list of the top innovative companies. the article indicates innovation is starting to take a back seat to cost cutting, and automotive companies are the biggest cutters.  But innovation is hard to come by.

bcg.perspectives – The Most Innovative Companies 2014: Breaking Through Is Hard to Do.

I am surprised there are so few cutting edge companies. Perhaps they stipulated a certain size to begin with.  It’s harder to look innovative in a very large company.  But I see that Tesla is there.