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ScottsMiracle-Gro Improves Distribution System in Sustainability and Customer Service

A new 100,000-sq. ft. warehouse will be added to The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company’s operation in Lebanon, Conn. to service the Company’s home center retail customers in northeastern U.S. By installing a warehouse in this region, the Company expects to improve its environmental footprint by reducing the number of miles traveled within its distribution network while also reducing costs and improving its customer service levels.

The warehouse is part of ScottsMiracle-Gro’s high-service distribution model that the Company began implementing across the U.S. in 2009. Construction of the warehouse is scheduled to be completed in early 2012. The Company currently employs 40 associates in Lebanon, a number that is expected to increase modestly with the warehouse addition.


“We are excited to extend our improved distribution model to the Northeast because it will provide quicker service to our large retailers and benefit consumers in this key market,” said Dave Swihart, senior vice president, Global Supply Chain, ScottsMiracle-Gro.

“In our operations, we are striving to reduce our environmental footprint, and this distribution model is a significant contributor to that objective. This effort reinforces our belief that we can simultaneously grow our business in a way that supports our commitment to becoming a more sustainable company,” Swihart stated.

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Can Modern Transport Airships Change the World?

Over the last couple of years my interest and excitment around the concept of reviving and renewing airship transport technology of the blimp or zeppelin variety has been growing steadily. Today I’m now utterly convinced these massive dinosaurs of the sky from the early 1900s actually have the potential to re-emerge and change our world for the better. Can Modern Transport Airships Change the World?

Environment Will Drive Major Logistics Real Estate Shift

One can’t turn around today without seeing the growing impact rising environmental consciousness is having on both consumer choices and by extension business practices. As companies become more environmentally astute, either through brute force of customer will or in combination with the leadership of key employees, all aspects of the business will be driven to reduce carbon outputs.

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Carbon Footprint is All About Supply Chain!

Join us on Wednesday June 25th at 10:00am eastern for our second SCN Supply Chain Network Webinar “Carbon Footprint is All About Supply Chain!” when Fraser Ironside of Barloworld Optimus will join us to present some background information and demonstrate some effective tools for incorporating carbon into your supply chain modeling functions. Companies exploring calculation of their company’s carbon footprint will rapidly realize that the supply chain generates roughly 75% of the total so it’s important to be able to flexibly and rapidly model a variety of supply chain network scenarios and simultaneously have the carbon output provided. Click here to register today for this important webinar and remember registration is limited to the first 1,000 who sign up!

How to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Transporting Goods

With an ever-growing boom in commercialism around the world, especially in recent years, the transportation of more and more goods around the world is an inevitable by-product, which has its own negative impact on the environment.

However, while it would be foolish to think that we could reverse this process, there area still ways that companies who are involved in transporting these goods could play their part to help reduce their impact.

One of the seemingly small ways they could do this is by addressing both the type of pallets or crates they use, and the way they use them.

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Green Supply Chain Initiatives: A Year-End Review

From Sustainable Business Forum: “2010 is nearly ‘in the books’, and I vowed that I would not fall prey to the endless lists and recounting of annual accomplishments. However, never in my 30 years in the sustainability and environmental business has there been so much attention paid to the influence of supply chain management and its role in the greening of business. 2010 has been truly remarkable in a number of key areas of green supply chain management from a number of perspectives, including: policy and governance, operations and optimization, guidance and standardization and metrics. The green pieces of the supply chain and sustainability puzzle appear to be nicely falling into place. Key themes that I can glean from this most incredible year are:” Review full article here on the Sustainable Business Forum

Damco Presents on Sustainability at CSCMP Annual Global Conference

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) hosted its Annual Global Conference from September 26–29, 2010 in San Diego, California. The conference brought together supply chain professionals from over 40 countries with an aim to help professionals improve their organizations’ supply chain performance. Damco, the logistics arm of A.P. Moller – Maersk which is one of the world’s leading providers of freight forwarding and supply chain management solutions and a pioneer in the field of supply chain emissions reduction presented in the ‘Sustainability’ session on ‘ Ready to Take the Next Step to Becoming a Sustainability Winner?’.

Erling Johns Nielsen, Damco’s Director & Global Head of Supply Chain Development as well as Jordi Avellaneda, Global Head of Green Logistics spoke on how Damco envisions a future in which technological advances, consumer pressure and regulatory requirements will shape the role of the 3PL as supply chain sustainability advisors. The central theme of Damco’s presentation was that sustainability is a good business case for companies as it helps to find efficiencies, reduce costs and generate additional revenue by developing innovative products. Some companies still see sustainability as a hurdle, but over the past five years Damco has observed that companies are moving up the sustainability ladder, using it initially as a source of efficiencies and finally as a source of competitive advantage.

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Wilkerson Weighs in on Green Supply Chain Implementation Challenges

John Wilkerson, CPSM, SSMBB, Vice President, Supply Chain and Sustainability Practice Leader at Bellwether Services a strategic management consulting firm advising global clients on complex issues of strategy, operations, technology, and sustainability. He recently shared Green Supply Chain Implementation insight during Supply Chain Community Social Media interview.

John wilkerson 5 Major Challenges to Green Supply Chain Management from Dustin Mattison on Vimeo.

Wilkerson discussed important themes such as; Green Standards, Green Awareness, Supply Chain Business Case Development, Sustainability Program Implementation and Program Communications Planning.

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Paragon’s Carbon Minimizer cuts truck emissions and gas costs

In a bid to help improve the environmental efficiency of the thousands of Paragon planned trucks around the world, Paragon Software Systems has added a new Carbon Minimizer option to its routing, scheduling and transportation optimization software. The Carbon Minimizer enables users to further reduce the carbon and fuel content of their planned schedules, so cutting both carbon footprint and operating costs.

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The Role of Logistics and Transport in Reducing Supply Chain Carbon Emissions

From weforum.org: “Significant movement is expected towards reduced supply chain carbon intensity. This will create both opportunities and risks for logistics and transport firms, with changes in supply and demand driven by: Regulation of carbon emissions, Higher and more volatile fuel prices, as well as Evolving consumer and client demand. The sector can play an influential role in decarbonization, both in its own operations and through broader supply chain optimisation. This provides direct benefits through reduced costs, managed risks and business growth.”

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