Indianapolis, IN -- (SBWire) -- 01/19/2016 --Joe Umbach, a Supply Chain Analyst with Bastian Robotics, a division of Bastian Solutions, discussed the state of logistics report in the recent company blog. Every year the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals produces a "State of Logistics Report." The 26th annual report, released last June, analyzed U.S. logistics in 2014 and gave a prediction for what 2015 would have in store.

The "State of Logistics Report" showed that 2014 was the best year for U.S. logistics since the recession hit in 2007, and aside from Q1, 2015 did not slow down. Overall the year showed strong growth, and the U.S. economy did better in 2015 than the previous year. This translates into more consumer cash, which means an increase in business, and also an increase in transportation needs.

Umbach made a few recommendations to ensure companies are prepared to handle the ever-changing logistics landscape:

- Start by taking a deeper look at operations including challenges, costs, inventory and future goals

- Develop a more clearly defined understanding of the capacity constraints that motor carriers have now and will have in the future

- In order to minimize the effect of motor carrier constraints, operate closely with suppliers to help them optimize the shipping lanes of inbound freight.

- For outbound freight, clearly communicate the capacity needs you company requires, and make sure to optimize each truck of outbound freight to its full capacity.

- To combat rising inventory carrying cost, look at inventory levels and storage methods to make sure you're maximizing each square foot of the facility.

- Investigate suppliers' inventories and make sure you have visibility into their on-hand inventory

- Make sure to clearly communicate their demand for their product

To read the entire blog, go to: http://bit.ly/1n7RKhI

Bastian Solutions will be exhibiting at the 2016 MODEX show April 4-7, 2016 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Bastian Solutions will be located at booth #3779.

About Bastian Solutions
Bastian Solutions (http://ow.ly/LaOTe), a global material handling systems integrator and expert in e-commerce fulfillment automation is an innovator in the fields of material handling automation, goods-to-person systems, wearable AR technology, supply chain software, and robotics. Bastian Solutions recently announced the acquisition of Forte Engineering. The merge creates a turnkey software suite for beverage distributors and strengthens the companies' overall product offerings and customer support.

Bastian Solutions is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, with an additional 16 domestic offices and 7 international offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Uniquely positioned, Bastian Solutions offers customers complete and innovative turnkey material handling systems, from design and simulation, all the way through installation and operations. Modern Materials Handling named Bastian Solutions 2015 Top 20 Systems Suppliers Worldwide.

Bastian Solutions provides integrated material handling systems reducing the total cost of order fulfillment and delivery cycle times for its customers; tremendous productivity gains and a quick return on investment are ensured. Automating supply chain logistics with harmony between material flow, information flow, and operational processes, yields a unique and important competitive advantage.

Follow Bastian Solutions on Twitter @BastianSolution.