Prologis said (via Ranald HAHN, Southern Europe Vice-President) that the Western part of France is the region where the company is looking for opportunities for its customers.
Of course, major regions for the American leader are Lyon, Orléans, Marseille, Le Havre, Lille or Strasbourg…. but, long-term investment in logistics platforms could also go West.

I read it in Les Echos, « Horizons Les régions » of June 2007

If you want to know more about supply chain management and procurement solutions without moving from your office, you can just get teleported on August 28th (11am) to an online event on the subject.
With just your headset, you’ll be able to hear speakers of top level such as:
- Michael Sorensen, Vice President of Worldwide Sales & Marketing for A.T. Kearney Procurement Solutions
- Steve Rogers, former purchasing executive at P&G and co-author of On-Demand Supply Management: World Class Strategies, Practices and Technology
- Larry Giunipero, professor of Supply Chain Management at Florida State University and frequent presenter at ISM conferences.
- Moderator: Frank Quinn, Editorial Director, Supply Chain Management Review

Worth the try ?
more info: http://www.scmr.com/

Green technologies is the latest trendy subject.
For anyone involved in logistics or supply chain management, green technologies is indeed the next issue (surely because they are the first in line concerned by the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions). Environmental friendliness is clearly investment worthy for anyone involved in the subject (carriers, real estate investors, shippers, builders).
I knew there was an index (the Dow Jones Sustainability Index), yet, I didn’t know there was an award for that !!
Our canadian friends invented it: they came out with a brand new SCL (supply chain and logistics) Green Supply Chain Award. that acknowledge that recipients operate in an ethical manner and actively seek ways to improve environmental performance. I don’t know this type of award in France, is there one ?

nota bene: The 2007 award recipients are J.D. Smith and Sons Ltd. and logistics division of UPM-Kymmene. Both have set and exceeded high standards for environmental friendliness in the handling and shipment of their products to customers.

more info about the SCL association: http://www.sclcanada.org/

Certainly not ! Even if, a good supply chain requires a smooth flow of goods via various networks, it would be crazy to compare logistics to a long quiet river !!!! UNLESS….. unless we take into account the great challenge of the coming years towards the improvement of multimodal networks such as WATERWAYS.
Much literature exists about the subject on the web, yet, I prefer to pinpoint a few examples I read about during my « long quiet summer break »:
. Sainsbury’s intention to include the River Thames in its distribution network (according to the Financial Times, the company made a 1-week trial in July for the transportation of goods and came to the conclusion that goods could be moved faster by water that on London’s roads: «  »The trial proved there are alternatives [to road] for us to be more efficient as a business, environmentally sustainable, and cause less congestion, » said Roger Burnley, Sainsbury’s supply chain director.)
. Auchan France group is the 1rst carrier in France to use the river network for about 60% of its importation of boxes.
. Renault’s decision to use waterways for half of the exportation (Europe excluded) of its boxes from the Rouen platform to Le Havre seaport.
. Monoprix uses waterways for 85% of its « great importation » of goods.
. and many more…

In France, the waterway networks represent about 1/3 of the combined networks (sea, rail, river, road) and traffic on river has been increasing by 50% during the last 10 years, this is quite promising for the years to come.