Chances are, you know what logistics technology is ... but you may not know it by its name. Logistics technology involves managing the flow of materials and storage of materials and finished goods through the supply chain to the consumer — critical processes in today’s economy.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of Labor Statistics, material handling and logistics is one of America's largest and fastest growing industries, accounting for more than $156 billion in annual expenditures on equipment, information technology, and goods and services, and employing more than 700,000 workers.

In a Wall Street Journal article about United Parcel Services launching a global ad campaign to promote its expanding logistics business (UPS Leaves ‘Brown’ for New Love, Sept. 13, 2010), logistics is defined as involving “the critical steps that allow a company to get its product to the customers — stocking and running a warehouse, filling orders, clearing goods through customs, choosing a shipping method and handling returns.”

Why is UPS so successful? The company — as well as successful retail giants like Walmart and Target — understands how to run logistics operations in which each part of the supply chain performs smoothly, getting products where they need to be. Transportation by plane, train, truck and rail; globalization; supply chain management; and new computer-based tracking technologies are all part of the world of the logistics professional.

One program specialization, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), applies to products the same electronic identification method used in toll tags and smart cards. RFID technology is applied to products and packages to track inventory time and speed so that vendors can tell exactly where goods are located, whether in the warehouse or in the supply chain.