Many sophisticated supply chains now stretch across continents and rely on just-in-time delivery.

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American business is on a diet, relying on smaller inventories and just-in-time delivery practices to get goods to their customers.

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Feel free to pre-order now for a June delivery -- just in time for the summer breeze.

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"Imagine just-in-time deliveries of rare medicines to specialist clinics or even direct delivery of doses to chronic patients periodically, " Mr Simons says.

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There were occasions when someone needed to get into a car with a package and drive all the way out to Palatine to the FedEx station that had the latest drop-off time in the state just to guarantee the arrival of an overnight delivery.

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