Transportation has been in chaos since the pandemic. It started with logjams at the ports that persisted for multiple years, continued with atypical events such as the ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal and truckers blocking the border of US and Canada, and continues to rage on with labor shortages across the board in rail, trucking, and all transportation sectors.
As has been all over the news, the Chinese sent a spy balloon which floated across the U.S. for about a week. According to US senior military officials, it is confirmed that the balloon is tied to a major surveillance program run by China's military. It has politicians and citizens up-in-arms about the potential impacts, and it bolsters concerns about China.
According to the The Journal of Commerce, the West Coast ports are losing volume. The West Coast share of imports coming from Asia is down from 61.1% in 2021 to 58.8% in 2022 while the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports rose. According to the JOC, the ILWU contract negotiations are causing this change although there are concerns about drayage and rail as well.
Supply chain has become an excuse. Although there has certainly been a slew of supply chain challenges that carry on with baby formula shortages, rail backlogs, computer chip issues, hurricane induced delays, fertilizer scarcity, and China’s zero-COVID policy delays, supply chain should no longer be the excuse. Only the [...]
With the increase in interest in the three P’s of the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profit), packaging rises to the forefront. It is controllable, and there are several options for how packaging can contribute to the triple bottom line.
Railroads move 40% of U.S. freight, making them a critical link in the supply chain. Learn why rail disruptions create widespread bottlenecks and how manufacturers can build more resilient supply chains.
Transportation disruptions have made logistics resilience more important than ever. In this Cargo Shorts podcast, Lisa Anderson discusses how stronger shipper-carrier partnerships, a focus on total transportation cost, and collaborative supply chain strategies can improve service, reduce costs, and create a more resilient supply chain.
Supply chain strategy requires constant reevaluation in today's volatile environment. Learn how supplier diversification, SIOP, network optimization, and inventory strategies help manufacturers build more resilient supply chains.
Geopolitical risk and supply chain disruptions are accelerating the manufacturing renaissance. Learn why companies are reshoring, nearshoring and expanding manufacturing capacity closer to customers to strengthen resilience and mitigate risk.
Geopolitical volatility, energy constraints, natural disasters and supply chain disruptions are reshaping the global landscape. Learn why manufacturers should accelerate reshoring and nearshoring, strengthen supply chain resilience and invest in the capabilities required to thrive.
