Articles
Global Logistics
Global Logistics—March 2017
Canada and EU Spell Out Free Trade Agreement to Reduce Tariffs, Open Market Access After much debate, the European Union (EU) and Canada approved the controversial Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). While some parts of the deal regarding foreign direct investment still require approval from individual governments—a process that could take years—CETA will soon […]
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Global Logistics—February 2017
Mexican Border Wall Becoming Trade Barrier The battle over NAFTA renegotiation and trade between the United States and Mexico has been tied into the building of the border wall between the two nations promised by President Donald Trump on the campaign trail. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto refused to discuss the idea of Mexico paying […]
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Global Logistics—January 2017
Manufacturing Supply Chains: What Does the Future Hold? Nobody can predict the future, but some are certainly qualified to make educated guesses. Over the next decade, manufacturing growth depends on successful engagement with consumers, according to IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Supply Chain 2017 Predictions, a new report from IDC Manufacturing Insights. The report makes the following […]
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Alibaba Spends Big To Upgrade Logistics Network
Forty-three percent of Chinese consumers lived outside urban areas in 2016, many in remote, rural areas challenging to access via road, estimates The World Bank. To reach these consumers, e-commerce and logistics companies need to invest heavily in new logistics infrastructure. That’s why Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will pour $720 million into Huitongda Network, a […]
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Global Logistics—December 2016
TPP is Dead. Is NAFTA Next? A number of important policy issues are still up in the air for the United States, but President-elect Donald Trump has made one thing clear: The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is done. The TPP—a proposed free trade agreement between the United States and 11 Pacific Rim countries—became a target during […]
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Global Logistics—November 2016
Shippers Hesitant to Plunge Into Global Trade Expanding internationally might seem like a no-brainer in a world where consumers are connected to global businesses through the internet and myriad global shipping options. Yet, a number of obstacles keep companies from taking the plunge into international waters, or from expanding existing global operations. Many shippers say […]
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Global Logistics—October 2016
Overcapacity Problems Sink Hanjin Shipping Right in the middle of the peak ocean shipping season leading up to the U.S. holiday rush, South Korean ocean liner Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection in one dozen countries in late August and early September 2016. Hanjin is the world’s seventh-largest ocean carrier, and handles nearly 8 percent […]
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Global Logistics—September 2016
Cheat Sheets Wrinkle Target’s Supply Chain Target’s supply chain got a wakeup call when supplier Welspun Inc. allegedly provided a fraudulent product. The retailer recently ended its contract with the India-based textile company, claiming that Welspun supplied Egyptian cotton sheets made from a lower-quality cotton between August 2014 and July 2016. Target’s allegations drove Walmart, […]
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Global Logistics—August 2016
U.S./Mexico Border Project Takes Off Wait To address customs clearance delays and waiting times at the U.S./Mexico border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT) launched the Unified Cargo Processing pilot program at Arizona’s Port of Nogales, Mariposa Commercial Facility. The project is posting positive results in its initial stages. […]
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Global Logistics—July 2016
UK Voters: See EU Later The British exit, or Brexit, referendum by the population of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU) has already had some impact on the supply chain, and will likely have much more in the coming months. The dust is still settling after the narrow 51-percent victory, but as […]
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Global Logistics—June 2016
Fashion Police: Who Are You Wearing? Who made the clothes you’re wearing? Where were they dyed? Where were they sewn? You may have no idea. As it turns out, there’s a good chance the clothing manufacturer has no idea either. Some companies have come a long way in terms of supply chain visibility since the […]
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Global Logistics—May 2016
Earthquakes Shake Up Global Supply Chains The global supply chain is still feeling the aftershocks of a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Japan on April 14, 2016, followed by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake two days later on Japan’s island of Kyushu. With property and local infrastructure severely damaged, many companies will continue to feel the effects in […]
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Global Logistics—April 2016
Air Cargo Struggles to Find its Wings Times are tough for the air cargo industry. Despite the fact that the rest of the world seems to be recovering from the global financial crisis, air freight just can’t seem to sustain any type of upward momentum. The industry has gone from a $67-billion annual profit in […]
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Global Logistics—March 2016
What Keeps Supply Chain and Risk Managers Up at Night? Every type of business risk has an impact on the supply chain. And when risk becomes reality, risk managers and supply chain managers work in tandem to keep goods and materials flowing. In 2016, companies need to be prepared and ready to meet the following […]
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Global Logistics—February 2016
Global Infrastructure Projects: Building for the Future A $305-billion transportation infrastructure bill passed the U.S. Congress at the end of 2015, but the United States isn’t the only country looking to spend big money on infrastructure projects, according to the 2016 Global Infrastructure Report from CG/LA Infrastructure. The report details 100 infrastructure projects in 71 […]
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Global Logistics—January 2016
It’s Not Easy Beijing Green China reached its highest level of air pollution on record in December 2015. The smog in Beijing was so bad that the government issued a series of red alerts (the highest alert on a four-tier scale) spanning days. The alerts forced more than 2,000 factories to reduce or shut down […]
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Global Logistics—October 2015
Today’s Digital Economy: What’s in Store for Retailers? Retailers are currently pressured to adjust their internal and customer-facing strategies to meet consumer demands, which are evolving at a rapid pace. But they must be willing to evolve as well, according to SAP’s inaugural Retail Index survey conducted in partnership with global forecasting firm Oxford Economics. The survey […]
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Refugees Cause Price Hike for EU Shippers
Refugees Displace EU Supply Chain In many cases, even under the best circumstances, border crossings can be rife with paperwork, passports, and delays. But Europe has streamlined the process, with free and open border crossings between most of its member states that eliminate many of these hassles. That is, until recently. More than nine million […]
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Global Logistics—October 2015
Ocean Containers Talk Back What would Malcom McLean say if “the box” talked back? Now it does. CMA CGM recently debuted the Bougainville as the first containership with connected container technology that transforms the box into a smart asset. The initiative is part of a collaborative project between the French steamship line and Traxens, a […]
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Global Logistics—September 2015
Ocean Carrier Dependability Ebbs Over the past few years, steamship lines have been juggling assets and throttling back transit times to better balance supply and demand. A slowdown in global trade—especially between Asia and Europe—and the industry’s well-publicized struggles with overcapacity have forced the issue for many carriers. While shippers and supply chains have adjusted […]
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