Global Supply Chain

A top Washington policymaker explains why lawmakers have to look beyond politics to make federal funding work for freight.

What makes visibility systems useful for supply chains is when it flows that information into a company’s planning systems, says Kevin O’Meara, vice president of integrated supply chain at Shaw Industries Group.

President Biden got input Tuesday from express carriers and large retailers on the supply chain crisis.

The Biden administration is racing to cut red tape so the government can expedite port and freight transportation infrastructure investments.

Texas is using repurposed shipping containers as part of its $750 million border wall with Mexico.

Jake Medwell of Austin, Texas-based 8VC, and Loren Smith of Skyline Policy Risk Group discuss geopolitics, infrastructure and regulation in their latest give-and-take session.

The White House has begun monitoring container volume at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to measure progress in clearing supply chain bottlenecks.

Shipping giant Maersk has transformed itself into a one-stop shop for logistics services and now is growing its airfreight capability.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are turning into makeshift warehouses. Officials hope new fines on lingering cargo will end the practice.

Federal regulators have vastly improved the ability to keep unsafe drivers off the road but the trucking industry is scrambling to make up the shortfall.

Governments at the G20 meeting are pulling together to address supply shortages caused by freight transportation backlogs.

The Port of Los Angeles is hoping to scare the freight community into more efficient behavior with big fines for the slow retrieval of containers.

The Science Based Targets initiative standard for setting net-zero emissions targets can provide companies with guidance while increasing the credibility of their goals.

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller describes the current and future opportunities in supply chain technology.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are turning to heavy-handed tactics to address a container logjam that is gumming up supply chains.

California and federal officials are partnering to speed up future freight infrastructure investments, as well as reduce delays impacting cargo flows today.

Companies stymied by the chip shortage have figured out a way to keep operating while cutting their losses.

UPS boosts its 2021 operating margin guidance to 13%.

Military truck drivers and $1,000-per-chassis tax credit incentives are part of a slate of recommendations for the commerce secretary to consider to help unclog U.S. ports.

The Biden administration is pushing industry to take immediate and long-term steps to get ports and intermodal transport working smoothly.

As freight congestion weakens transportation links, AskWaves looks at potential federal funding options for supporting a move to 24/7 operations.

Stockholm-based TrusTrace plans to use the capital to expand globally, enhance product development and “continue leveraging cutting-edge technology and the best minds in the industry to achieve positive, restorative change for people and the planet,” said Shameek Ghosh, CEO and co-founder.

A top Biden administration official believes securing data among supply chain competitors will be the key to rolling out a nationwide 24/7 strategy.

Biden’s port czar outlines a 90-day plan to expand operating hours along the U.S. supply chain.

Yes, despite the headaches, the ocean carriers are making boatloads of money.

Some 1,500 supply chain professionals met at FourKites Visibility 2021 to discuss the present and future of visibility in supply chains.

AskWaves talks with an expert to learn how the Global Logistics Emissions Council provides a single framework for supply chains around the world to track emissions.

The ongoing supply chain crisis and lack of seafarers is leading to a global shortage of key commodities, Salvatore R. Mercogliano, an associate professor of history at Campbell University, told FreightWaves’ Anthony Smith at the virtual OceanWaves Summit on Wednesday.

Transportation capacity continues to contract at a record pace with rates climbing to historical levels, according to the September Logistics Managers’ Index.

EKA Solutions Inc, an industry-leading provider of cloud-based integrated freight management ecosystem for carriers, brokers and shippers, announced that it is now offering FreightWaves SONAR freight lane and market trends […]

FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller analyzes inflation in the supply chain.

“The major thing that a port can do to positively influence its emissions is to make sure trucks get in and out fast,” said Newsome.

High-tech manufacturer Enovix is not outsourcing production to Asia, unlike many predecessors. Its assembly line arrived in California on a giant plane.

Costco is going boating. Unwilling to wait for space on commercial vessels, it is now renting its own ships to haul exports from Asia.

Craig Fuller explains why supply chains are so messed up!

Nike shoes may symbolize speed on the track, but its business has been slowed by shipping and production delays.

Canada Border Services Agency officers back a deal that will bring a new four-year contract with additional pay. But there’s one catch: The retroactive agreement expires next year.

BlueTriton Brands, formerly known as Nestlé Waters North America, gets recognition for trailer loading ease and efficiency.

Generous government spending and climate change policies to continue as Justin Trudeau secures a third term as Canada’s prime minister. But he’ll still need support from other parties.

“If you send us the right resources at the right time, we can up that containment very quickly,” one official said about fighting wildfires amid this year’s broken supply chains.

Excerpt: 3M is a Shipper of Choice because it has strong forecasting tools.

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development and OnTrackNorthAmerica have formed the Southwest Supply Chain Coalition as a way to develop a regional approach to supply chain infrastructure investments.

The supply chain continues to be stretched as the peak shipping season bears down. Capacity declines further while rates soar, according to an August survey.

“The program offers technical and consultative resources that both shippers and carriers can use to reduce their carbon footprints, while improving the speed, resilience and efficiency of their supply chains,” said Bob Shellman, president and CEO at Odyssey Logistics.

The carpeting and flooring giant plans to manufacture more domestically iin the wake of the pandemic.

Will Hurricane Ida impact freight contracts? Will carriers move from shippers’ contracted freight to the spot market?

Hurricane Ida is about to hit. Emergency relief will not be far behind. Read tips about trucking into a hurricane relief effort.

The pandemic has spun off disruptions similar to falling dominoes, creating issues that strain freight movement globally.

The White House is trying to unleash the domestic economy by removing supply chain shackles.

It costs $1.2 million to charter a cargo jet from Vietnam as air exports slow because of the government’s response to a wave of COVID infections.

“Companies have to make really smart bets,” supply chain consultant Evan Quasney said about planning for extreme weather.

You can’t blame carriers for refusing to stick by a handshake agreement to sell service at pre-negotiated rates or at a discount.

Keeping a handle on the driver experience is a priority at TreeHouse Foods.

FreightWaves’ journalist Matt Blois chats with World Courier’s Alex Guite about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the cold chain and how pharma and logistics companies adapted to distribute vaccines.

Samsung employs Six Sigma methodology to create an efficient global supply chain.

Canada Border Service Agency employees have ended a day-long work-to-rule strike after reaching a tentative agreement with the Canadian government.

The union representing nearly 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency personnel warns of slowdowns at Canada’s ports of entry starting Friday as it issues a strike notice.

Kraft Heinz earns its place as a Shipper of Choice for the third year in a row as the food and beverage producer gains carriers’ respect through consistency and collaborative relationships while investing in making facilities more efficient.

Investments in visibility and collaboration among bottling partners earns Coca-Cola a spot on the FreightWaves Shipper of Choice top 25.

Walmart leverages ongoing supply chain investments to land a spot among the FreightWaves Shipper of Choice top 10.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, progress toward sustainable supply chains has not slowed like experts predicted, according to a recent report.

As it navigates COVID-era supply chain challenges, The Home Depot focuses on treating carriers with the same respect as its own employees.

“I think we need to squash the whole thing and start over,” said Kempisty.

The financial and strategic benefits of shifting toward more direct-to-consumer sales is becoming apparent at Nike.

Kroger Co. continues to bring intelligent automation to its warehouses.

Lowe’s “worked more closely than ever to support [its] carrier partners and suppliers” this year while navigating increased consumer demands during the pandemic, Kelvin Dedner, vice president of supply chain transportation at Lowe’s, said.

Experts say disruption to the supply chain caused by the coronavirus crisis has been challenging for manufacturers of all sizes, particularly smaller companies.

Manufacturing grew at a moderate pace in June, continuing a 13-month hot streak.

What does a chief product officer at a trucking sector company do given that the title is usually seen at software firms?

Campbell Soup Co. and its subsidiaries revamped its supply chain network to handle a significant increase in demand for its soup and snack products as restaurants closed and more consumers cooked at home during the pandemic, making it one of FreightWaves’ 2021 Shipper of Choice winners.

A potential strike by Canada Border Services Agency officers threatens to disrupt the country’s supply chains. The Port of Vancouver could feel the most pain.

A Prologis Research report says new logistics real estate completions coming online will fall short of demand over the next decade.

Trips that once took three to four weeks are often taking three to four months, and shipments will undoubtedly miss their season for some retailers.

Petco leverages its stores to fulfill 83% of online sales. That’s much higher than Target’s %, which has the best omnichannel operation in retail.

There was a fair amount of “feel-good” talk regarding inventory build during the fiscal first-quarter retail earnings season. But for several chains, the year-over-year comparisons were easy. Further, sales have continued at an elevated clip, suggesting the massive merchandise restocking is far from over.

FedEx remains inundated with elevated parcel volume stemming from continued online shopping resulting in longer delivery times, service blunders and upset customers.

Doing business in China is tricky and companies could get sucked into the political quicksand, so best to have an exit strategy to avoid reputational risk, experts say.

It seems that centralized buying and local product discovery are polar opposites. How can Whole Foods centralize buying and get better at the local level?

The company aggregates its cold-chain logistics services into a dedicated unit.

Amazon confirmed its annual Prime Day event will be held in Q2 (likely June), as it seeks to improve on a record Q2 2020, when revenue grew 40%. But there’s also major supply chain reasoning behind the decision.

The headlines are touting Target’s store fulfillment numbers, but Home Depot’s right behind, fulfilling 55% of online orders from stores. This is particularly advantageous for Home Depot, which sells goods that are more often heavier and bulkier than its retail counterparts.

The best-in-class retailers navigated well, and managed to grow inventory considerably in the first months of the year.

The Shipper of Choice Award recognizes companies that attract carriers because they make it easy to do business.

Kevin Hill, FreightWaves’ executive publisher, chats with Michael Newcity, chief innovation officer and president of ArcBest Technologies, during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME.

“Ultimately the pandemic has made everyone realize that there are opportunities here to make all of our lives better going forward.”

In addition to improving margins and boosting brand image, cutting ties with retailers simplifies Under Armour’s supply chain at a time when its needed most.

Three FreightTech companies demonstrated their innovative technology solutions to increase supply chain efficiency during FreightWaves LIVE @HOME on Thursday.

“We have added the ability to have an app-based experience versus an online website to manage your back room and that kind of innovation is a big reason why our retail customers have been working with us.”

The Kansas City region, with its centralized location, is becoming a prime area for commercial warehouse space, with KC Smartport expecting 15 million square feet to become available in 2021.

Today there are two types of manufacturers: old school and new school. Which one you are will help decide the future of your business.

Optimal Dynamics has raised $18 million in a Series A round to fund the deployment of its CORE.ai decision-making engine for logistics operations.

Peloton stated it expects to incur $50 million in refund expenses from its treadmill recall. What will the logistics costs be?

Cold storage facility operator Americold said food manufacturers are “failing to meet the needs of retailers” as COVID-related production shutdowns have drawn down food stocks. The impacts from lower inventories and throughput were seen in the company’s first-quarter report.

Hwy Haul has secured a $10 million Series A round of funding to help it rapidly deploy its technology within the fresh produce supply chain.

The German company posts record first-quarter profits and substantially raises full-year earnings and cash flow targets.

An April survey of supply chain executives showed “continued downward pressure on transportation capacity” with prices surging to a 2.5-year high.

In the prepared statement released with earnings, CEO Musser says the current market has no precedents.

Ware2Go, which offers shipping to merchants of all sizes with a specialization in e-commerce, will automatically purchase carbon offsets through Pachama for its customers.

The biggest changes Bed Bath & Beyond must make are in the supply chain, which has been referred to as “noncompetitive” by management.

Ford and GM say the chip shortage could cost the automakers more than $1 billion in earnings during 2021.