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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read MoreAlibaba 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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read MoreGlobal 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, […]
Read MoreGlobal 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. […]
Read MoreGlobal 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 […]
Read More