Global Supply Chains

COVID-19 reveals lack of flexibility, leadership in supply chains

COVID-19 reveals lack of flexibility, leadership in supply chains (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The COVID-19 pandemic has led businesses to rethink their logistics operations, as they bore the brunt of the pandemic while it disrupted sourcing operations. Countries closed their borders, and cities as well as entire regions went into lockdown, causing demand for nonessential items to plummet even as demand for essential goods skyrocketed. Though logistical turmoil of this scale has never been seen before, it reinforces the importance of future-proofing supply chains. 

FreightWaves connected...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/covid-19-reveals-lack-of-flexibility-leadership-in-supply-chains

Commentary: How digital transformation builds supply chain resilience

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Meta-description: C-suite executives often use supply chain resilience, agility and flexibility interchangeably, but what do they mean and have to do with digital transformation?

How often do you really think about digital transformation? Digital transformation is everywhere – even in the palm of your hand. But, its true applications continue to fall short of what...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-how-digital-transformation-builds-supply-chain-resilience

Commentary: Can managed trade really work?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Managed trade, ironically, is hard to manage. This is especially true when it is between the world’s two largest economies trying to settle their trade and political disputes. The U.S.-China trade war entered a détente of sorts with the “Phase 1” trade deal signed on January 15, 2020. Between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, China is required to import more...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-can-managed-trade-really-work

Commentary: Re-opening the economy is not like turning on a light switch

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Yogi Berra’s famous piece of advice was if you come to a fork in the road, take it. Making decisions, whether comical or serious, are much easier when they affect only the decision-maker. But what happens when person A’s decision affects person B’s and that, in turn, makes person A reconsider? In this case we have gone from a fork in the road to an endless...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-re-opening-the-economy-is-not-like-turning-on-a-light-switch

Commentary: Why seeds travel the world

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

While airline passenger load factors are at record lows, American Airlines (AA) recently broke a weight record in shipping a commodity not thought of as typical air cargo. There is more than enough demand to haul soybean seeds for AA to schedule a Boeing 777-300 for all-cargo flights from Buenos Aires to its hub in Miami. The company’s record-breaking flight on...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-why-seeds-travel-the-world

Commentary: How are freight professionals adjusting to COVID-19?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

On April 9, FreightWaves ran Commentary: Can supply chain tech startups survive COVID-19?, followed on April 23 by Commentary: How supply chain startups are surviving COVID-19.

For most people who focus on supply chain, innovation and technology, a related and perhaps even more salient question is the question about how professionals in traditional supply chain...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-how-are-freight-professionals-adjusting-to-covid-19

COVID-19 long-term impacts: Increased automation, remote working

COVID-19 long-term impacts: Increased automation, remote working (Photo: Shutterstock)

The COVID-19 impact on supply chains has been total, as it ended up playing havoc on demand and supply equations, while also creating uncertainty in available capacity for hauling freight. But as more and more countries flatten the pandemic’s growth curve, demand is expected to increase in the coming months. And as Chinese industries get back on their feet, volumes will decidedly grow as well. 

In that context, maritime freight movement has never been more critical to jumpstart paralyzed...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/covid-19-long-term-impacts-increased-automation-remote-working

India’s industry suffers as China slows down, but may reap rewards later

India’s freight forwarders are feeling the effects of the coronavirus outbreak and China’s extended supply chain slowdown.
Karthi Baskar, deputy managing director of Kintetsu World Express (India), said shipments from China had been heavily delayed.
“All air cargo capacity is downsized due to the cancelled passenger flights, and there’s only limited freighter capacity available,” he told The Loadstar.
“All raw materials for manufacturing are on hold, which will obviously affect supply.”
China...

https://theloadstar.com/indias-industry-suffers-as-china-slows-down-but-may-reap-rewards-later/

Shippers brace for delays as coronavirus keeps China’s factories closed

Container shippers should expect more blanked sailings and increased freight rates if China’s coronavirus outbreak extends factory closures, while airlines are scrambling to reduce flights into the country.
The government has already extended the lunar new year holiday until 2 February, but workers in major cities like Shanghai and Ningbo have been told to stay home until 10 February.
“Should this additional week-long shut down be extended nationally, it would be no …

The post Shippers brace for...

https://theloadstar.com/shippers-brace-for-delays-as-coronavirus-keeps-chinas-factories-closed/

Coronavirus a growing threat to global supply chains – pharma being hit first

Concerns are rising over the coronavirus outbreak in China and the potential disruption to global supply chains.
The number of reported cases in China surged 60% overnight to more than 4,500, with the death toll rising to 106 people.
Yesterday, Beijing announced that the lunar new year holiday would be extended by three days, until 2 February, in an effort to contain the virus, following its outbreak in Wuhan, capital of the …

The post Coronavirus a growing threat to global supply chains –...

https://theloadstar.com/coronavirus-a-growing-threat-to-global-supply-chains-pharma-being-hit-first/

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