Supply Chain Research

Supply Chain Edge: Consumer slowdown is slowing down

May 15, 2023

US seaborne imports of containerized freight fell for the ninth straight month in April, led by a 24% slide in consumer goods shipments. However, the rate of decline is slowing. Destocking, which may have gone too far for some apparel firms, and slower sales are likely drivers. Seasonal patter... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: A light in the semiconductor tunnel

May 5, 2023

Demand for semiconductors remains depressed while a recovery will take until later in the year, based on a review of the forward-looking comments from eight firms including Apple Inc. The latter’s supply chain remains in flux, with one supplier leaving India and another setting up in Vietnam. ... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Yeezy deflates kicks

March 10, 2023

Adidas has a pressing need to reduce its inventories after a failed collaboration with Kanye West. US imports linked to the firm surged in 2022 and are now reversing. The firm’s supplies have shifted toward Indonesia, yielding lower costs and price inflation. Trends in sports equipment supply ... Read more →

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Supply Chain Edge: Mobile smartphone manufacturers

March 6, 2023

A new crop of smartphones at the latest Mobile World Congress (MWC) aims to arrest a downturn in global demand. We dive into reshoring as a way to cut costs and look at the rise of India as a production and export center. Retailers are starting to cut excess inventories built up as a result of... Read more →

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Supply Chain Edge: Fording the EV gap

February 20, 2023

Key findings this week: Ford’s electric vehicle supply chain is expanding rapidly but faces operational and sourcing challenges. The consumer goods industry, particularly the toys industry, has an inventory problem and trade activity has fallen as a result. Foxconn is the latest electronics fi... Read more →

Russian invasion of Ukraine adds additional strain to stretched supply chains

March 1, 2022

The Russian offensive in Ukraine is likely to result in much human tragedy. The fallout from the conflict is also expected to spread into global supply chains and impact economies in Eastern Europe and beyond. The first-order effects may come from the mounting economic sanctions imposed by the... Read more →

Mahle, Valeo may see additional costs from aluminium foil ruling

October 26, 2021

The U.S. International Trade Commission recently ruled that imports of aluminum foil from Armenia, Brazil, Oman, Russia and Turkey “materially” injure U.S. industry. The injury is caused by sales at less than fair value, also known as dumping, as determined by a prior decision by the Departmen... Read more →

“Fit for 55” brings higher costs, continued uncertainty for supply chains

July 15, 2021

The European Union’s “Fit for 55” greenhouse gas reduction package brings stricter targets and likely increased costs for supply chains once it enters law over the next two years. In logistics the maritime shipping industry will be included in the EU emission trading scheme for the first time.... Read more →

Evraz, TMK face dual duty squeeze as Russia manages metals inflation

June 29, 2021

The Russian government will apply export duties to a range of base metals including steel, aluminum, nickel and copper. That follows a similar move in the food sector and is an attempt to manage domestic inflation. The duties may further distort metals supply chains, exacerbating a prior slide... Read more →

Nord Stream 2 completion could leave U.S. LNG looking for alternatives

June 25, 2021

European natural gas prices have surged after Russia’s Gazprom reportedly reduced supplies to below pre-pandemic levels. That follows the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and waiving of U.S. sanctions linked to the project’s developers. Russia accounted for 39.9% of EU gas imports ... Read more →

Supply Chain Research

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