Supply Chain Research

Supply Chain Edge: Strike hits, green Apple, boring supply chains

September 15, 2023

• In new research this week we find that the United Auto Workers strike in the US has the potential to cut GDP by 0.39 percentage point in the third quarter of 2023 and cause upheaval across global autos supply chains. The EU may apply higher import duties on mainland China’s electric vehicle ... Read more →

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Supply Chain Edge: Peak season expectations, mysterious phone, more blocked lithium

September 8, 2023

• In new research this week, we look at the prospects for the US peak shipping season. The good news is that the seasonality of shipping is back to the 2016–19 level. The bad news is that consumer goods volumes are still weak. Elsewhere, there is evidence of slow activity in UK retail and conc... Read more →

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Peaking like it’s 2019: 2023 US peak season supply chain activity

September 8, 2023

• US import activity has slowed throughout 2023, culminating in a 12% year-over-year drop in seaborne imports of containerized freight in August. While maritime containerized freight represents 32% of total imports by value, it is nonetheless indicative of slowing supply chain activity more br... Read more →

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Time for phase two: Mexico as a supply chain reshoring center

August 4, 2023

• Mexico has been at the forefront of supply chain reshoring since the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. The electrification of the automotive industry, rivalry between the US and mainland China and post-pandemic resilience investments raise the question as ... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Mexi-shoring, India’s moment and sportswear on track

August 4, 2023

• In new research this week, we find that Mexico has a strong track record as a center for reshoring, but continued success is far from guaranteed in autos and electronics and Mexico is far from being the only game in town. The autos industry remains focused on normalizing supply chains as inv... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Judging calm, recycling rags, striking potash

July 14, 2023

• In new research this week, we have reviewed 2023 so far through the lens of 10 key data points and found that supply chains are mostly back to normal, but there are key areas of concern. Our deep dive into new export restrictions in mainland China finds that the threat to critical mineral su... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Seasonal clock ticking for labor settlement

June 9, 2023

Labor action at US west coast ports raises the specter of logistics disruptions ahead of the peak shipping season. Consumer discretionary products, particularly back-to-school items including children’s apparel, are particularly exposed from a seasonal perspective if a labor deal is not reache... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Athleisure close to achieving balance

June 2, 2023

Athleisure is typical of the apparel industry in still trying to achieve balance between inventory and sales, but Lululemon appears to have found a successful formula as supply chains normalize. The personal computer sector is stuck in a period of inventory normalization in the face of sliding... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Resized inventory, splintered memory, active volcano

May 26, 2023

The apparel industry is returning to normal, though the major retailers still expect inventories to fall further while long term strategies on sourcing and environmental management are only just getting underway. Bifurcation in the technology industry has accelerated with the mainland Chinese ... 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 Research

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