A UPS strike was averted on the last day of the quarter, but it still hangs in the balance as the two sides are not on the same page! The head of the union said an imminent strike was likely when a counterproposal fell flat. Now that a new counterproposal was submitted, the imminent strike was called off with a new date set within a week.
Globalization is not working. Geopolitics abound. For example, the war in Russia and Ukraine ravages on. There are concerns around the nuclear power plant in Ukraine, occupied by Russia. And that is aside from the impact on oil, food, commodities and much more. China continues to threaten Taiwan and has already changed Hong Kong. It is no longer the same for business. There are countless risks throughout the world.
CLAREMONT, Calif., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, known as the Strongest Link in Your Supply Chain® and President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., has published a Special Report - The Road Ahead: Business, Supply Chain & The World Order. LMA [...]
Originally posted in Adhesives and Sealants Industry in May of 2023 As the healthcare industry supply chain faces more challenges, supporting industries must be proactive, resilient, and innovative. Although the visible bottlenecks in the healthcare supply chains are getting calmer, volatility will remain high. From the impacts of increasing [...]
According to PMSA (Pacific Merchant Shipping Association), the five big West Coast ports have lost volume - 702,083 fewer loads and empties were handled in January and February 2023 than in the same period pre-pandemic in 2019. This equates to close to a 16% reduction. Specifically, the Port of Long Beach was off by 18.7% from January 2019 [...]
What is clear is that VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) is continuing in the forefront and will continue to be our "new normal". As I recently debated with the Wall Street Journal, we are in an era of non-stop disruptions. Look no further than the escalating war of Russia [...]
Transportation has been in chaos since the pandemic. It started with logjams at the ports that persisted for multiple years, continued with atypical events such as the ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal and truckers blocking the border of US and Canada, and continues to rage on with labor shortages across the board in rail, trucking, and all transportation sectors.
In the last few weeks, I've participated in three different economic events, talked with trusted advisors and seen what clients are experiencing. From banks to economists to executives, differing views emerge. But, what is the bottom line?
Companies must develop proactive and clear strategies that help them stay ahead of the ever-changing disruptions within the supply chain.
According to the The Journal of Commerce, the West Coast ports are losing volume. The West Coast share of imports coming from Asia is down from 61.1% in 2021 to 58.8% in 2022 while the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports rose. According to the JOC, the ILWU contract negotiations are causing this change although there are concerns about drayage and rail as well.
