Building a supply chain that is both flexible and predictable can be a challenge, but retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch says both these qualities are essential to keeping its stores stocked with fresh fashions. Larry Grischow, supply chain vice president, explains how A&F uses global trade management to help achieve this goal.
HP is using a railroad to ship electronics manufactured in China to European markets, cutting its travel time, costs and carbon footprint in the process.
As the global economic landscape evolves and shifts, companies seek out new sourcing locations and growth opportunities in worldwide markets. Global expansion brings about new supply chain challenges and complexity that can vary by market and country. In North America, companies are looking for closer sourcing locations, greater efficiency, and opportunities to grow their export business. Latin America, due to its proximity, emerging market growth, and attractive free-trade agreements (FTA), as well as preferential agreements with the U.S. has made it a desirable trade region.
The latest issue of Drewry's Container Insight Weekly includes an analysis of how a Suez Canal closure would affect the container industry. Were social unrest in Egypt to disrupt shipping through the waterway, Drewry's concludes that there are enough vessels to move goods around Africa.
Despite decades of experience in China, many organizations still struggle to identify and select executives who will make a tangible impact there. Companies can do better by focusing on two crucial skills"”an ability to read the external environment and an understanding of what makes employees tick"”and on a tough truth: a generational challenge is making the talent equation more complex.
Jeff Hedges, president of OPEX Material Handling, outlines some of the major challenges confronting e-commerce providers, including rising costs, tax issues and global regulation.
Construction has begun on Emirates SkyCargo's new cargo terminal and facilities at Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport, which is set to become the home of its freighter operations in May 2014. Freighter operations are moving to Al Maktoum Airport from Dubai International Airport.
The successful reverse logistics process that works domestically may not translate if you try to take it international. When you cross borders, especially international borders, there are a host of issues and risks, which you need to consider and mitigate.
Accurate data on the millions of rules, regulations, tariffs and classifications that govern international trade is crucial to global trade management but not sufficient, says Anthony Hardenburgh, vice president of global trade content at Amber Road.
Although the overall freight forwarding market grew by 3.1 percent to $125.85bn in 2012, Transport Intelligence's report, Global Freight Forwarding 2013, suggests this figure is misleading as the positive growth was entirely attributed to the sea freight sector.
