Hundreds of barges are stalled on the Mississippi River, clogging the main circulatory system for a farm-belt economy battered by a relentless, record-setting string of snow, rainstorms and flooding.
The global supply chain has become extremely complex. Proctor and Gamble has more than 75,000 suppliers, while Walmart counts more than 100,000. With so many suppliers in the mix, companies are finding it extremely challenging to keep tabs on their shipping containers.