A little over one year after purchasing seven new Volvo compressed natural-gas tractors, Kane Is Able Inc., a national, third-party logistics company, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, asserting that Volvo breached its warranties in connection with one of the seven units, which caught fire on Interstate 81 in early January 2015.

Livingston International, a customs broker and provider of trade-compliance services, has expanded its global trade management (GTM) offering in India and Brazil.

The British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are putting in motion plans that will change Britain's role in world manufacturing, for better or for worse. In its annual report, HSE proudly announced that they had removed 84 per cent of their regulations without compromising on safety. Depending on how you interpret the statistics, this has either made the UK a much stronger player in international trade or has taken the UK two steps backwards.

Another short-term extension of funding for transportation infrastructure improvements? This story is getting old.

A few years ago, the OECD embarked on a multiyear effort to create an international tax framework that closes perceived gaps in international tax rules. This includes combating base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) to ensure companies pay their "fair share" of taxes. Many of the BEPS Project's action items are expected to be finalized later this year.

Companies that are ignorant of the opportunities for duty avoidance, made possible by free trade agreements and changing government regulations, are leaving millions of dollars on the table, says Bernie Hart, vice president of global trade management sales with Livingston International.

Moving into new markets beyond the U.S., even to nearby Canada, has its complications. A marketer of outdoor apparel and gear partnered with Purolator International to ease the way.

Is there slavery in your global supply chain? Are you sure about that?