Federal contractors are going to be hearing the words "supply chain" a lot over the next 18 months. Having a certifiably secure supply chain will eliminate a potential mark against your selection as a source, just as having the appropriate contract vehicles eliminates friction.
The latest communication from the Global Air Cargo Advisory Group (GACAG), a body which packs in all the heavy hitters involved in the supply chain, from forwarding agents to airlines, makes very plain the views of the air cargo industry regarding the recently stalled Doha Round of trade negotiations held under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and specifically designed to lower trade barriers and simplify processes, particularly to allow two way market access to developing countries.
Four of the busiest airports in the country will get tightened cargo security this year to enhance screening of dangerous items, a move that raises concerns from business people who say the extra measure will make the current "slow" service even less efficient.
Honeywell Aerospace has started applying high-memory RFID labels to two of the parts it manufactures for the aerospace industry, with the goal of enabling the part's record to be tracked directly on the tag from birth through use by airlines, and repair by Honeywell.
Rear Admiral Mark Heinrich, commander of the Naval Supply Systems Command and chief of the Supply Corps, reveals what it's like to oversee one of the world's most complex and critical supply chains.
BNSF Railway Co. will add another 14 special rail cars to carry Boeing 737 fuselages in coming months to match Boeing's rising production of its most popular aircraft model. The addition will bring the total number of such BNSF rail cars to 99.
Labelmaster, a manufacturer and distributor of items for complying with regulations on the movement of hazardous materials, has added reusable crates to its product line.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) identified four priorities to make air cargo more secure and urged stakeholders to move forward on the implementation of the Secure Freight principles. Secure Freight was initiated by IATA to promote global security standards in order to facilitate safe, secure and efficient operations of air cargo.
Slowly and steadily, a handful of Indian aerospace companies are getting absorbed into the global supply chain of OEMs. For instance, in the opto-electronics segment, the new Samtel-Thales Avionics joint venture "plans to become the first electro-optic house in the country," said executive director Puneet Kaura. By 2015, the company intends to supply the infrared search and track system as standard equipment for the Dassault Rafale fighter for the Indian Air Force. Meanwhile, the Thales-Bharat Electronics surface radar joint venture is on track and will be fully operational by March, said Eric Lenseigne, Thales's country head for India. "Offsets at a later stage could be a possibility."
The latest supply-chain news, analysis, trends and tools for executives in the aerospace and defense industry. Learn how aerospace and defense companies and their suppliers around the world are managing the flow of products across all channels of the enterprise. Experts sound off on forecasting and demand planning, supply-chain visibility, logistics outsourcing, inventory optimization, transportation management, warehouse management, supply-chain security, corporate social responsibility and more.
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