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After years of ‘Made in China,’ supply chains consider alternatives

By Shefali Kapadia The “Made in China” label is ubiquitous in the United States, stamped on everything from industrial machinery to a pair of flip flops. But risks — from rising costs, to a trade war, to a pandemic — have prompted companies to rethink their relationships with suppliers and China. “We’ve realized that we put tooContinue reading “After years of ‘Made in China,’ supply chains consider alternatives”

Mars Gears Up for a New CEO and Its Next Chapter

By Shefali Kapadia From the outside, it appears an ordinary day at Mars’ headquarters, just across the border fromWashington, D.C., in Virginia. But inside the corporation, change is afoot. The CPG is gearing up for one of its biggest shifts since 2014, as a new CEO prepares to take the helm. Inevitably, some degree ofContinue reading “Mars Gears Up for a New CEO and Its Next Chapter”

Frito-Lay bucks the trend of supply chain simplification

By Shefali Kapadia When pandemic-driven lockdowns sent consumers home, Frito-Lay adjusted its inventory to meet increasing demand for its products. The snack brand temporarily culled about 21% of its SKU portfolio to keep its supply chain as efficient as possible and deliver its most in-demand products, said Laura Maxwell, senior vice president of supply chainContinue reading “Frito-Lay bucks the trend of supply chain simplification”

Transport execs confront high-stakes decision: remote, office or hybrid work?

By Shefali Kapadia USA Truck, like many businesses, went fully remote for office operations last spring when the pandemic prompted large-scale shutdowns. The decision was straightforward for most companies, as they put staff safety above all else. “When the pandemic hit … you have that ‘fight or flight’ button in your brain and say, ‘OK,Continue reading “Transport execs confront high-stakes decision: remote, office or hybrid work?”

How supply chains contend with severe weather and climate disasters

In this seven-part series, Supply Chain Dive and sister publication Transport Dive explore the impacts of climate disasters and severe weather on logistics networks, and how supply chains respond to the current threat and fortify operations for the future. As storms become more frequent and volatile, some ports plan for the risk — but most do notContinue reading “How supply chains contend with severe weather and climate disasters”

9 charts show the highs and lows of supply chains in Q1

By Shefali Kapadia and Matt Leonard The growth spurt in consumer spending that began last summer carried over into 2021, with knock-on effects to supply chains. Freight demand led to hikes in transportation prices and warehouse rents, alongside dips in capacity. And near the end of the quarter, a global disruption occurred: The Ever GivenContinue reading “9 charts show the highs and lows of supply chains in Q1”

Timeline: How the Suez Canal blockage unfolded across supply chains

By Matt Leonard When the Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal, it captured international attention as crews worked to dislodge the vessel and resume global trade flows. Days after the vessel was freed, hundreds of container ships were still waiting to get through the canal as a result of the backlog created byContinue reading “Timeline: How the Suez Canal blockage unfolded across supply chains”

Congested West Coast ports bring the heat to TL spot rates

By Jim Stinson Normality — at least what passes as normality in 2020 and 2021 — seemed to be slowly returning to trucking lanes out of the Los Angeles area after months of supply chain congestion. The number of ships offshore the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California had dropped in lateContinue reading “Congested West Coast ports bring the heat to TL spot rates”

The US has a new trade chief. What supply chains can expect on tariffs and China.

By Shefali Kapadia Trade didn’t make it into the Biden administration’s seven immediate priorities. It’s not a subject where analysts and former trade representatives expect to see big moves or a flurry of activity. But that hasn’t deterred newly-confirmed U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. “I don’t expect, if confirmed, to be put on the back burnerContinue reading “The US has a new trade chief. What supply chains can expect on tariffs and China.”

Dole, Amazon settle in as logistics infrastructure in Wilmington, Delaware, builds up and out

By Shefali Kapadia Interstate 495 is in clear view from the berths at the Port of Wilmington, Delaware. One traffic light and one turn is all it takes for trucks departing the port to reach the highway and haul their containers to dense population centers along the East Coast. And running parallel to the interstate,Continue reading “Dole, Amazon settle in as logistics infrastructure in Wilmington, Delaware, builds up and out”