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CBP will detain all cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang

Wednesday's region-wide withhold release order builds on previous regulatory actions and puts the burden of proof on the importer to verify suspect shipments do not contain the banned materials or product.

Deep Dive

Damco is gone. Where do Maersk, freight forwarders and shippers go from here?

Shippers face a choice as they plan freight strategies: the simplicity of a single end-to-end provider or the reduced risk of a diversified carrier network.

Walmart to test refrigerated boxes that store grocery deliveries outside homes

The secure, internet-connected units can hold items at various temperatures and use ultraviolet light to kill viruses, mold and mildew.

UPS, Verizon, Skyward partner on 5G drone delivery in Florida

Many details on the partnership have yet to be disclosed, but the companies say 5G will be important to scaling delivery fleets.

Loves Furniture declares bankruptcy following shipping issues, Penske Logistics dispute

Loves leadership says it has "too much inventory and too little cash" to operate its stores. 

How DHL optimized packaging at warehouses to cut shipping costs

Determining the ideal mix of carton sizes uses information on items ordered, dimensions, carriers, destinations and shipping costs — all data that retailers and fulfillment centers collect frequently.

CH Robinson, SAS bet real-time demand data can shorten freight bid windows

Demand doesn't change at the pace of an annual contract. The two companies will use their existing tools to drive more agile freight procurement.

Warehouse rents could slow their climb in 2021 as construction boosts supply

Industrial rents in the U.S. went up an average of 4.6% from Q4 2019 to Q4 2020, setting a record high last year.

XPO Logistics pilots virtual reality for LTL cross-dock training

Using Oculus for Business, the firm saw higher productivity, better safety outcomes and reduced waste.

Airfreight rates start 2021 on a decline following mediocre peak

Rates more than doubled YoY from China to the U.S. to reach $7.57 per kilogram in the last week of December, but pricing has already fallen to $6.19 per kilogram in the first half of January.

US tariffs on high-alcohol wine from Germany and France take effect this week

The new import duties are part of a longstanding dispute about commercial jetliner subsidies that has spilled over into food and alcohol.

Supply chains struggle to procure nitrile gloves after manufacturer shutdown

MSC Industrial reported an impairment charge for a prepaid glove order that has still not been delivered, in another example of how the pandemic has challenged procurement teams. 

Bed Bath & Beyond's COO says the company is pivoting to a 'common-sense' supply chain model

The retailer's network of 30 cross docks will drastically reduce in number soon, making way for distribution centers, run by one or more third parties, COO John Hartmann said.

Column

Humanity drives these 4 procurement trends for 2021

We are fundamentally — professionally and personally — transformed because of COVID-19 pandemic experiences.

PwC: Pandemic shifts tech priorities to workflow automation

Companies are finding that automation can allow procurement staff to focus on high-impact decisions rather than mundane tasks, if training is prioritized. 

European shippers say ocean carriers broke contracts, call on regulators to step in

Authorities in China and South Korea and the Federal Maritime Commission in the U.S. are also examining ocean shipping practices and container availability.   

Suppliers struggle with labor availability, slowing deliveries: ISM

One company said the pandemic is affecting its suppliers' labor availability now more than in March, though the vaccine rollout provides a bit of optimism.

Amazon buys 11 planes to boost airfreight capacity

The aircraft purchases, a first for Amazon, come at a time when airfreight procurement has become increasingly difficult, and e-commerce demand is soaring.

UPS expects to break weekly returns record with nearly 9M returns

As e-commerce took a larger share of overall commerce in 2020, returns increased and diffused out over the holiday shopping period.

How COVID-19 is changing packaging

The shift may finally get rid of the need to encase every item in impossible-to-open plastic.

Impossible Foods slashes prices to foodservice distributors 15%

This is the second price cut in the last 12 months, and underscores the plant-based company's strategy to use both restaurants and stores to grab market share from traditional meat.

FAA: New drone rules address safety, provide more operational flexibility

While the industry has seen a flurry of drone activity with UPS, Amazon Prime, Walmart and others, regulation and investment hurdles have precluded more widespread adoption for delivery operations.

Analysts: Restocking in Q1 will keep trucking market hot

Cass' latest Freight Index showed expenditures were up almost 6% in November as rate increases in the spot market have begun to spill over into contracts.

Cardboard prices stayed flat as demand surged, but that might not last

The cardboard box industry saw more demand over the course of the pandemic as consumers increasingly turned to e-commerce. 

Opinion

To boost earnings, focus on supplier spend — not job cuts

It's an area often overlooked, even by senior business leaders, when employee costs are a relatively small portion of most big companies' budgets, the author writes.