Coronavirus
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UPS will raise peak surcharges for Air, Ground, SurePost starting in November
Surcharges will increase to between $1 and $4 per package, depending on the shippers' parcel volume. At minimum, this will triple the pandemic-related fees UPS put in place in May for domestic shipments.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 07, 2020 -
Uber focuses on delivery as pandemic erodes ride business
Uber Connect, a consumer-to-consumer delivery service, puts the tech company in competition with parcel carriers and USPS, though not on price.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 07, 2020 -
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US orders government to prioritize domestic drug supply chain
A directive announced by the president Thursday would require government agencies to buy certain "essential" drugs from factories in the U.S.
By Ben Fidler • Aug. 06, 2020 -
Column
Dear valued supplier: Don't take advantage of the pandemic to raise prices
Nearly every cycle, some business condition creates cost challenges, with many price increases valid but others not. The goal is to separate fact from fiction.
By Rich Weissman • Aug. 06, 2020 -
Permission granted by Saval Foodservice
Deep DiveFood distributors, restaurants reinvent business models in a scramble to survive
From wine bar to mini grocery store, from restaurant distribution to direct to consumer — food sector firms are pivoting operations to keep business flowing.
By Gary Wollenhaupt • Aug. 06, 2020 -
Cara Salpini/Supply Chain Dive
Fashion industry says purchase order cancellations will endure in Q3 and beyond
Despite reduced optimism about the industry's future, 90% of survey respondents plan to increase hiring over the next five years, particularly in production and supply chain roles.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 05, 2020 -
Courtesy of Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat incurs $6M in repacking expense to handle pandemic demand shift
With restaurants, schools and offices closed, the plant-based supplier switched food service production lines over to retail products, which resulted in a mix of 88% retail and 12% food service.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 05, 2020 -
Wayfair reverses loss trend as pandemic volumes improve logistics network utilization
The "turning point" in profitability comes after years of investment to ramp up capacity in its middle- and last-mile networks.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 05, 2020 -
Permission granted by Tillamook
From visibility software to pallet picks: How Tillamook planned inventory as demand soared
The demand planning team credits software for its ability to adjust operations during the pandemic. Now the challenge is long range inventory planning, particularly for cheeses that require two years to age.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 04, 2020 -
New Clorox CEO tasked with increasing supply, staying in stock
Executives are "aggressively investing" to increase production capacity because, though sales are booming, stockouts are adversely affecting the company's share of the total market.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 04, 2020 -
Permission granted by Home Depot
Home Depot adds 3 warehouses as DIY demand grows
The pandemic has shifted consumer behavior and buying patterns, but it hasn't deterred Home Depot from its plan to invest in its distribution network.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 04, 2020 -
davidpheat. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/photos/cityscape-city-road-crossroad-1186069/.
OpinionCOVID-19's urban exodus will force supply chains to adapt
The shift to working from home could cause a second slower-moving, but more enduring, demand shock that is just starting to unfold, writes Aaron Terrazas, director of economic research at Convoy.
By Aaron Terrazas • Aug. 04, 2020 -
Courtesy of Ford
ISM: Manufacturing growth indicates 'we're coming out of recession'
The PMI climbed to 54.2% in July, with employees returning to work and growing consumer demand contributing to a healthy reading.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 03, 2020 -
Retrieved from Flickr.
US ventilator, PPE imports drop as coronavirus cases climb
S&P Global cites efforts by the Trump administration to encourage domestic production of key supplies to combat the coronavirus pandemic as a potential reason for the reduction.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 03, 2020 -
DSV Panalpina restores guidance to near pre-pandemic level
CEO Jens Bjørn Andersen called the company's guidance "more unsecure than normal," with coronavirus cases increasing in several countries.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 03, 2020 -
XPO says tech, automation interest is leading shippers to outsource more of their supply chains
Executives said shippers need interim capacity to handle demand spikes during the pandemic.
By Matt Leonard • July 31, 2020 -
Demand for partitions and face shields is booming. How a plastic fabricator is adapting its supply chain
Imaginative Materials leaned on supplier relationships and started buying larger sheets of material as customer calls for partitions rolled in.
By Jen A. Miller • July 30, 2020 -
UPS: Current capacity can handle peak, 'we'll be selective' on volume
New CEO Carol Tomé vowed to "sweat the assets" UPS already has to handle peak volume and take a harder line on rates going forward.
By Emma Cosgrove • July 30, 2020 -
Kendall Davis / Supply Chain Dive
CH Robinson draws airfreight demand with belly capacity down 70% in June
The carrier's airfreight revenue and pricing increased despite hauling less volume — a dichotomy highlighting the struggle shippers face in the current environment.
By Matt Leonard • July 30, 2020 -
Thai Phi Le
Mondelez plans 25% SKU cut to sustain pandemic market share growth
As competitors' supply chains catch up from pandemic-related production slowdowns, CEO Dirk Van de Put said a SKU reduction would help the company maintain its gains.
By Emma Cosgrove • July 30, 2020 -
Norfolk Southern nabs former CSX, Union Pacific exec as railroad pushes forward on PSR
The railroad has consistently reported gains in train speed and reductions in dwell time, but operating ratio jumped above 70% in Q2.
By Emma Cosgrove • July 29, 2020 -
Harley-Davidson revamps inventory management, cuts production
The new plans are part of a broader restructuring strategy after Harley-Davidson's retail sales slid almost 27% compared to the same time last year.
By Matt Leonard • July 29, 2020 -
Permission granted by Home Depot
The pandemic has complicated the WMS procurement process
Vendors and warehouse managers typically use multi-day conferences and whiteboarding to buy and implement warehouse management systems. The pandemic has turned that process upside down.
By Matt Leonard • July 28, 2020 -
Courtesy of H-E-B
OpinionGrocery supply chains must invest in automation as delivery becomes the norm
As grocers cut costs, smaller staffs will be stretched by increasing delivery demands. Technology can fill the gap, writes Avery Dennison VP Ryan Yost.
By Ryan Yost • July 28, 2020 -
Courtesy of FujiFilm
US taps camera makers to manufacture drugs, coronavirus vaccines
The Trump administration will loan Kodak $765 million to produce drug ingredients, after enlisting Fujifilm to help make coronavirus vaccines, in an effort to reshore pharma supply chains.
By Ned Pagliarulo • July 28, 2020
