Procurement
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China to add tariffs on $75B of US imports
One batch of duties will begin Sept. 1 and the other Dec. 15, mirroring the U.S. schedule and putting American agricultural exporters in a tough situation.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 23, 2019 -
Swine disease adds uncertainty, volatility to meat supply chains, execs say
African swine fever has wiped out 5% of global animal protein supply, creating drastic price fluctuations in a market already rocked by the U.S.-China trade war.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 23, 2019 -
ColumnA multicultural supply chain demands social awareness and respect
A training designed to prevent cultural gaffes at my company improved my negotiating process, as I learned to focus on supplier performance and the job at hand, not on cultural nuances and differences.
By Rich Weissman • Aug. 22, 2019 -
US and Mexico agree to tomato truce
An anti-dumping investigation resumed in May when the U.S. Department of Commerce formally terminated a 2013 agreement with Mexico, triggering a 17.5% tariff on Mexican fresh and chilled tomatoes.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 22, 2019 -
Kohl's 12-quarter inventory reduction streak ends
As new tariffs encourage inventory pull-forward and fulfillment commitments for e-commerce orders speed up, retailers have had to rethink where to store inventory and what healthy stock levels look like.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 21, 2019 -
3D printing can reduce lead times and inventory, but it's not for everything
More than 40% of 1,300 3D printing users cited lower lead times as a benefit of 3D printing in a recent survey.
By Matt Leonard • Aug. 19, 2019 -
Asos intervenes when supplier cuts off wages, water, food to workers
Working with a local labor union and the Mauritian government, Asos facilitated wage payouts after the factory stopped paying workers months before liquidation.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 19, 2019 -
AAFA: 77% of apparel, footwear imports to face tariffs Sept. 1
Although tariffs on some clothing and footwear are delayed until Dec. 15, the majority will still face duties at the beginning of next month.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 16, 2019 -
Kraft Heinz's comeback begins after months of procurement scandal
A bonus structure that rewarded cost-cutting above all else and insufficient review of supplier contracts led to years of procurement misconduct. A new CEO is charged with the turnaround.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 15, 2019 -
VA, Defense Logistics Agency agree to centralize medical procurement for cost savings
Previous efforts in contract negotiations resulted in $1 billion in savings on prescription drug purchases.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 15, 2019 -
Will Walmart raise prices to mitigate tariffs?
The CFO warned in May tariffs would lead to price hikes, but analysts say Walmart has enough volume in its supply chain to keep consumers insulated from tariffs.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 15, 2019 -
Advance Auto Parts mitigates tariff impact through supplier collaboration, price hikes
The auto parts retailer's CFO highlighted how, even though gross profit margin declined in Q2, advanced preparation and reliance of in-house inventory will help it weather the storm.
By Andy Burt • Aug. 14, 2019 -
USTR: 10% tariffs on 'certain' clothing, electronics from China delayed to Dec. 15
Chinese imports not included on USTR's forthcoming list will still face 10% duties on Sept. 1, as President Donald Trump announced earlier this month.
By Shefali Kapadia • UPDATED: Aug. 13, 2019 at 3:27 p.m. -
Tyson shifts production after plant fire to 'keep supply chain full'
A dip in processing capacity will likely manifest in a depleted and pricier spot market for beef, according to consultants.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 13, 2019 -
Maker of Saucony, Keds ups inventory 30% ahead of September tariffs
CEO Blake Krueger said it is too early to determine what the impact will be on 2020 consumer pricing, as the company is holding its mitigation strategies until tariffs take effect.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 13, 2019 -
Is Walmart doing enough to protect workers in its supply chain?
The retailer has been auditing, investigating and reporting on its supply chain to clean up labor abuses, but experts say many of the current best practices fall short.
By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 12, 2019 -
Picking the right procurement KPIs for your business
Key performance indicators related to suppliers, staff and organizational performance serve as measurement tools to keep businesses on track.
By Rich Weissman • Aug. 08, 2019 -
Procurement platform C2FO gets $200M backing from SoftBank
C2FO said the Series G raise will go toward expanding the platform's reach in new industries and among middle-market buyers.
By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 08, 2019 -
S&P: 10% list 4 tariffs more damaging than previous 3
Technology firms are particularly at risk, as funds directed to moving global supply chains lead to less money available to invest in R&D.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 08, 2019 -
Tariff whiplash is already taking a toll on retail
Retailers and brands have been scrambling to source elsewhere besides China, but it's not easy, quick or even possible for everyone.
By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 05, 2019 -
IBM launches blockchain supplier management platform with Anheuser-Busch, Nokia, others
Trust Your Supplier aims to digitize and secure paper-based supplier information, qualification, onboarding and management processes with a full commercial rollout planned for the third quarter of the year.
By Morgan Forde • Aug. 05, 2019 -
10% China tariffs and the supply chain scramble
The tariffs will come as importers ramp up shipments for peak season, creating the potential to disrupt global supply chains and trade flows for the remainder of the year.
By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 02, 2019 -
Sustainable sourcing at scale: H&M's approach
Alternative fibers are challenging to produce and procure at scale. A shift from mass market consumption to a craft model with enhanced visibility may be the solution.
By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Aug. 01, 2019 -
Watchdog finds fraud ring sent fake RFQs, orders to federal tech vendors
The fraudsters impersonated procurement officials to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in electronics and sell them on the black market without ever paying the vendor, according to an inspector general report.
By Matt Leonard • Aug. 01, 2019 -
Trump: US to impose 10% tariffs on $300B in Chinese goods
The tariffs will take effect on Sept. 1, and negotiations will continue in early September.
By Shefali Kapadia • UPDATED: Aug. 2, 2019 at 9:49 a.m.
