Supply chains struggle to maintain PPE inventory months into pandemic

It is especially difficult to get personal protective equipment in rural parts of the country because of the geographic location, the cost of ordering PPE in small amounts and smaller organizations' inability to meet minimum order quantity.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 22, 2020

How the pandemic is changing supply chain education

Professors say students will need skills in supply chain mapping, manufacturing and risk management to meet the needs of a post-pandemic workforce.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 22, 2020

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Top 5 stories from Supply Chain Dive

Here’s how companies are navigating evolving global trade and tariff policies, rising costs and operational uncertainty across supply chain networks.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

CH Robinson launches freight procurement tool to provide annual bid alternatives

Procure IQ will look at a shipper's freight network and the density of the lanes in which they're moving to determine if contracts, the spot market or another procurement method is a more appropriate move.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 22, 2020

CBP withhold orders hit $200M in Chinese imports connected to Xinjiang

U.S. authorities are considering a broader withhold and release order on products from the region, but the Department of Homeland Security said the legal basis for that is still under consideration.

By Emma Cosgrove , S.L. Fuller • Sept. 18, 2020

Patent Pending: Automating goods-to-person picking from warehouse floor to ceiling

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 18, 2020

Home Depot, Tesla, thousands more file suits seeking China tariff refunds

U.S. importers could see financial relief if the court grants a refund on list 3 tariffs, but the lawsuits may be a long shot.

By Shefali Kapadia • Updated Oct. 1, 2020

Why zero-based category management is back in style

The pandemic has driven firms to rethink how much product they're buying and how much they'll need to meet demand.

By Jen A. Miller • Sept. 17, 2020

Kraft Heinz to unite supply chain in 'Ops Center' to save $2B in 5 years

CEO Miguel Patricio's strategy will break down siloes between procurement, production, distribution, marketing and R&D teams as the food manufacturer works to further reduce SKU counts.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 16, 2020

Denny's supplier diversity a 'pillar' in its DEI efforts

"We’re proud of the strides we’ve taken over the past 25 years to reshape our entire corporate culture and business operations, but we know that we’re not done with this work," a Denny's exec said.

By Sheryl Estrada • Sept. 16, 2020

Novavax boosts coronavirus vaccine manufacturing capacity as key trial nears

The Serum Institute of India, a go-to partner for coronavirus vaccine makers, will help Novavax boost capacity to levels matching its larger rivals.

By Jonathan Gardner • Sept. 15, 2020

Walmart, Schneider Electric team up to help suppliers transition to renewable energy

The initiative aims to educate suppliers and help them through conversion — a process Walmart's Senior Director of Sustainability said can be daunting.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 15, 2020

AmCham: 71% of businesses have no plans to leave China despite souring trade relations

More than one in four companies believe the trade war will last indefinitely, according to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and PwC.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 14, 2020

Peloton doubled production capacity, but supply won't catch up until 2021

Executives anticipate Peloton will be in capacity-building mode for the foreseeable future and dismissed any notion that it could overshoot demand with the ongoing manufacturing ramp-up.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 11, 2020

Wayfair hires Walmart alum to run supplier tech

The e-tailer sees expansive product choice as a differentiator, which makes attracting vendors a key element to its success. Technology is one inducement.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 11, 2020

American Eagle stages materials with suppliers to keep inventory lean

For the fall and holiday seasons, the apparel retailer is bringing in a smaller assortment, based on which suppliers require smaller upfront buys to maximize flexibility.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 10, 2020

Coupa says increased focus on spend management has led to RFP uptick

The pandemic is driving procurement departments to get a better grasp on cash flow, spend management and sourcing risk. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 10, 2020

Nestlé invests $30M in Closed Loop fund to expand sustainable packaging use

The deal provides the manufacturer with access to food-grade recycled plastics it can use for packaging in products such as Coffee Mate and Stouffer's.

By Jessi Devenyns • Sept. 9, 2020

FedEx opens Foreign Trade Zone in El Paso, Texas, as trade war and pandemic increase shipper interest

The deferral of duties is especially attractive as consumer demand for some items has dropped, allowing shippers to hold onto inventory without paying duties until demand returns.

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 4, 2020

ISM: Pricing power is in suppliers' hands

Increasing demand and issues with supply across manufacturing industries have driven up raw material and freight pricing.

By Shefali Kapadia • Sept. 3, 2020

Improve visibility by going beyond the linear supply chain model

COVID-19 has made it clear that organizations must lean into dynamic, collaborative supply networks, the author writes.

By Sean Thompson • Sept. 3, 2020

Ball plans new aluminum plant to counter can shortage

Traditionally lean supply chains industry-wide have made ramping up U.S. production challenging for canmakers, some of which are importing cans to keep up. 

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 3, 2020

Timberland pledges sustainable materials sourcing, circularity by 2030

The apparel and footwear maker said it will source 100% of its natural materials, including leather, rubber, cotton, wool and sugarcane derivatives, from regenerative agriculture in the next decade.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 2, 2020

McKinsey: Fashion industry needs deeper supplier collaboration to cut emissions

More than 70% of apparel and footwear emissions originate in the supply chain before most brands take possession of finished goods, according to the firm.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 27, 2020

Help. My supplier was on the news this morning.

Call it guilt by association. Supplier reputation is one more supply chain risk a buyer needs to monitor and manage.

By Rich Weissman • Aug. 27, 2020

Unilever pilots geospatial, IoT tech to cut deforestation from palm oil supply chain

The company is partnering with Orbital Insight, a satellite imagery and data analytics firm, to meet its deforestation goal and trace supply from factories back to individual forests and farms.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 27, 2020