Cummins: Supplier visibility, Mexico production are top supply chain concerns

Hundreds of manufacturing plants across Mexico are closed, and Cummins' COO said details are hard to come by on which suppliers are shutting down and what they're doing to keep workers safe. 

By Matt Leonard • May 1, 2020

Medical association pushes US to lift tariffs on Chinese imports of devices needed to fight COVID-19

The trade group wants indefinite exemptions for imaging components and devices used in ventilators, among other items. It also floated a compromise: re-imposing them one year after the pandemic passes.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 30, 2020

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Top 5 stories from Supply Chain Dive

Here’s how companies are navigating rising costs, network changes and logistics disruptions across global supply chain networks.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Suppliers feel retail's pain

As retailers cancel orders and hold payments, their vendors are stretched for cash, making hard decisions and worrying about what comes next. 

By Ben Unglesbee • April 29, 2020

3 years, 3 cyberattacks on major ocean carriers. How can shippers protect themselves?

Shippers and freight forwarders have a role to play in vetting supply chain partners' risks and keeping their data and cargo safe.

By Shefali Kapadia • April 29, 2020

Adidas manages supplier relations to end 2020 with 'reasonable inventory'

Adidas listed "supply chain responsibility" among its priorities in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions but continues to cancel and postpone orders. 

By Emma Cosgrove • April 29, 2020

Pandemic could cost Tractor Supply an extra $50M in operations spend

Most of the expected expenses, about 80%, are related to labor or benefits, while the remaining 20% is for supplies, safety and cleaning, executives said.

By Matt Leonard • April 28, 2020

Coronavirus-driven robotics adoption could become a fixture

The key will be for manufacturing leaders to coordinate and move from pilot to production quickly, one expert said.

By Craig Guillot • April 28, 2020

Blank sailings have reached their scheduled peak

Ocean carrier schedule reliability dropped to 68% in the first quarter of 2020 and could continue to struggle as a result of blank sailings in April.

By Matt Leonard • April 28, 2020

PwC: Supply chains unlikely to relocate post-coronavirus

Immediate supply chain concerns are waning as CFOs gain clarity on what to expect in the short term and what kind of changes are necessary to weather shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic in the future. 

By Emma Cosgrove • April 28, 2020

UAW says May start is too early for automotive manufacturing

Last week, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the state's stay-at-home order until May 15. The UAW said it supported the extension.

By Matt Leonard • April 27, 2020

Boeing launches operations group to prep post-pandemic supply chain

The group will help get the company back into competitive mode as it restarts commercial airplane operations in Washington State later this week. 

By Jane Thier • April 22, 2020

Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk beat IMO's 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by a decade

Experts remain optimistic about the industry's ability to maintain progress on sustainability efforts despite significant disruption from the COVID-19 outbreak.

By Morgan Forde • April 22, 2020

Primark commits to accepting $455M in finished stock from suppliers

After a month of "extensive one-to-one conversations" with suppliers concerning the coronavirus, the Dublin-based retailer is accepting additional finished and in-transit products. 

By S.L. Fuller • April 22, 2020

Manufacturers call on government to incentivize production pivots to PPE

The manufacturing industry is calling on Congress to provide more financial incentives for businesses that switch to producing essential goods, including PPE.

By Matt Leonard • April 22, 2020

35% of ports say demand for food, medical supplies storage increased

While some ports are managing increased stockpiling of essential goods, others are adjusting to a decrease in storage utilization of conventional cargo.

By Matt Leonard • April 21, 2020

Carrier force majeure explained

A basic understanding of force majeure — and the real reason carriers make the declaration — may help to lessen some of the panic they generate.

By Emma Cosgrove • April 20, 2020

Kansas City Southern doubles down on PSR to deal with coronavirus 'curveball'

An even more aggressive focus on efficiency will get Kansas City Southern through the COVID-19 crisis, which hit the automotive industry — a particularly important customer segment — hard and early, executives said.

By Emma Cosgrove • April 20, 2020

UPS adds more than 200 flights in April for US, Europe coronavirus relief

The move follows FedEx's announcement of 150 additional flights for COVID-19 relief in April. 

By S.L. Fuller • April 17, 2020

Navigating supplier relationships in the COVID-19 era

Coronavirus-related ruptures in the supply chain are leading to canceled, invalidated or ignored contracts, emphasizing the importance of buyer-supplier relations.

By Rich Weissman • April 16, 2020

ISM: Lead times are up 200% or more across the world

Supply disruptions will remain a global issue that will challenge even well-prepared and diversified firms, said ISM CEO Tom Derry.

By Morgan Forde • April 15, 2020

Low April shipment volumes could rival early 2009, Cass says

Shipper spending on transport fell 8% in March, and Cass said it expects transport pricing to remain low through May. 

By S.L. Fuller • April 15, 2020

How medical supply chains can diversify beyond COVID-19

Pharma and medical device buyers' heavy reliance on global sourcing lowers costs but has created supply problems during the coronavirus pandemic.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 15, 2020

To prepare for the next 'black swan' event, supply chains should rethink 'lean'

The coronavirus outbreak contains lessons that can help companies — and policymakers — better prepare for the next inevitable “black swan event," if they are willing to take a less myopic approach, write Professors Yao Jin and Lisa Ellram of Miami University.

By Yao Jin and Lisa Ellram • April 14, 2020

COVID-19 wreaks havoc on inventories

Some retailers have asked vendors to hold shipments or stop production on summer and fall items, and put holiday planning on hold.

By Daphne Howland • April 14, 2020

FedEx adds 150 flights in April to shuttle PPE from Asia to the US

The carrier plans to redeploy aircraft it had parked, according to Bloomberg. FedEx has been cutting airfreight capacity since September. 

By S.L. Fuller • April 13, 2020