Where is the new China?

As the trade war carries on and labor costs rise, supply chains seek a new home for manufacturing and sourcing. But each alternative location comes with pros and cons.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Nov. 14, 2019

Tesla selects Berlin for Gigafactory, skips UK citing Brexit uncertainty: report

Other car companies voiced concerns over events unfolding in the United Kingdom that could disrupt the auto industry's just-in-time manufacturing. 

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 14, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

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

Dean Foods files for bankruptcy as consumer demand for milk declines

Last year, Dean Foods laid off 207 workers with the closure of two milk processing factories, ended more than 100 dairy contracts with the company to curtail how much milk it was buying and closed three other facilities.

By Lillianna Byington • Nov. 12, 2019

What are the most important supply chain ethics? 3 experts weigh in

Consumer awareness of sustainability and forced labor in the supply chain is driving organizations to take the next step beyond compliance into ethics. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Nov. 11, 2019

A great supply risk lies in the Uighur crisis of China's Xinjiang Province

If you don't know the specific origin within China of your raw materials, "you should assume that you're at risk," said Ryan Lynch of the British Standards Institution. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 8, 2019

Patent Pending: FedEx eyes easier returns, Amazon marries drones and intermodal

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future of supply chains. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny. Every week, we'll share a few.

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 8, 2019

Supply chains must take the lead in origin stories

As consumer interest grows in products' sources and production, supply chains have a responsibility to plan and execute company-wide initiatives on origin stories, Gartner's Pam Fitzpatrick writes in an op-ed.

By Pam Fitzpatrick, Senior Director Analyst, Gartner Supply Chain Practice • Nov. 8, 2019

Maersk pilots battery power system in carbon neutrality push

The 600 kwh battery system will be installed aboard the Maersk Cape Town in December and which will embark on a trial voyage along its route from West Africa to East Asia early next year. 

By Morgan Forde • Nov. 7, 2019

Under Armour cuts inventory 23%, sees lower excess product levels

Somewhat ironically, a decrease in product going to off-price channels led CFO David Bergman to lower revenue growth projections for the full year.

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 6, 2019

Avon reduced inventory by $43M in a push for simplicity — is it enough?

"Choking on complexity," the more than century-old beauty brand is knee-deep in yet another turnaround effort as it prepares to be acquired. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 5, 2019

Caterpillar lays off 120 amid economic uncertainty, trade war

On a recent earnings call, the OEM's executives said they are adjusting production to meet reduced demand resulting from economic uncertainty and trade tensions. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Nov. 5, 2019

Tyson will assess its deforestation risks

Sustainability-focused nonprofit Proforest will help the company look at its cattle, palm oil, soy, timber, pulp and paper sourcing to develop a forest protection policy.

By Cathy Siegner • Nov. 4, 2019

Major chocolate brands fail to address child labor, sustainability in their supply chains: report

Green America's Chocolate Scorecard gave Mondelez, Ferrero and Godiva two D's and an F, respectively, for the quality of their measures to ensure human rights, fair wages, sustainability and transparency in their supply chains.

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 31, 2019

Maersk, H&M, Levi team up to explore 'LEO' fuel for ocean shipping

Maersk expects to test LEO fuel, a blend of ethanol and plant polymer lignin, on vessels in the second quarter of 2020. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 31, 2019

Are food and beverage supply chains prepared for growing water risk?

Sustainability nonprofit Ceres found 77% of 35 publicly traded food and beverage companies now name water availability as a risk to their operations in financial filings — up from 59% two years ago.

By Cathy Siegner • Oct. 30, 2019

Beyond Meat to triple pea protein sourcing in 2020 to avoid past bottlenecks

CEO Ethan Brown said the company has "dramatically" increased its protein supply and diversified it's supplier base to keep up with exploding demand. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 29, 2019

As Nike pledges no to Arctic shipping, Gap, H&M and more sign on

Nike said the decision dovetailed with its Move to Zero sustainability initiative, through which it hopes to achieve zero-waste and zero-carbon operations. 

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 28, 2019

FedEx: 82% of small businesses believe trade is key to economic growth

More than one-third of small business respondents in a study said fees and tariffs impacted them "a great deal."

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 25, 2019

China tariffs cut margins for 70% of US electronics manufacturers

The U.S.-China trade war has impacted overall industry sentiment to the extent that one in five firms in IPC's study reported reduced investment in the U.S. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 24, 2019

Harley-Davidson raises expected tariff burden to $105M

Executives said the increase, up from $100 million, is a result of "very fluid" rates on the Section 301 tariffs.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 23, 2019

Wholesalers concur: Retailers are not open to sharing the tariff burden

"Nobody wants to accept a price increase from the person below them in a supply chain," AAFA EVP Steve Lamar said at the Sourcing Journal Summit in New York City.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 22, 2019

Amazon pushes back on worker injury report

The NYCOSH report found 80% of workers had been pushed to work harder, 66% had experienced physical pain on the job, and 18% "indicated they were injured as a result of their work."

By Matt Leonard • Oct. 22, 2019

EU accepts UK Brexit extension until Jan. 31, 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated his belief that the U.K. would fare fine in a no-deal Brexit scenario, though the international business community has expressed concern about supply shortages and slowdowns at ports.

By Morgan Forde • Updated Oct. 28, 2019

An uncertain economy muddies the waters for IMO 2020 planning

The unknowns then remain the unknowns today: Will there be sufficient low-sulfur bunker produced to meet demand, and/or will the price of existing high-sulfur bunker drop sufficiently to make installing expensive scrubbers cost-effective?

By Patrik Berglund, CEO and Co-founder at Xeneta • Oct. 21, 2019

MSC will not use the Northern Sea Route, citing environmental impact

While the route is shorter than existing Europe-Asia lanes, many carriers argue using the route is not worth the risk of damaging vulnerable Arctic ecosystems.

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 18, 2019