Supply Chain

In recent years, geopolitical events have exposed the fragility of global supply chains. The pandemic, the Russia/Ukraine war, and the Israel/Gaza conflict have starkly demonstrated the vulnerabilities of supply lines. Designed primarily to minimize costs by leveraging low-cost labor and materials, these networks are easily disrupted by geopolitical events. To better understand the dynamics reshaping…

Stricter Enforcement of the ACE Entry Type 86 program In response to findings of counterfeit goods, illegal substances and misclassified shipments, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is intensifying enforcement of the ACE Entry Type 86 program, which exempts U.S.-bound shipments valued under $800 from duties and taxes. Now, Entry Type 86 needs to be…

As geopolitical and environmental events become more volatile and unstable, so can a retailer’s supply chain. Right now, war in the Middle East is causing shipping in the Red Sea to become more dangerous. In the U.S., the government has raised tariffs on some Chinese goods. Globally, shipping prices are soaring. All of these events…

The European Union is moving forward with one of the world’s most significant supply chain laws. After years of heated debate, the European Parliament voted this April to adopt its long-anticipated Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which will require companies to implement policies to mitigate environmental and human rights abuses in their supply chains.…

As the holiday season approaches, brands shipping direct-to-consumer (DTC) or to retailers face the significant challenge of ensuring timely product delivery. The end goal, no matter your e-commerce omnichannel strategy, is to get products in customers' hands by the holiday gift-giving season. Proper forecasting and strategic planning are essential to meet customer expectations and capitalize…

As we progress into the second half of 2024, uncertainty still looms. For consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, unpredictable factors like ongoing geopolitical instability and a volatile economy make forecasting trends difficult. We’re likely to see the uncertainty continue, making it hard to achieve the level of visibility that aids companies in their planning. Fundamental…

As we approach the holiday season, retailers and logistics service providers (LSPs) like freight forwarders and warehouses are placing their respective orders to secure the availability of merchandise before shoppers add to their carts. This year, the holiday consumer landscape is slightly different. With U.S. businesses gearing up to import more goods now compared to…

Poor supply chain management can cost businesses time and money many times, with issues like inventory inaccuracies, complex and laborious processes, and security concerns holding enterprises back. Traditional supply chain management tools, like barcodes and manual counts, have limitations and can often lead to inefficiencies. And for the past several years, geopolitical and economic instability…

Across the globe, a transformative wave is reshaping the landscape of international commerce. Nations and economic blocs worldwide are instituting a broad array of supply chain due diligence laws aimed at eradicating forced labor and safeguarding human rights. These regulations mark the most concerted global push ever for more ethical supply chains, signaling an era…

In an age when technology is continuously redefining the landscape of commerce, augmented reality (AR) and 3D modeling have emerged as pivotal tools, transforming not only the customer experience but also the intricate workings of supply chains. These technologies, once confined to the realm of sci-fi movies, are now actively streamlining supply chains and significantly…