Multiple sourcing and proximity sourcing are shaping into long-term trends as global firms hardwire resilience and agility into their supply chains. Less developed countries face considerable risks in this new environment where the organisation of international production and investment is…
Buying activity from engineers & procurement professionals sourcing on Thomasnet.com has seen strong growth in 2020 for the packaging materials space. At a glance, the following major sourcing KPIs have seen a YoY increase vs. 2019: The number of sourcing sessions for…
China’s entrance into the World Trade Organization nearly two decades ago was supposed to transform China. Instead, it has transformed the U.S. – for the worse. If the belief was that China would come to liberalize as it integrated into…
Steel-tube chief launches expensive advertising buys to get peers to reconsider sourcing decisions—and rebuilding American communities. Barry Zekelman is trying to pierce through all the noise of this season of American political and social unrest with a message that he…
Border industry is poised for explosive growth in the next few years, as companies take heed of lessons learned in the COVID-19 pandemic and relocate more production to North America, trade experts say. Many U.S. manufacturers who get supplies from…
As I move about, I see “help wanted” signs everywhere. Large companies, small companies and medium-sized companies are trying to fill openings. My son, who is a plant manager, says he has 120 job openings. His company pays good wages…
AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS: Outbreak poised to prompt changes in the way manufacturers use automation CEO Jason Walker said he has spoken with potential partners who make ultraviolet light sources and aerosol disinfectant sprayers about equipping one model of his autonomous,…
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of long, complex supply chains. It has also shown how reliant many US and European companies are on the overseas supply of critical items, bringing to the fore a long-debated issue—are we ready…
It is no exaggeration to say that supply chains have taken a hit this year. When China made the unprecedented move to lock down earlier this year, shock waves sent round the world caused disruptions and cargo delays that lasted…
Is Puerto Rico the solution to reshoring pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturing stateside? As a territory that has prevailed through natural disasters and uncertainty, Puerto Rico’s resiliency has it positioned to fill the nation’s medical supply chain gaps. The island…
The Covid-19 crisis has amplified profound fault lines in the functioning of global value chains (GVCs) and exposed the fragility of a model characterised by high interdependencies between leading firms and suppliers located across several continents. All at a time…
Only a specific slice of American companies are moving factories out of China, much less returning home. Some, including electric-car builder Tesla, are even revving up their production engines on the mainland, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war aimed…
By Pedro Palandrani | September 11, 2020 Over the past few decades, many corporations in advanced economies took advantage of low trade barriers and globally integrated supply chains to outsource manual tasks to workers in countries with lower labor costs.…
SmarTech Analysis has published a new report on the state of metal 3D printing service bureaus dubbed “ The Market for Metal Additive Manufacturing Services: 2020-2029 .” The report illustrates the current picture of the metal additive manufacturing (AM) service…
Bringing jobs back to U.S. from China not so simple, consultant says. The trend toward globalization has become risky due to factors including unsettled international relations, ethnocentrism, trade disputes, global counterfeiting, the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, supply-chain consultant Rosemary…
Independent SEC-registered investment advisor at Stonnington Group , a wealth management and investment planning firm based in Pasadena, CA. Covid-19 has undoubtedly had the most acute impact on global manufacturing and supply chains in modern history. In the ensuing months…
Authoritative summaries of “The Economic Impact of COVID-19” won’t be publishable for years to come. Perhaps you’ll settle for a few observations. Globalization in decline? Can we gain from reshoring? Rochester long held a strong position in export markets—it ranked…
Initiative to Support Manufacturers Recovering from COVID-19 Pandemic to Position Themselves for Future Competitiveness Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $2.3 million in federal CARES Act funding for four organizations to provide critical services to small and mid-sized manufacturers as…
One positive outcome from the current COVID-19 pandemic is the increased willingness of government entities to support business activities that help sustain private sector supply chain efforts. It’s time for supply chain managers to step up and leverage these opportunities.…
Most in the industry have never experienced anything like the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This global disruption has affected supply chains across every industry, and in the same breath, destroyed and heightened demand for an array of products and services.…