World Trade articles from March 2005

World Trade archives from March 2005

The need for innovative logistics breakthroughs.(Inside World Trade)(3PLs - third party logistics)
March 1, 2005... Depending where you sit on the global supply chain, 2004 will be remembered among the best or worst of years. The same reason determined which side of the fence you fell on--exploding worldwide trade. Transportation providers profited from the...

Can global supply chains be both secure and efficient.(Policy Perspectives)
March 1, 2005... The supply chains of the world were, to say the least, profoundly (and adversely) affected by the events of September 11, 2001. Security has impacted global logistics even in regions and sectors where it would seem least likely. The full...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Trade winds: the latest trends in the world of trade)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Transportation Services Index (TSI) JANUARY-OCTOBER 2004 January 118.7 February 120.4 March 123.4 April 124.5 May 124.1 June 123.9 July 125.5 August 124.5 September 125.1...

"Made in China" stamped on the bumper.(Chinese Cars For Americans)(Visionary Vehicles LLC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Malcolm Bricklin--the man who brought us the Yugo automobile (and took a fair amount of ribbing for it)--has a new plan: cars from China. His company, Visionary Vehicles LLC, has announced an historic agreement with China's Chery Automobile...

Record trade surplus boosts economy.(Brazilian Exports Jump)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Brazil's booming exports have pushed the nation's trade surplus to a record $33.70 billion for 2004, while imports also posted strong results. For the year, exports were up 32 percent to $96.48 billion and imports grew 30 percent to $62.78...

Removal of quotas expected to pump up manufacturing in India.(Textile Boom For India)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India is betting that the recent lifting of textile quotas will significantly boost the sector's manufacturing activity as countries like the U.S. become more accessible. India's textile and clothing industry is the country's oldest,...

Trade tensions between U.S., Canada ease.(Canadian Cattle Ban Lifted)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The U.S. says it will lift the import ban on Canadian cattle by March, easing trade tensions between the two countries and bringing relief to the Canadian cattle industry. The ban has been in place since May 2003, after the discovery of a...

New CEO for CNF.(Names & News)(Douglas Stotlar appointed as CEO in CNF Transportation Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... CNF of Palo Alto has named Douglas Stotlar to the position of president and chief executive officer of Con-Way and a senior vice president of CNF. Stotlar succeeds Gerald L. Detter, 60, who is retiring after 40 years with the company.

National Retail Systems taps Tempesta.(Names & News)(John Tempesta)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... National Retail Systems Inc. has named John Tempesta Senior Vice President of Distribution, charged with developing integrated supply chain solutions leveraging the NRS network. Tempesta previously served as Senior Vice President of...

FedEx Custom Critical appoints Ayers.(Names & News)(Darin Ayers )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... FedEx Custom Critical has named Darin Ayers manager of government sales. In this position, Ayers will be responsible for maintaining relationships at government accounts and related organizations.

CSX's 'One Plan' is on the right track.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... U.S. railroads have taken a lot of blame for last year's cargo delays during peak shipping season. But, CSX is making some real progress with its 'One Plan' program, which has already cut the number of times a rail car is handled, reduced the...

Toyota chooses Russia for assembly plant.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Toyota Motor Corp. is wrapping up negotiations over the construction of an auto assembly plant in Russia, which could prompt other Japanese automakers to follow suit, The city of St. Petersburg is one of the leading contenders for the...

New customers for Boeing's 7E7.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Vietnam Airlines has ordered 4 new Boeing 7E7s for delivery in 2010 for a total price of about $500 million, although it's expected that a significant discount will be negotiated. The news comes within weeks of Continental Airlines' decision to...

Horizon Lines CEO appointed to federal maritime committee.(Names & News)(Charles G. Raymond appointed to National Maritime Security Advisory Committee)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Charles G. (Chuck) Raymond, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Horizon Lines, has been appointed to a five-year term on the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee. The National Advisory Committee is established as...

Coca-Cola introduces health drinks in Japan.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... You won't find Coke's Real Tank beverage in the U.S., but it's a big hit in Japan. The beverage is a carbonated drink that promises to "recharge your energy" with a mixture of vitamins C, B2, and royal jelly, a substance secreted from the heads...

Commodity crunch for Caterpillar.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The global rise in commodity prices and the quest to dig for more iron ore, copper, and coal means greater demand for Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar's tractors, trucks, and bulldozers. Yet, the heavy equipment manufacturer is itself in a...

Logistics companies aid victims.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A number of transportation providers have offered their assistance to victims of December's tsunamis. UPS and FedEx were a few of the first to transport supplies to Asia. Yang Ming and many others are continuing to help.

CSI expands with addition of first Arab country.(UAE Joins Customs' CSI)(Container Security Initiative )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The United Arab Emirates has become the first Arab country to join U.S. Customs' Container Security Initiative (CSI). Under the agreement, U.S. Customs will post inspectors at the country's Port of Dubai to assist in the screening of...

East Coast hubs 'maxing out'.(Air Cargo Crisis)(Air freight services in East Coast)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... If your air cargo shipments through major East Coast air cargo hubs, particularly New York and Miami, are taking longer to reach their final destination, you're not alone. "They're all really maxing out," says one aviation research...

Washington growers get break on high tariffs.(Mexico Lifts Apple Tariffs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Apple growers in Washington have finally been relieved of the hefty 46.58 percent tariff on Red and Golden Delicious apples exported to Mexico. The agreement between the Northwest Fruit Exporters, an industry group, and the Mexican...

Drug companies warn of higher prices.(FDA's 'Drug Problem')(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... An internal survey of the FDA finds that two-thirds of the agency's scientists aren't confident the FDA can monitor drug safety. The latest criticism of the agency could mean that federal regulators will ask drug companies to conduct more...

High demand will bode well for industry in 2005.(Strong Year Ahead For Trucking Industry)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The American Tracking Association's 2004 year-end report states that the industry will again witness another strong year in 2005. "Demand levels and the supply situation will both be in favor of the industry. Truck freight demand will...

Truckers test automated system along U.S., Canada border.(Streamlining Truck Traffic)(testing of automated truck manifest system )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Truckers have begun testing the Automated Truck Manifest System along the U.S.-Canada border at Blaine, Washington. The program marks the first time truckers have been able to electronically transmit cargo data to Customs in advance of the...

Transportation modes.(By the Numbers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... TRANSPORTATION MODES MOST USED ROAD MOST RAIL FREIGHT LARGEST MERCHANT NETWORKS (tons per year) FLEETS (vehicle usage (Gross tonnage per km of road 100 tons or...

The next big idea: manufacturers are looking to 3PLs for breakthrough innovation to cut supply chain costs. Are they up to the challenge?(third-party logistics)
March 1, 2005... Trite perhaps, but nonetheless true--the pace of change in the global marketplace has never been more rapid than today. New trade patterns are developing daily, and the parameters of doing business are shifting constantly. Any manufacturing or...

Is 'Brand America' going to be an endangered species in world markets? Global consumers are cooling on products 'Made in the U.S.A.' reversing this trend takes savvy citizenship efforts and a lot of listening.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... For world traders and top corporate managers who came of age in the last several decades, it has long been an article of faith that the world welcomes American brands. Indeed, from blue jeans to heavy. industrial machines, Made in the U.S.A....

Office Depot harvests untapped potential by stretching its supply chain; using the supply chain to drive strategic initiatives requires major changes in structure, IT and attitude.(Driving The Integrated Global Supply Chain From The Top)(interview with Mark Holifield Executive Vice President)(Interview)
March 1, 2005... Common themes recur when a corporation moves to harvest the untapped potential of its supply chain. Witness the case of Office Depot (global supplier of office products and services, with revenues of more than $13 billion through sales of some...

Outsourced leasing or purchased fleet? With advantages on both sides, it's not an 'either/or' decision anymore.(Industry focus: automobile)
March 1, 2005... There's no doubt about the tough decisions today's businesses need to make. "Getting your products to market is the number one component of share-holder value," says Gary Petty, president and CEO of Alexandria, Virginia-based National Private...

Singapore continues to surge ahead; FTA, pro-business government, first-rate logistics continue to attract U.S. manufacturers to this island-nation.(Geographical Focus)(free trade agreement)
March 1, 2005... For years, Singapore has stood out as a leading candidate for U.S. companies who were looking to expand overseas. The island-nation is known for its stable political and social environment, a pro-business government, and a well-educated work...

Internet transforming letters of credit at ever-increasing rate; financial and logistics supply chains keep getting closer.(Finance)
March 1, 2005... Managing change in Internet-based trade finance has become a full-time job. The work lives of export-import managers and financial officers are being reshaped daily by technology, and the imaginative ways that banks, and others, are harnessing...

Pushing ERP integration into the supply chain; extending beyond the core enterprise pays off in performance and costs.(Technology)(enterprise resource planning)
March 1, 2005... For companies that have already deployed enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to integrate a wide variety of functions within their operation, the next game is to start integrating supply chain partners into the base computer system. ...

G2 Logistics Inc.: www.g2logistics.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... G2 Logistics Inc. is a 3PL and Freight Management Company. We have recognized that customers are being left with increasing needs but the carriers are decreasing their service. Our goal is to provide superior service at a competitive price. Due...

FedEx Trade Networks: www.worldtariff.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... FedEx Trade Networks World Tariff[SM] publishes customs duty and tax information for all customs areas worldwide. The WorldTariff team of editorial professionals continuously collects data from the world's customs authorities, then simplifies,...

Export-Import Bank of the United States:--www.exim.gov.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) assists U.S. companies compete in today's challenging global marketplace. This government agency assumes the credit and country risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to...

Exel: www.exel.com.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Exel is the global leader in supply chain management, providing customer-focused solutions to a wide range of manufacturing, retail and consumer industries. These innovative logistics solutions can encompass the entire supply chain from design...

Euler Hermes ACI: www.eulerhermes.com/usa.(Web Locators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Euler Hermes ACI is North America's oldest and largest provider of accounts receivable insurance. Euler Hermes ACI offers both domestic and global credit insurance policies, which insure clients against commercial and political risk in more...

The Port of Houston.(Great Moments In World Trade)
March 1, 2005... November 10,1914, thousands gathered at the Port of Houston as a band played "The Star Spangled Banner" from a barge in the center of the turning basin. In the hush that followed, the mayor's daughter sprinkled white roses into the water from...