World Trade articles from May 2005

World Trade archives from May 2005

Firming up U.S. commitment to free trade.(INSIDE WORLD TRADE)
May 1, 2005... Given the critical importance international trade plays in America's economic well-being, it's odd that the public isn't more engaged by trade politics. Although understandable. The real decisions that shape global trade occur deep in...

Manufacturers can profit from changes in U.S. international tax law.(POLICY PERSPECTIVES)
May 1, 2005... Last October, with the very real threat of a potential trade war with Europe looming if the U.S. failed to act, President Bush signed a new tax law in response to long standing objections from the World Trade Organization and others that the...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... JANUARY-DECEMBER 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 October 126.7 November 127.6...

Air cargo carriers feeling brunt of rising oil prices: impact is more severe on cargo carriers than passenger airlines.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The effects of rising oil prices are hitting the transportation sector hard, especially air cargo carriers. The reason, say analysts, is that cargo carriers often fly bigger, four-engine planes, travel longer routes and stay in the air more...

Toy shippers get early start on peak season: industry group says members are starting early to avoid delays.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Toy shippers say they're not playing around this year--they're planning on getting an early start on peak season shipping to avoid any snags in getting their product on store shelves in time for holiday shoppers. Most believe that port and...

Japan, Mexico free trade agreement in effect: tequila exports expected to start jumping.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The free trade agreement between Japan and Mexico was implemented on April 1, along with the removal of the 25.2 yen-per-liter tariff on tequila imports from Mexico. Exports of tequila to the Japanese market "will immediately increase to...

Mexico's maquiladoras on the road to recovery: growing employee ranks owed to strengthening U.S. manufacturing sector.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... For the first time since 2000, Mexico's maquiladora industry has begun hiring more workers thanks to growing strength in the U.S. manufacturing sector. Employment in the primarily American-owned assembly plants grew 7.1 percent last year to 1.1...

Rella tapped for Crowley maritime position.(Names & News)(Crowley Maritime Corp. appoints Joe Rella )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Joe Rella has joined Crowley's ship assist and escort services group as Director of Business Development--LNG. In his new role, he will be responsible for growing the company's participation in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry--a new...

New VP for TNT Logistics' fast moving consumer goods sector.(Names & News)(TNT Logistics North America promotes Steve Gundlach)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TNT Logistics North America has announced the promotion of Steve Gundlach to the position of vice president of its fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) business sector. In his expanded role, Gundlach will be responsible for new sales growth and...

Horizon Lines wins on-time award from Toyota.(Names & News)(Toyota Logistics Partners Excellence Award, Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Horizon Lines has been awarded the 2004 Toyota Logistics Partners Excellence Award for marine services on-time performance. Horizon Lines provides transportation and logistics services to Toyota in support of the vehicle movement from North...

Kansas City Southern rail taps 3 executives for promotions.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Kansas City Southern has announced the promotions of R. Michael Chapman to senior vice president transportation, Michael R. Bilovesky to vice president marketing, agriculture and minerals, and Thomas A. Campbell to assistant vice president...

Kalmar forms new business unit.(Names & News)(Kalmar Industries AB forms Kalmar Intelligence and Automation)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Kalmar--a Sweden-based container-handling equipment manufacturer--has formed a new business unit to concentrate on the marketing and development of on-board smart features for container handling equipment. The new group is named Kalmar...

Pacer promotes Munn to COO.(Names & News)(Alex Munn, Pacer International Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Alex Munn, formerly chief information officer of Pacer International, Inc., has been promoted to the newly created position of chief operating officer for the North America logistics and transportation provider. Ron Maillette will succeed...

Union Pacific announces spending plan for upgrades.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The nation's largest railroad says it will spend $1.3 billion this year to upgrade its 33,000-mile track system, which will help alleviate intermodal congestion in and out of the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex. The company also plans...

Lin named Port of Tacoma's manager of Environmental Compliance.(Names & News)(Cindy Lin)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Cindy Lin was recently named Manager of Environmental Compliance for the Port of Tacoma. Working in the Port's Environmental Department, Lin is responsible for operational and tenant environmental compliance, as well as the Port's air quality...

DHL appoints Pearson as executive VP.(Names & News)(John Pearson, DHL Airways Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... DHL has named pointed John Pearson as executive vice president of commercial in the United States. Pearson has been with the company for nearly 20 years and in his new role will oversee the sales, marketing, and business development activities...

Kern joins Ceres Terminals in New Jersey.(Names & News)(Brian S. Kern)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Brian S. Kern has accepted the position of vice president of marketing and sales for Ceres Terminals and will work out of the company's corporate headquarters in New Jersey. Most recently, Kern served as director, North America Marine &...

Hub Group renames its logistics division.(Names & News)(Hub Group Inc., Hub Logistics to Unyson Logistics)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Hub Group has announced that the company's logistics unit, formerly known as Hub Logistics, has been renamed Unyson Logistics. According to Mark Yeager, president and COO of Hub Group, the name change was designed "to more clearly delineate...

Chalmers takes over as president and CEO of PBB Global Logistics.(Names & News)(Ken Chalmers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... PBB Global Logistics has announced the appointment of Ken Chalmers as president and CEO following the retirement of Mike Scott. Chalmers has been involved with PBB for over 20 years, initially serving as legal advisor for the company. Most...

Ridge joins Savi Technology Board of Directors.(Names & News)(Tom Ridge)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Savi Technology, Inc. a leading provider of active RFID solutions for supply chain management and security, has announced the appointment of Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and former Governor of...

Total U.S. trade in good.(BY THE Numbers)(Illustration)
May 1, 2005... BY THE Numbers TOTAL U.S. TRADE IN GOODS Exports Imports (Year-to- (Year-to- Rank Country Date) Date) -- Total, All...

Romania, Bulgaria move closer to EU membership: both countries receive endorsement from European Parliament.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Romania and Bulgaria are moving forward on their efforts to join the EU in January 2007. In March, a European Parliament committee endorsed the entry of both countries, providing they implement certain political and economic reforms. To...

Germany ranks as world's top exporter: although strong euro could dampen future results.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... When it comes to the world's leading exporter, Germany has come out on top again for the second year in a row. For 2004, the country exported nearly $1 trillion worth of goods, even with the euro's sharp rise on foreign exchange markets....

Made in America takes on a new meaning: 'Japanese' mini-vans, made in America, headed for China.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A Japanese automaker's minivans, which were made in Canton, Mississippi, will soon be part of an export program to China. Japanese manufacturers have been investing heavily in production facilities in the United States in recent years,...

Brazil building its furniture industry: catching up to rivals Italy and China is the main goal.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Brazilian furniture makers are intent on capturing a bigger share of the retail furniture market, thanks to an abundance of raw materials such as fast-growing pine and eucalyptus trees. Presently, Italy is the world's top furniture producer...

Food supply chain at risk, says U.S. government: GAO report warns of decreased inspections, security lapses.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Government Accountability Office says that the nation's $1 trillion agricultural industry is at risk from fewer inspections of imported food and threats of animal and plant diseases. The economic disruption caused by a deliberate release of...

U.S. multinationals performing well: weak dollar and strong demand overseas are driving up profits.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Bureau of Economic Analysis says that U.S. companies posted $315 billion in profits overseas last year, which is up 26 percent from 2003 and a whopping 78 percent for this decade. The gains are significantly higher than those posted by U.S....

Port of Dubai participating in CSI: Customs' Container Security Initiative now claims 35 ports are operational.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Container Security Initiative)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the Port of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the 35th operational port under the Container Security Initiative (CSI) program. The United Arab Emirates became the first...

U.S. considers emergency curbs on Chinese imports: certain garments are targeted for Commerce Department investigation.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Commerce announced in early April that it was launching investigations that could lead to emergency import restrictions on certain pants, shirts and underwear made in China. "This decision is the first step in a...

Germany cuts corporate tax rate: move designed to spur business investment.(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Germany has taken a bold step to significantly reduce its corporate tax rate as a way to spur business investment in that country. The world's two largest economies--the U.S. and Japan--have corporate tax rates at 39.4 percent and 40.9...

Redesigned supply chain positions Ford for global competition: National Association of Manufacturers and World Trade Magazine cite Ford for advances in supply chain strategy and processes.(Manufacturer of the Year FOR GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE)(Cover Story)
May 1, 2005... Managing the supply chain of the Ford Motor Company, one of the world's premier industrial giants ($171 billion revenues in 2004) ranks among the most difficult challenges in global manufacturing. Ford manufactures and distributes automobiles...

West Coast port bottlenecks keep narrowing: last year's peak season grid-lock was no fluke but a warning of things to come.
May 1, 2005... During the peak holiday shipping season last year, in early October, 94 international cargo ships sat in the nation's largest seaport complex in Southern California--but only slightly more than half were being worked at the terminals. Forty...

Global logistics executives come of age: it's a hot job and tough to fill as more and more American companies expand international operations.
May 1, 2005... Wanted: executives with global and supply chain management experience capable of overseeing complex logistical functions from sourcing raw or semi-finished materials to cost-effective distribution of finished products. Individuals must be...

Higher costs mean rising trucking rates: but shippers want improved services and larger networks in return.
May 1, 2005... Shippers had better watch out--this year's rate hikes in the trucking industry are likely to be among the biggest in years. Estimates have ranged anywhere from 3 to 4 percent to as high as the low teens, with the largest increases expected in...

Struggling to keep up with America's new taste for mangos: relaxed trade barriers with Central America confront transporters with challenge of expanding demand.
May 1, 2005... The United States has always been an agricultural powerhouse. Farm produce has traditionally made a highly positive contribution to our balance of trade. But, that may be in the process of changing as imports have begun to surge. Indeed, in FY...

American pharmaceutical giant expands in the UK: Eli Lilly to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in English production and research centers.
May 1, 2005... Eli Lilly, the U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant, has plans to expand its UK operations. The principle goals of this investment are to expand the company's production capacity of human growth hormone and to increase its research capacity in the...

Web portal traders track ocean cargo: Ken Bloom's vision is communication linking forwarder, shipper and carrier from packing to destination.
May 1, 2005... Even as a kid, Ken Bloom was interested in transportation. On long family drives he'd try to figure out the optimal number of toll booths required to maximize traffic flow--"an interesting and unique perspective as a child," he admits. Now...

The feds get serious about helping smaller U.S. exporters: Export Assistance Centers provide one-stop resource shopping for world-wide destinations.
May 1, 2005... It's the classic American success story: some kid drops of out of school to build computers in his garage with his buddy; a European immigrant starts selling her handmade clothing out of the trunk of her car; both go on to lead two of the most...

Trade banks simplify administration of open accounts: more traders turning to outsourced technology as they switch to open accounts.
May 1, 2005... As trust and information replace risk in the global trade equation, U.S. companies are increasingly sourcing from overseas vendors on open account terms. At the same time, businesses continue to outsource key finance functions to reduce...

Mike Brooks, Inc.: www.mikebrooksinc.com.(WEB LOCATORS)
May 1, 2005... Mike Brooks, Inc. is an award-winning dry van carrier based in the midwest. Blue Highways, our enclosed auto transport division, provides nationwide enclosed auto transport service with lift gates. Our 24/7 Operations Department is available to...

FedExTrade Networks: www.worldtariff.com.(WEB LOCATORS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... FedEx Trade Networks WorldTariff[TM] 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)
May 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...

OOCL: www.oocl.com.(WEB LOCATORS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... OOCL offers customers comprehensive coverage of east-west trade corridors, with some of the fastest transit times in the industry. Regular services connect Asia, North America, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle...

Meridian IQ: www.meridianiq.com.(WEB LOCATORS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... As a global logistics management company, Meridian IQ helps customers make better use of global transportation resources. Our approach allows customers to choose the level of service that best fits their needs. All levels are quick and easy to...

The 'oval office in the sky' embraces a global supply chain.
May 1, 2005... When, last year, the White House announced it needed a new Marine One presidential helicopter, no one expected the federal government to be an impulse shopper on a deal worth more than $5 billion that the New York Times calls "perhaps the most...