World Trade articles from May 2006

World Trade archives from May 2006

World Trade's "Manufacturer of the Year for Global Supply Chain Excellence" goes to IBM.(On the Web)
May 1, 2006... Not only has the company successfully turned their supply chain around, they're selling that know-how to others.

Step forward for North Carolina International Port.(BREAKING NEWS)(North Carolina. State Ports Authority)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The proposed North Carolina International Port--a major deepwater port with an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEUs--is getting nearer to becoming a reality. The North Carolina Ports Authority recently closed on the purchase of a 600-acre site...

Quote of the month.(On the Web)
May 1, 2006... "I would recommend World Trade Magazine's Webinar series to other Supply Chain Management Executives because it increases knowledge about the supply chain, not only for my company, but how other companies might be reacting to or should be...

The French dilemma.(economic development)(Column)
May 1, 2006... Amongst economic powers, France is the country where reality is most at odds with appearances. To believe their rhetoric, the French are disdainful of free markets, reluctant modernists still attached to 19th century ideals of egalitarian...

Environmentalism makes good business sense for the transportation industry.(POLICY: PERSPECTIVES)
May 1, 2006... I will focus my comments today on an issue of great significance to our industry and the world. This issue is the environment, a subject that might have once been dismissed within shipping industry circles as commercially insignificant. ...

Houston airport to build first cold storage facility.(AIR)(Bush Intercontinental Airport )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport will soon have its first refrigerated cargo facility open to all users, which will be used primarily to handle direct shipments of perishables from Central and South America. Ground will be broken in...

Nation's railroads want improved forecasting.(RAIL)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Imagine being able to know what freight will hit your system one month in advance. That's the forecasting goal for railroads like UP and Burlington Northern, who are experimenting with new technology to give them better planning ability. ...

Supply chain management driving development of RFID.(TECHNOLOGY)
May 1, 2006... RFID's use in global supply chains is helping advance the technology from its traditional and established closed-loop applications such as security/ access control, automobile immobilization, animal tracking, and toll collection, according to a...

Truck tonnage index falls.(ROAD)(American Trucking Associations)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The American Trucking Association's (ATA) for-hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.5 percent in February, which was the first monthly decline since August 2005. The drop puts the seasonally adjusted index at 115.1 (2000 = 100), or the...

SMEs getting into Mexico with Ex-Im help.(FINANCE)
May 1, 2006... Ex-Im Bank authorized $1.7 billion in financing in fiscal year 2005 to support U.S. exports to Mexico, the Bank's largest market. "Small businesses are where the greatest potential for U.S. export growth lies," said John Emens, Ex-Im Bank...

Smooth sailing for 2006 peak season.(OCEAN)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Maritime executives are predicting smooth sailing for the port complex of Los Angeles-Long Beach again this year, despite what will likely be another record-breaking year in terms of cargo volume. A principal at consultancy Global Insight...

Yet slower growth for the year ahead.(CHINA'S LOGISTICS MARKETS EXPANDING)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The logistics market in China reached 3.4 trillion yuan (US$421 billion) last year, up 12.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Xinhua news agency. However, the growth rate dropped 3.7 percentage points, which means the logistics...

Massive facility planned for Beijing airport.(BEIJING APPROVES FREE TRADE ZONE)
May 1, 2006... The Chinese government has approved plans to construct a free trade zone at Beijing Capital International Airport. The free trade zone will be situated to the north of the airport, and will comprise a 112,000-square-meter air freight...

New service hauls twice as many containers.(FIRST DOUBLE-STACK TRAIN FOR INDIA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... A new double-stack train service in India--the country's first such service--will help trim shipping costs, expedite freight movement, and shift more containers from road to rail. The service connects the northern city of Jaipur with the...

Government to spend more in 2006.(BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ARGENTINA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Argentine government has made significant increases to its infrastructure budget for 2006. According to the latest government figures, Argentina's total budget for 2006 comes to $32.31 billion, which is $3.46 billion more than a year...

Negotiations could start in May.(CENTRAL AMERICAN, EU FREE TRADE AGREEMENT)
May 1, 2006... Government officials from Central America and the European Union say they're considering embarking on free trade negotiations in May. Honduras' foreign minister said a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU would be a boost to the region,...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Trade winds)
May 1, 2006... The Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 0.9 percent in February to 110.2 (2000=100) from its January level, falling for the third consecutive month, reports the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)....

Nexus Distribution appoints Ofenloch as VP and COO.(Names & News)
May 1, 2006... Third-party logistics provider Nexus Distribution has announced that Mark Ofenloch has been formally appointed as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new position, he will be responsible for providing leadership to all...

UPS completes rollout of trade direct product.(Names & News)
May 1, 2006... UPS has completed the rollout of its Trade Direct air and ocean services to facilitate export shipments from the United States and Canada to Europe. Trade Direct services are intended to help companies streamline their supply chains by...

Schneider national recognized by Lowe's.(Names & News)(Schneider National Inc. awarded)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Home improvement retailer Lowe's has named logistics provider Schneider National the Outstanding Distribution Center Inbound Van Carrier for the third consecutive year. Schneider received the award for transporting Lowe's products from...

New position for DHL's brewer.(Names & News)(DHL Airways Inc. appoints Charles Brewer )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... DHL has named Charles Brewer as executive vice president of U.S. air products and services. In his new position, Brewer will be responsible for accelerating services for DHL's domestic air delivery products. He will also serve as a member of...

Diana shipping promotes michalopoulos.(Names & News)
May 1, 2006... Diana Shipping has promoted Andreas Michalopoulos to the posts of chief financial officer and treasurer. Michalopoulos was formerly projects manager for the Athens-based carrier. He replaces Konstantine Koutsomitopoulos, who was named vice...

New industrial park for port of Houston.(Names & News)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Construction is underway at the Port of Houston on a new $200 million, 295-acre industrial park at the Port of Houston. The Port Crossing Commerce Center will add 4 million square feet of industrial space and will include a 22-track rail...

Implementation pushed back to 2009.(EU DELAYS WOOD PACKING RULE)(United States. Department of Commerce)(European Union)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Commerce says the European Union has delayed implementation of a rule that would ban wood packing material with tree bark still attached. The new implementation date has been set for January 1, 2009. According to...

U.S. banks get improved access.(UKRAINE EASES BANKING RULES)
May 1, 2006... Ukraine has agreed to allow U.S. banks to operate in the Ukraine through branches, reports the Bankers' Association of Finance and Trade (BAFT). The deal is part of the U.S.-Ukraine bilateral negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the...

Initiative will save billions annually.(E-FREIGHT TOP PRIORITY FOR AIR CARGO)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The most important item on the air cargo industry's agenda right now is the paperless processing of airfreight documents, according to Giovanni Bisignani, chier executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Yet, the...

UPS chief calls situation "shocking".(FAILING GRADE FOR U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE)(Mike Eskew of United Parcel Service of America Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... UPS CEO Mike Eskew told business leaders recently that "the inability of our transportation infrastructure to keep up with the normal day-to-day stresses imposed upon it" was "shocking." Furthermore, Eskew warned that America was taking a...

China's top imports & exports (2005).(BY THE Numbers)
May 1, 2006... China's Top Imports & Exports (2005) EXPORTS IMPORTS 1. Automatic Data 1. Electronic Integrated Processing Machines Circuits 2. Garments and Clothing Accessories 2. Crude...

But strong currency dragging down exports.(BUSINESS CONFIDENCE UP IN SOUTH AFRICA)(South African Chamber of Business report)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... South Africa's business confidence edged up in March after falling sharply in February, but rampant domestic spending remained a concern, the South African Chamber of Business (SACOB) reported in April. The industry group said its Business...

Secure Freight Initiative to launch by year's end.(NEW CUSTOMS SECURITY PROGRAM)(by Department of Homeland Security )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Department of Homeland Security will launch the pilot program for the Secure Freight Initiative sometime before the end of 2006. Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson told the House Homeland Security Committee in April that DHS would...

Uplift in German outlook to set the course.(ECONOMIC BOOST FOR EURO ZONE)(survey of consumer and business confidence)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Europe's biggest economy is showing signs of revitalization, according to a recent survey of consumer and business confidence, which bodes well for the 12-member euro zone. The primary reason for the positive outlook is that Germans are...

Government offers loans to offset C-TPAT costs.(HELP FOR CANADIAN EXPORTERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Canadian government has launched a pilot loan program intended to help the country's smaller exporters cover the costs of meeting tougher U.S. Customs import security rules. Specifically, the program by Export Development Canada is...

IBM reinvents the supply chain: for era of global enterprise: tough times forced IBM to bundle everything from procurement to customer satisfaction and it worked so well they're selling their 'complete supply chain' solution to others.(World Trade Magazine Manufacturer of the Year: FOR GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE)(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... 'On Demand' is for IBM not merely a punchy advertising campaign for its solutions offerings but also the essence of a massive, on-going internal corporate transformation on which the company is staking much of its future. Few companies can...

Honor roll of excellence: AMR Research identifies nine other superior integrated global supply chains.(Manufacturer of the Year)
May 1, 2006... Johnson Controls Fiscal 2005 was the 59th consecutive year of sales increases for Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls--a global market leader in vehicle interior systems, lead acid automotive batteries, mechanical equipment, and heating,...

Innovation takes many different forms in transforming global supply chains: "think outside the box" has long been the mantra, but trade innovators now say, "Forget the box, Build a ladder.".
May 1, 2006... Innovation is an overused word, one which is usually associated with new products. But it's about much more these days, as business leaders have come to understand. Innovation is really creative problem-solving--"applying know-how in a...

Can the WTO get to the next stage of global trade? With the Doha Round stalled and the U.S. turning to bilateral agreements, opportunity to further liberalize markets is at risk.
May 1, 2006... Three-dimensional chess. That's how Assistant United States Trade Representative Dorothy Dwoskin describes multilateral trade negotiations. And in the current round of World Trade Organization negotiations, Dwoskin and her colleagues at the...

Are the ports being underfunded in the war on terror? Port experts say 'yes' and that a shortsighted federal approach is putting America's global supply chains at risk.
May 1, 2006... Ask anyone in the industry how we as a country are doing to bolster border security in international trade at our ports and land crossings and you will likely hear, in the same breath, that we are doing a lot better but far more needs to be...

What business leaders need to know about: trucking trends: everyone's going expedited--or so it seems.(Excecutive Overview)
May 1, 2006... It used to be that shippers who were relying on expedited carriers weren't doing their job properly. They were booking late and forced to seek out the expeditors, at higher cost, to meet customer demand. But in today's market with capacity...

Resource guide: trucking companies.(Company overview)
May 1, 2006... Swift Transportation Corporation 2200 South 75th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85043 Phone: 602.269.9700 or Toll Free: 800.800.2200 Email: Info@swifttrans.com Swift is the holding company for Swift Transportation Co., Inc., a...

All roads lead To China: transportation and logistics companies are fine-tuning their offerings to meet the demands of more sophisticated U.S.-Asia supply chains.(TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS)
May 1, 2006... Whether you're a shipper or a transportation provider, when it comes to China nowadays if you're not already there the question is, 'When will you be?' Far from being saturated, the Chinese market is still a bonanza for most everyone. ...

Matson orders revive Philadelphia shipyard.(Matson Navigation Company Inc.)
May 1, 2006... The Jones Act (also known as the Merchant Marine Act), ratified in 1920, is a United States federal statute that requires U.S.-flagged vessels to be built in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and documented under the laws of the United...

Next port of call: Vietnam.(TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS)
May 1, 2006... Sure, Vietnam has been in the news lately, but it's pretty much buried in the back pages behind the stories on China and India. And while some economic success stories follow the 'surely but slowly' rise to the top, Vietnam's emergence on the...

AIT Worldwide: http://www.aitworldwide.com.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... AIT Worldwide Logistics is a global transportation company that provides comprehensive, integrated electronic tools for managing shipment strategies between offices, customers and partners across the globe. As a value added service,...

China Shipping: http://www.chinashippingna.com.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... China Shipping services more ports around the world and boasts more connections within China. Customers look to us for reliable containerized transport, refrigerated services, and inland transportation. This site provides a company profile,...

Eagle: http://www.eaglegl.com.(WEB FINDERS)(EGL Eagle Global Logistics)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... EGL Eagle Global Logistics is dedicated to providing supply-chain solutions by utilizing the expertise of over 9,000 industry professionals and a global network of approximately 400 offices and agents in more than I O0 countries. EGL makes it...

APL-image in folder: http://www.apl.com.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... APL's superior network of global container transportation services is well-supported by a comprehensive suite of online tools designed to empower you with transactional efficiencies and shipment visibility. APL's award-winning shipping portal,...

Con-way: http://www.con-way.com.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... Our customer-first thinking, innovative solutions and advanced technology have made Con-way one of the industry's most recognized and trusted brands in freight transportation, logistics and supply chain management. To learn more, visit us at...

Euler Hermes: http://www.eulerhermes.com/usa.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... Euler Hermes ACI, rated AA- by Standard & Poor's, is North America's oldest and largest provider of trade credit insurance. Euler Hermes ACI offers both domestic and export credit insurance policies, which insure clients against commercial and...

CH Robinson: http://www.chrobinson.com.(WEB FINDERS)(C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. is one of the largest non-asset based third party logistics companies in the world today. A global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions, C.H. Robinson operates...

CRST International: http://www.crst.com.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... CRST International: a family of companies to meet every transportation need. CRST Van Expedited: largest team fleet in the nation; over 1650 trucks. CRST Malone: one of the largest flatbed carriers; over 1500 trucks; CRST Premier: short-medium...

Italian Trade Commission: http://www.italtrade.com.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... The Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), also known as Italian Trade Commission, is the government agency entrusted with promoting trade, business opportunities and industrial co-operation between Italian and foreign companies. It...

Key Bank: http://www.key.com/html/j-1.11.b.html.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... KeyBank offers a full-service International Banking Department with offices nationwide and a global network of banking relationships. Our dedicated team of professionals has successful experience in areas such as trade finance, international...

Matson: http://www.matson.com/china/index.html.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... In February 2006, Matson successfully launched the China--Long Beach Express, a weekly service from Ningbo and Shanghai to Long Beach. The service offers competitive, 11 day transit times, fast throughput on the West Coast, and reliable vessel...

Port Seattle: http://www.portseattle.org/seaport/cargo/.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Clear navigation is as critical to shipping as it is to moving about a Web site. Visit the Port of Seattle's Cargo Web site for easy navigation--allowing you to quickly find everything from terminal specifications and steamship lines to...

Kitty Hawk: http://www.khcargo.com.(WEB FINDERS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Kitty Hawk is the premier independent provider of custom/critical supply chain solutions to North America and all major US international gateways. Scheduled air and ground network capabilities include freight with special handling requirements...

Menlo Worldwide: http://www.menloworldwide.com.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... Some of the toughest, most complex logistics challenges in the world are met with customer-specific IT solutions, engineered, installed and managed by Menlo Worldwide. When it's time to cut waste and cost from your supply chain, think Menlo...

Ryder System: http://216.190.203.19/ryderscs/worldtrade.asp.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... Ryder provides a complete array of supply chain, warehousing and transportation solutions to hundreds of companies around the world, from electronics and consumer product manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers and helps them produce...

Management Dynamics: http://www.managementdynamics.com/wt06.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... Keep up-to-date on the latest trade updates to government regulations, tariffs, duties, taxes and restricted parties with our weekly Global Knowledge[R] e-Newsletter from Management Dynamics. Visit us today for Restricted Party Screening *...

Port Houston: http://www.portofhouston.com.(WEB FINDERS)(Port of Houston Authority)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates or leases the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain, and...

World Trade Magazine: http://www.worldtrademag.com.(WEB FINDERS)
May 1, 2006... WTM online, with over five years of archived editorial, offers an integrated portfolio of digital magazines, buyers guide with RFP, conferences, webinars, and global e-newsletters geared towards Global Supply Chain Decision Makers. This array...

The scurge of piracy.(Great Moments: IN WORLD TRADE)
May 1, 2006... Inhabitants of the Malay Archipelago, the great island group between China and Australia, came late to high seas hijacking, but proved quick learners. Pirates sailed in ninety-foot-long vessels, known as prahus, each manned by over one rower....