World Trade articles from October 2005

World Trade archives from October 2005

Katrina sounds a call to action.
October 1, 2005... The resilience of the American economy is a legendary thing. Time and again, history has shown the folly of playing this country short. Remember when Japan was going to own California? That being said, however, in the wake of Hurricane...

Public policy to develop talent is critical for the U.S. in the global economy.
October 1, 2005... A company's ability--indeed, a country's ability--to attract, retain, and develop talent, rather than exploit natural resources, will increasingly define comparative advantage for the enterprise in the future. Public policy Hill play a...

Software critical in offering alternatives.(REROUTING GULF COAST FREIGHT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... "The whole supply chain is out of whack," said an executive with the leading grain producer in the United States, referring to the disruption along the Gulf Coast caused by Katrina. Many roads, production plants and warehouses in New...

Apple picks Shanghai contract manufacturer.(IPODS 'MADE IN CHINA')
October 1, 2005... Sales of Apple iPods grew a whopping 616 percent in the third quarter of this year, or 6.16 million units compared to 860,000 during the same period last year, and a lot of those sales are increasingly made over the Internet. Although one...

Seaport tests program similar to PierPass.(OAKLAND TESTS EXTENDED GATES)(Port of Oakland )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Port of Oakland has begun testing an extended gate-hours program to help alleviate demand during peak operating hours. The test program, which started on September 6 and will run for two to three months, is a downsized version of the...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Trade winds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
October 1, 2005... The Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 0.6 percent in June to 112.0 (2000=100) from the May level of 112.6, the first monthly decline following three consecutive increases, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of...

Con-Way launches automatic e-mail notification system.(Names & News)
October 1, 2005... Con-Way Transportation Services has upgraded its Web-based system to automatically notify LTL customers in the U.S. and Canada by email when their shipment may be late. The new service, called Con-Way Dynamic Shipment Management system...

CP Ships accepts buyout offer from Hapag-Lloyd parent company.(Names & News)(TUI AG)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... CP Ships has accepted an offer from TUI AG to acquire the company for $2 billion. TUI, the parent of Hapag-Lloyd, plans to combine Hapag-Lloyd and CP Ships to create the world's fifth-largest container shipping company with a fleet of 139...

Safmarine continues global expansion plans.(Names & News)
October 1, 2005... Safmarine Container Lines' expansion plans has resulted in the opening of 13 offices serving 11 countries since the beginning of this year. The carrier said it has established a presence in Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Georgia, as well as...

Walker named Pensacola port director.(Names & News)
October 1, 2005... Leon Walker has been named port director at the Port of Pensacola, Florida, succeeding Chuck Porter, who resigned in April. A retired Navy lieutenant, Walker began his career with the port in 1998 as assistant port director for operations.

Manhattan Associates acquires Evant.(Names & News)
October 1, 2005... Manhattan Associates has agreed to pay approximately $50 million to acquire Evant Inc., a vendor of demand forecasting and replenishment technology. Manhattan Associates, a publicly traded company based in Atlanta, specializes in supply...

Schneider Logistics acquires American Port Services.(Names & News)
October 1, 2005... Schneider Logistics has completed its acquisition of American Port Services, a leading U.S. provider of port transloading/deconsolidation, warehousing and distribution services. The deal makes the parent company, Schneider National, the...

Dubai's free zone attracting business.(MIDDLE EAST HUB)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Dubai, UAE, has been attracting more businesses who want to establish or expand their presence in the Middle East. The city's Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is one of the biggest draws, according to companies like Nokia, which is opening a...

Push for ethanol will help reduce transport costs.('GREEN' GAS FOR EUROPE)
October 1, 2005... Western European countries are taking the lead in advancing alternative fuels like ethanol as a way to cut transportation costs. The effects of rising oil prices are being felt around the world, especially in Europe where hefty taxes add to the...

World Bank says region making strides in reforms.(BETTER BUSINESS IN EASTERN EUROPE)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A new report from the World Bank says the regulatory climate is improving most quickly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where "every country took at least one step to make things easier for business." For example, Serbia and Montenegro...

Louisiana's top 5 export sectors.(BY THE Numbers)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... What will be the effect of Katrina on Louisiana's farm exports, which have already felt a loss this year? For the first half of this year the state's agricultural shipments were valued at $3.3 billion, a decline of 16.5 percent compared to the...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... Dear World Trade: I was talking to my associate in the Dominican Republic over Skype [Internet telephony service] when I received your digital edition and immediately forwarded it to him, so he may be the first one to read your publication...

The World Trade 100: our yearly survey of the top import and export sectors and the companies that are driving them.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... This year's World Trade 100 survey could be summed up in a word--oil. The petroleum sector has benefited the most from strong demand and rising prices, and consumers and shippers alike have all felt the pinch (or punch). On the import side, the...

Right on Target: Target Corporation leads the way as retailers refine the global supply chain.(THE WORLD TRADE 100)
October 1, 2005... When it comes to business these days, it's often said that 'he with the best supply chain wins,' no matter what industry you're in. Although Wal-Mart's strategy in this area has been profiled extensively, the nation's number two general...

The supply chain side of the story: UPS Supply Chain Solutions analyzes how sector leaders are managing for growth.
October 1, 2005... There have been plenty of changes in supply chain management over the years, and Gene Long, President, Consulting Services, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, has plenty of experience in what's worked and what hasn't. We asked him to comment on...

Logistics outsourcing meets Sarbanes-Oxley: stricter accounting requirements on inventory and supply chain are prompting shippers to demand more from 3PLs.
October 1, 2005... In the wake of the Enron scandal and other examples of high-level corporate malfeasance, the conduct of business in the United States is being forced to change. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, with its stringent requirements that the...

Ocean freight carriers cope with good times: international commerce is at higher levels than ever, putting a squeeze on sea-lanes at home and abroad.
October 1, 2005... Every year, over 800 ocean freight vessels, primarily containerships, make over 22,000 calls at U.S. ports, according to Washington, D.C.-based World Shipping Council. This equates to over 60 vessels a day. These ocean carriers are...

Creating value form 'constructive tension' in the supply chain: as operational disciplines converge, the critical task is to engineer out process complexity to reduce costs.
October 1, 2005... When it comes to cooking, it's easy to jazz up a favorite recipe with different herbs or spices to create something qualitatively new and different. In culinary circles, that's called constructive tension. Supply chain and logistics...

To satisfy customer demand for quality, supply chains must be fast and agile: giving smaller shippers the same visibility as the big boys is central to FedEx strategy.(DRIVING THE INTEGRATED GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN FROM THE TOP)(Interview)
October 1, 2005... Thus far in this series, World Trade has presented the 'insider' thoughts from within the organization of major corporate supply chain leaders on how supply chains can be orchestrated to achieve broader company objectives. With this interview,...

Cashing in on China: ensuring timely payment for exports.
October 1, 2005... Considering ways to cash in on the China boom? Are you baffled or overwhelmed? Well, you're not alone. The China market continues to pose many challenges to U.S. exporters. Government policies, such as differential tax treatment, subsidies,...

Reweaving the Silk Road.
October 1, 2005... Quick quiz: Asian textile tariffs are A. New with the W.T.O. B. A result of the industrial revolution. C. Almost 2000 years old. C it is. Two millennia before Wal-Mart sourced t-shirts and tube socks from the Pearl River...