World Trade articles from September 2005

World Trade archives from September 2005

World Trade goes digital.(INSIDE WORLD TRADE)
September 1, 2005... These are exciting times for global supply chains and they are equally exciting for us at World Trade as we cover them. With logistics practices being dramatically transformed, media like ours must be equally fast moving to keep ahead of the...

Keep trade flow open at the Canada-U.S. border.(POLICY PERSPECTIVES)
September 1, 2005... Canada was among the first to put ground troops into Afghanistan, hunting Al Qaeda and Taliban alongside US forces. We have been a lead nation in the International Security Assistance Force and we will be there for the foreseeable future with a...

U.S. Customs' electronic filing system rolls out along border crossings.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) trade processing system has already been operating along the U.S.-Canada border in Washington State, and now two more border crossings will be added to ACE to accommodate electronic filing of truck...

Outcome of deregulation fight between EU Commission and industry remains uncertain.(EUROPEAN PORT SHOWDOWN)
September 1, 2005... Although the EU Commission says it is determined to deregulate European port services, the industry remains steadfast in their opposition. It's unknown what the final outcome will be or if a compromise will be reached this fall. Meanwhile,...

Barges forced to lighten loads on Mississippi and Illinois rivers.(U.S. DROUGHT HURTS RIVER SHIPPING)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The prolonged drought in the central U.S. is starting to worry farmers of corn and soybeans, and even commercial shipping has started to be affected. Several barge operators have begun lightening their loads to keep vessels from scraping...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... There were several factual errors in the last month's supply chain article featuring Alcoa. The company has formed 10 councils for spend areas, not 44. One of the functions of the commodity councils is to reduce costs and reduce working...

Transportation Services Index (TSI).(Tradewinds: THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF TRADE)
September 1, 2005... Transportation Services Index (TSI) OCTOBER 2004-MAY 2005 October 109.4 November 110.3 December 109.9 January 111.6 February 110.0 March 111.6...

Biggest box ships ever will carry 9,200 TEUs.(SOUTH KOREAN SHIPBUILDING)
September 1, 2005... Construction of the largest container ships ever has been completed, reports Samsung Heavy Industries, the world's third-biggest shipbuilder. Christened the MSC Pamelra and the Susanna, the two identical 9,200-TEU-class container vessels...

Top 10 U.S. trade partners.(BY THE Numbers)
September 1, 2005... Top 10 U.S. Trade Partners (total trade in goods, January-May 2005) EXPORTS IMPORTS TOTAL TRADE PERCENT OF Country ($US BILLION) BILLION) ($US BILLION) TOTAL TRADE Canada $86.8 $114.0 ...

'Smart tags' are expensive, but long-term opportunities exist.(RFID equipment)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... It's hard to imagine that supply chain executives would choose to implement a technology that actually added costs to the supply chain. But, that's the reality so far for RFID, says supply chain consulting firm Tompkins Associates. The...

Rates to remain at record-high levels through 2010.(BREAKBULK CAPACITY CRUNCH)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The nagging shortage of capacity for project cargo and breakbulk isn't likely to improve anytime soon. In fact, it's probably going to worsen. Already, rates are the highest they've been in years. Part of the reason is the aging fleet of...

New air cargo rules boost traffic, logistics services.(ANCHORAGE AIRPORT TAKES FLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Anchorage is already the world's fourth-busiest freight airport, however new cargo transfer rules along with an expanded U.S.-China air services pact promise to boost traffic at Anchorage and increase the demand for logistics services. One...

MOL, Jaxport sign deal to build container terminal.(Names & News)(MOL America Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... MOL has signed a deal with the Port of Jacksonville to build a 158-acre container terminal, which could potentially make the port one of the biggest container ports among U.S. East and Gulf Coasts. The terminal is set for completion in 2008 and...

Matson appoints Robinson.(Names & News)(Matson Navigation Company has hired Dan Robinson as director)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Ahead of its expansion into the Chinese market, Matson Navigation Company has hired Dan Robinson as director of trans-Pacific service. Robinson most recently served as vice president for trans-Pacific eastbound pricing for Hyundai Merchant...

New positions for BA executives.(Names & News)
September 1, 2005... British Airways World Cargo has made two appointments to its U.S. team. Joe Hoelle has been appointed as multinational sales director, the Americas, while John Richey has been appointed to the role of premium products manager, the Americas.

Horowitz joins Port of Portland.(Names & News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Barry Horowitz is joining the Port of Portland to head the marine division's container market development efforts as general manager of container marketing. In this new position, Horowitz will work to increase the volume of containerized...

UP, CSX to offer rail service for perishables.(Names & News)(Union Pacific Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Union Pacific and CSX will jointly offer a dedicated produce unit-train service between Washington state and New York. The service, slated to begin in the first quarter of 2006, will offer 124-hour transit time with 55-car trains moving intact...

Hellmann taps Scheibner.(Names & News)
September 1, 2005... Hellmann USA has named Frank Scheibner to the recently created position of president and chief executive. Scheibner will be based in the U.S. unit's headquarters in Miami. The move comes as part of Hellmann's plan to strengthen its presence in...

Menendez gets Crowley nod.(Names & News)
September 1, 2005... Crowley has chosen Tony Menendez as director of business development for the company's logistics services unit. In his new position, the seven-year Crowley veteran will continue to be domiciled in Miami and will report to Miguel Artiga, vice...

American steel imports get hit with higher tariffs on September 1.(JAPAN RETALIATION)
September 1, 2005... Japan said it will impose 15 percent tariffs on U.S. steel imports starting September 1 in retaliation for the American steel industry's protectionist measures. The tariffs, which could rise as high as $51 million, will target ball...

We are squandering our competitive advantage by not focusing on highways: the good news is that Congress finally passed a new highway bill. The bad news is that it's two years late and $100 billion short.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... The stretch of Interstate 81 running through western Virginia passes some of the East Coast's most beautiful landscape--rolling hills, broad valleys, mist-shrouded mountains. But these days, drivers along I-81 won't have time to look at the...

Logistics is 'the next big thing' in China: economic momentum keeps building as U.S. customers demand more complete Chinese integration into the global supply chain.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... The global economic explosion triggered when China joined the W.T.O. in 2001 continues to reverberate. Retail and manufacturing supply chains have been transformed as shippers seek out Chinese opportunities (currently the source of 3% of all...

Competitive advantages of China go beyond labor: higher value chain integration than U.S. plants and more ability to control component costs distinguish Chinese manufacturing.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... A recent study of U.S. and Chinese manufacturers shows that Chinese plants are more likely to report value chain integration than their U.S. counterparts, reports the accounting, tax and business advisory services firm, Grant Thornton LLP, in...

Contract manufacturing in China comes with a price: long supply chains and uncertain lead times make responses to shifts in demand difficult.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... The rush to source goods and set up contract manufacturing operations in China comes with a price: companies are finding that their costs are higher and lead times are longer than they expected. A June 2005 study by Aberdeen Group shows...

Calculating risks in the Chinese logistics market: an on-the-scene report.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... Despite the great strides the country has made recently through implementing free market reforms, a common sight in China is to see someone manually performing a task that would be highly automated in America... with a mobile phone glued to...

Schneider logistics: a strategy for entering China: U.S.-based companies are demanding supply chain engineering.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... "Schneider Logistics is strategically entering China because we are absolutely convinced the country is at an economic inflection point since entering the WTO. Since its [WTO] entry, exports and imports are both growing at a compound annual...

UPS supply chain solutions: establishing critical mass in China: warehouses are key to the network.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE STATE OF CHINESE TRADE, 2005)
September 1, 2005... UPS Supply Chain Solutions first came to China in 2001 when UPS bought Fritz Companies, a global freight forwarding company. We moved into integrated logistics from this base. The first stage was getting people on board with in-country...

Summing up the current state of logistics: supply chains are more complex, but outsourcing to experts is helping companies concentrate on their core competencies.(State of Logistics)
September 1, 2005... Talking with supply chain professionals these days, whether they be suppliers, shippers, analysts, or academicians, one gets the sense that the demands of operating in the global marketplace have simultaneously become easier and harder. ...

Solectron manages for supply chain design capability; fully landed cost is the metric that matters with a product pipeline 10,000 miles long.(Interview)
September 1, 2005... James D. Molzon was named vice president of customer fulfillment and logistics at Solectron in 2004. As such, he is responsible for establishing, integrating and optimizing Solectron's worldwide logistics and supply chain design competency....

Leased railcars lower beermaker's overhead: move from truck to rail results in reduced transport costs for Corona's U.S.-bound beer.(TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS)
September 1, 2005... Beer--unlike James Bond's martinis--should neither be shaken nor stirred. And, to be smooth to the taste, it needs a smooth ride from brewery to customer. Grupo Modelo, the makers of the Corona beers that now stand as the nation's leading...

What you can learn from a pharmaceutical supply chain: the first lesson covers effective marketing and localization to get your message across to the consumer.(INDUSTRY FOCUS: PHARMACEUTICALS)
September 1, 2005... Pharmaceutical companies, for so long highly successful in R&D and international marketing, are facing broader challenges in the fight to retain profit levels in their increasingly competitive global market. Within the $400 billion-plus...

The Eastern Mediterranean is heating up: economic growth for the region is gaining momentum while Turkey awaits EU entry.(GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS)
September 1, 2005... For the first time in years, Israel made it into World Trade's annual Top 30 Countries for Trade & Expansion list (June 2005 issue). This was significant not only for Israel, whose economy has made major strides, but it also hinted to the...

Moving offshore brings new financing twists; lenders get creative with trade financing options to help U.S. firms compete in the global market.(FINANCE)
September 1, 2005... The relentless migration of U.S. manufacturing overseas, especially to Asia, has slashed costs, while requiring new skills in managing long-distance supply chains. But it has also demanded mastery of unfamiliar financing tools and a fresh...

The taxman and the triangle.
September 1, 2005... "There's one for you, nineteen for me," sang The Beatles' "Taxman," and he meant it. Until 1968, John, Paul, George, and Ringo kept but five percent of their earnings under tilted British tax law. Their answer: Apple Corps. "It was really just...