Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
VinFast scales EV deliveries and launches $500M plant in India
VinFast delivered 3,520 electric vehicles in a single 24‑hour period in Vietnam, showcasing its production and logistics capabilities. The company is breaking ground on a $500 million plant in Tamil Nadu that will support a 150,000‑vehicle‑per‑year capacity and serve as a regional export hub for right‑hand‑drive markets. Its next logistical test will be expanding into India and Indonesia.
Also developing:
UPS is executing its largest network consolidation while deliberately shedding about 50% of its Amazon volume by mid‑2026. The carrier has cut 30,000 jobs, closed 24 parcel‑sort facilities and is automating remaining sites to boost profitability. CFO Brian Dykes said the shift targets higher‑margin B2B, healthcare and premium services, aiming for revenue‑per‑piece growth of 6.5% in 2026. Despite the cuts, UPS maintained a 97.2% on‑time delivery rate during the peak season, underscoring service resilience.
Norfolk Southern and Progress Rail will convert 96 DC‑traction SD70M‑2 locomotives to AC traction, with deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2029. The upgrades include individual‑axle control, ADEM® diesel engine management and remanufactured 16‑cylinder EMD 710 engines delivering 4,300 hp. NS claims...
After the holiday rush, warehouses and 3PLs face a wave of returns that exposes hidden operational friction. Lingering backlogs, shifting bottlenecks, and slow reintegration of sellable inventory tie up space and capital. Manual tracking and limited data visibility further strain...
Senator Jim Banks introduced “Dalilah’s Law,” requiring all CDL holders to be recertified by their state within six months and prohibiting licenses for non‑citizens, permanent residents, or certain visa holders. The bill links compliance to federal highway and bridge funding,...
HOJ Innovations, a Utah‑based warehouse inventory software veteran with over 60 years of experience, announced the launch of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) division in late October 2025. The new hardware arm integrates directly with its WarehouseOS platform, leveraging a...
ZF will supply almost 3,000 two‑stage spur‑gear gearboxes for Hamburg’s new driverless U5 line and the accompanying DT6 fleet, a contract spanning roughly 15 years. The gearboxes feature a lightweight aluminum housing, low‑noise operation and reduced oil requirements, delivering 95 kW...
On February 27, 2026 the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) released a new Request for Project Proposals (RPP) focused on thirteen strategic and critical minerals, with Phase 1 submissions due March 20. The solicitation follows Executive Order 14241 and aims to diversify U.S....
Phison’s CEO reported that NAND flash prices surged roughly 50% overnight as AI‑driven demand outstrips supply. Enterprise SSD sales now represent 30% of revenue, up from 10% a quarter earlier, reflecting a strategic pivot toward cloud and hyperscaler customers. To...
Chiesi Group and inhalation CDMO Bespak have expanded their long‑standing partnership by increasing pressurized metered‑dose inhaler (pMDI) manufacturing capacity at Bespak’s Holmes Chapel, UK site. The move supports Chiesi’s Carbon Minimal Inhaler (CMI) program, which targets up to a 90 %...
Manufacturers are merging IT and OT networks, requiring visibility beyond simple ping checks. Platforms like Hirschmann’s HiVision provide topology mapping and detect hidden devices, enabling faster troubleshooting. Bulk configuration, multivendor support, and intent‑based networking streamline management of thousands of endpoints...
The zentrak Object Controller Point, launched by voestalpine Railway Systems, is a TÜV SÜD‑certified SIL 4 device built on EULYNX Baseline 4.3. It consolidates safety‑related and non‑safety control, diagnostics and condition monitoring for turnouts and intelligent switches into a single, IP65‑rated unit. The...
China‑Europe rail freight via Russia fell sharply in 2025, with a 14.1% drop in total TEUs and a 22.7% plunge in eastbound shipments, reaching a historic low of 38,422 TEUs. Despite the volume decline, Chinese export value to Europe rose...
Some great timing with the report on the grounding of USNS Big Horn of @MSCSealift coming to light as operations are underway in the same region with USS Lincoln. "A US Navy oiler ran hard aground after its captain urged a...
Worldly has appointed Kathryn Smith, a former senior director of responsible sourcing at Walmart, as Vice President of Human Rights Risk Solutions. Smith will oversee the company’s social‑compliance portfolio, including the Higg Facility Social & Labor Module and new tools...
AutomationDirect has introduced the Peter Electronic VSII Plus soft starters, covering current ratings up to 105 A for standard and light‑duty applications. The units feature a simple three‑trim‑pot configuration, status LEDs, DIN‑rail mounting and quick‑connect I/O, enabling fast installation. Powered by...
Choosing the right commercial truck rental is critical for smooth business operations. The article outlines eight practical tips, from assessing transport needs and vehicle condition to reviewing rental terms, fuel efficiency, load capacity, driver comfort, safety features, customer support, and...
Ardent Partners and Zip are hosting a webinar on March 26 to show chief procurement officers how to bridge the intake‑to‑payment gap that hampers spend visibility and speed. The session, led by Andrew Bartolini and Nick Heinzmann, will outline a unified,...
Polytron’s PolySim sm offers manufacturers a digital‑twin emulation platform that runs real PLC code in a virtual environment, enabling “test‑drives” of production lines before hardware installation. Unlike traditional simulation, emulation validates control logic in real‑time, allowing engineers to troubleshoot, optimize line...
DB Cargo UK has named its Class 66 locomotive 66186 after the late Plasmor founder Antony Slater, marking a renewed five‑year rail freight contract. The agreement, extending to the end of 2031, will see up to six weekly trains linking Plasmor’s Great Heck...
The Hackett Group’s Solution Intelligence team will host a webinar on April 15 to unveil its 2025‑2026 Procurement Technology Recognition Lists. The lists—50 to Watch, 50 to Know, Future 5 and Hall of Fame—cover 117 vendors selected from an evaluation of roughly...
Industries don't collapse overnight. They are systematically pushed out. China's 90% Model works by building production capacity to meet 90% of global demand in a targeted sector. Chinese companies then flood markets and price at or below marginal cost—supported by subsidies, cheap...
US political leaders, the oil industry, and traders are waking up to what we advised clients in June: restoring oil and LNG flow in the Strait of Hormuz won't be quick or easy. A load-bearing assumption in global energy is...
Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran have disrupted LPG shipments to India, prompting Oil Marketing Companies to issue a force‑majeure notice. Borosil Ltd, a major glass maker in Jaipur, said the shortage forced a temporary shutdown of...
Pilferage represented 43% of all cargo thefts in 2025 and it is only rising in 2026 https://t.co/lD0SFI1sIt
SCOOP: #Romania is set to approve a US request to temporarily deploy fighter jets at a Black Sea airbase to help with its military operations in #Iran, sources tell @atimu2 and me. The deployment would include as many as 500 additional...
Lufthansa Cargo has become the launch customer for Jettainer’s new Internet‑of‑Things (IoT) unit‑load device (ULD) tracking solution, with implementation already underway across its entire fleet. The system merges stationary and mobile readers to deliver continuous, real‑time visibility of ULD movements,...
The Iranians seem as skilled at targeting ships as the Houthis in the Red Sea. https://t.co/K0O7c7Jd1G
Meanwhile, over in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, the European Union navies of @EUNAVFORASPIDES are escorting European ships through the region against the Houthis, who have not attacked a ship since June. https://t.co/PmfgtJBba8
Adif awarded a €41 million contract to modernise traffic‑management systems on the Zaragoza railway network, focusing on the Embid de la Ribera section of the Madrid‑Zaragoza‑Barcelona Iberian‑gauge line. The project upgrades electronic centralisation facilities, control, signalling and telecommunications across multiple stations,...
Sulfur and Helium and Fuel and Fertilizer and Food … needed for the GCC & World… held hostage from Trump-Netanyahu’s war on Iran. Collateral damage: AI ecosystem of Investments, US hegemony and lives.
Even if the war ends fast, “normal” won’t fully return. Trust and relationships are slow to rebuild, and that shows up as less trade, less cooperation, and more expensive risk management. https://t.co/mIgNA1yJph
Správa železnic, the Czech railway infrastructure manager, announced that recent tenders have cut maintenance costs by up to 33%, delivering more than €13.8 million in savings. The biggest reduction occurs on the Vsetín‑Horní Lidč line, where the bid fell from €23.4 million to...
Maersk. Ships trapped. Bunker fuel needs. Ships going around Cape of Good Hope and longer transit means more fuel. Mines. Needed products not movings. Fewer loaded containers. Less revenue and higher costs. Shippers paying surcharges.
Increased transport costs driven by the conflict in Iran will be passed on to consumers Maersk CEO tells BBC https://t.co/E2W6YMV8EN
Portugal’s transport regulator has trimmed the freight track access charge increase for 2025 from a projected 21.25% to 2.4%, raising the average fee to €1.47 per kilometre. The amendment also sets a 12.33% compound annual growth rate for 2026‑2028, with...
AOC, the Swiss‑based supplier of specialty formulations, announced price increases of up to €450 (US $521.83) per tonne for its unsaturated polyester, vinyl‑ester and Neoxil® products. The hikes affect customers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India and will take...
On March 6, the European Commission, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine reconfirmed their commitment to the Solidarity Lanes that keep Ukraine’s export‑import lifelines open. The partners pledged to advance the Danube Action Plan 2.0, boosting safe navigation, port coordination and rapid response on...
Rail Baltica’s first phase, a €15.3 billion standard‑gauge corridor linking Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Poland, is slated for completion by 2030. The project aims to move up to 9.2 million tonnes of freight annually by 2046, with bulk cargo dominating the...
SourceReady is an AI‑powered platform that automates three core sourcing tasks—supplier discovery, supply‑chain optimization, and repetitive communication/negotiation. The startup was founded after its CEO realized that traditional directories miss fragmented manufacturer data and that buyers need risk‑aware, compliance‑focused insights. Early...
Recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran have closed the Strait of Hormuz, driving up fertilizer and transport costs and threatening food logistics. Energy‑intensive supply chains face price spikes while key shipping lanes become bottlenecks, echoing disruptions from Ukraine and...
China’s Cosco shipping. Suspends its use at Panama’s Balboa port. Because of takeover of CL Hutchinson’s terminals.
Blockchain is being deployed across the disposable‑vape supply chain to create an immutable record of every transaction, from raw‑material sourcing to final sale. The technology promises real‑time traceability, anti‑counterfeit verification, and automated quality‑control data that satisfy tightening global regulations. Smart...
Pulsar International’s board will review a proposal to extend its Smart Agri Solution into AI‑driven Internet of Things (IoT) precision farming. The plan calls for integrating AI analytics, IoT sensors and drones to fine‑tune fertilizer, water and other inputs while...
Procurement leaders are moving beyond reactive chatbots to deploy autonomous AI agents that execute end‑to‑end tasks. A leading media‑telecom firm rolled out four agents—contract analysis, deal memo drafting, an Ask‑Me‑Anything guide, and supplier‑insights—within 18 months. These agents automate contract review,...
Grimaldi Euromed and state‑owned FS Logistix signed a memorandum of understanding to launch sea‑rail connections, initially linking the Adriatic ports of Ancona and Venice with intermodal terminals across Italy and Europe. The partnership will use Grimaldi’s short‑sea Ro‑Ro network and...
SAIC Motor’s MG brand has begun local assembly of the S5 battery‑electric vehicle in Malaysia through a partnership with EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB). The Alor Gajah plant will assemble up to 2,000 units this year from imported CKD kits, leveraging...
Air cargo has shifted from a supplemental service to a core component of global trade, with airlines treating freight as a strategic business unit. Industry veterans stress that long‑term success hinges on trusted partnerships, disciplined operations, and policy alignment rather...
In this episode, Kevin interviews Michelle Harris of Our Service Works (OSW), a Dallas‑based 3PL that evolved from outsourced customer care to a full‑service fulfillment operation. They discuss how OSW carefully selects carriers—evaluating performance data, technology integration, and support—to enhance...
U.S. strikes on Iran have prompted Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to suspend oil and gas operations and deter tankers from the Strait of Hormuz, sharply curtailing Middle East energy exports. The disruption threatens $208 billion in crude shipments—about 21%...
The article argues that the classic Kraljic matrix is outdated and that procurement must move to an Exact Purchasing approach. Jason Busch’s Exact Purchasing Quadrant maps cost influence against contract‑and‑supply complexity, but the author expands it into a three‑dimensional cube...
