UPS at the Crossroads: Finding Profit in a Disrupted Landscape with Bloomberg’s Devin Leonard
UPS is navigating a disrupted logistics market under new CEO Carol Tomé, the first woman and outsider in its 118‑year history. The company is shifting from volume‑driven growth to a high‑margin, "better, not bigger" strategy, scaling back low‑margin e‑commerce shipments. Rising labor costs, highlighted by a Teamsters contract that pushes driver compensation to $170,000, add pressure to an already competitive landscape where Amazon has become both a major customer and a formidable rival. UPS is also targeting niche segments like healthcare cold‑chain and international freight to differentiate its services.
APM Terminals Launches Rail Shuttle Connecting Helsingborg to the Port Gothenburg
APM Terminals has launched a five‑hour rail shuttle linking Helsingborg with the Port of Gothenburg, owned by APM and operated by Dania Connect. The service expands the port’s rail network to nearly 30 Swedish locations and follows a record‑breaking 529,000...
Iran War; PBoC's 2026 Tasks; US-China; Japan; Front-Loading 2026 Spending
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper about the escalating war in Iran and the broader Middle East. Beijing emphasized that the conflict undermines regional stability and directly impacts global energy, finance, trade, and shipping. China called...
North Sea Ports Complete Digital Container Release Process
Germany’s North Sea ports have completed the final integration step of their digital container import release process, requiring transport firms and truck drivers to connect to the German Ports IT platform. The Secure Release Order procedure now mandates a digital...
How to Successfully Migrate a Control System
Erik Cornelsen, a seasoned automation engineer, outlines a systematic approach to migrating control system code, emphasizing verification of auto‑migrated blocks and rigorous testing of rewritten logic. He stresses thorough PID review, including scaling, scan times, and dynamic simulation, while recommending industry‑standard...
Velotic Launches Combining Former Proficy, Kepware, ThingWorx
Velotic has launched as an independent industrial software firm, merging GE Vernova’s Proficy, PTC’s Kepware and ThingWorx under the financial backing of private‑equity firm TPG. The company is led by former Rockwell Automation executive Brian Shepherd as CEO and PTC...
China Voted Against the World on Fentanyl. Days Later, It Announced a Perfunctory Crackdown.
China was the sole nation to vote against a U.N. resolution aimed at tightening control over fentanyl precursor chemicals, prompting sharp criticism from Washington. Days later, Hubei Province announced a limited crackdown that resulted in 22 cases, seven arrests and...
When to Outsource Fulfillment: The 3PL Decision Guide for E-Commerce
E‑commerce brands typically start fulfillment in‑house, but rapid sales growth, rising shipping costs, and multi‑channel complexity often trigger a shift to third‑party logistics (3PL). The guide highlights five key signals—order‑volume spikes, escalating carrier fees, tighter delivery expectations, operational distraction, and...
What Does the Iran Crisis Mean for the Global Economy?
The joint US‑Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February escalated into a full‑scale conflict that has choked the Strait of Hormuz, sending Brent crude from under $70 to a volatile $90‑$100 range. Disruptions to oil, sulfur, ammonia and urea shipments are...
From Ports to Prices: The Inflationary Effects of Global Supply Chain Disruptions
IMF economists published a paper quantifying how shipping delays translate into consumer price inflation. By constructing a port‑to‑port shipping time index from AIS maritime data and linking it to granular trade and price information, they find that a 100‑hour delay...
Free Robotic Learning Event in Northern Nevada
OnRobot is hosting a free, in‑person “Build Your Automation Roadmap” event in Reno on April 9, 2026, showcasing FANUC robots and end‑of‑arm tooling for manufacturers. The session targets metal fabrication, CNC machining, electronics, aerospace, food & beverage, and industrial equipment firms...
Turkmenistan Leader in Beijing; China-Iran War; Rural Land Contracts; US Intelligence Does Not See Invasion of Taiwan in 2027; "Open...
Chinese President Xi Jinping met Turkmenistan’s leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Beijing, reaffirming the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations. Xi emphasized unwavering support for Turkmenistan’s sovereignty, neutrality, and independence, while urging deeper collaboration in the natural‑gas sector. The dialogue...
Yale Lift Truck to Share Automation Experience at MODEX
Yale Lift Truck Technologies will showcase a suite of automated lift trucks and operator‑assist solutions at the MODEX supply‑chain exhibition in Atlanta. The booth features an interactive Automated Lift Truck Portal that lets visitors map routes without coding, the Reliant...
Did Owner-Ops Bank More Money in '25? Cost, Income Trends Live Update March 24
The American Trucking Brokers Service (ATBS) will host its first 2026 Owner‑Operator Trends update on March 24, focusing on mileage, rates, fuel costs and net income. Recent data show owner‑operators achieving an average fuel economy of about 7.5 mpg, while spot...
CCT to Debut MedAssure Platform at LogiPharma 2026 Amid Growing Global Logistics Challenges
Cold Chain Technologies (CCT) will unveil MedAssure, a cold‑chain orchestration platform, at LogiPharma 2026. Targeted at life‑science manufacturers, the solution promises data‑driven intelligence to anticipate risks, lower total logistics costs, and shrink environmental footprints. The launch comes as the pharmaceutical cold‑chain...
Digital Twins Double up and Down
Control’s latest resource hub aggregates a broad set of digital‑twin assets—from Covestro’s polymer‑process model and ABB’s ten industry case studies to Sandia’s 42‑page nuclear‑plant evaluation and MathWorks’ gas‑turbine diagnostics video. The collection also includes beginner guides, Siemens AI‑enhanced whitepapers, Nvidia’s...
How RFID Data Is Transforming Logistics Back-Office Accuracy
RFID adoption in logistics is moving beyond warehouse floor visibility to reshape back‑office operations. By capturing timestamped, location‑specific events, RFID creates an event‑based data layer that replaces manual scans and carrier estimates. This data foundation automates freight audit, inventory reconciliation...
Why Asia Hopes for a Short Mideast War
A potential war in Iran is sending shockwaves through the Asia‑Pacific as the region’s heavy reliance on Middle Eastern oil, LNG and petrochemicals makes the closure of the Strait of Hormuz a catalyst for inflation, supply‑chain strain and strategic uncertainty....
The Price of Vassalage
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and QatarEnergy’s force‑majeure on LNG have removed roughly 20% of global supply, sending European gas prices soaring to double their previous levels. In reaction, EU policymakers are softening carbon‑pricing mechanisms and methane measurement...
U.S. Customs’ “5H” Inspections Hit Chinese Imports Hard
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched the “5H” Entry Processing Hold, intensifying document‑focused inspections of Chinese imports. Inspection rates at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have risen above 30%, leading to thousands of containers detained or...
U.S. Customs Tightens Importer of Record Rules
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that, effective March 20, 2026, it will begin canceling Importer of Record (IOR) numbers for declarations submitted after 12:01 a.m. ET. Importers must now provide an updated CBP 5106 form, government‑issued photo ID, EIN verification...
Sea-Intelligence: Gemini Ceding Capacity Market Share
Sea‑Intelligence’s latest Sunday Spotlight reveals Gemini’s capacity market share slipping across three major trade lanes. The rolling eight‑week average fell from 15 % to 13 % on the Asia‑North America West Coast route, from 20 % to 17 % on the East Coast, and...
DH Shipbuilding Closes in on Annual Target with New Suezmax Order
DH Shipbuilding landed a 130 billion KRW (~$98 million) contract for a new Suezmax crude oil tanker from an Oceania shipping firm, pushing the yard to 82% of its 2026 order target within the first quarter. The deal marks the ninth order the...
NX Group Consolidates Indonesian Forwarding Units
NX Group completed the merger of PT. NX Lemo Indonesia Logistik and PT. Nippon Express Indonesia on March 1, 2026, creating a unified freight forwarding powerhouse. The consolidation ends a fragmented structure by bringing air and ocean services under one...
White House Considers Ambler Road Funding – by Shane Lasley (North of 60 Mining News – March 16, 2026)
The White House is evaluating a direct equity partnership to finance the Ambler Road, a proposed highway that would link Alaska’s mineral‑rich Ambler Mining District to national supply chains. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the administration could become a financing...
Guest Column: Mideast Conflict Highlights Need to Rebuild Domestic Mining – by Rick Nolan (The Mercury – March 17, 2026)
The recent Iran conflict highlights America’s vulnerability due to heavy reliance on foreign critical minerals for defense production. Interceptor missiles and other modern munitions depend on rare earths, lithium, cobalt, and similar elements sourced from geopolitical rivals. While the Trump...
How Europe Is Racing to Secure Lithium Supply with New Mining Efforts – by Joseph Hammond (National Interest – March...
Europe is accelerating domestic lithium mining to lessen reliance on China, which supplies roughly two‑thirds of refined lithium worldwide. The EU expects lithium demand to grow fivefold by 2030, prompting projects in Germany, Serbia, Portugal and other member states. European...
Sumitomo, “K” LINE, and NYK Join Forces for Ammonia Bunkering in Singapore
Japanese firms Sumitomo Corporation, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K LINE) and NYK Line have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an ammonia bunkering vessel in Singapore. The partners will commence a Front‑End Engineering Design (FEED) study to define technical specifications, safety...
CICE Veracruz Adopts Portchain Connect to Digitalize Berth Alignment
CICE Veracruz has joined the Portchain Connect network to automate berth alignment with shipping lines, replacing manual emails and spreadsheets with digital handshakes. The platform feeds real‑time vessel schedules and move‑count updates directly from carrier systems into the terminal’s planning...
VIACHAIN Joins DCSA+ to Drive IoT Standardization
VIACHAIN, an ORBCOMM company, joined the Digital Container Shipping Association’s DCSA+ program to accelerate interoperable digital standards in container logistics. The partnership will help develop shared APIs and data‑exchange frameworks linking carriers, terminals, depots, and shippers. By focusing on ecosystem‑wide...
ISA Publishes New SCADA Systems Standard
The International Society of Automation (ISA) has released ANSI/ISA-112.00.01-2025, SCADA systems—Part 1, a vendor‑neutral, technology‑independent framework that defines the SCADA lifecycle, diagrams, and terminology. The standard targets utilities, system integrators, and operators across water, oil & gas, power, transportation, and other...
ClassNK Certifies Pakistan’s First Hong Kong Convention-Compliant Ship Recycling Facility
ClassNK has certified Salam’s International as Pakistan’s first ship‑recycling facility compliant with the Hong Kong International Convention. Pakistan acceded to the convention in November 2023, and the certification enables the competent authority to issue the required Document of Authorization. The...
CMA CGM Upgrades PEARL Service
CMA CGM is revamping its PEARL (PRX) service to create a direct, weekly link between the West Indian Subcontinent and Los Angeles. The new rotation eliminates transshipment stops, offering fixed‑day departures and sharper transit windows—37 days from Colombo, 42 from...
The CX Strategy Behind Bimbo Bakeries’ 12,000 Delivery Routes
Bimbo Bakeries has built a customer‑experience (CX) engine around its 12,000 daily delivery routes, using data‑driven insights to synchronize logistics, product freshness and shopper expectations. The company deployed AI‑powered routing, real‑time tracking and a unified feedback platform that feeds directly...
LevelUp 2026: How Levelpath (and Its Customers) Are Rewriting the Procurement AI Playbook (Part 1)
Levelpath hosted its first LevelUp 2026 conference in San Francisco, unveiling an AI‑native procurement platform built from the ground up. The company, now 160 employees strong, has raised $100 million to deliver a unified system of record that spans intake, sourcing,...
Tired of Geopolitical Chaos? You Wouldn’t Be if You Were Prepared!
Geopolitical events are increasingly moving directly onto corporate profit and loss statements, reshaping input costs, working capital and supplier access. Most firms lack visibility beyond tier‑one suppliers, forcing them to scramble when crises emerge. Without a structured risk‑assessment framework, companies...
10 Must-Know From Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc on Shipping Disruption
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc warned that the Strait of Hormuz and another major maritime corridor are simultaneously under strain, creating a cascade of supply‑chain disruptions. He outlined ten signals indicating a stressed shipping system, including rerouted vessel flows, rising freight...
Iran Conflict Threatens 2026 Trucking Recovery
ATA President Chris Spear warned that the Iran conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, has pushed diesel prices to about $105 per barrel and added roughly $1 per gallon, jeopardizing the trucking industry's expected 2026 recovery. He also highlighted that 45%...
The Industry Is Repricing Survivability
Honda announced the cancellation of three North‑America EV programs, pivoting toward hybrid models amid weak demand, tariff pressure, and policy volatility. Simultaneously, freight surcharges and semiconductor price hikes are compressing margins across the automotive supply chain, while stranded battery capacity...
MSI Accuses NVIDIA of 20% GPU Undersupply, Follows ASUS Down DDR4 Production Increase
MSI’s general manager Huang Jinqing alleges NVIDIA is undersupplying GPUs by about 20%, prompting a projected 15‑30% price increase for MSI’s gaming products. He warns the broader PC market could shrink 10‑20% as AI‑driven silicon shortages persist. In response to...
Avery Dennison Launches AD IdentiFresh for Food Retail
Avery Dennison introduced the AD IdentiFresh inlay series, a new RFID solution aimed at fresh‑food categories such as bakery, meat, deli and produce. The inlays feature a proprietary antenna design that improves read performance on densely stacked, high‑moisture items, especially in...
Arvato Acquires THINK Logistics, Builds Out North American Fulfillment Platform
Arvato SE announced the acquisition of Canadian third‑party logistics provider THINK Logistics, expanding its footprint across the United States and Canada. The deal adds roughly 20 Canadian fulfillment sites and 20,000 employees worldwide, integrating THINK’s technology‑driven operations with Arvato’s existing...
March Empire Fed Manufacturing Survey Index -0.20 versus 3.90 Estimate
The Empire State Manufacturing Survey slipped to a -0.20 index in March, well below the 3.90 estimate. New orders edged higher while shipments plunged, creating a mixed demand picture. Delivery times stretched and supply availability weakened, yet employment rose modestly...
Trump Demands Help with Hormuz; Japan and Australia = NO | Rapid Read 16 Mar 2026
President Trump has pressed allies for US warship escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, but Japan and Australia have declined the request. Drone strikes have forced a shutdown of oil loading at Fujairah and disrupted Dubai airport operations, prompting Saudi...
Babcock SME Charter to Strengthen Defence Supply Chains
Babcock has introduced a ten‑point SME Engagement Charter to make defence procurement more accessible for small and medium‑sized enterprises. The initiative tackles common barriers such as unclear contact points, complex contracts, and limited testing facilities by proposing a digital portal,...
Ten Research Candidates Scored Against the Supply Chain Alpha Framework
Ten research candidates have been evaluated against a newly introduced Supply Chain Alpha Framework, a seven‑dimension scoring model built on live Koyfin data. The companion document, released exclusively to Founding Members, breaks down each score, flags weaknesses, and cites every...
The Giant Vending Machine Company Compounding at 15% With Zero Debt
A European maker of vertical storage units—often called giant vending machines—has been compounding earnings at roughly 15 % while carrying zero interest‑bearing debt. The firm boasts a sustained 35 %+ ROIC over three years, over 140 000 machines installed worldwide, and a near‑€1 billion...
MSC Realigns Uswasa Service
MSC announced a strategic realignment of its USA‑Africa Uswasa service, moving the Ivory Coast port call from San Pedro to Abidjan to streamline its West African network. The revised rotation now links New York, Baltimore and Savannah with key African hubs such...
2027 CCJ Career Leadership Award Recipient Is Kroger's Dan Umphress
Dan Umphress, a veteran of the trucking industry, was named the 2027 CCJ Career Leadership Award recipient. After leading fleet operations at FedEx Freight, he revitalized Kroger’s aging delivery fleet, slashing maintenance costs and introducing LED trailer lights for safety. He...
Everllence Secures Contract to Supply Compression Technology
Everllence won a contract to deliver two RB compressor skids for Thailand’s inaugural carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at PTTEP’s Arthit gas field. The compressors, paired with Solar Turbines gas turbines, will enable capture and offshore storage of up...