We Needed Automation to Reshore Our Supply Chain
TAC Industries reshored the metal hardware for its Air Force cargo nets by partnering with a domestic supplier that fully automated assembly. The automation cut the cost gap, slashed lead times from six months to one, and boosted throughput 2.5 times. As of June 1 2026, every net shipped to the U.S. Air Force is 100% sourced and made in the United States, securing a multi‑year contract. The move demonstrates how automation can make reshoring viable for defense manufacturers.
What Mattress Firm Gained From Contactless Delivery
Mattress Firm launched a free contactless delivery option that now represents about 25% of its shipments. The service, first piloted in Charlotte, was rolled out nationwide within a month despite internal pushback. Early confusion over the no‑setup model hurt satisfaction,...
Port of Charleston to Increase Automotive Cargo Capacity
South Carolina’s Port of Charleston is upgrading its rail links and vessel‑parking facilities to boost automotive cargo capacity. The Columbus Street Terminal already moves more than 250,000 vehicles per year, supporting just‑in‑time supply chains for manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes‑Benz...
Disruption Triggers Rethink by RwandAir as Cargo Potential Grows in the Heart of Africa
Geopolitical turmoil in the Gulf has forced shippers to bypass traditional trade corridors, positioning Kigali as a new air‑cargo hub. RwandAir quickly rerouted time‑critical shipments and leveraged its central African location to capture additional freight, especially perishables and e‑commerce parcels....
My Freighter Names MF Cargo as GSA in Israel
My Freighter, the Uzbekistan‑based cargo airline, named MF Cargo as its general sales agent (GSA) in Israel, extending its sales, support and network‑development capabilities across Israel, Central Asia, Europe and China. The appointment follows a broader rollout of GSA services...
PH Manufacturing Activity Rebounds in May
Philippine manufacturing rebounded in May as the S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 50.8 from 48.3 in April, signaling the first modest expansion in months. The uptick was driven by a resurgence in new orders and stronger domestic demand,...
The Economy Weighs Heavily on Hungarian Rail Freight: ‘Demand Decreased Dramatically’
Hungarian rail freight volumes dropped 11% in 2025, slipping below 10 billion tonne‑kilometres for the first time in a decade. Revenue rates rose only 2% while inflation ran at 6.7%, eroding real earnings. Unit costs climbed 11.8% despite layoffs, leaving operators...
One in Three Containers Shipped Today Is Empty, up From One in Four Before the Pandemic
One in three containers shipped today travels empty, up from one in four before the pandemic, according to Sea‑Intelligence. Empty‑container movements now account for 30% of global TEU‑miles, a 65% rise since Q1 2019, while full‑container volumes grew only 17%. The...
Interview with Christina Gomez-Terry of Plus One Robotics: Why Warehouse Robotics Succeeds or Fails at Scale
Plus One Robotics’ Vice President of Operations, Christina Gomez‑Terry, discussed why scaling warehouse robotics is harder than proving a pilot works. The company recently topped two billion lifetime picks, highlighting the importance of reliability, spare‑part logistics, and robust software‑hardware integration. Gomez‑Terry...
Sponsored: Eltete’s AirCargoRunners Deliver Savings for Finnair Cargo
Eltete TPM’s fibre‑based AirCargoRunners are now deployed by Finnair Cargo, replacing traditional wooden beams on aircraft pallets with lighter carton‑style units. The swap reduces pallet weight, delivering roughly 35 kg of fuel savings and 0.6 tonnes of CO₂ avoided on a typical...
Ports: Examining the Shift
Imports through the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach have continued to grow, but China’s share of container traffic fell from 61% in 2020 to 53.4% last year. Southeast Asian nations, led by Vietnam, have expanded...
France Intercepts Sanctioned Russian Tanker in Atlantic
France announced that its navy boarded the sanctioned Russian tanker Tagor about 400 nautical miles west of Brittany, acting with support from the United Kingdom and other allies. The vessel was found flying a false flag and had irregular documentation,...
Iran War Is Exposing South Africa’s Dependency On Diesel: What Went Wrong
South Africa’s economy is increasingly dependent on diesel, which now supplies roughly half of national fuel consumption. The Iran‑Gulf war has driven diesel prices up about 60% in Q2 2026, far outpacing the 25% rise in petrol, adding an estimated...
How Intelligent Delivery Is Turning Fulfilment Into a Competitive Edge
Retailers that treat delivery as a cost centre risk falling behind as AI‑driven expectations rise. ShipStation’s senior director Sophia Pope advocates “intelligent delivery”—using real‑time data and AI to turn fulfilment into a proactive growth engine. She argues that proactive visibility,...
USG Supramax Market Evolving in Owners’ Favour
The US Gulf (USG) Supramax freight market saw a modest rebound in May, with spot tonnage supply remaining tight and strong demand for fronthaul grain shipments to Japan and petcoke cargoes to India. Spot rates for a Supramax lot of...