US Tariffs Erase All of Toyota’s North America Profits in FY2026
Toyota reported a record FY2026 revenue of ¥50.7 trillion ($324 bn) and a 2% rise in global vehicle sales. Yet U.S. tariffs erased all profit in its North American hub, creating a $1.9 bn operating loss and a –1.4% margin. The tariff hit, about ¥1.4 trillion ($9 bn), also shaved ¥402.9 billion ($2.6 bn) from operating income. In response, Toyota announced $912 million and $1 billion U.S. plant investments to expand hybrid and EV production.
Manufacturing Industry Lost 2,000 Jobs in April: BLS
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that manufacturing shed 2,000 jobs in April, a 50% year‑over‑year increase but a 113% drop from March’s 15,000‑job gain. The ISM employment index fell to 46.4%, confirming a contraction in hiring. Transportation equipment...
VIDEO: Mack Trucks Redesigns PartsASIST Online Platform
Mack Trucks has unveiled a full redesign of its PartsASIST online parts‑ordering platform, originally launched in 2021. The upgrade features a modern, responsive interface, faster load times, and advanced search tools that let users filter by VIN, chassis series, and...
Century Aluminum Advances Oklahoma Smelter Project, CEO Says
Century Aluminum announced progress on its joint Oklahoma smelter with Emirates Global Aluminum, targeting a final investment decision and groundbreaking by year‑end, which would double U.S. aluminum output. The company is also ramping up production at its Mt. Holly, South...
US-Iran Ceasefire 'on Life Support' With Energy Woes to Continue in 2027
The United States and Iran have hit a stalemate in cease‑fire talks, leaving the Strait of Hormuz closed to commercial shipping. President Donald Trump insists on a "complete victory" while Tehran demands an end to the U.S. naval blockade and...
Why I Started Testing Automation Scripts Through Residential Networks
A warehouse‑automation engineer struggled with datacenter proxies that triggered CAPTCHAs and silent bans, limiting data‑collection reliability. By routing requests through residential and mobile proxies, the success rate jumped from 61% to over 95% and content accuracy improved. The new setup...
Iran War Chokes ‘Major Driver’ of Global Economy
The U.S. war in Iran has choked the Strait of Hormuz, trapping roughly 15 million barrels of crude and 5 million barrels of petroleum products each day. The resulting supply squeeze pushed U.S. diesel prices 60 percent higher than a year ago, the...
Winners Announced for Supply Chain Excellence Awards MEA 2026
The second annual Supply Chain Excellence Awards Middle East & Africa (MEA) announced winners in an online ceremony hosted by Logistics Manager editor‑in‑chief John Thornton. Sixty‑six entries from 11 countries competed across 20 categories, including digital transformation, sustainability, automation and...
Jean-Hugues De Lamaze: Is Hormuz the New Fukushima?
A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly a quarter of global oil output and significant LNG volumes, creating the worst energy shock on record, according to the IEA. The disruption mirrors the systemic shock of Fukushima but...
Nexans to Acquire Republic Wire
Nexans announced it will acquire 100% of Republic Wire for an enterprise value of about €680 million (≈$741 million), with a possible €43 million (≈$47 million) earn‑out. Republic Wire generated roughly €520 million (≈$567 million) in revenue over the year to February 2026 and operates a...
US Offers Lower Tariffs for Canada, Mexico Steel, Aluminum Producers
The U.S. Commerce Department unveiled a process that lets Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum producers halve the Section 232 tariff from 50% to 25% if they pledge to build or expand primary production facilities in the United States. To qualify,...
Indonesia Strengthens Turkish Defence Ties with Kizilelma Drone Order
Indonesia has signed a deal for 12 Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned aerial vehicles, with options for an additional 48, creating up to five drone squadrons. The agreement, signed with Baykar and local partner Republikorp, includes domestic production and a maintenance centre,...
MDA Space Officially Opens New Montreal Facility to Support Satellite Prime Contractor Strategy
MDA Space has opened a 185,000‑square‑foot satellite manufacturing plant in Montreal, doubling its production footprint. The facility is designed for high‑volume assembly of the AURORA software‑defined satellites, targeting up to 400 units per year. Automated equipment and a proprietary test...
Tonnages Rebound as Flower Surge Ends
Global air‑freight volumes slipped 7% in week 18 as the seasonal flower surge for Mother’s Day faded and Labor‑Day holidays curbed shipments. Despite the dip, April delivered a 5% year‑on‑year tonnage rebound and average rates surged 28% to $3.17 per kilogram,...
Logistics Leaders to Gather in Bucharest for the European Freight Forwarders Congress
The European Freight Forwarders Congress will convene in Bucharest from May 18‑20, 2026, merging the 16th SEEFF Congress with the 2nd FIATA REU Field Meeting under FIATA patronage. Organized by Romania’s Freight Forwarders Association, the three‑day event will host over...
Intel to Make Apple Chips: Report
Apple and Intel have reached a preliminary deal for Intel to manufacture certain Apple processors, including chips for the upcoming MacBook Neo and possibly entry‑level M‑series SoCs. Apple is looking to diversify its supply chain as TSMC faces capacity constraints...
Iran Oil Crisis: Geography of Energy Risk Is Changing with Renewables, Not Disappearing
The article warns that batteries, while touted as a path to energy independence, are creating a new concentration risk because China dominates the supply chain for cells and critical materials. It cites the $1.5 trillion, ten‑year JP Morgan initiative focused on nuclear,...
Kuehne+Nagel Adds New Hyderbad Airfreight Cross-Dock
Kuehne+Nagel has opened a 248 sq m air‑freight cross‑dock in Hyderabad to serve the city’s booming pharmaceutical sector. The facility features dedicated temperature zones of 2‑8 °C and 15‑25 °C and complies with the company’s HealthChain quality standard. Hyderabad accounts for more than 40%...
Behind the Scenes Tour: From Ingredients to the Shelf
Women in Nutraceuticals organized a behind‑the‑scenes tour of Adept Life Sciences, Arizona Custom Blends and 21st Century HealthCare, revealing the full supplement supply chain from raw ingredient testing to shelf‑ready bottles. Each company isolates incoming materials, conducts identity and microbiological...
Papa Johns, Wing Launch Drone Delivery Pilot in North Carolina
Papa Johns and Wing, an Alphabet-owned drone service, have launched a pilot delivering toasted sandwiches by drone in Charlotte, North Carolina. The program, operating from Indian Trail, offers three sandwich varieties through the Wing app and will later integrate directly...
U.S.-managed Bulk Ship Attacked in Persian Gulf
A 590‑foot bulk carrier, the Safesea Neha, was struck by a projectile near Doha, Qatar on May 10, causing a small fire but no injuries. The vessel, managed by U.S.‑based Safesea Group and sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, is the...
Amazon Offers Non-Sellers More of Its Supply Chain Services
Amazon launched Amazon Supply Chain Services, a unified portal offering freight, distribution, fulfillment and parcel shipping to any business, not just marketplace sellers. CEO Andy Jassy likened the expansion to the growth of AWS, positioning logistics as a new revenue...
Toyota to Build Vehicle Plant in Maharashtra, India
Toyota Motor announced a new vehicle plant in the Bidkin Industrial Area of Maharashtra, slated to begin production in the first half of 2029. The facility, run by Toyota Kirloskar Motor, will produce a new SUV with an annual capacity...
Rethinking Secondary Packaging in Modern Supply Chains
Secondary packaging, long treated as a logistical afterthought, is emerging as a critical cost driver in modern supply chains. Over 80% of e‑commerce returns are linked to damage caused by inadequate outer packaging, and oversized boxes can inflate shipping expenses...
China’s Malacca Dilemma, After Hormuz
The Iran‑Israel conflict showed that insurance premiums can choke oil flows as effectively as naval blockades. When war‑risk rates for the Strait of Hormuz spiked to double‑digit percentages, Chinese imports were hit despite diplomatic guarantees. The article argues that China’s...
UPS and FedEx up International Fuel Surcharge Rates, Add Surge Fees
UPS and FedEx announced temporary international surcharge hikes in May 2026, adding per‑pound surge fees and raising fuel surcharge rates. UPS imposed a 32‑cent‑per‑pound fee for inbound shipments and an 11‑cent fee for certain Asian origins, while FedEx added a...
Vesselindex Report Shows Fewer Listed Dry Bulk Owners Beat Market in 2025
Vesselindex released its 2025 Performance Report covering 19 listed dry‑bulk owners (≈825 vessels). Adjusted Time Charter Equivalent earnings fell to 1.7 % in 2025 from 5.3 % in 2024, indicating a softer, more normalized market. A small group of firms still outperformed,...
Supply Chains Don’t Need More Visibility. They Need Faster Decisions
At the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium, leaders from Penske Logistics, Wawa and Cardinal Health argued that visibility alone no longer solves supply‑chain challenges. They emphasized the need to turn fragmented data into rapid, actionable decisions, especially during disruptions like hurricanes....
Cerealto CEO Bosco Fonts Talks Contract Manufacturing Tailwinds
Cerealto’s chief executive Bosco Fonts highlighted accelerating demand for contract manufacturing in the food sector, citing stronger retailer partnerships and rising consumer preference for private‑label products. He noted that Cerealto’s flexible production capacity and recent technology upgrades position the company...
U.S. Transformer Market Faces Severe Supply Constraints as Lead Times Extend to Four Years
The U.S. power‑transformer market is under severe strain, with lead times for high‑capacity units stretching to four years. Demand has surged, driven by AI data centers, electrified transport and industrial growth, pushing step‑up transformer orders up 274% since 2019. Prices...
H&K Services B.V. Acquired by Svanehoj
Svanehoj, the Danish marine pump specialist, acquired Dutch firm H&K Services B.V. on May 1, 2026, expanding its marine service and aftersales footprint in the Benelux region. H&K will operate under the Svanehoj EPS brand from its Stellendam workshop, located near the...
The State of AMRs: From Early Adoption to Scaled Deployment
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have transitioned from pilot projects to core warehouse assets, now handling picking, transport, and replenishment at scale. Industry leaders highlighted rapid market maturation, with fleets expanding across diverse distribution center layouts. Advances in navigation intelligence and...
What Is Enterprise Procurement: Definition, Process, Benefits, and Strategies
Enterprise procurement is a strategic, organization‑wide approach to acquiring goods and services, extending far beyond simple purchasing. By centralizing supplier selection, contract management, spend analysis, and risk mitigation, large firms can avoid the 5‑10% spend leakage common in fragmented processes....
The Missing Layer in Ocean Freight Intel
Fewer than 30% of ocean freight sailings meet their published schedules, and carriers often hide delays by blanking sailings. This unreliability adds hidden working‑capital costs that can exceed $2 million for midsize shippers, yet procurement decisions still focus mainly on rates....
Why Undersea Internet Cables Matter to Global Supply Chains
Undersea fiber‑optic cables, the hidden data highways beneath the oceans, are now recognized as essential supply‑chain infrastructure alongside ports, canals and rail lines. Recent debate over Iranian control of cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz highlights how digital chokepoints can...
Dublin Automated Metro Procurement Launched
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has opened the tender for the M500 contract, the core package to design, build, finance, operate and maintain Dublin's 18.8‑km MetroLink automated line. The scope includes trains, GoA4 signalling, stations, depot, park‑and‑ride, control centre and related...
Trinasolar Module Factories Awarded Silver Supply Chain Traceability Certificates by SSI
Trinasolar’s Yiwu and Yancheng factories have been awarded Silver supply‑chain traceability certificates from the Solar Stewardship Initiative, the highest level granted to any solar manufacturing site to date. The certification, verified by TÜV SÜD, confirms end‑to‑end traceability from metallurgical‑grade silicon through...
Inside the $10m Freight Fraud that Rocked Chicago
A suburban Chicago man, Aivaras Zigmantas, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for orchestrating a freight fraud scheme that stole over $10 million in interstate shipments between 2020 and 2023. He used multiple aliases to impersonate legitimate carriers and...
Shipping Companies Leverage Arabian Peninsula Truck Routes to Bypass Hormuz
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced shippers to reroute cargo through the newly opened Route 95, linking Saudi Arabia’s Alkwifiriah to Oman via the Ramlet Khelah border crossing. Trade value at the crossing surged to $830 million in March, a...
PM Inaugurates US $178 Million PM MITRA Textile Park in Telangana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 1,327‑acre PM MITRA Textile Park in Warangal, Telangana. The project, approved at Rs 1,695.54 crore (≈US $178 million), includes a zero‑liquid‑discharge CETP, a 10 MW solar plant and worker dormitories. The park targets over Rs 6,000 crore (≈US $630 million) in private investment,...
QP Essentials: Reducing Risk and Delays in EU and UK Trials
Clinical trial sponsors often encounter delays when shipping supplies to the EU and UK because Qualified Persons must certify each batch. Catalent’s webinar outlines the core QP responsibilities, highlights differences between EU and UK regulations, and offers practical steps such...
Good News About Takealot 30-Minute Deliveries in South Africa
South African logistics startup Shiprazor has secured a partnership with Takealot Fulfilment Solutions (TFS) to enable 30‑minute deliveries for merchants on its platform. The deal follows a R44 million investment from venture fund Norrsken22, which will fund the expansion of Shiprazor’s...
How Lyntris Centers Its Tech on 'Left of Bang'
Lyntris, formed by merging Accelint Holdings and Vitesse Systems, targets the early‑warfare "left of bang" space where threat identification and decision‑making occur. Backed by Trive Capital, the company claims involvement in roughly 200 U.S. Defense Department and allied programs. Its...
Agentic AI Just Proved It Can Fix Federal Procurement — Now Let’s Scale It
Federal agencies spend billions evaluating vendor proposals, but the process is slow and inconsistent. The ATARC Agentic AI Lab demonstrated a proof‑of‑concept where three autonomous AI agents reviewed an $8.5 million data‑modernization proposal, checking FAR compliance, executive orders, and technical criteria....
Crime Wave Targets North American Freight Lanes in April
In April, customs and law‑enforcement agencies across the United States, Canada and Mexico intensified cargo‑crime investigations, seizing an estimated $51.4 million in narcotics, counterfeit goods, hormones and other contraband. U.S. border points in Texas and California alone accounted for more than...
Basic Business Supplies Are Emerging as a Supply Chain Risk
Jeff Golfman, founder of Send123, warns that everyday business supplies—packaging, office tech, breakroom items—are becoming a hidden supply‑chain risk. Shortages in these non‑strategic categories can halt production and inflate costs, as seen during the pandemic. He urges firms to replace...
Ionic Closes Recycled Rare Earth Loop
Ionic Rare Earths (IonicRE) announced the first fully circular supply chain for permanent‑magnet rare earths used in electric‑vehicle motors, delivering a Ford EV rotor made entirely from recycled material. The project demonstrates that rare‑earth magnets can be produced without any...
PKP Intercity Has Received Nearly All of Its Trains Through the NRRP
Polish long‑distance operator PKP Intercity has tapped nearly 84% of its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) allocation, receiving about $480 million in EU funds for a major rolling‑stock overhaul. The programme, worth roughly $745 million, includes the delivery of all 56...
‘Significant Migration’ of USWC Imports to Canadian Ports, Says Sea-Intelligence
North‑west Pacific container traffic is shifting north, with Canadian ports capturing market share as U.S. west‑coast gateways see volume declines. In Q1 2026, Prince Rupert and Vancouver posted 7.8% and 9% import growth respectively, while the Northwest Seaport Alliance plunged 18%....
APR Among Industry Organizations to Speak at USTR Hearing
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) testified before the USTR, warning that a flood of low‑priced PET imports has forced seven U.S. recyclers to shut down, eroding roughly 25% of domestic capacity in the past 15 months. APR highlighted dramatic...