by Dave Frentzel | Oct 26, 2022 | Briefs, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Management
Shippers are busy restructuring challenged supply chains today, including their third-party logistics (3PL) provider relationships. Importers face a seemingly never-ending list of concerns – geopolitical, inflation, interest rates, freight rates, network resilience,...
by Dave Frentzel | Oct 14, 2022 | Briefs, Consumer & Retail, Industrial & Distribution, Strategic Sourcing
Given today’s volatile costs and service levels across the global supply chain, complete and timely product costs are even more critical to your company’s sourcing strategies and day-to-day purchasing decisions. Make-vs-buy and supplier selection decisions depend on...
by Dave Frentzel | Sep 4, 2021 | Briefs
Moving a container from China to the US has gotten expensive these days, a lot more expensive. For mid-sized importers, spot and premium rates – rates that actually get an empty container to your factory or warehouse loading dock and a confirmed sailing date – may be...
by Dave Frentzel | May 14, 2021 | Briefs
This past year has no doubt been a challenge for inventory planners: customer demand surging or evaporating seemingly overnight, shortages of critical supplies, and global shipping congestion, delays and skyrocketing rates isn’t business as usual. For many companies,...
by David Bovet | Jun 5, 2020 | Briefs, Investor Advisory
Ports and ocean carriers April port import container volumes recovered somewhat from March but remained quite mixed. On the Pacific Coast, the Canadian ports shifted up to positive import comparisons versus the year-earlier month. The US ports improved from March but...
by Dave Frentzel | May 9, 2020 | Briefs, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Management
The coronavirus pandemic has revealed startling deficiencies in many companies’ sourcing strategy and supply chains. Supermarkets were unable restock their shelves when demand for home basics like peanut butter and toilet paper surged [1]. Healthcare providers could...
