Articles

Global Logistics

Global Logistics—October 2013

Global Logistics—October 2013

Sub-Saharan Africa Targets U.S. for Growth With constantly changing regulations, poor transportation infrastructure, and unstable governments, one might think cross-border trade with Sub-Saharan Africa is just too difficult to pursue. DHL Express doesn’t see it that way. The express courier company, which has been operating in Sub-Saharan Africa for 35 years, recently invited Inbound Logistics […]

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Global Logistics—September 2013<br />

Global Logistics—September 2013

Brown Sees Red UPS‘s recent announcement that it will expand its presence in China with the addition of two new contract logistics facilities in Chengdu and Shanghai is indicative of the country’s growing consumer base. The two centers will provide distribution and warehousing solutions to shippers who want to reach customers within China. The expansions […]

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Anand Raghavendran

Three Top Myths About Foreign Trade Zones Dispelled

When supply chain and logistics managers think Foreign Trade Zone—the program that allows companies to defer paying customs duties, fees, and taxes on merchandise imported into the United States until consumed, used in construction, or leaving the zone—several adjectives come to mind. Usually those descriptors are not: smooth, cost-effective, and easy to manage. Instead they […]

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Blake Vaughn

Consumer Electronics and Reverse Logistics: Play It Again

Shoppers return between 11 and 20 percent of consumer electronics devices, according to industry experts. While returns are the beginning to device recovery, all the steps in the reverse logistics process, including repair/refurbishment and remarketing, can be improved. Recognizing the importance of reverse logistics in maintaining and growing profit margins, many consumer electronics manufacturers and […]

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Global Logistics—August 2013

Global Logistics—August 2013

America’s Global Image: Taking a Closer View Yahoo! News paints a pretty grim picture of how outsiders perceive the United States: "Who loves ya, baby? If you’re the United States of America, the answer is fewer and fewer people around the world," according to a recent blog by the online news aggregator. Yahoo! might consider […]

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Trends—July 2013

Trends—July 2013

The 24th Annual State of Logistics Report: ‘Business Unusual’ Defines New Normal A long and winding path toward recovery has arrived at a seminal question: "Is this the new normal?" That was the topic and title of the annual State of Logistics presentation at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in June 2013. That […]

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Global Logistics—July 2013 

Global Logistics—July 2013 

Brazilian Shippers Safer by Sea Poor road infrastructure and rampant larceny are forcing some Brazilian shippers to consider unconventional transport options. Case in point: Paranapanema, the country’s largest refined copper producer, has shifted domestic shipments from trucks to slow-moving ocean freighters, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Although the mode shift nearly triples transport times, it cuts […]

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Global Logistics—June 2013

Global Logistics—June 2013

ASEAN Countries Attracting Attention As Europe’s economy copes with a sweeping debt crisis, and its Asian trade partners absorb the impact of declining exports and rising inflation, Southeast Asia is quickly becoming a center of attention—and transportation and logistics investment. Malaysia, for example, is looking to become a key transportation and logistics hub for the […]

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Global Logistics—May 2013

Global Logistics—May 2013

Did Hong Kong Strike Out? While Hong Kong’s season of labor discontent may augur an unsettling trend as Asia’s middle class continues to grow—along with discord concerning workers’ rights and compensation—the near-term implications serve as yet another reminder of the daily vagaries threatening supply chains. A lingering, month-long dockworker strike (as of press time) over […]

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Africa: The Last Frontier

Africa: The Last Frontier

Abundant natural resources, a growing labor force, and proximity to consumer markets in Europe and Asia make Africa an attractive target for foreign exploration—despite social unrest and a need for more government collaboration and logistics infrastructure investment.

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Global Logistics—April 2013

Global Logistics—April 2013

Russia Rushes to Develop Trans-Siberian Rail Line Things are heating up in the Orient—and Russia, for once, is lighting a spark. The country is in a favorable position as domestic consumption continues to grow, Europe struggles, and Asia’s economies grow apace. Spanning two continents, Russia has long sought to develop and expand infrastructure across Siberia […]

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Global Logistics—March 2013

Global Logistics—March 2013

India’s Auto Industry: Abundant Drive, But Will Progress Follow? India’s economy has been faltering amid questions about protectionist business and trade policies, socio-political imbalances, and transportation weaknesses. But the country shows signs of progress in one industry: automotive. When Tata Motors debuted the world’s cheapest car in 2008, it created a buzz. The Tata Nano […]

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Global Logistics—January 2013

Global Logistics—January 2013

Tesco Tests Longer Reefer Trailers As part of a government-backed trial program testing the efficacy of longer trailers, United Kingdom-based grocery chain Tesco has taken delivery of 25 new 51-foot Gray & Adams refrigerated units. The company will use the new trailers to deliver store inventory from regional distribution centers. Each trailer can carry 51 […]

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Global Logistics—December 2012

Global Logistics—December 2012

Maersk Digs Drilling, Ditches Shipping The name most synonymous with container shipping is taking a break from navigating an increasingly agitated ocean trade. Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk is shifting the focus of its business activity from shipping, choosing instead to concentrate on its oil, drilling rigs, and port operations, according to a Financial Times report. AP […]

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