Category: Supply Chain

“Driving operational efficiency” has knocked “reducing costs” from the top spot, in Deloitte’s annual survey of leading buyers, for the first time in its 10-year history. The global consultancy’s Survey 2021 saw reducing costs pushed into second place, with digital transf... Read more

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have said that retail sales in April were 10.6% above their pre-pandemic level, although many traditional retailers have suffered from the repeated lockdowns that accelerated the shift to online commerce. In a huge boost for retail’s recovery Britain'... Read more

Retail sales and consumer demand are still outpacing attempts to build inventory and despite the massive boom in imports, the inability to create inventory is likely to continue all year for many commodities and finished goods. So, if you want stocked shelves this Christmas, it’s time to star... Read more

The global freight market continues to present challenging circumstances wherever you are shipping, by whatever mode you have chosen and on whatever trade lanes that you are operating. It is a global situation which has worsened over the last 12 months from famine to feast from a carrier perspect... Read more

Restrictions have been announced after an ongoing coronavirus outbreak in the port area since last week, with areas suspended from operation for cleaning and disinfection, while high storage density has built up in the terminal. We have been informed by our colleagues in China today, 25th May,... Read more

Asia’s economic bounce back continues to show strong growth, driven by new manufacturing orders and the ensuing increase in export sales, which is putting more pressure on supply chains, leading to increased lead times, shortages of aircraft space and rising prices. Purchasing managers data ... Read more

Shippers from Asia to Europe continue to see increases in container spot rates, as cargo-rolling become ever more commonplace and carriers begin to cancel sailings in an effort to restore schedule reliability. Space on vessels from Asia is effectively ‘sold out’ for May and June, with a su... Read more

We have been providing outsourcing services since our inception 40 years ago and this critical service has grown over four decades, with the development of our UK and two international business process outsource (BPO) operations. Metro has spent 40 years managing and transforming the outsource... Read more

The government is creating four regional trade and investment hubs to boost economic growth across the UK, but post-Brexit trade agreements with 23 different countries include clauses that exclude manufacturers in the Freeport’s from the deals. Whoops-a-daisy Liz Truss! The hubs will be... Read more

Rules of origin determine where goods originate from and which are covered in preference agreements. It is not just where goods have been shipped or bought from, with the potential for multiple origins to consider and there can be severe financial penalties for getting it wrong. The origin is ... Read more

Container shipping rates from China to the US and Europe continue to rise, as reduced capacity, high consumer demand and equipment shortages across China and Southeast Asia escalate. While container freight rate increases on the transpacific trade from Asia h... Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed key differences between “fit” and “fragile” supply chains, says advisors Gartner, and how businesses deal with the disruption may provide competitive advantage across market verticals and specific industries. While the most fragile focu... Read more