Many key commodities (Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Aluminum, Lead, Rubber, Resins, etc.) that go into the parts that we buy and the energy (Crude oil, Furnace Oil, Coal etc.) our suppliers are using to convert the raw materials into finished goods are at two, three and in some cases four year lows. Due to excess [...]

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The latest supply chain risk story hitting the news this week is … pirates. Yes, pirates. With 8 pirate attacks on oil tankers off the coast of Somalia in the last 10 days, the total number of attacks this year is up 75%.
The story has all the ingredients necessary for a hyped up post-US-election week [...]

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On a swing through Europe last week, I had the good fortune to attend a discussion with British Airways CEO Willie Walsh during the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) forum at the new Sofitel in the airline’s new Terminal 5 at London Heathrow.
In between pot shots at rival Virgin Airlines CEO Sir Richard [...]

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A recent Newsweek article showcased the “greening” of the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Both ports have a long history of polluting the air, water and citizens’ lungs in the area. In fact, their current clean up efforts were sparked by a combination of lawsuits, shockingly high local cancer rates and public outcry.
But in [...]

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Playing cat and mouse is no novelty game for the regulators and the suppliers. When people are hit by hard economic times, governments often intervene to improve citizens’ living conditions. At the same time businesses have to maintained their profitability. This is where two opposite agendas often clash. The latest examples in Europe include the [...]

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