Supply Chain & Logistics

Record Amount Of Cargo Passes Through GA Ports

rimmel — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:13:16 +0000

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A record 2.4 million tons of cargo moved through the state's ports in April, Georgia Ports Authority officials announced Monday.

April's record is an increase of about 108,530 tons over the same time period last year. In a release, GPA officials said the state's ports also saw a 4 percent increase in container traffic and a 14.1 increase in roll on/roll off cargo in April.

Walmart Pushing For More U.S. Product Makers

rimmel — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:16:14 +0000

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — With labor and energy costs on the rise in Asia, Walmart highlighted an effort to promote domestic goods on Monday, including products made by more than 40 Arkansas suppliers.

Bentonville-based Walmart is encouraging customers to buy items made in the United States. In the company's home state, the effort includes a red, white and black placard bearing the slogan "Arkansas' Own."

CAT Purchase In China Gets Huge Price Cut

rimmel — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:42:44 +0000

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Caterpillar will pay $135 million less for a Chinese mining equipment company after uncovering dodgy accounting practices that inflated its value.

Caterpillar announced a non-cash $580 million charge earlier this year related to the sale after uncovering "accounting misconduct" during an internal investigation of ERA Mining Machinery Ltd. and its subsidiary Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical & Electrical Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Trade Group Slams Safety Pact For Bangladesh

rimmel — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:21:56 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — The largest U.S. retail-industry group on Wednesday criticized an international pact aimed at improving factory conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry, saying it was a "one-size-fits-all" approach promoted by special interests.

The National Retail Federation's statement came as more global retailers signed on to the pact backed by about 30 brands including Swedish retailer H&M and French retailer Carrefour. The five-year, legally binding contract requires them to help pay for fire safety and building improvements in Bangladesh.

Honda To Return To F1 As Engine Supplier

rimmel — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:19:03 +0000

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese car manufacturer Honda is returning to Formula One in 2015 as an engine supplier to the automaker's former partner McLaren of Britain.

Honda president Takanobu Ito announced the decision at a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.

Honda was an entrant, constructor and engine supplier between 1964 and 2008, but pulled out of F1 after the global financial crises.

Second Life For Boeing Airplanes

rimmel — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:35 +0000

Boeing has earned a reputation for its commitment to environmental strategies, positioning itself as an industry leader in developing ways to lessen environmental impact. One example of that is through its aircraft recycling program. Take a look at some of the ways Boeing is providing a second life to reclaimed and certified airplane parts and materials.

Boeing Resumes 787 Deliveries After 4-Month Halt

rimmel — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:05:44 +0000

Boeing restarted deliveries of 787s on Tuesday after a four-month halt while it dealt with the smoldering batteries that had kept the planes grounded.

Boeing handed the plane over to Japan's All Nippon Airways at its factory in Everett, Wash.

Airline flights and deliveries were halted in mid-January after two battery incidents. One was a fire on a plane that had just landed minutes earlier, and the second was in-flight smoldering that prompted an emergency landing by an ANA plane.

Paradise Lost For Asian Manufacturers

rimmel — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:55:35 +0000

Cheap labor and fast production once made Asia a near-nirvana for Western retailers and manufacturers. Massive factories and a yound population with a strong work ethic created an ideal production location. But as risks, and costs, rise, many of these Western businesses are planning to shift their production closer to home.

General Motors To Sell Van Made By Nissan

rimmel — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:28:13 +0000

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have signed a deal for Nissan to build small commercial vans that GM will sell in the U.S. and Canada, the companies said Tuesday.

The vans will be based on the Nissan NV200 and will be sold at Chevrolet dealers starting in the fall of 2014. It will be called the Chevrolet City Express, and will compete with Ford's Transit Connect, a small van used by florists, plumbers, delivery services and other businesses across the nation.

Natural Gas Export Plans Stir Debate

rimmel — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:28:45 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — A domestic natural gas boom already has lowered U.S. energy prices while stoking fears of environmental disaster. Now U.S. producers are poised to ship vast quantities of gas overseas as energy companies seek permits for proposed export projects that could set off a renewed frenzy of fracking.

Leaving Bangladesh? Not An Easy Choice For Brands

rimmel — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:18:55 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Bangladesh offers the global garment industry something unique: Millions of workers who quickly churn out huge amounts of well-made underwear, jeans and T-shirts for the lowest wages in the world.

But since a building collapse April 24 killed at least 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh in one of the deadliest industrial tragedies in history, the country has gone from one of the industry's greatest assets to one of its biggest liabilities.

Building Apple's iPhone Doesn't Pay Like It Used To

rimmel — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:52:48 +0000

Apple's legendary profit margins may be challenged if the firm releases its long-rumored low-end iPhone later this year. But the ones really feeling the pinch will be its suppliers. Apple does none of its own production and relies on Asia's contract makers - the biggest of the bunch being Foxconn. Foxconn draws an estimated 60 to 70 percent of its business from work commissioned by Apple.

China Reports Stronger April Trade Growth

rimmel — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:25:03 +0000

BEIJING (AP) — China reported stronger April trade but analysts said export data were inflated and its shaky recovery might be weaker than it looks.

Exports rose 14.7 percent over a year earlier, up from March's 10 percent growth, customs data showed Wednesday. Imports gained 16.8 percent, up from the previous month's 14.1 percent.

That suggested the world's second-largest economy might be improving after an unexpected decline in growth to 7.7 percent in the first three months of the year from the previous quarter's 7.9 percent.

Ferrari To Sell Fewer Cars To Boost Exclusivity

rimmel — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:12:47 +0000

MARANELLO, Italy (AP) — Ferrari says it will limit sales of its high-performance street cars this year to below 7,000 units to protect the brand's aura of exclusivity.

Chairman Luca Montezemolo says that means sales will decline overall by "more than 1 or 2 percent" from last year's sales of 7,318 cars. Sales in the first four months have risen 4 percent over last year.

HK Dockworkers Accept Offer, End 40-Day Strike

rimmel — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:19:46 +0000

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong dockworkers have accepted a 9.8 percent pay increase, ending a 40-day strike that slowed traffic at one of the world's busiest ports.

About 90 percent of the workers voted late Monday in favor of the offer from four middleman contractors that provide staff to a container terminal operator controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing.