Break Down in BMW Supply Chain Leaves Customers and Dealers in a Lurch

Break Down in BMW Supply Chain Leaves Customers and Dealers in a Lurch

The new logistics system BMW has implemented moves parts from their Dingolfing manufacturing and warehouse facility to 40 distribution warehouses and about 300 automotive repair shops around Germany. The system has broken down, causing a ripple effect and leading to about 180 BMW owners per month who are unable to get the parts they need…

Climate Change Opening New Trade Route Between Far East and West

Climate Change Opening New Trade Route Between Far East and West

As scientists and politicians study and debate the issue of climate change and what to do about it, the shipping industry, mining industry, and oil and gas industries are celebrating a possible new trade route opening between the Far East and the West. The icy waters of the Arctic are thawing, opening the waters to ships…

Egyptian Economy Inexplicably Stable During Widespread Violence and Protests
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Egyptian Economy Inexplicably Stable During Widespread Violence and Protests

Economists are trying to understand how Egypt’s economy is remaining so stable, even as the death toll from recent violence surpassed the 1,000 mark in six days. The violence began June 30 after the ousting of Islam President Mohamed Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. The new military government is struggling to keep industries…

What Does Explosive Growth in the Asian Sector Mean for Everyone Else?
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What Does Explosive Growth in the Asian Sector Mean for Everyone Else?

For years, companies in the U.S. and Europe have turned to cheap labor forces in Asia to manufacture products. At the time, this was beneficial to the companies, which saved money and could offer cheaper products, and to the workers, who had access to jobs and job training that led to greater wealth and prosperity….

Retailers and Transportation Industry Look for Holidays to Earn Modest Gains Over Last Year

Retailers and Transportation Industry Look for Holidays to Earn Modest Gains Over Last Year

The earliest signals that holiday spending is on the rise usually comes from signs in the intermodal transportation trends, which includes tracking goods shipped using more than one form of transportation, usually rail cars and trucks. This year, the signs indicate a modest gain over last year’s conservative consumer spending, but anticipating continued consumer wariness of…

Patent Assertion Entities Plague Electronics Industry, Targeting Ordinary Folks for Monetary Gain

Patent Assertion Entities Plague Electronics Industry, Targeting Ordinary Folks for Monetary Gain

Patent assertion entities (PAEs) do not invent anything. They don’t develop nor engineer products. They don’t even sell products. PAEs exist for no reason other than buying up lots of patents for products invented, developed, and produced by others, and use these patents as the basis for expensive, time-consuming lawsuits against the companies that do…

Glass, Chemical, and Paint Manufacturer Shows Way to Sustainable Business-to-business Products

Glass, Chemical, and Paint Manufacturer Shows Way to Sustainable Business-to-business Products

Though the consumer market has been slow to embrace green products and sustainable practices, industrial companies are moving toward sustainability more quickly, especially in sales to business to business (B2B) products and processes. The glass, chemical, and paint manufacturer PPG, based in Pittsburg, PA, illustrates this point perfectly. PPG spokespersons maintain the company has had the…

Problems May Be in the Past for Less-than-Truckload Sector

Problems May Be in the Past for Less-than-Truckload Sector

The less than truckload sector of the trucking industry, the part that handles small parcels of freight including UPS and FedEx, has struggled with high costs, low profits, and poor earnings ratios for decades. This sector also took some of the hardest hits to the transportation industry during the economic crisis that began in 2008….

More Rules and Regulations Could Be Imposed Following Tragic Quebec Rail Incident

More Rules and Regulations Could Be Imposed Following Tragic Quebec Rail Incident

The deadly rail accident in Quebec last month, blamed on the lack of proper application of hand brakes on a train carrying crude oil from North Dakota to Canada, has caused more news this week. According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration has issued a letter to the American Petroleum Institute…

U.S. Economists Finally Have Good News for Economic Outlook Through End of 2013

U.S. Economists Finally Have Good News for Economic Outlook Through End of 2013

Businesses are looking forward to the August 13 announcements by the Commerce Department after economists report their expectations that the economy has gained momentum again in July, following three consecutive months with better figures. A survey of 64 industry leading economists, conducted by Bloomberg, indicates the economy is finally beginning to overcome the obstacles imposed…