Consumers reversion to services has not come at the detriment of durable goods spending. Over the past four weeks, the mix of durable goods-to-services spending has remained stable.
In addition to improving margins and boosting brand image, cutting ties with retailers simplifies Under Armour’s supply chain at a time when its needed most.
Companies in the health care supply chain are preparing to change gears as COVID-19 cases fall and health care utilization returns to normal levels.
On the Transmission show this week, we speak with Dan Hearsch, managing director at AlixPartners, about the difference between a shortage and a crisis. In the auto supply chain world, […]
The semiconductor chip shortage continues to be the dominant news item in the automotive supply chain world. Not that anyone is surprised by this anymore. The NTEA, the association for […]
The evolving automotive supply chain — and it is evolving, perhaps more than casual observers are aware — is forcing companies to rethink best practices when it comes to getting […]
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter offering perspective and context on happenings in the industry.
Health care distributors ramped up distribution of PPE and vaccines during the pandemic but normal health care usage fell.
Drug manufacturers say contingency plans have helped avoid major disruptions to production, but hospitals still face shortages.
As the equity indexes declined on Tuesday, two freight indexes contained in SONAR were up sharply after incorporating data from the past week: the national dry van and reefer spot […]
Peloton stated it expects to incur $50 million in refund expenses from its treadmill recall. What will the logistics costs be?
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter providing background, context and perspective to the trucking industry.
As the economy surges, inflation pressures are becoming more widespread. Everywhere you look, there are headline-grabbing reports of rising prices. Some areas where inflation is acute are in industrial commodities […]
How would intellectual property waivers affect the vaccine supply chain? Supporters say sharing IP will boost production. Others say a lack of workers, production facilities and supplies means sharing IP won’t help.
Next week on the Transmission podcast and FreightWavesTV show, I’ll be speaking with Dionis Teshler, the CTO and co-founder of GuardKnox. There are two things we recommend doing in preparation […]
As the number of COVID-19 cases decreases, some manufacturers and suppliers of personal protective equipment are predicting demand will start to drop over the coming months.
Wall Street didn’t like Clorox’s earnings report late last week. There were analyst downgrades and shares are down from where they were a week ago and down 10% from their […]
The biggest changes Bed Bath & Beyond must make are in the supply chain, which has been referred to as “noncompetitive” by management.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter from FreightWaves that adds context and perspective to happenings in the trucking industry.
When it comes to making the switch to an electric vehicle, public recharging can be a hurdle for drivers. General Motors made the hurdle a bit lower this week, announcing […]
The use of telehealth surged during the pandemic, and some experts expect it will remain elevated. Treating more patients at home could mean suppliers will have to shift how they get medical products to patients or health care providers.
India is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. The U.S. is sending supplies to help overwhelmed hospitals and speed up vaccine manufacturing.
In past editions of The Stockout, I’ve discussed cost inflation trends, which I believe is the industry’s largest issue currently aside from pandemic-related structural changes in demand. In recent days, […]
The fallout from the semiconductor chip shortage continues, and since it’s affecting the production of vehicles across the globe, it should be no surprise that automakers will be making fewer […]
The best-in-class retailers are aggressively pursuing logistical control over their products while trying to avoid patchwork responses to final-mile delivery.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter with perspective and context on the trucking industry, alternative transportation, powertrains and autonomy.
Anyone who’s been tracking electric vehicle sales for the past decade, like yours truly, knows that progress has been slow but steady. It looks like 2021 might be a year […]
Many companies sought out supply chain visibility during the pandemic. Now, they’re unlikely to go back.
In 2020, Amazon nearly doubled: its workforce, its number of facilities and its logistics square footage. In 2021, it plans to double its truckload fleet.
After problems with the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines, Europe plots a new course. Also, Johnson & Johnson leaders are optimistic about vaccine despite setbacks.
Tuesday morning there was big news out of the rail industry: Canadian National Railway (CN) made a stronger offer to acquire the Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railway than what Canadian […]
Electric vehicles are being manufactured around the globe, but automakers are making moves that will mean production is a bit more localized in the future. GM’s big battery plant announcement […]
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter from FreightWaves that adds perspective and context to happenings in the trucking industry.
In today’s The Stockout, I discuss first-quarter earnings reports from Pepsi and L’Oreal. L’Oreal, in particular, has a lot of momentum of late with shares reaching all-time highs as investors […]
J&J’s shot makes up a small portion of the vaccine campaign in the U.S., so the impact should be small.
It’s a good day to breathe a bit easier. The number of all-electric trucks headed out to make local deliveries is growing. Whether you’re in Southern California or a major […]
The number of biologic drugs and gene therapies is growing, and logistics companies are increasing their capacity for temperature-controlled transportation to support them.
Most public CPG companies are in their quiet periods ahead of earnings. But there were still significant developments with the CPG companies that are not (yet) public. There is a […]
We are learning a bit more about Monday’s meeting between the Biden administration and numerous companies, specifically the list of attendees. At least two large automakers — Ford and GM […]
Improvements will come in the form of more ship-from-store, but mainly more ship-from-dark-store as retailers realize the unnecessary complexity of the method and seek to transform more stores into localized fulfillment centers.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
When we look back at the COVID era, we will remember stockouts of toilet paper, cleared-out grocery store shelves and the impossibility of getting the latest video game console because […]
Drug shortages have plagued the U.S. for years, but the scarcity of certain drugs during the pandemic energized some experts to renew efforts to address the problem.
You know that your corner of the automotive industry isn’t exactly niche anymore when mainstream media outlets start encroaching on the topic.
This clever twist on micro-fulfillment centers offers a futuristic model for urban retailing and fulfillment. And it comes as companies test out a bevy of automated, unmanned service models, from dark stores to drones and autonomous delivery fleets.
Armed with more data and real-world examples, some public health officials are renewing their calls to delay second doses
In today’s edition of The Stockout CPG-focused newsletter, I discuss a company that has been dealing with exactly that — stockouts. McCormick & Co., the world’s largest spice company, reported […]
There continue to be concerns about when these new orders will be prepared, as many truck manufacturers continue to deal with semiconductor shortages.
It’s not that companies can’t operate without China, it’s just that for now, said companies will not grow as fast as they could with it, and will likely do so with lower margins. In a retail world constantly balancing sales and profit, avoiding China is giving up both for many Western brands.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
The battle between brands and retailers is not new, but it’s more acute than ever because of the options each side has. For brands, it’s never been easier to own and operate sales channels both online and IRL. For retailers, there’s never been more digitally native brands seeking out offline homes than there are right now. And giants like Target, Walmart and Amazon have proven that consumers are willing to purchase and even be very loyal to private label brands.
President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan is light on details, but it could affect the health care supply chain.
Tier 1 automotive supplier avoids line-down debacle via AIT Worldwide Logistics’ speedy transborder solution
This is an excerpt from Monday’s (3/29) Point of Sale retail supply chain newsletter sponsored by ArcBest. Yee-HAW, people. The third round of fiscal stimulus is causing an immediate and significant boost to […]
Drug manufacturers are trying to massively scale up production, which will require companies to share information and governments to make financial investments.
Last week Starbucks expanded upon its previously stated goal to be a “resource-positive company,” with specific goals related to sourcing coffee beans, land use and production. What’s striking is how […]
Volatility in trucking markets has prompted shippers to assess different ways of securing reliable capacity. For DG, that means more reliance on in-house transportation, but that’s certainly not the only option. Some retailers are looking to diversify their transportation partners to avoid delays and secure truck space. Others are debating streamlining their transportation needs by signing over their private fleets to logistics specialists.
Add Nike (NYSE: NKE) to the growing list of retailers being severely hampered by port congestion and supply chain bottlenecks. The congestion at West Coast ports in particular strained Nike’s supply chain and negatively impacted revenue, which declined 11% yoy in the quarter ending Feb. 28.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
The pandemic slashed ride volumes for medical transportation providers that brought patients to appointments. Now, some want to bring drugs and supplies to patients.
Most CPG companies will report earnings next month, but with an off-cycle fiscal year ending May 31, General Mills reported its fiscal third quarter Wednesday morning for the December-February quarter. […]
COVID-19 forced dramatic change at the end of the supply chain seemingly overnight. Retailers had to adjust quickly to succeed, and those that did are looking at a recovering consumer economy with the best balance sheet in decades on top of a real estate market reeling from store closures. Pair this with an e-commerce acceleration of five years and a movement to DTC and you have a market ripe for innovative physical expansion.
Criminals are trying to sell fake COVID-19 vaccines to desperate governments and citizens, threatening trust in the real health care supply chain.
As the number of places where product flows increases, naturally, smaller, more frequent inventory replenishment runs are created. Whether it’s middle-mile solutions from DC to store or DC to DC or it’s home delivery, the location of endpoints is dispersing and the size of shipments is decreasing.
Earlier this week in The Stockout CPG-focused newsletter, I discussed the impact that China’s efforts to replenish its hog population was having on corn and soybean exports as well as […]
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
Security measures and remote locations complicate the last mile. But some correctional systems are vaccinating inmates quickly.
Companies that are normally competitors are making deals to share technology and manufacturing capacity to produce enough COVID-19 vaccines.
Cargill’s announcement last week that it is making a nearly half-billion dollar investment in soybeans caught my attention because it suggests that one of the world’s largest food producers believes […]
Brands big and small want more control over the customer experience, including data and service, and technology firms and logistics providers can now offer brands an Amazon alternative. The tension between retailers and brands is nothing new, but the battle between them has never been this acute thanks to the likes of Shopify, ShipBob, XPO and others.
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
Retailers are stuck between playing the waiting game and risking delays that wreck quarterly results or ponying up and taking to the skies. The goods will arrive quickly, but at what cost?
The effort to stop the COVID-19 pandemic is generating a lot of waste. Now, health care providers have to dispose of those materials.
Earlier this week, in the last edition of The Stockout CPG-focused newsletter, I focused on reefer since the many CPG companies that require temperature controls are facing an even tighter […]
By some accounts, Instacart owns 50% of the online grocery market. With an IPO upcoming, I wanted to look back at how Instacart has gone from niche to necessity and question whether it can maintain this dominant position in a highly competitive, highly sought-after market post-COVID.
Companies in a wide variety of industries are starting to offer vaccines to their employees at work. That protects employees’ health and the company’s bottom line.
Just as Pat Riley trademarked the term “three-peat,” I’m considering trademarking “coin flip compliance.” That’s the state of the reefer market today with reefer carriers rejecting 50.3% of tendered loads, […]
This article was originally published in The Stockout newsletter on February 3, 2021. To sign up for The Stockout newsletter, click here. We recommend that CPG companies, and others that […]
There are a couple of trends shaking up the automotive industry in the years ahead. Outside of digitization and electrification, one trend often gets left out: the growing reliance on Mexico and cross-border trade. As OEMs relocate manufacturing down in the South, suppliers are starting to follow in their footsteps.
One financial metric in the CPG world that stands out to me is AB InBev’s net debt-to-EBITDA ratio: 4.8x. The company has been highly leveraged since its acquisition of SABMiller […]
Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
The United States’ infrastructure was put to the test recently when Winter Storm Uri passed through the lower half of the country. As a result, production at petrochemical plants shut down and the industry is now on the brink of a potential seat shortage.
This week, President Biden announced we will have enough vaccinations for every American by the end of May. For the American people, this is fantastic news. For apparel retailers, it’s euphoric news that complicates an already extremely uncertain environment. In this edition of Point of Sale, we’ll take a look at apparel inventory management through the lens of Nordstrom’s recent woes.
The FDA failed to conduct 1,000 inspections last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That backlog could clog the pharmaceutical supply chain.
In today’s edition, we highlight a Department of Labor move, a logistics executives survey and another acquisition for PS Logistics.
In today’s edition, we highlight a B2B exception in California, a dispute with the NTSB and good news for some newly hired drivers.
The recent stimulus bill would funnel billions to the health care supply chain quickly. Recent executive orders indicate the feds aim to focus on health care supply chain long term.
At this point, the vaccine has rolled out to nearly 24.8 million Americans and counting. The vaccination story is just getting started for the automotive industry, with Stellantis becoming the first automaker to administer vaccines to its workforce.
Plant-based meat alternatives are to the food industry what electric vehicles are to the transportation industry — a niche with a lot of startups today but maybe not so niche […]
Truck Talk, is a weekly newsletter where FreightWaves adds context, commentary and color to industry news and trends.
Tesla has shut down production of its California assembly plant for two weeks due to a variety of supply chain problems. Should there be concerns over the true demand for Tesla vehicles?
There is no definitive end for this freight bull market in sight. Consumers continue to spend on goods, driving freight and diminishing already depleted inventories. Even if consumer spending diverged from its current trajectory (which I see as unlikely, especially given the additional stimulus, accelerating vaccine rollout and strong consumer balance sheet), the mass inventory restocking ahead will be sufficient to keep freight flowing from a consumer perspective.
Delaying second doses would change the distribution pattern for vaccines and reshape the supply chain. Also, vaccine manufacturers say supply is about to dramatically increase.
Americans of color are receiving the vaccine at far lower rates than white Americans. Doctors and ethicists say prioritizing essential workers and more proactive outreach would create a more equitable supply chain.
Cooper Tire sold to Goodyear Tires in a deal worth about $2.8 billion. What effects does this have on Goodyear’s supply chain?
There has been a consumer flight to reliability throughout COVID, and Walmart benefited from this shift as much as any retailer. But with the end of the pandemic now in sight and Americans poised for the reopening of services, Walmart is expecting growth to moderate considerably. Walmart announced plans to invest heavily in its supply chain, namely fulfillment capacity and automation, to front-run the deceleration and claw toward e-commerce profitability.
Winter storm Uri was brutal for a lot of people, specifically in the Southeast and Southwest. With that being said, the auto industry experienced some repercussions from the storm worth noting.
FreightWaves Truck Talk is a weekly newsletter adding perspective, context and commentary to industry news and trends.
A former Jet.com co-founder is rethinking the way e-commerce orders are delivered — specifically, when orders are delivered and in what vessel they arrive at their destination. Nate Faust believes after 25 years of e-commerce, it’s time for a new way of imagining delivery.
A winter storm delayed shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses across the U.S. The Biden administration expects delayed doses to arrive soon.
