Proposed P3 Alliance Among Carriers Causes Concern With Shippers and Regulators

Proposed P3 Alliance Among Carriers Causes Concern With Shippers and Regulators

The three largest shipping lines, Maersk, MSC and CMA CGM, are proposing an alliance known as the P3 Network Vessel Sharing Agreement. This agreement would allow the three companies to share vessels, port space, and resources in the world’s three largest shipping routes: Asia to Europe, trans-Atlantic, and trans-Pacific. Though the companies are moving forward with plans to enact…

New Honda Plant Outside Tokyo is Prototype for Auto Manufacturing Facilities of the Future
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New Honda Plant Outside Tokyo is Prototype for Auto Manufacturing Facilities of the Future

Honda is preparing to open their first new auto manufacturing facility in 23 years. The plant is located just north of Tokyo in the rolling green hills of Yorii. It is one of the most technologically advanced auto manufacturing facilities in the world, making use of new automation technologies that can be used as a…

Reports on Manufacturing Growth Tell Conflicting Stories
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Reports on Manufacturing Growth Tell Conflicting Stories

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced their quarterly index for manufacturing growth this quarter through November was up to 57.3 percent, which is a significant improvement over the 56.4 percent reading announced in October. Any percentage over 50 is considered a sign of market growth. This is the highest growth seen in two and…

JC Penny Loses $28 Million in Q3 Profits Due to Misguided RFID Tagging System Implementation

JC Penny Loses $28 Million in Q3 Profits Due to Misguided RFID Tagging System Implementation

Ousted JC Penny CEO Ron Johnson was let go in April following poor sales, profit losses, and a lack of cash on hand for the company. JC Penny hired Johnson in November 2011 after his successes running Apple retail stores, but his tenure was short lived as his practices failed to bring success to JC…

What Made AkzoNobel Such A Success?

What Made AkzoNobel Such A Success?

AkzoNobel is a company based in the Netherlands that develops, manufactures, and distributes a variety of paints, specialty paints, coatings, and DIY products, including home maintenance paints and coatings, as well as coatings and paints for the automotive industry, shipping industry, and aircraft industry. In business since the 1770s, AkzoNobel operates in more than 80…

Science Fiction or a PR Stunt? Are Amazon’s Drone Deliveries the Real Deal?

Science Fiction or a PR Stunt? Are Amazon’s Drone Deliveries the Real Deal?

Dominating the news on Cyber Monday, especially in the midst of the Obamacare disaster, is a tough act, but Amazon managed the feat this week with their announcement of plans to employ a drone home delivery service within the next few years. According to reports by 60 Minutes and other top news agencies, Amazon plans…

UK Manufacturers Prepare for More Growth in 2014
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UK Manufacturers Prepare for More Growth in 2014

The manufacturer’s organization of the UK, EEF, is revising projections for the 2013 production year to indicate stronger than expected growth, and is further gearing up their supply chain infrastructures in anticipation of an even stronger year in 2014. While the overall economy of the UK is expected to grow by 2.4 percent, manufacturing output…

Even Amid Extremely Low Prices, European Commission Investigates Container Shippers for Price Fixing
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Even Amid Extremely Low Prices, European Commission Investigates Container Shippers for Price Fixing

Prices remain low among ocean container shippers, particularly concerning rates for shipping between Europe and Asia. However, the European Commission is pursuing investigations on about 14 different shippers because the EC has reason to believe that the companies were engaging in activities which violated antitrust laws. According to the laws, companies do not actually have…

Truckers Say New Hours of Service Regulations Make It Even Harder to Stay Safe on Roadways
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Truckers Say New Hours of Service Regulations Make It Even Harder to Stay Safe on Roadways

The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration recently pushed through changes to truckers’ hours of service regulations, and, at the time, many truckers and the American Trucking Association said that the FMCSA did not use sound research or good judgment when drawing out the rules. Now that the plan is in place, and truckers are losing 2-10…

Real News or Just Another Publicity Stunt? A Look at Amazon’s Drone Program

Real News or Just Another Publicity Stunt? A Look at Amazon’s Drone Program

Nov. 29, 2013 was a busy news day. When news analysts weren’t weighing in (and duking it out) over Obamacare, reporters across the nation were running spots on long shopping lines, customers who camped for days in frigid temperatures to get the best deals, and even a few skirmishes over the best merchandise in brick…