Deep Dive: Page 4

Industry insights from our journalists


  • An aereal shot of the San Pedro Bay ports, Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, provided in a news release on Oct. 26, 2021.
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    Courtesy of Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach
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    Trucking's role in untangling the web of West Coast port congestion

    The driver shortage has become a "scapegoat" for bottlenecks as empty containers, low yard productivity, limited space and unavailable chassis converge.

    Jim Stinson • Nov. 24, 2021
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    Danielle Ternes/Construction Dive
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    Pricing insanity: Material costs escalate, driving contractor desperation

    Amid unprecedented supply chain challenges, firms locked into contracts based on last year's prices are feeling the heat.

    Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 28, 2021
  • Yantian-port from above from creative commons, downloaded June 2021
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    "Yantian port from above" by Gigel.atat is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    After years of ‘Made in China,’ supply chains consider alternatives

    The change in tone from U.S.-based supply chains is not a mass exodus from China. Instead, it's an approach that embraces diversification. 

    Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 14, 2021
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    Getty Images
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    The rise of LTL: How e-commerce changed the middle mile

    Businesses are shipping smaller quantities of freight more frequently, giving logistics professionals more to manage in increasingly complex networks.

    S.L. Fuller • Oct. 6, 2021
  • Workers prepare to offload an incoming FedEx plane at a FedEx global hub on December 16, 2014 in Newark, New Jersey.
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    Andrew Burton / Staff via Getty Images
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    Aircraft emissions present a roadblock to supply chain sustainability goals

    FedEx's Chief Sustainability Officer says true aviation sustainability "is an intractable problem." Will environmentally conscious shippers move away from airfreight?

    Max Garland • Sept. 8, 2021
  • Burnt down telecom antenna @ Annecy-le-Vieux 5G
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    Retrieved from Flickr user Guilhem Vellut on November 13, 2020
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    What 3G's sunset means for tracking, visibility tech

    Companies relying on IoT devices for their supply chains have a relatively tight window to upgrade to 4G.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Aug. 31, 2021
  • An aerial view of TEU containers stacked at Virginia International Gateway
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    Courtesy of Port of Virginia
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    'You can pay or you can wait': How retailers are navigating a shipping crisis

    Consumer demand came raging back this year. The supply chain wasn't ready for it, and now retailers, brands and consumers are paying the price.

    Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 3, 2021
  • An XPO driver with his truck.
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    Courtesy of XPO.

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    From sapling to pure-play LTL: The story of XPO Logistics under Jacobs

    Bradley Jacobs is a relentless numbers man and a serial entrepreneur. And he's one thing neither XPO nor GXO can replace.

    Jim Stinson • Aug. 2, 2021
  • As PPE demand grew, organizations stepped up to the challenge — and fought fraud along the way

    Bad actors emerged during the pandemic, as a supply-demand imbalance in personal protective equipment left openings and vulnerabilities for fraud and counterfeits.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • July 15, 2021
  • Container ships and tankers are anchored close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on February 1, 2021 in San Pedro, California.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Last year, the Transpacific was a 'nightmare.' It's only gotten worse.

    One shipper offered a carrier $6,000 for space. It was told $60,000 wouldn't even be enough.

    Matt Leonard • June 24, 2021
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    The misconceptions in the rare earth supply chain

    The problem isn't a shortage of raw materials. The problem is getting them out of the ground — and out of China.

    Emma Penrod • June 17, 2021
  • Firefighters set a backfire to protect homes and try to contain the Blue Ridge Fire on October 27, 2020 in Chino Hills, California
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    Photo illustration by Adeline Kon/Supply Chain Dive; photograph by David McNew via Getty Images
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    More frequent, severe wildfires threaten California's growing logistics network

    Fires can clog and cut off freight arteries, creating choke points for inventory traveling via truck and rail.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • June 1, 2021
  • Cargo ships (C) hold shipping containers as other containers sit at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest seaport, on September 18, 2018 in San Pedro, California
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    Photo illustration by Adeline Kon/Supply Chain Dive; photograph by Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    As storms become more frequent and volatile, some ports plan for the risk — but most do not

    The interconnectedness of ports leave assets such as warehouses, trucking networks and railroads vulnerable to disruptions from climate change and rising sea levels.

    Matt Leonard • Updated June 8, 2021
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    RFID's e-commerce growth spurt

    The need for visibility drove companies to invest in solutions for their complete supply chain while Adidas is using the technology to verify provenance.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • May 4, 2021
  • Container yard port
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    Courtesy of DHL
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    How construction is using technology to mitigate supply disruptions

    Soaring material costs and supply chain woes threaten the industry's rebound.

    Joe Bousquin • April 30, 2021
  • Supply chains do the math on reshoring's pros and cons

    COVID-19 exposed risks and spurred conversations about moving manufacturing, but the pandemic is far from the only factor to consider.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 8, 2021
  • A still of COVID-19 vaccine vials from Johnson & Johnson going through production
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    Permission granted by Johnson & Johnson
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    4 tools to fight fraud, counterfeits and cyberattacks in the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain

    Visibility technologies and real-time data provide one version of the truth in a rapidly-built supply chain.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • April 7, 2021
  • Retailers have added more fulfillment options as a result of the pandemic
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    Adeline Kon/Supply Chain Dive
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    The omnichannel age is here — and it's expensive

    Profit margins are often lower for pickup than delivering from a warehouse, as retailers consider store costs, shipping expenses and channel-specific overhead.

    Ben Unglesbee • April 6, 2021
  • An aerial view of TEU containers stacked at Virginia International Gateway
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    Courtesy of Port of Virginia
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    Congested West Coast ports bring the heat to TL spot rates

    Delayed off the coast of the Golden State are a mix of consumer and industrial needs that are likely to keep capacity tight and truckers busy.

    Jim Stinson • March 31, 2021
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    Getty Images
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    The US has a new trade chief. What supply chains can expect on tariffs and China.

    U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai recognizes China as "simultaneously a rival, a trade partner and an outsized player," in the global trade landscape.

    Shefali Kapadia • March 18, 2021
  • A tumultuous year of ocean shipping prompts a rethink of contracts

    Negotiations are taking place earlier than usual, with greater interest in two-way commitments and tiered pricing. But a focus on resiliency and capacity comes at a cost to shippers.

    Matt Leonard • March 10, 2021
  • Semiconductor
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    Michelle Rock/Supply Chain Dive, data from Getty Images
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    Why the automotive supply chain is in a semiconductor jam

    A shortage with no quick fix is shutting down production lines around the world, and capacity constraints at tier 3 put automakers' lean operations into question.

    Matt Leonard • Feb. 23, 2021
  • What's behind supplier price hikes rippling through the construction supply chain?

    The cost trend in 2021 is only going in one direction so far — up.

    Joe Bousquin • Feb. 17, 2021
  • A medical technician changes out gloves between patients at a COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Site at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J., March 23, 2020. The testing site, established in partn
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    Master Sgt. Hecht, Matt. (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    The PPE supply chain is a case of the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

    Gloves and masks are in short supply, and many organizations are blowing through their budgets as they attempt to source in-demand equipment.

    Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Feb. 11, 2021
  • Container yard port
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    Courtesy of DHL
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    Why the empty container math doesn't add up in US exporters' favor

    What led to a global imbalance of available shipping containers? And what were the effects on U.S. businesses?

    Matt Leonard • Feb. 3, 2021