By Simon Minett Common errors made by importers and/or exporters in the use of Incoterms in contracts Despite the fact that Incoterms were developed to simplify international transactions and to make their application in international trade more precise, there are still a number of reasons why they often fail to achieve their intended purpose. In…
U.S. imports of Fresh-cut flowers increased 5 percent from $1.05 billion to $1.1 billion through the first 11 months of 2017 when compared to the same period the previous year, according to WorldCity analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. The category ranked 279 through November among the roughly 1,265 import commodity groupings as…
By Phil Marlowe As supply chain professionals, we live in a world of unprecedented connectivity where partners collaborate seamlessly, in real-time, to make faster, better decisions on production, inventory, and shipping. And then there is global freight management. Here, clerks manually enter shipment data, and that data gets shared – as emails, spreadsheets, and shipping…
The Washington Post | By Caitlin Dewey Few meals are more American than a burger and fries, the combo McDonald’s made globally famous. But few Americans probably realize how much the affordability of that classic meal depends on a free-trade agreement. French fries from Canada. Tomatoes from Mexico. Beef is sourced from a supply chain that…
Prosecution a Warning to US Companies That Source Goods From AbroadWritten by Mark Strauss Federal prosecutors in New York recently announced the settlement of a remarkable lawsuit relating to a scheme to evade import duties. The case involved an importer’s undervaluation of apparel to pay fewer duties than were really owed. The settlement that prosecutors reached,…
By Global Trade A new report from the market research firm IDC, “IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Supply Chain 2018 Predictions,” posits that digital transformation (DX) is the key overriding theme in IDC’s worldwide supply chain top 10 predictions for 2018, including the impact of supply chain planning, supply chain execution/fulfillment, and procurement and supply chain security. While the…
The cancellation of US involvement in the TPP, and its potential withdrawal from NAFTA have sparked considerable anxiety over the loss of protections and opportunities both investment treaties afford. But there are alternatives. The Trump Administration has proposed substantial changes to the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a multilateral trade and…
At the 2017 Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Conference in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced plans to strengthen the existing “minimum security criteria (MSC) for the program and add new criteria to reflect evolving security threats. The updated, modernized MSC will include the following: • Cybersecurity (elevated firewall performance, test…
Now is the time to think strategically about the new year. How will you stay on top of dynamic export controls regulations and remain compliant? As the Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative continues, there are still some crucial pending changes that affect both companies and universities in research and technology. These future updates include a…
In association with KMPG LLC, Thomson Reuters. In recent years, global trade regulations went from a sleepy niche to a major driver of mainstream news. In 2016, one major world power withdrew from a historic trade pact and another ditched the European Union. Figures in many countries used protectionist rhetoric to obtain power. The possibility…
By 3Gtms Lots of supply chains are dealing with the “Amazon effect,” which has led consumers to demand lightning-fast (and free) delivery times, last-minute order changes, and 100 percent order accuracy. While initially seen as just a retail problem, these expectations have been extended to the B2B world as well. Managing the Amazon effect requires a host…
When 20’ and 40’ full containers make up 90% of all goods shipped around the world, a common question arises with newer shippers: “What if I don’t have enough freight to fill a full container?” In this case, LCL (Less-than-Container-Load) may be right for you. Don’t judge a shipper by their carton count LCL offers…
