Today's News - Operations, Supply Chain, and More
Providing up-to-date news on the developments in operations, supply chain, and other sectors from around the globe.
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) countries agrees to reduce carbon emissions from aviation through technology development, air traffic improvements, alternative fuels, and market mechanisms. This agreement is the first-ever global carbon standard for commercial aircraft (White House)
- Ford Motor Company has plans in the works to ramp up its manufacturing capacity in Mexico. The company will build an new assembly complex in San Luis Potosí, and expand factory near Mexico City. (The Wall Street Journal)
- US exporters requested SOLAS container weight mandate delay, however US Coast Guard stressed the importance of the safety convention and will implement the mandate on a port-by-port bases. (JOC)
- Protective packaging demands will grow at 5% per year. It is driven by the strength of e-commerce market growth. (Logistics Management)
- Belgian port (Antwerp) partners with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) for opportunities on China's One Belt One Road plan (Fruitnet)
- The steel industry in Europe is facing a risk of collapse; this was the warning business ministers from several European countries gave to the European commissioners in a letter highlighting the dangers of Chinese steel import on the EU steel industry. (The Telegraph)
- Midwest Warehouse & Distribution System paid $28 million for a 575,024 square-foot warehouse in Joliet, Chicago. The warehouse has access to the BNSF intermodal terminal in Elwood, interstate 80, and interstate 50. (Chicago Business)
- The trade secret battle between XPO Logistics Inc. and its competitor YRC Worldwide Inc. is heating up. XPO is suing YRC for poaching its executives to have access to customers and its pricing secrets. The lawsuit was filed on February 3. (Supply & Demand Chain Executive)
- The metals commodity markets: Copper prices fell 0.6% Monday, while nickel, aluminum, tin, lead, and zinc gained about 3%. The base metal market trends was driven by weaker dollar, and production cuts. (The Wall Street Journal)
- TNT Express is selling its airline operations to ASL Aviation Group to comply with EU rules ahead of its acquisition by FedEx. Under EU rules foreign investors cannot have more than 49 percent ownership of a European airline. (Reuters)
- Boston Scientific a medical device manufacturer has sold its Quincy warehouse complex to FedEx Corp. for $31 million. The 1 million square-foot complex is visible from interstate 93. (Boston Business Journal)
- Mergers and acquisitions deals in the works from Veolia, Viacom Inc., Fortis Inc., WPX Energy Inc., and many more... (Reuters)