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Only a few months have passed since the Brexit vote happened, but many people don’t understand that Britain hasn’t actually left the EU yet. What the Brexit vote did is require Britain to give the EU a two-year formal notice that the country will be leaving. Britain hasn’t actually given its notice to the EU

Infrastructure across the United States is crumbling. Roads, highways, and bridges need serious attention. However, legislators don’t always agree on how to fix the widespread problems or how to pay for them. As a result, poor infrastructure is taking a toll on supply chains in the United States, with no long-term solution in sight.

Listeria, salmonella, E. coli, and other foodborne illnesses have made numerous headlines in 2016, forcing companies to recall affected food products. This places tremendous strain on their supply chains. Take a look at what companies go through when they recall a product and how this affects their operations and the economy.

Manufacturing workers have been losing their jobs to robots for several years. However, a surge in the number of customized orders has caused factories to start hiring humans again. This could lead to a new normal with coworking among humans and robots. Take a closer look at current hiring trends in the manufacturing industry.

Over the past few years, advocacy organizations and consumers alike have brought attention to slave labor and other forced labor situations present in supply chains. As a result, many companies have committed to researching their procurement line to ensure that they don’t rely on these practices. Now, President Obama has signed a law that requires

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Several courier services, such as Uber, Postmates, and Door Dash, have tried to capitalize on the growing fast food delivery industry. However, these services continue to encounter numerous challenges, such as getting authorization to deliver food, ensuring the food is handled properly, and protecting customers from theft and mishandled food. Take a closer look at

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) constantly seeks ways to protect consumers from bad food distribution and handling practices. Now the organization is focusing on the organic market, due to its increasing demand. The USDA aims to create stronger rules for organic farming and better food safety training across the industry.

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Several Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks have already been reported in 2016. This growing problem is plaguing the food industry, particularly when it comes to pre-washed salad and fresh-cut vegetable products. For instance, one of the biggest Listeria outbreaks happened at an Ohio Dole processing plant in January 2016. Thousands of products were recalled, but several people

Ransomware is a dangerous computer virus that can wreak havoc on businesses and their operations. To deploy ransomware, hackers use encryption code to lock up targeted computer data and hold it for ransom. If victims want to regain access to the data, they typically have to pay a large sum of money. Learn how harmful

One of the biggest challenges that many businesses face is figuring out the cheapest and most efficient method for shipping products to customers. Several tools are available for comparing ground shipping routes and prices, but this convenience didn’t exist for air shipping until this year. To help carriers determine fair air freight pricing, John Peyton

Retailers, banks, insurance companies, and government agencies have all seen an increase in cyberattacks. The consequences can range from supply chain delays to customer data loss to reputation damage. With such serious consequences, increased security is an issue that has been on the agenda in Washington for a long time. Luckily, the U.S. has called

Automotive sales are on the rebound, as forecasts show that new car sales in the U.S. could exceed 15 million in 2016. Additionally, automakers are launching approximately 500 new car models on the market this year. This situation puts a lot of pressure on the auto parts supply chain industry. Some worry that supply won’t

Slavery might seem like an issue of the past, but it’s still present in many communities today. If you eat fruits and vegetables, wear cotton clothing, use a cellphone, or eat chocolate, you might be contributing inadvertently to slavery. In recent years, consumers have driven companies to improve environmental practices and transparency in their supply

Freight truck volume in the U.S. is projected to double over the next decade. This causes significant concern for the environment, road maintenance costs, and highway traffic congestion. Many believe, however, that more trucks are a necessity for economic growth. Take a look at this two-sided dilemma and some possible solutions to the problem.

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The Port of London Authority has made strides to improve conditions on the Thames River as a result of record levels of freight and passengers. Some of the Port Authority’s investments include pier extensions at Plantation Wharf, two new MBNA Thames Clippers, and a London Titan maintenance vessel. The Thames River is a major shipping

In 2015, ocean cargo rates for contracts on major East-West routes saw a sharp decline. As a result, carrier profits have been suffering. Contract rates have fallen because of lower fuel costs, more carrier competition, and surplus vessel capacity. Take a look at what this means for the transportation industry now and in the future.

In recent years, farmers have been looking for ways to increase production while using fewer resources and decreasing their environmental impact. For farmers, technology offers myriad solutions. Sensors can measure soil and water composition, drones can spread fertilizer, and GPS systems can direct robotic tractors to harvest crops. Farming technology is rapidly developing, and it

More than 7 million Americans make up the domestic trucking industry. However, commercial shipping needs are growing quickly, and the industry continues to have a difficult time finding new drivers to replace the ones that retire. Numerous factors contribute to the shortage of truck drivers, but one of the biggest is the negative image of

Whenever an outbreak of Listeria occurs or any other food safety issues arise, the U.S. government steps in to investigate and prevent further crisis. The government has always had an interest in food safety, but it has made significant changes to food safety protocol over the past couple of years. Take a look at what

The Cuban trade embargo has been in effect since 1962, after Cuba nationalized several American-owned assets equaling over $1 billion. Though the two nations have had countless disagreements ever since, in mid-2015 Cuba agreed to allow U.S. embassies to reopen in its major cities. The relationship between the two countries has recently begun improving, which

China has become the leading manufacturer of goods in the world, but economic changes in the country are causing a shift in thought. For instance, wages for Chinese workers have tripled over the course of the past decade. This is causing manufacturers to move some outsourcing to countries where worker wages are still low. As

JDA Software Group is one of the leading providers of retail and supply chain planning solutions. The company serves more than 4,000 customers around the world. JDA does this by creating customized solutions for each customer to help control costs, optimize processes, and maximize revenue at every point in the supply chain. JDA prides itself

Every year the World Bank loans between $15 billion and $20 billion to government contracts around the world. Contractors must go through a bid process to be considered for government contracts, but it lacks transparency and consistency. The World Bank intends to reform its procurement policies in order to cut down on fraud and unfair

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The healthcare industry faces numerous unique supply chain challenges. Hospitals and other medical facilities need the supplies they order in a timely manner because delays can mean the difference between life and death. For instance, if a hospital ER department does not have enough saline bags, a patient could die of dehydration. Healthcare supply chains

Environmentalists have been pushing for widespread solar power use for years because it’s renewable and clean. Much of the resistance they encounter results from an unwillingingness to pay the high initial cost of setting up the solar power infrastructure. Luckily, the cost of solar power won’t be a problem forever. Analysts predict that solar power

The truck driver population in the U.S. is aging. That’s bad news for the supply chain industry, because not enough new truck drivers are entering the labor force to replace the truck drivers who retire. Take a look at what supply chains are doing to address this problem.