Archives October 2022

All things impacting global supply chains this week.

• Inflation, one, two, three Prime Ministers in three months, big ships in Boston, Putin pushes the West faster to ditch oil and gas, Unilever raise prices, rail strikes and dock strikes.
• Japan’s driverless vehicles approved
• Tesco’s retail graduate scheme – Find out more about Tesco's Retail Graduate Programme and apply at https://lnkd.in/g4dVRem 
• ASCM event explaining SCOR- Register today! https://bit.ly/3TWuiDc
• Kaiser aluminium cost hit as suppliers disruption bites
• SSAB shuts down Finish blast furnaces 6-8 weeks because of lower demand and over capacity in the industry
• Boston port welcomes the biggest container ship to dock at the port
• Contingency planning and European Gas Supply
• LNG prices fall
• Elon Musk finally takes over Twitter with a handle Chief Twit
• Truckers going green in California
• Apple decarbonising its supply chain
• Centrica reopens a gas storage facility in UK
• EU gas storage at 95 per cent. Most of Europe has three months or more in sore. The UK has just two weeks.
• Interest rates expected to rise in the UK next week as the Bank of England applies inflationary control
• Amazon share price falls as seasonal sales fail to meet market expectations
• Other Big Tech stocks suffer too
• Unilever volumes fall and prices rise by 12.5% blaming cost pressures
• Retail vacancy rates are cause for concern
• Halloween a retail opportunity
• News on two upcoming special editions coming up

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Retail Detail with Tony Hines
What is it like to be a retailer?
Many are small businesses – Pop and Mom stores but others are some of the biggest businesses in the world. Leading retailers manage many product categories and lines. They deal with brands and they have their own brands too.  Keeping costs low and maintaining margins is critical. This is where sourcing, procurement and operations determine the efficiency of the business and also the ability to satisfy customer demand.

In this epsiode we look at the evidence and at some of the stories behind the store front. People and business cultures determine success or failure but they have to operate within all the political, economic, social change and technological developments that shape the business world.

Statistical evidence both in the UK and USA provide some understanding of the challenges faced by retailers. We can also see emerging trends which reveal what the future might look like.

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All things impacting global supply chains this week.

• The war in Ukraine continues and takes a new turn targeting energy supply
• Strikes everywhere and more brewing in the UK
• China's zero covid tolerance damages market share
• Xi Ping wants to serve another term
• The big news in the UK dominates the airwaves as the Prime Minister resigns. You will remember I asked the question last week would she still be in office by Friday – well she's gone – With Truss gone has Trust gone?
• Autonomous robots used in last mile delivery reduce pollution
• Inflation back to 10.1% in the UK
• Upcoming episode the worst of times not the best of times
• Drones made in Iran used in the Ukraine by Russia to attack energy infrastructure
• Rolls Royce will produce an electric vehicle by 2023
• Fertilizer, fuel and transport price increases are impacting potato production in Australia – Chips/crisps are affected
• Building resilient supply chains through digitization of supply chains
• When is the right time to invest?
• The workshop of the world – China is losing market share in manufacturing as footloose industries move to Vietnam, Bangladesh and elsewhere because of the zero tolerance to Covid policy imposed by the government.
• Warehouse space has increased in the US and that has also meant a trebling of labour.
• Coming soon the special edition on retail supply chains

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All things impacting global supply chains this week with Tony Hines

• Inflation and strikes along with Russia's war in Ukraine continue to cause disruption
• Challenges in the automobile industry and aerospace industries
• Chip shortages continue holding up manufacturing
• Liverpool dockers strike for 19 days Peel Ports claim they have offered 10 per cent but the Unite Unions disputes that – Dockers holding out
• Felixstowe too disrupted
• Royal Mail strikes cause delivery disruptions in the UK
• Other public service strikes on the horizon
• The iconic mini is produced in the UK but now owned by BMW who have announced they plan to stop electric car production in the UK
• Tessla in the news along with Elon Musk
• Coal mine disaster in Turkey
• US introduces further sanctions on countries supporting Russia

and more…

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News Round Up all things impacting global supply chains this week. We begin October with a full round up of what has happened.

• UK Government mini budget crashes economy with pound falling as Bank of England steps in
• Listen to the special edition on Casino Economics
• Economics the dismal science and a return to supply side economics with Thatcher's legacy having an encore with Liz Truss Government
• Nordstream Gas Explosions permanent damage or Putin posturing some think
• Strikes in railways and ports impacting supply chains -Felixstowe and Liverpool in the UK are affected
• Easy jet seeking to stop carbon offsetting and investing in technologies that prevent emissions directly
• Disruptions at Oakland and elsewhere 
• New York and New Jersey are officially the number one port in the US
• Profits on the Oceans of the world – Maersk break quarterly record
• Hurricane Ian impact on the East Coast in Florida and the Carolina's
• China ramps up oil production
• Europe's scramble for LNG
• Turkstream pipeline maintenance
• Geopolitical risks and continuing energy shortages
• Germany to supply Ukraine with air defence systems
• Poland supply of gas increases with new pipeline
• Spanish regional government new rules to address unfair competition
• President Xi Jinping hails China's new passenger jet C919
• Russia lose their seat on the UN Aviation Council
• Greece and Bulgaria open new pipeline for gas supply
• China request for MRNa code from Moderna rejected
• Semi-conductor supply chains remain tight
• US Consumer spending up but still impacted by inflation
• Arrival misses production target

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All things impacting global supply chains.

• Employment levels, output and inflation
• Food inflation still on the rise
• Real fall in wages of 2.8% year on year in the UK
• Rail strikes could impact supply chains
• Inditex sourcing to ensure availability increasing inventory cost
• DHL contract logistics investing in warehousing in India
• Three tips to keep supplies flowing 'Balance'
• China and India increasingly uneasy at Russia's war in Ukraine
• Europe makes plans for winter
• Tessla in the news
• Apple iPhone 14
• Amsterdam Schipol Passenger Flow
• Global Supply Chain Index
• Shipping Costs as a proportion of total cost
• Germany shortages of CO2 for food and beer production
• Recessions looming and economic uncertainty

Drop by and listen to all the podcasts you have missed.

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