Archives July 2025

The global economic landscape is transforming before our eyes as protectionist policies gain momentum worldwide. This episode of Chain Reaction examines how these shifts are creating both challenges and opportunities for supply chain leaders navigating increasingly complex waters. We dive deep into the impending August 1st tariffs from the Trump administration, which include a striking 50% tariff on copper aimed at boosting domestic production. The immediate market response reveals a fascina…

The global trade landscape is entering a period of unprecedented turbulence as President Trump announces massive new tariffs set to take effect August 1st. With tariff rates ranging from 25% to 50% hitting major US trading partners including the EU, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil, we’re witnessing what could be the largest series of US tariff hikes since 1930. The timing couldn’t be more critical. Despite the United States collecting more tariff revenue this year than in its entire h…

Global supply chains are under siege from all directions, and the consequences are far-reaching. The steel tariffs imposed by the Trump administration demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern industrial ecosystems function. When a Sheffield manufacturer can’t supply raw materials to their own American plant because of these tariffs, putting 70 US jobs at risk, we’re witnessing policy backfire in real-time. The power of input-output analysis becomes clear when examining these …

Digital twins represent a revolutionary approach to supply chain management, offering businesses a virtual mirror of their physical operations that transforms how they monitor, analyze, and optimize complex networks. This fascinating exploration reveals how these digital replicas harness real-time data from IoT sensors, AI algorithms, and cloud computing to simulate supply chain dynamics without disrupting actual operations. The power of digital twins lies in their versatility and practical …