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Replacing NAFTA: A better 3-country pact ahead?
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentCanada and the U.S. have renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which took effect Jan. 1, 1994. President Trump, who called NAFTA "the worst trade deal ever," praised its successor, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). "Promise made, promise kept," the president said on Twitter, of his campaign pledge to renegotiate NAFTA to improve trade fairness for American businesses, consumers and workers. That stance resonated with voters, especially in Rust Belt states where blue-collar employment has plummeted.
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Walmart warns about new trade policy with China
Seth Sandronsky RetailWhen Walmart warns President Trump about his trade policy, does he listen? This is no academic question, as the president exercised his legal authority to hike U.S. tariffs of 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports, climbing to 25 percent in January 2019. On Sept. 6, Sarah F. Thorn, senior director for global government affairs with Walmart — the U.S.' biggest private-sector employer — wrote to the United States Trade Representative in a letter, "The immediate impact will be to raise prices on consumers and tax American business and manufacturers."
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Fair trade? China-US tariff tensions rise
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentTake the world's two biggest economies. Then, increase trade tariffs, or taxes, as a policy to solve disputes. President Trump said on Sept. 17 that tariffs on $267 billion of China’s imports to the U.S., its top buyer, will begin on Sept. 24 (10 percent) and rise in 2019 (25 percent) if Chinese concessions to Washington are not met. In response, officials in China have announced retaliatory tariffs of $60 billion on U.S. imports. Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary, downplayed the economic impacts of the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to American businesses and consumers.
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Keep production up by avoiding common management mistakes
Sheilamary Koch Distribution & WarehousingSeasonal warehouse work, by nature, draws quite a wide demographic — individuals in transition, college students, teachers, immigrants, rehabilitated offenders, retirees and young people new to the world of work as well those who travel between warehouses as a career. Production and safety are utmost concerns in any warehouse or plant — so managing workers to be highly effective while remaining uninjured tops the list of leadership objectives. While seemingly straightforward, it doesn’t necessarily prove simple in practice, especially when the temporary labor force comprises people with diverse backgrounds and personalities.
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Serving up logistics: How QSRs and supply chains are working together
Delany Martinez Food & BeverageCall it a hunger for fast, convenient food: the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry in the U.S. is projected to surpass $223 billion in the next two years. Part of that success is driven — in most cases, quite literally — by robust logistical networks that tie far-flung franchises to their distributors through ever-evolving methods. With large chains like Wendy's and Chipotle touting their fresh, never-frozen fare, cold chain technology and accountability are more important than ever.
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Is a ‘new’ NAFTA in the cards?
Seth Sandronsky ManufacturingThe U.S. and Mexico have reached an initial agreement to change the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What we also know is that many eyes are Canada, the third nation in NAFTA, now. "It would surprise me if Canada remained outside the agreement," Martin Hart-Landsberg, an author and economics professor at Lewis and Clark College, told MultiBriefs. While details of the new NAFTA remain largely unknown, it appears that there are some improvements.
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Heads-up: Safety and liability in manufacturing
Delany Martinez ManufacturingInnovation in manufacturing has made for surprisingly even footing among rivals in a variety of industries. The last remaining point of competition for market share, some argue, is found in speed and efficiency: even if two companies are making the same products, the business that gets the products made and shipped more quickly is the ostensible winner in the battle for consumer wallets. That intense focus on speed and volume, however, can come at a high cost for companies that don't tread carefully.
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How the Internet of Things is expected to influence engineering and manufacturing
Joseph Zulick ManufacturingThe Internet of Things is creating a 3-D map of your workplace, and it knows you have been taking too many coffee breaks. Every 15 minutes? Seriously, stop. In this connected map, devices, machines and business processes are linked. The potential of sensors embedded in new and legacy production equipment to deliver actionable indicators to decision-makers is at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution. Engineers and designers today are now challenged with a new task: how to perceive value and communicate the benefits of tech adoption for consumers and companies alike.
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Court rules against EPA’s stalling of new chemical safety regulations
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a lot of negative coverage lately due to the antics of the agency’s former head, Scott Pruitt, and the EPA’s historic role in reversing decades of environmental regulations, such as car emissions standards and the Endangered Species Act. While it’s not the most ecologically enlightened time period, there’s good news out there for people who fight for cleaner environmental standards. For example, last week the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the EPA’s efforts to block implementation of new chemical plant safety rules by 20 months.
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Cryptologistics: Where supply chain meets blockchain
Delany Martinez Distribution & WarehousingOne of the most universal issues facing logistics is the ability — or lack thereof — to process data in a fast, useful way. Like an unorganized warehouse packed with product and short on shelves, logistics professionals are often forced to put aside efforts to streamline in favor of staying on top of periodic targets. While computers have historically aided in bridging that gap, they too rely on a standard set of numbers presented in a specific way in order to produce useful results.
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