Fast Flying Facts – Supply Chain Shipping Soaring

International trade’s on-the-grow through the air, despite economic easterly and westerly headwinds, forecasts the International Air Transport Association. Global air cargo is predicted to grow at a five-year cumulative annual rate of 3 percent, and the U.S. will remain the largest single market in 2016.

Worldwide freight volume will reach 34.5 million metric tons in 2016, compared with 29.6 million tons flown in 2011, with annualized growth accelerating from 1.6 percent in 2012 to 3.7 percent in 2016.

IATA predicts the highest volume upticks in the developing markets of Sri Lanka, with a cumulative five-year annual growth rate of 8.7 percent, followed by Vietnam, 7.4 percent; Brazil, 6.3 percent, and India, 6 percent. Furthering that trend, five of the ten fastest growing markets over the next five years will be in the Middle East-North Africa region, with Egypt growing by 5.9 percent annually.

The Asia-Pacific region, which currently accounts for 40 percent of international air cargo traffic, will contribute around 30 percent of the expected total increase in tonnage over the period.

With the continuing shifting of the air cargo industry, costs associated with his mode will likely flutter wildly during the upcoming future. Cost containment is of substantial P&L concern. Consult Data2Logistics on this subject; they can help you manage spend by helping you partner with carriers for shipment schedules and rates that’ll fly with everyone.

Trade Freedom – Europe to Americas, Americas to Europe

The European Parliament has approved a series of free trade pacts with eight LATAM nations: Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, effective 2013. The motivation: that the EU forges stronger links with emerging economies, while their member countries endure economic struggles of their own.

Theses eight nations currently have free trade agreements with the U.S.

If you’re shipping between Europe and LATAM, consider the costs and how best to contain them between regions with widely varying logistics norms. To get a handle on achieving manageable rates from carriers serving these routes between and in-country, consult Data2Logistics. Their place in this world is enhancing transportation operations, helping meet goals for cost reduction and improved oversight. They provide focused resources to support projects relating to pooled purchasing, RFP management, carrier negotiations, TMS software, inbound routing and network analysis, along with a related business intelligence portfolio, informed audit and freight payment services. Their supply chain cost reduction reach provides ability to support all modes of transportation, optimizing logistics operations domestically (wherever’s domestic to you) and everywhere else around the globe.

Better Hurry If You’re Heading to Africa

Africa is one of the top logistics investment opportunities anywhere in the world, according to a new report from the London-based research and consultancy firm Transport Intelligence (Ti). Their rational encompasses the continent’s vast untapped natural resources, along with the foreign direct investment having poured in as Africans’ purchasing power grows. They see many countries in the region, particularly Nigeria, as characterized by a rising middle-class, boosting sales of consumer goods substantially.

If trade is taking you to Africa, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, supply chain cost savings becomes monumental as profit margins are lean. Data2Logistics is poised to help with its Professional Services Group’s offerings to reduce supply chain costs associated with product transportation. These provisions include provide focused business intelligence resources to support functions relating to pooled purchasing, RFP management, carrier negotiations, TMS software, inbound routing, and network analysis, along with informed audit and freight payment services. Data2Logistics has found these areas to be of widespread need throughout the supply chain industry, reducing excess cost associated with organization’s logistics.

Data2Logistics Professional Services Group’s objective is to utilize the company’s business intelligence technology, subject matter expertise and knowledge of the marketplace to enhance transportation operations, improve service and reduce related expenses. They identify opportunities to remove excess cost out of end-to-end supply chains to drive company’s profitability, a primary and prominent position of action of supply chain professionals faced with costs of increasing economic, geopolitical and environmental volatility.

If Three by Air – Cargo Volume Climbing Higher

The worldwide air cargo market will grow 3 percent annually between 2013 and 2016, reaching a global volume of 34.5 million tons, according to the International Air Transport Association, up from the current volume of 29.6 million tons. This constitutes another barometer of growth in uncertain times. Optimistic projections like this have a way of spreading enthusiasm, accompanied by corporate and civic investment.

If air’s a component of your supply chain, Data2Logistics can help you fly-through shipping cost reductions to maximize your internal investment, spanning your transportation operations to help meet your goals for cost reduction and improved oversight. They provide focused resources to support projects relating to pooled purchasing, RFP management, carrier negotiations, TMS software, inbound routing, and network analysis, along with informed audit and freight payment services. Their cost-waste removal reach provides ability to support air and all other modes of transportation, optimizing logistics operations cost domestically and globally.

Flip This – India’s Exporting with Enthusiasm

‘India’s trade deficit widens’ has been the widespread word, with the latest report from India’s Ministry of Commerce Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics. Here’s the story numerically: exports in October totaled $23.2 billion, while imports were $44.2 billion, creating a deficit of $21 billion, a 16 percent increase compared to September’s activities. Annually, the current account deficit is $78.2 billion, or 4.2 percent of gross domestic product, compared with 2011’s $45.9 billion, or 2.7 percent of GDP.

For those outside India, it’s apparent the country’s appetite for internationally-sourced business and consumer goods is booming. The BRIC’s ‘I’ is on-the-grow; their civic aggressiveness for out-of-country capital is fostering its continuation, and the world’s enthusiastically engaging their interest. We’re witnessing an international economic catalyst. Are you participating? Is your supply chain optimized to minimize shipping costs to maximize profits?

Good Economic News from Our Neighborhood, Supply Chain Shipping Strong

Our neighbor Port Everglades experienced its third consecutive year of growth, handling 5.9 million tons of cargo as of September 30^th fiscal 2012 year’s end, a 3 percent increase from fiscal year 2011, marking the third consecutive year of growth in cargo, according to a preliminary report from the South Florida seaport.

Port Everglades moved 923,600 20-foot-equivalent units, a 5 percent increase compared with last year, returning the port to the near record levels experienced in 2008 (985,000 TEUs).

We’ll take all the economic encouragement we can achieve, and believe it’ll continue. As your supply chain further evolves based on your company’s developments and market penetrations, focus on elimination of unnecessary transportation costs due to freight billing errors (they happen; carriers strive for accuracy, but overbillings occur, and Data2Logistics can detect and correct). In addition to optimizing your product’s movement, you’ll benefit your bottom line.

Manufacturing’s New Life Born of Rebirth

The United States is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of remanufactured goods, according to a new report by the U.S. International Trade Commission. Remanufacturing, the process of restoring end-of-life goods to original working condition, is a strengthening trend generating growth throughout domestic manufacturing industries. Creating new life with well-designed and built wares works for all involved; those selling product to remanufacturers, remanufacturers themselves, direct/distributor sales channel providers, end-users, and the supply chains supporting it all. A concept well-worth the marketplace attention it’s garnering; everyone’s economy is enhanced.

As your remanufactured goods are recirculating, consider the transportation cost associated with supply chain movement throughout the factory-to-facility logistics. Data2Logistics can enhance your transportation operations, helping meet your goals for cost reduction and improved oversight. They provide focused resources to support projects relating to pooled purchasing, RFP management, carrier negotiations, TMS software, inbound routing, and network analysis, along with informed audit and freight payment services. Their cost-waste removal reach provides ability to support all modes of transportation, optimizing logistics operations domestically and globally.

Reducing supply chain cost is another remanufactured move you can make to your benefit.

If in England: Manchester Constructing Global Logistics Hub

The Manchester City Council has approved the planning application for the £100 million World Logistics Hub, a 305,000 square meter logistics project set for development in the free-enterprise zone near the Manchester Airport. To comprise small and medium warehouses ranging from 700 to 20,000 square meters in size, the complex will more than triple the area of Manchester Airport’s current World Freight Terminal.

The World Logistics Hub’s site forms part of the £650 million Airport City Manchester plan. This is the focal point of Greater Manchester’s Enterprise Zone, designated by the UK government in 2011 in recognition of its potential to attract investment, create jobs and boost the regional and national economy. With its easy access to the airport apron, rail station and highway network, it will combine with the existing terminal to offer a full range of air-to-road transfer, assembly and processing activities for forwarders and other logistics business.

Airport City Manchester has pledged to deliver up to 500,000 square meters of new business space over the next 10 to 15 years and aims to create a highly connected commercial location, the first of its kind in the UK that will compete for international business against similar airport city projects in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Düsseldorf and Copenhagen.

If you’re shipping to-from the UK, consider cost savings opportunities Data2Logistics provides, to enhance your transportation operations, help meet your goals for cost reduction and improve oversight. Their cost-waste removal reach provides ability to support all modes of transportation, optimizing UK logistics and beyond.

Private Funding Igniting India’s Rail Infrastructure on Supply Chain Demand

To speed freight movements throughout the country, the Indian government approved a proposal to allow private investment for the development of rail-related infrastructure projects. The expansion is expected to lower transportation costs and enhance state-owned Indian Railways’ supply chain accommodations to public and private businesses.

“The policy framework and the private participation models for rail-connectivity and capacity augmentation projects suggested would facilitate speedy execution of rail connectivity projects,” an official government statement relayed. “The policy would provide much-needed impetus to building of critical missing links in railway network and evacuation from ports, mines, big industrial units and plants.”

Indian Railways carried 565.37 million tons of freight traffic during the first seven months of fiscal year 2012-13, up 5 percent compared with the same period last year. This infrastructure move underscores supply addressing demand, benefitting those transporting product into, through and out of India.

Trucking Capacity Tightening – Here Comes Higher Supply Chain Costs

Transportation forecaster FTR Associates reported that shippers should expect to see trucking capacity tightening now at the end of 2012 and throughout 2013, due to increasing freight demand combined with looming regulations restricting driver productivity.

You know how that will translate:  higher prices, fewer options for shippers. Supply chain cost savings become paramount to combat the economic situation. Data2Logistics is poised to help with its Professional Services Group’s offerings to reduce supply chain costs associated with product transportation. These provisions include provide focused business intelligence resources to support functions relating to pooled purchasing, RFP management, carrier negotiations, TMS software, inbound routing, and network analysis, along with informed audit and freight payment services. Data2Logistics has found these areas to be of widespread need throughout the supply chain industry, reducing excess cost associated with organization’s logistics.

Data2Logistics Professional Services Group’s objective is to utilize the company’s business intelligence technology, subject matter expertise and knowledge of the marketplace to enhance transportation operations, improve service and reduce related expenses. They identify opportunities to remove excess cost out of end-to-end supply chains to drive company’s profitability, a primary and prominent position of action of supply chain professionals faced with costs of increasing economic, geopolitical and environmental volatility.

Logistics – A Giant Industry with Even Bigger Career Opportunities

270,200 logistics jobs will be created each year in the U.S. between 2012 and 2018, according to a study by the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics, a division of the state’s economic development department. But vocational schools, colleges and universities are on pace to produce only 75,280 formally trained, degreed or certified workers a year qualified for those jobs, a sizable gap the study indicated.

If you’re currently in the industry and would like additional education and certification, now’s the time to hit the books while you’re working. Contact the schools you’re interested in for class times around your work schedule, and their admission and financial aid offices for available tuition assistance funding for the program that would benefit you.

If you’re outside the industry, come in – appears there will be plenty of room.