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Breaking news and big moves dominate this week's supply chain saga. We're kicking things off with a nod to two Intelligent Audit leaders breaking glass ceilings with their 2024 Women in Supply Chain Awards before plunging into the industry's latest plot twists. USPS is stirring the pot as it ends its discounts for package consolidators while UPS quietly expands its European cold-chain empire. All the while, ocean carriers play musical chairs with contracts, and the White House is aiming to stop Temu and Shein's duty-free party. Consumer optimism might be ticking up, but don't be fooled — we've got our eyes on the brewing storm as dock workers flex their strike muscles coast to coast. It's a week of power moves, plot twists, and potential chaos — and you've got a front-row seat to the action.
We at Intelligent Audit are proud to announce that Megan Bishop and Tammy Tippins have snagged Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s prestigious Women in Supply Chain 2024 award. These leaders at Intelligent Audit are getting some much-deserved recognition, and we’re over the moon for them.
Megan Bishop, our VP of Client Success, has been a real force in supply chain management for the past decade. Her passion and leadership have brought Intelligent Audit to new heights, making us a go-to name for freight audit and payment solutions. Thanks to Megan’s vision, our global teams have reached milestones we never thought possible.
Tammy Tippins, our Director of Professional Services, brings two decades of experience in transportation and supply chain logistics. Before joining Intelligent Audit, she led transportation procurement at a Fortune 500 company, where she became a trusted advisor. Now, Tammy’s strategic insights continue to impress our clients as she helps them tackle even the toughest transportation challenges with ease and creativity.
Heads up, shippers: USPS is ending those sweet discounts for packages dropped at local post offices through DHL and UPS. Online shopping has gone wild, USPS is drowning in parcels, and they had to do something — the old system wasn't cutting it anymore.
Get ready for your shipping expenses to increase. Without these USPS discounts, you'll probably pay more for each package you send out. That carefully planned shipping budget? You might need to redo it from scratch, as your whole shipping setup is vulnerable to the change. Packages might take longer to arrive, and your customers might not be so thrilled about it. Now’s the time to explore other options, like diversifying your carrier mix or negotiating directly with USPS. With the busy holiday season coming up, don’t wait too long to adjust. If you plan smart, you might still find ways to save despite these changes.
It's not just small businesses feeling the pinch. The big shipping companies that used these discounts, like DHL and UPS, are also in a tough spot. They're trying to figure out how to keep their prices low enough for customers while still making money. So, we could see these companies change their services or develop new ways to ship packages. Either way, whatever they do, it'll likely hit your wallet. So keep your eyes peeled — when these giants make a move, your shipping costs could go for a ride.
We now turn our focus to UPS, but for a different reason. They’re making serious moves in the European healthcare logistics game after announcing plans to acquire Frigo-Trans, a German cold-chain company specializing in medical supplies.
UPS is grabbing a golden ticket to Europe's specialized medical transport world, a lucrative and in-demand market. By teaming up with Frigo-Trans, UPS is getting the tools it needs — like temperature-controlled warehouses and trucks — to handle sensitive medicines and biotech products with ease. This deal puts UPS in a prime spot to move some of the most valuable healthcare products across Europe without breaking a sweat (or the cold chain).
The Frigo-Trans deal comes with a bonus — UPS is also scooping up BPL, Frigo-Trans' sister company. While details are slim, this two-for-one special suggests UPS is thinking big picture. They're not just after Frigo-Trans' cold trucks and fancy fridges. UPS wants the whole package — the expertise, the connections, and the reputation that comes with being a trusted name in European healthcare logistics. When the deal wraps up in early 2025, UPS will have leveled up its game in a market that's only getting hotter as medical tech advances and the need for precise, temperature-controlled shipping grows.
Picture this: You're an ocean carrier, watching shipping rates bounce around like a rubber ball. What do you do? Many in the trans-Pacific shipping world are approaching some non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOs) with an unexpected offer: renegotiate their 2024-25 fixed-rate contracts before they expire.
Let’s look back at July to add more substance and context to this negotiation offer. Back then, you’d fork over $8,133 to ship a forty-foot container from Asia to the West Coast. Fast forward a few months, and suddenly that same trip costs just $4,500. The East Coast? Even crazier. Rates there hit a jaw-dropping $10,133 before plunging to $5,600.
Here's the deal carriers pitch to NVOs: Current rates are between $1,600 and $2,000 per FEU. Carriers say, "Hey, pay us an extra $1,000 per FEU, and we'll lock in your rate until April 30, 2025." Worth it? Well, remember when freight-all-kinds rates shot past $6,000 per FEU in June? Suddenly, that extra grand doesn't look so bad. But there's always a catch — if rates keep tumbling, NVOs could end up overpaying. NVOs must decide: Play it safe with a locked-in rate, or roll the dice on where prices might land next; a classic logistics industry gamble.
The White House just threw a wrench in the gears of Chinese e-commerce giants. The Biden administration announced plans to restrict a trade provision that companies like Temu and Shein have used to ship products to American consumers on the cheap. It's a move that could reshape how consumers shop online and reignite debates about fair trade.
For years, a little-known trade rule let packages valued under $800 enter the U.S. duty-free and with minimal scrutiny. Originally meant for vacation souvenirs, this "de minimis" exemption became a goldmine for Chinese e-commerce platforms. They flooded the U.S. market with over 1 billion low-cost packages annually, sidestepping tariffs and safety checks.
The tide turned as both Democrats and Republicans raised alarms about the exemption's misuse. U.S. textile makers blame the provision for 14 plant closures in recent months, and law enforcement points to increased fentanyl smuggling. Now, Biden's team aims to block 70% of Chinese textile and apparel shipments from using the exemption, forcing closer inspection. It's a rare moment of agreement in Washington, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle calling for even stronger measures.
Americans generally feel a bit better about the economy, but they're not breaking out the champagne just yet. The latest consumer sentiment index climbed to 69.0 in September, marking a four-month high. Yet, while this uptick offers a glimmer of hope, economic worries still linger in many people's minds.
There's good news on the inflation front. Americans now predict inflation will dip to 2.7% over the next year — the lowest forecast since late 2020 and the fourth consecutive month of declining inflation expectations. Clearly, we feel some relief from sky-high prices, and the worst might be behind us. Those days of inflation hitting an eye-popping 40-year high of 9.1% in mid-2022 feel like a distant memory.
While inflation worries are easing, many Americans seem to have a "wait-and-see" approach before fully embracing economic optimism. Though improved, the current reading of 69.0 pales compared to the post-pandemic high of 88.3 in 2021. Joanne Hsu, director of the consumer sentiment index, points out that "consumers remain guarded” due to looming election uncertainty. Adding further context to this view is how Americans view both the present and future economic landscape. The gauge measuring current economic conditions sits at 62.9, well below its recent peak of 82.5 just 18 months ago. Meanwhile, the six-month outlook barely budged, inching up to 73.0 from 72.1 last month.
Dockworkers on the East Coast are gearing up for a showdown that could rock the entire U.S. shipping industry. As contract talks hit a wall and a strike deadline approaches, everyone's asking: Will this powder keg of labor unrest light a fire under West Coast ports too?
45,000 dockworkers from Maine to Houston are locked in a heated contract battle. The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) demands better wages and benefits while pushing back against automation. Employers claim they've made good-faith offers, but the union isn't budging. With no talks scheduled, tensions are running high at 36 major ports.
The plot thickened when the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) voiced support for their East Coast counterparts. ILWU President Willie Adams pledged solidarity, vowing to fight automation and substandard deals. While a sympathy strike seems unlikely due to existing West Coast contracts, even a brief work stoppage could cause major disruptions. The possibility of diverted cargo adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation.
Time to put another week of logistics insights in the rearview mirror. But before you go, here's a quick peek at how Intelligent Audit is reshaping the industry, one solution at a time:
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