Supply Chain Research

Supply Chain Edge: Athleisure close to achieving balance

June 2, 2023

Athleisure is typical of the apparel industry in still trying to achieve balance between inventory and sales, but Lululemon appears to have found a successful formula as supply chains normalize. The personal computer sector is stuck in a period of inventory normalization in the face of sliding... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Consumer slowdown is slowing down

May 15, 2023

US seaborne imports of containerized freight fell for the ninth straight month in April, led by a 24% slide in consumer goods shipments. However, the rate of decline is slowing. Destocking, which may have gone too far for some apparel firms, and slower sales are likely drivers. Seasonal patter... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: A light in the semiconductor tunnel

May 5, 2023

Demand for semiconductors remains depressed while a recovery will take until later in the year, based on a review of the forward-looking comments from eight firms including Apple Inc. The latter’s supply chain remains in flux, with one supplier leaving India and another setting up in Vietnam. ... Read more →

2023-04-28-sce-china-memory-chips-600x393

Supply Chain Edge: Mighty microchip buyers

April 28, 2023

The US has stated that semiconductor export rules “aren’t designed to hurt China” amid a potential tightening of memory chip flows. Yet, mainland China is already one of the largest buyers in the world, with 43% of imports in 2022, and is rapidly expanding its exports in a consolidating market... Read more →

2023-04-21-sce-thai-tech-exports-600x405

Supply Chain Edge: The new Vietnam

April 21, 2023

Thailand might be the next computer supply chain hub, although there will be a fight to displace mainland China as the main exporter and beat Mexico and Vietnam as rapidly expanding centers. We published new research this week looking at downturn-era supply chain strategies among the global to... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Slower, steadier and smoother

April 14, 2023

Evidence from US seaborne imports shows that supply chain activity continues to slow, further reducing pressure on supply chains. US containerized imports fell by nearly a quarter in March versus a year earlier, led by consumer durable goods. The S&P Global PMI for manufacturing supplier deliv... Read more →

2023-04-uk-cptpp-singapore-leads-uk-cptpp-exports-600x427

The new Pacific island: UK supply chains access CPTPP trade deal

April 14, 2023

The UK’s membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade group brings new supply chain opportunities. They should not be overstated: the UK already has trade deals of varying sorts with all CPTPP members except Malaysia and Brunei. Export o... Read more →

2023-03-31-sce-athleisure-airfreight-600x399

Supply Chain Edge: Athleisure swims after flying

March 31, 2023

Athleisure apparel supply chains are changing rapidly, both in terms of tactical measures, such as the use of air freight discussed by Lululemon, and strategic decisions regarding regional sourcing. Apparel supply chains are in flux more broadly, with new subsidies from the government of India... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Smoothed chains, popped stocks

March 24, 2023

Our second-quarter 2023 outlook report finds that 2023 is proving to be a year of normalization for supply chains, but we are not quite there yet and significant corporate strategy (inventory and reshoring) and government policy uncertainties will take at least the rest of the year to play out... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Furniture flattened, apparel folded

March 17, 2023

Supply chain activity and retail sales data indicate that the furniture and apparel sectors are in a state of decline, dragging total US seaborne imports down 20% year over year in February. Evidence from memory-chip makers indicates that the tech sector is still in a downturn, although a head... Read more →

Supply Chain Research

Showing research about Cons. Discr. - Durables