Chain Reaction

All things impacting global supply chains this week with Tony Hines

• The Freemantle Highway caught fire and is being towed to safety close to the Dutch coast. It has just under 4,000 cars on board.
• Wilko a 90 year old brand is likely to go into administration. It is a much loved family business with 400 stores and 12,000 employees. It operates in a very competitive market segment and has competition from B&M, Home Bargains and the Range. B&M and the Range have more out of town stores which is convenient for consumers wanting to buy bulky items.
• X marks the spot - the big X had to be removed from Twitters San Francisco HQ because the neighbours complained.
• Hyundai and Kia recall more than 91,000 vehicles in the US
• The Food Farming and Countryside Commission in the UK has started a national conversation about food and food security.
• The Rhine river levels fall causing problems for water transport damaging trade.
• Bank of England raises interest rates 0.25% to 5.25%.
• Heatwaves, droughts and floods in Europe impacting crops and food supplies.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

All about supply chain advantage.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

All things impacting global supply chains this week with Tony Hines:-

• Bank of England continues its fight against inflation - interest rate rise likely.
• Savings rates remain low but why?
• Chip maker demand falls allowing some respite and normality to return.
• Meta losing the thread?
• Gasoline demand peaks in China.
• Special edition coming up on the EV Market.
• Fire onboard a car carrier ship near the Dutch Coast - speculation that it was caused by an EV battery fault.
• Western car manufacturers concerned at the rise of China's EV assault on international markets.
• As BG announced record profits in the UK  consumers suffer cost of living increases. Many commentators think energy markets are broken.
• X marks the spot but neighbours complained and flashing light removed.
• Net Zero targets still a commitment say UK Government as they grant 100 North Sea Oil and Gas licenses.
• Carbon capture sites seen as a way forward.
• BP and Shell reported profits for the quarter.
• Accenture cuts jobs in Ireland.
• Amazon invests $7.2 bn. in Israel.
• Ukraine hoping to send grain via Croatia.
• Walmart takes control at Flipkart India.
• BMW lifts forecasts despite difficult market conditions.
• Toyota doubles profits in the first quarter.
• UPS reaches agreement with the Teamster Union in the US.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

All things impacting global supply chains this week.

• Russia stops grain deal which means no grain will be exported by sea from Ukraine.
• Threats to land between Lithuania and Poland
• Europe's green energy plans under pressure.
• Tessla in the news as US regulator is investigating a crash in Lake Tahoe.
• Tata invests in UK battery plant in Somerset for Jaguar-Landrover.
• Renault and Geely invest £7 billion in engine plant joint venture HQ in the UK.
• CPTPP deal secured by UK Government. The first European Government to join.
• The UK also signed a trade deal with New Zealand.
• Inflation in the UK falls to 7.9 per cent.
• Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) completes a two month investigation into supermarket prices.
• Pfizer plant in Nort Carolina hit by Tornado disrupting supplies.
• Relaunch of the Moskvitch car brand.
• The Conference Board index in the US predicts recession.
• Membership club retailing comes to China.
• Economics of wind turbines change as raw material prices increase.
• Celebrated British poets deemed unsuitable to be Poet Laureate.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

All things impacting global supply chains this week with Tony Hines.

•  The UK economy contracted by 0.1 per cent in May after the coronation of King Charles according to the ONS. The loss of one working day has been put forward as a cause of this result.
• Fresh wave of strikes in the UK in July. Pay offers from government may not be sufficient to stop the action. Inflation and cost of living is adding to the pressures.
• Diversifying energy supplies is putting UK energy security at risk. More investoment in renewables is badly needed.
• Food inflation still at 18.3 per cent in May.
• Returns remain a big problem for retailers.
• Morrisons supermarket is closing its packaging plant in Yorkshire.
• Amazon Prime day sales hits record numbers.
• UPS strike could be very costly for the company.
• Maersk opens new automated facility in the East Midlands, UK 680,000 sq ft facility to improve customer service.
• Thames Water still in the news but what are the long term solutions to water supply?

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

Trailer featuring Jenny.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

What if the vehicle you're driving has a hidden danger that could put your life at risk? Discover why car recalls are more important than ever as we dive into the world of automotive safety. In this special episode, we discuss the recent Ford Motor Company recall of 125,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks due to potential engine failures and fires. We also explore the increased complexity of hybrid and electric vehicles and how this might lead to more recalls in the future. Furthermore, we touch on the role of regulatory agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Driver Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) in protecting consumers and providing information about recalls.

But wait, there's more! We tackle the controversial topic of Tesla's autopilot system and the ongoing investigations surrounding the safety of such autonomous driving features. With insights into the various levels of vehicle autonomy and the potential risks involved, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of automotive safety. Finally, we share some shocking facts about the largest and most complex safety recall in US history involving Takata airbags, which resulted in millions of vehicles being recalled due to potentially explosive airbags. Don't miss this eye-opening and informative discussion on product safety in the automotive industry!

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

All things impacting global supply chains this week.
In the news this week:

• Thames water gets a fine of £3 million for allowing raw suage to enter the river near Gatwick Airport. Taxpayers and Billpayers will pick up the tab eventually. I suspect more utility companies will be in the news for similar reasons in the near future.
• Mercedes Benz agrees to share Tesla super chargers in North America.
• Janet Yellen US Treasury Secretary visited China this week we report waht happened and what to expect next. China and the US are the world's two largest economies and they have been in trade disputes for some time.
• President Joe Biden will probably meet Xi in the autumn. The President this week reminded China that their economy relies on US and European investment.
• Crocs and Joybees lock horns over clogs. It is all about intelelctual property rights and market share.
• The International Maritime Organization reached agreement to revise their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) strategy. Shipping produces about 3 per cent of the total world carbon emissions.
• Meta took on Twitter this week and signed up 30 million in side two days to its new Threads platform.
• Wages and employment statistics show that it is not as easy as it was to get a pay rise by simply changing jobs.
• Chinese regulators want to avoid abnormal pricing in the car market in China.
• Tesla lifted its own sales outputs recently by discounting prices.
• Germany's output falls and the outlook is not as good as expected.
• Teamsters union and UPS still in dispute. Will this be costly for UPS? Will competitors be the winners?
• Shell is the world's largest LNG trader. Wholesale prices are volatile. Shell's CEO also confirmed a commitment to fossil fuel in the next few decades.
• Oil price rises because of interest rate rises.
• Tesla is laying off workers in China.
• Jack Ma founder of Ali Baba and Ant ,faces fines along with others in the Chinese Tech markets.
• The last Ford Fiesta roles of the production line this week. It was Britain;s favourite car for many years.
• Wine makers in the Napa Valley brush up their fire fighting skills. Grape crops have been severely impacted during the past few years.

Well that's it for this week.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

Tony Hines talks about all things impacting global supply chains this week.

• Strange times in Russia
• Fossil fuel still supplies eighty per cent of energy so can climate change targets be realized by the target dates?
• Have you heard of de minimis?  Well it creates competitive advantage for some, find out more.
• Shell is still buying Russian LNG despite committing to not doing so.
• Will hydrogen strategies be needed?
• Limits placed on Tweets - is rationing necessary?
• French riots bring Paris to chaos.
• Gun crime still a problem in the US
• New Zealand Prime Minister visits China to talk trade.
• China limits exports of critical metals needed for semi-conductors.
• The PMI in the US is down to 46 as factory gate prices fall.
• Inflationary pressures are causing painful increases in interest rates by the US Federal reserve as it tackles inflation. Will it lead to recession?
• Rising inventories are problematic as demand falls.
• Water supply in the UK is increasingly problematic. This week Thames Water revealed significant debts as it also receives criticisms on performance. Waste material is polluting  rivers and there appears to be no solution to the problems they face.
• Have you heard of the Philips curve? 
• Well Inflation hits borrowers through increases in interest rates. 

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...

Tony Hines explains why last mile delivery has become such a hot topic to achieve a competitive advantage.

Last mile logistics refers to the final stage in the delivery process. It's the final step in the  chain where the goods or the services move from the hub or a warehouse facility to the end user which maybe a customer or a consumer, So it could be a business to business transaction or it could be a retail transaction direct to consumer. Potentially it's the most critical stage of the process. It's the stage by which customers and consumers judge customer service experience. It can be expensive, it can be complex, and the last mile might be just a few blocks away, or it could be 50 or 100 miles, depending on the location of the customer. It's simply a term for the final stage in any delivery process moving from the point of the final hub depot. through to the customer. 

The focus of course from the supply chain point of view, those operating the logistics for the last mile is to deliver items to the end user as quickly as possible without delay at the lowest possible cost The boastful Amazon promise, if you're a prime customer, they'll get something to you. If you order in the morning, they promise to get it to you by the evening. Next day, delivery services have become a standard, particularly for non food items and next hour delivery is now being trialled in a number of places. The growth of the Internet and online shopping has, of course, forced dramatic change in this part of the supply chain system. 

Parcel deliveries now have to be extremely efficient. Back in 2017 pre pandemic there were some 3.2 billion parcels shipped in the United Kingdom alone, and an 8.2% year on year increase. This shows a rise of around 65% since 2012. As I said, the last mile logistics can be very complex and they can be costly. Customers now demand more timely deliveries and they want the goods almost as soon as they've purchased them. 

They want to know that they're on the way and they want to know that they're going to come in good time. The problem of course is traffic congestion, which has increased consistently year on year and it has both negative impacts on the economy, the environment and of course people's health and well-being. 

There are more rural delivery vans on the road and delivery motorcycles on the road than ever before, and they all lead to pollution. As demand for goods has increased, so too has demand for end to end, supply chain solutions. In the business to business situation, the sooner goods get delivered, the quicker the payments are made and the quicker profits arrive. Quick supply is very important in this part of the industry. 

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. ...