The Supply Chain Economy with Fexingo: Logistics, Shipping, and Goods Movement

Lucas and Luna dig into the growing problem of empty miles in US trucking—when trucks drive without a load. They discuss how the trucking recession has worsened the issue, with data showing utilization rates stuck around 70%. The hosts reference recent import and export numbers from March 2026 and explore why the imbalance between inbound and outbound containers forces carriers to run empty. They also examine how smaller carriers are being squeezed, leading to a wave of bankruptcies, and what shippers can do to reduce waste. A specific case study of a Kansas City trucking cooperative using digital freight matching to cut empty miles from 25% to 12% illustrates the potential for improvement across the industry.

#Trucking #EmptyMiles #SupplyChain #Logistics #Freight #Carriers #Shippers #DigitalFreightMatching #UtilizationRates #KansasCityCooperative #TruckingRecession #ContainerImbalance #Imbalance #Exports #Imports #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 22 of The Supply Chain Economy dives into the lingering bottleneck at the Port of Bandar Abbas, Iran's main container gateway, nine months after the conflict ended. Lucas and Luna examine why shipping lines have not resumed calls, how alternative routes via Jebel Ali and Salalah are absorbing the diverted volume, and what the delayed normalization means for oil-tanker availability and container repositioning in the Persian Gulf. With new data showing U.S. imports rising again in April and capacity utilization edging up to 76.1%, the hosts connect the missing Iranian port to broader shifts in trade flows, charter rates, and insurance premiums. A concrete look at one port that refuses to come back online — and why that still matters.

#BandarAbbas #IranWar #ShippingRoutes #PersianGulf #PortBottleneck #ContainerShipping #SupplyChain #TradeFlows #OilTankers #JebelAli #Salalah #Logistics #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #SupplyChainEconomy #PortCongestion #IranSanctions

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Episode 21 of The Supply Chain Economy examines how the Iran war and subsequent Strait of Hormuz disruption have permanently altered global shipping routes. Lucas and Luna discuss the shift away from the Middle East as a major oil transit point, the rise of alternative energy supply chains from the US and Brazil, and the implications for tanker rates, port infrastructure, and maritime insurance. They reference recent export data and industrial production figures to ground the conversation in May 2026 realities. The hosts also explore how shipping companies are repositioning vessels and rerouting cargo, creating new bottlenecks in the Atlantic and Pacific. A must-listen for anyone tracking the long-term effects of geopolitical conflict on goods movement.

#IranWar #StraitOfHormuz #ShippingRoutes #GlobalTrade #OilExports #SupplyChainDisruption #Logistics #MaritimeShipping #TankerRates #EnergySecurity #Geopolitics #Economics #Business #Shipping #Freight #TradeWars #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna examine a surprising bottleneck emerging from the nearshoring boom: the severe shortage of industrial real estate in northern Mexico. With capacity utilization at 76.1% in the U.S. and factory output rising, more manufacturers are moving production across the border. But demand for warehouse and factory space in cities like Monterrey and Ciudad Juárez has driven rents up over 30% year-over-year in 2026. We break down why land is scarce, how infrastructure lags behind corporate commitments, and what this means for the reshoring narrative. A specific look at how one state—Nuevo León—has become the hottest industrial property market in North America.

#Nearshoring #Mexico #IndustrialRealEstate #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #NuevoLeon #Monterrey #Logistics #WarehouseRents #Reshoring #USMCA #TradePolicy #CapacityUtilization #FactoryOutput #CrossBorderTrade #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Trucking rates have been flat or falling for two years, but one hidden cost—empty miles—is quietly stealing billions from owner-operators. Lucas and Luna break down why carriers spend roughly 20% of their miles driving empty, how the 2026 capacity glut makes it worse, and why digital freight-matching hasn't fixed the problem. They cite recent data showing industrial production ticked up while capacity utilisation remains below pre-pandemic norms, meaning more trucks chasing fewer hauls. The episode also touches on how shippers are squeezing contract rates, leaving small fleets with no leverage. A concrete look at an overlooked drain on the supply chain.

#Trucking #EmptyMiles #Freight #OwnerOperators #SupplyChain #Logistics #Diesel #DigitalFreight #CapacityGlut #IndustrialProduction #FreightRates #Carriers #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #SupplyChainEconomy #LucasAndLuna #Fexingo

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Episode 18 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into a hidden squeeze: big buyers like automakers and big-box retailers are stretching payment terms to 90 or even 120 days, while small suppliers face rising borrowing costs. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers—manufacturers' new orders hit $630 billion but trade deficits widened—and explore how factoring, reverse factoring, and fintech platforms are reshaping who gets paid when. With capacity utilisation up to 76.1% but small firms struggling to finance inventory, this episode reveals why the 'payment term gap' is becoming the new bottleneck in American supply chains.

#SupplyChainFinance #PaymentTerms #SmallSuppliers #WorkingCapital #Factoring #ReverseFactoring #Fintech #TradeCredit #Manufacturing #Retail #Automotive #InventoryFinancing #CashFlow #SupplyChain #Economics #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 17 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into an overlooked bottleneck in the goods-movement network: U.S. railroad capacity. Hosts Lucas and Luna explain how a decade of cost-cutting, Precision Scheduled Railroading, and reduced investment have left the Class I railroads with less slack than many shippers realize. They walk through the specific math: train-crew shortages are adding 8 to 12 hours to transit times on key corridors like Chicago to Los Angeles, and car-turn times have lengthened by nearly 20 percent since 2020. The conversation connects this to the broader industrial-production data released this week—factory output is up, but if railroads can't move the goods, the manufacturing recovery hits a speed limit. Lucas points to the tension between the railroads' high operating ratios (below 60 percent for the big four) and the shipper complaints piling up at the Surface Transportation Board. The episode closes on whether the next wave of automation—think autonomous locomotives or digital intermodal platforms—can break the logjam, or whether the industry is headed for a regulatory showdown.

#RailroadCapacity #ClassIRailroads #UnionPacific #BNSF #PrecisionScheduledRailroading #FreightRail #SupplyChain #Logistics #ManufacturingRecovery #IndustrialProduction #SurfaceTransportationBoard #TrainCrewShortage #Intermodal #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #SupplyChainEconomy #GoodsMovement

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Cargo theft has surged 40% year-over-year, with organized rings targeting high-value electronics and pharmaceuticals. Lucas and Luna break down how thieves exploit the same supply chain chokepoints that legitimate businesses navigate — and why the gray market for stolen goods has gone digital. They examine the role of port congestion, the rise of fictitious pickups, and the surprising data point that 62% of thefts involve insiders. A focused look at a multi-billion-dollar leak in the goods movement system.

#CargoTheft #SupplyChainCrime #Logistics #Shipping #Freight #PortSecurity #OrganizedCrime #GrayMarket #Electronics #Pharmaceuticals #InventoryLoss #Trucking #Warehouse #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #SupplyChainEconomy #CargoSecurity

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In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna explore why US retailers are stockpiling inventory at levels not seen since early 2023. With imports running hot and warehouse vacancy near historic lows, the hosts break down the numbers: manufacturers' new orders hit $630 billion in March, up 1.5% from February, while capacity utilization climbed to 76.1%. They discuss the strategic shift from just-in-time to just-in-case, the role of tariffs and port labor uncertainty, and what this means for shipping rates and consumer prices. Tune in for a grounded look at the forces behind the inventory buildup and its ripple effects across the supply chain.

#InventoryHoarding #SupplyChain #Retail #JustInCase #Logistics #Warehousing #Tariffs #PortLabor #ShippingRates #Manufacturing #Imports #CapacityUtilization #IndustrialProduction #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #SupplyChainEconomy #USRetail

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Lucas and Luna break down why warehouse and logistics labor is getting scarce even as industrial output hits records. With factory capacity utilization at 76.1% and industrial production up to 102.5, the bottleneck isn't machines—it's people. Lucas cites a recent survey of 500 logistics managers finding that 68% struggle to fill entry-level warehouse roles, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing warehouse wages have risen 14% year-over-year while retention rates fell. Luna points out that the tight labor market is pushing companies to automate faster, with robotics orders up 22% this year. They discuss how this labor crunch is different from the pandemic-era shortage—structural demographics versus a disruption—and what it means for the cost of everything on a shelf. This episode gives listeners a concrete frame for why their Amazon orders might cost more and why the 'help wanted' sign at the distribution center isn't going away.

#SupplyChain #LaborShortage #WarehouseWorkers #Logistics #IndustrialProduction #CapacityUtilization #BureauOfLaborStatistics #Automation #Robotics #WageGrowth #Retention #Demographics #Amazon #DistributionCenters #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #SupplyChainEconomy

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