In the latest episode of "The Freight Caviar Podcast", we sit down with Desmond Clark, President of Bear Down Logistics. He shares insights on maximizing productivity, and the importance of quality over quantity.
Containerized imports from Asia see major shifts. Plastics, semiconductors, and machinery lead the pack. Supply chain expert explains what's driving the change.
Big changes in what's coming to the U.S. in containers. Jason Miller, a supply chain professor at Michigan State University, crunched the numbers. Here's what's hot:
Top 5 Import Increases (Jan-May 2024 vs. 2023):
Image Source:
Plastics Products: Up 607,533 metric tons
Semiconductors & Electronic Components: Up 191,761 metric tons
Basic Chemicals: Up 396,377 metric tons
Other General Purpose Machinery: Up 301,354 metric tons
Electrical Equipment & Components: Up 64,408 metric tons
What's driving this?
Plastics:
China's the big player here
They've got too much capacity
So they're pushing exports hard
Semiconductors:
Lots of solar cells coming in
Machinery:
Prices are up 33% since COVID
U.S. factories can't keep up
Buyers looking overseas
Electrical Equipment:
EV batteries are a big part of this
Why it matters:
Shows shifts in global trade
Hints at U.S. manufacturing challenges
Could impact shipping rates and port congestion
Lisa Ellram, a supply chain professor, warns about the environmental cost of more plastics.
Jason Busch, a tech and data expert, says there's "gold in trade data" for startups.
Hi! I'm Adriana and I've been working for FreightCaviar as Head Writer for a little over a year now. Some of my favorite topics to cover are FreightTech, Green Freight, and nearshoring/reshoring.
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