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Semiconductor Memory Market to Have a Promising Future Ahead

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Semiconductor Memory Market to Have a Promising Future Ahead

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The semiconductor memory market will witness considerable expansion driven by the higher adoption of memory and storage components in moveable medical devices and healthcare equipment. These intelligent point-of-care devices include glucose, heart rate, continuous temperature, and pulse oximeter monitors and are used to store real-time diagnostic data, which can be later easily derived from the semiconductor memory. This information not only assists in analyzing the disease source but also renders early treatment and diagnosis of the targeted diseases.

On this note, it has been reported that the global semiconductor memory market size will reach over USD 180 billion in annual remuneration by 2027.

Below are the key trends likely to influence the industry expansion

Rising preference for MRAM semiconductor memories

Magneto-resistive Random-access Memory (MRAM) semiconductor memory industry is pegged to see a CAGR of nearly 15% in the analysis timeframe. This is mainly ascribing to the non-volatility, low power consumption, higher durability, faster read/write cycles, and enhanced data storage capacities for extended durations of the MRAM devices. This has pushed leading business participants to come up with MRAM chipsets for use in consumer electronics applications. To quote an instance, Samsung Electronics, in March 2019, launched the eMRAM, deployed with 28FDS process technology to offer higher performance and endurance in applications of embedded systems.

Expanding industrial application scope

Demand for semiconductor memories in industrial applications accounted for around 10% of the overall market share in 2020. This is owing to the incessant requirement for semiconductor memory chipsets across numerous industrial components. The rise in the number of smart factories in South Korea, Germany, China, and the U.S. has bolstered the adoption of IIoT devices, robotics, and automation equipment. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the number of registered smart factories in Korea reached 19,799 in 2020. This penetration will add a positive edge to the intake of semiconductor memory solutions in the industrial sector.

Europe to emerge as a key producer

The semiconductor memory industry share in Europe is poised to expand at a 5% CAGR up to 2027 driven by the increased automotive production and the prominent presence of leading automotive OEMs in the region. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association estimated that Europe produced close to 15.8 million passenger vehicles in FY2019, accounting for nearly 21% of the total passenger vehicle production in the world.

Furthermore, semiconductor memories are widely integrated with in-vehicle communications, instrument clusters, navigation systems, telematics, among several other automotive electronics. This has paved the path for advanced automotive safety systems, including self-driving cars in the region.

Competitive business initiatives

Suppliers of different semiconductor memory types are working towards inorganic marketing strategies, like mergers and acquisitions to gain competitive advantages. For instance, SK Hynix, Inc., in October 2020, struck an acquisition deal with Intel Corporation to obtain its NAND memory and storage business for USD 9 billion. This acquisition is inclusive of Intel’s NAND component and wafer business as well as the Dalian NAND memory production facility from NAND SSD business Intel, which is in China.

Impact of COVID-19 crisis

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic tremendously affected the growth of the semiconductor memory market particularly in the first two quarters of 2020 owing to the imposition of severe nationwide lockdowns by several governments. This made way for supply chain disruptions as well as international trade barriers with regard to raw materials and components. However, the emergence of the work-from-home policies supported the demand for semiconductor memories amidst the pandemic given the growing sales of consumer electronic devices, like tablets, laptops, and smartphones.

Rising advancements in medical science and equipment have given rise to multiple opportunities for semiconductor memory manufacturers in integrating AI and IoT technologies. There is also an escalating need for telematics, in-vehicle infotainment systems, instrument clusters, and ADAS solutions in advanced automotive and connected cars. The increasing developments in Flash memory, such as 3D NAND Flash drives to enhance the transmission speed while reducing latency will further complement the industry expansion.

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TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO MEET MODERN CHALLENGES: PART II

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For part two of our tech-focused feature, Global Trade identified industry players who confronted challenges with the help of technological partners. Our case studies are arranged by the categories Global Trade covers on the regular, from 3PLs and e-commerce to intermodal and air cargo logistics.

Please be aware that each category could have had many multiple case studies. Therefore, we do not want to leave the impression that only the best of the best are represented. We felt it better to spread the coverage around to different types of tech challenges and solutions. Do you have your own special story that could have been reported here? Please continue sharing it with us. Read part one here.

EDUCATION

Institution: Humber College of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Challenge: Preparing students for Industry 4.0  

Problem Solver: SEW-Eurodrive Canada of Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Solution: Industry 4.0 Laboratory

SEW-Eurodrive, which specializes in geared motors, frequency inverters, controls and software to individual drive solutions, has been headquartered in Bruchsal, Germany, since its founding in 1931 as Süddeutsche Elektromotorenwerke (SEW).

However, the company’s facilities around the world include the North American corporate offices, SEW-Eurodrive Inc. in Lyman, South Carolina, and SEW-Eurodrive Canada that is about a half hour from Toronto.

Humber College and SEW-Eurodrive are now at about the mid-point of a five-year partnership to prepare students for Industry 4.0 technologies, a critical aspect of advanced manufacturing, with training, applied research and future career opportunities. The centerpiece of the partnership with the college is the SEW-Eurodrive’s first-ever Industry 4.0 laboratory in North America. Focused on automated guided vehicles (AGVs), mobile worker assistants and connected automation equipment, the SEW-Eurodrive Industry 4.0 Live Laboratory is in Humber’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation.

The lab opened in 2018 after a $4 million+ investment in SEW-Eurodrive technology, $125,000 to establish new scholarships and a commitment to have students intern at the company’s Canadian locations and be considered for permanent employment at those facilities after graduation. 

“At SEW-Eurodrive, we see great value in investing in Humber students,” says Anthony Peluso, SEW-Eurodrive Canada’s chief operating officer, “and providing the opportunity for students to develop the skills and gain the practical experience that today’s employers demand.”

INTERMODAL

Company: The Jaeger Bernburg Group of Bernburg, Germany

Challenge: Digitize its rail transport division fleet  

Problem Solver: Nexxiot AG of Zurich, Switzerland

Solution: IoT technology 

Jaeger Bernburg is actually a group of medium-sized companies that offers a wide range of different services in the construction industry, with a focus on transport infrastructure and civil engineering. They are primarily active in railroad construction and managing a large number of vehicles adapted to deliver related services.

“Our company is pursuing an ambitious digitalization strategy,” explains Christian Koch, Jaeger Bernburg’s local operations manager. “To achieve this, it was important for us to rely on a system that is maintenance-free as well as one that enables precise monitoring of the mileage of our fleet.”

The collaboration with Nexxiot, which began in April 2020, has relied on equipping the rolling assets with IoT technology to make the monitoring of mileage and other real-time data communication possible. The entire Jaeger Bernburg fleet is now equipped with Nexxiot sensor gateways called Globehoppers.

“The technology enables us to ensure that our vehicles are maintained in accordance with European regulations and that we always have an overview of the operating performance,” Koch says. “This allows us to optimize our processes and automate the collection and evaluation of data.

“We can deliver our vehicles to construction sites more efficiently because we know where they are at all times. This prevents unnecessary shunting and saves CO2 emissions. We also improved our support for our own employees, especially with regards to their working processes. We now provide them with critical information for improved transparency and fact-based decision-making in real time.”

Nexxiot, which was founded in 2015, now operates more than 122,000 Globehoppers globally, with connected assets having traveled a combined total of more than 2.5 billion miles. 

“Our goal is to achieve a five percent reduction in total global cargo CO2 emissions by shifting freight traffic from road to rail and optimizing routes,” says Nexxiot CEO Stefan Kalmund. “Enabled by our technology, every mile saved contributes towards this goal.” 

LAST-MILE

Company: Walmart of Bentonville, Arkansas

Challenge: Expand and improve deliveries between distribution centers and customers

Problem Solver: Flytrex of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Solution: Drones

Two years after announcing a pilot-less program (get it?) focused on food delivery from a distribution center to a recreational area in North Carolina, Walmart recently revealed an expansion of drones over the Tar Heel State.

Flytrex drones had been soaring along fixed routes over unpopulated areas, but the Israeli company and the giant retailer recently received a Federal Aviation Administration permit to deliver to homes. The service is mainly for detached, single-family homes with front and back yards and within 3.5 miles of the Walmart distribution center in Fayetteville. 

Causey Aviation Unmanned actually operates the 6.6-pound drones that were manufactured by Flytrex and will hover about 65 feet up in the air before lowering to the ground with a tethered device.

When it comes to incorporating technology into the business, Walmart Senior VP, Customer Product, Tom Ward repeats the words of founder Sam Walton, who went to that Big Greeter Stand in the Sky in 1992: “I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they’ve been.” 

Ward claims, “It remains a guiding principle at Walmart to this day. From being an early pioneer of universal bar codes and electronic scanning cash registers to our work on autonomous vehicle delivery, we’re working to understand how these technologies can impact the future of our business and help us better serve our customers.”

Of course, Walmart is not alone in last-mile air space. Kroger has a drone delivery program flying the friendly skies of Centerville, Ohio, UPS has been making unmanned commercial flight deliveries for more than a year, and Amazon has famously been running pilotless pilot programs around the globe for some time. 

Despite the near space race, Ward urges caution. “We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone,” he says. “That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but we’re at a point where we’re learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers’ lives easier.”

Somewhere, Sam Walton is smiling.

“At the end of the day,” Ward says, “it’s learnings from pilots such as this that will help shape the potential of drone delivery on a larger scale and, true to the vision of our founder, take Walmart beyond where we’ve been.”

MANUFACTURING

Company: Whirlpool Corp. of Benton Harbor, Michigan

Challenge: Overcoming a skilled labor shortage  

Problem Solver: Seegrid, Corp. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Solution: Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)

A Whirlpool manufacturing plant can crank out a new washing machine every 10 seconds. That can present challenges as humans, product materials and automation don’t always get along well with one another. Think heavy machinery whirring, forklifts whizzing by and, oh yeah, a global pandemic racing through your workforce.

Whirlpool managed to better the situation with the introduction years ago of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which replaced the repetitive movement of items by workers from point A to point B. There are, however, drawbacks with AGVs: they possess minimal on-board intelligence and can only obey simple programming instructions. They are guided by wires, magnetic strips or sensors, which typically require extensive (and expensive) facility upgrades. While they can detect obstacles in front of them on their fixed routes, they cannot navigate around these obstacles, even if that obstacle is living and breathing. 

Though AGVs do what people did before them, manufacturing plants still require humans . . . from a labor pool that seems to be getting smaller and smaller. Hoping to get ahead of that challenge, Whirlpool set the spin cycle for “Seegrid,” which specializes in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that navigate via maps that their software constructs on-site or via pre-loaded facility drawings. 

The AMRs also utilize data from built-in sensors, cameras and laser scanners to detect their surroundings and chose the most efficient route to their destination. Working completely autonomously, an AMR will safely maneuver around forklifts, pallets and ol’ “Sleepy” Pete, choosing the best alternative route to avoid any obstacles. This optimizes productivity by ensuring that material flow stays on schedule.

“We see Seegrid as the evolution in AGVs,” says Jim Keppler, vice president, Integrated Supply Chain for Whirlpool’s North America region. Facilities under Keppler’s watch include a Clive, Iowa, manufacturing plant that now has more than 50 Seegrid units operating during three work shifts. The AMRs have created welcome changes for Clive’s 150 employees.

“For any manufacturer in the United States, there is an overall labor shortage, especially for skilled positions,” Keppler explains. “We have been able to take employees in our facilities that were doing more mundane work and move them to more value-added positions and let the Seegrids do the work.”

With Seegrids, whose technology is protected by more than 100 patents, intellectual property and proprietary know-how, Whirlpool has greatly reduced absenteeism, turnover and occupational injuries while increasing reliability, Keppler says.

“One of the key features of Seegrid is the configurability of the units,” the veep notes. “On one of my visits to Clive last year, they actually had me program one of the Seegrid units. And it’s so easy, even a guy like me can do it.”

Sustainability
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Tackling the Hottest Topic in Packaging – Sustainability

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Almost every product needs a package. Whether that be a toilet shipping through UPS or a windshield shipping FTL into a vehicle assembly line. The world of packaging is full of trends, hot topics, and buzz words. One that has been a hot topic for the last 10 years is sustainability.

This article is going to look at the three pillars of package sustainability: Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. Let’s look at these three words through the BoldtSmith Packaging lens which focuses on creating optimized packaging solutions that lead to sustainable packaging practices.

Sustainability – Optimized Packaging

When seeking a sustainable packaging solution, it’s important to determine which R is applicable to your packaging goals.

Some products and supply chains are a great fit for recyclable/compostable materials. However, for those that are not, we focus on providing optimized packaging solutions that reduce the carbon footprint. This is where Reduce and Reuse come into play. Optimized packaging solutions lead to sustainable packaging practices because:

-Material: Selecting the best materials results in less material

-Freight: Eliminating air from master cartons leads to better freight efficiency which means less fuel burned

Is sustainability more than just a “feel good” marketing term that large corporations like proudly displaying on their websites and packaging? Keep reading and let’s find out.

Below are descriptions for what each of the three R’s are along with examples from projects we have completed in the past.

Optimized Packaging – Reduce

Reducing packaging materials has been a fundamental pillar in cost reduction. Reducing packaging materials also ties into package sustainability as this reduces the amount of trash being thrown away. This is relevant to all packaging materials whether that be corrugated, foam, aluminum, glass, etc. Eliminating materials that cannot be recycled is not always possible and open-loop supply chains will not allow for a returnable packaging system. This is where BoldtSmith Packaging looks to create optimized packaging designs that reduce the amount of materials used.

Read the below example on how we reduced the level of product damage while in parallel decreasing the amount of packaging material, costs, and freight.

Optimized Packaging Example – Reduce

A customer we have completed multiple projects for was having damage issues with their toilet’s shipping through a small parcel supply chain direct to consumer. They engaged us to develop a packaging solution that would reduce their damage from 12% to less than 1% while in parallel reducing material and freight costs.

Below is an overview of their current packaging vs our optimized solution.

Current Packaging

-Packaging Material Cost: $16.90 per unit

-Packaging Freight Cost: $383.76 via UPS Ground

-Annual Volume: 10,000 units

-Total Annual Cost: $4,006,000

-Damaged Units Annually: 1,200

Design #1: Non-Recyclable Packaging Solution

-Packaging Material Cost: $12.90 per unit

-Packaging Freight Cost: $310.08 via UPS Ground

-Annual Volume: 10,000 units

-Total Annual Cost: $3,222,800

–Damaged Units Annually: 100

Cost Difference Annually: $783,200; Damage Difference Annually: 1,100 units

For this example, we designed an optimized packaging solution that dropped their damage rate by less than 1% while in parallel saving them just under $800,000 annually in packaging material and freight costs.

Sustainability variables to consider:

1. Elimination of 1,100 damaged units annually

-Repairs and adjustments

-Return shipment and reverse logistics

-Expedited shipments costs for new product

-New packaging for new product

2. Smaller master carton and interior dunnage reducing the amount of packaging material needed

3. Smaller master carton meaning less space taken up during shipping reducing carbon emissions

Optimized Packaging – Reuse

Closed-loop supply chains offer a great opportunity for utilizing a reusable packaging solution. A common scenario of reusable packaging solutions is manufacturing companies receiving sub-assembly components from a local company.

Common reusable packaging solutions can include:

-Plastic or heavy-duty wood pallets

-Plastic or wooden crates

-Bulk containers such as drums, and IBC’s

-Plastic totes and boxes

-Dunnage

Optimized Packaging Example – Reuse

A large door and window manufacturer reached out to BoldtSmith Packaging looking for us to optimize their packaging for all the inbound components they use to build the doors and windows. This included frames, glass, locks, jambs, etc. They receive these components from domestic manufacturing companies. Steps of the project are outlined below along with the findings.

1. Visit the assembly facility to review all packaging material and processes associated with unloading, handling, and storing the components.

2. Brainstorm potential packaging solutions and develop 3D concepts with budgetary pricing

3. Present concepts to our customer and all component suppliers

4. Create packaging designs and specifications and send for pricing from packaging suppliers

5. Create financial analysis comparing current packaging to returnable solutions

6. Create packaging samples for line trials, lab tests and ship tests

7. Adjust design based on testing findings

8. Implement!

At the end of the project, it was determined that 10 of the 12 component suppliers would be transitioned into a returnable packaging solution. This transition saved the customer costs associated with the packaging materials and labor efficiencies were gained while in parallel eliminating expendable packaging solutions from the supply chain.

Optimized Packaging – Recycle

Utilizing recyclable packaging materials is great and we love presenting recyclable packaging options to our customers. Recycling plays a crucial role in minimizing waste and preserving the natural resources of the earth. They are a great fit depending on the product, supply chain, customer base, and most importantly, budget. When outlining our projects, we like to obtain the customer’s goals of the project and so often are we given the below objectives ranked by priority.

-Decrease packaging material costs

-Decrease freight costs

-Decrease labor costs

-Decrease product damage

– “Oh and make it recyclable”

Transitioning from non-recyclable packaging materials that are effective and cheap to 100% recyclable materials can be a cost-effective change depending on the product and packaging. However, there are situations where these recyclable materials are not a great fit. This can be based on who the customer base is, the product type, the supply chain, budget for packaging, etc.

Optimized Packaging Example – Recycle

A large knockdown furniture company reached out to BoldtSmith Packaging looking to transition away from non-recyclable foam in their products. The furniture items are manufactured domestically and ship through both small parcel and palletized supply chains.

We developed packaging designs with and without non-recyclable foam, completed transit testing and created a financial analysis comparing the various solutions. What we determined is that for small parcel shipping, we were not able to cost-effectively transition away from foam. However, we were able to utilize 100% recycled materials for their palletized furniture products.

This was a great balance between remaining cost-effective while exploring sustainable packaging materials. Click the below link to learn more about optimizing furniture packaging.

Contact BoldtSmith Packaging to discuss what we can do for you.

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Indian Polypropylene Exports Swell Driven by Booming Demand from China

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IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘India – Polypropylene In Primary Forms – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Indian exports of primary polypropylene skyrocketed from 518K tonnes in 2019 to 794K tonnes in 2020 due to robust supplies to China, Turkey and Viet Nam. In value terms, exports reached $673M, rising by +22.5% y-o-y in 2020. China remains the largest importer, accounting for 44% of total polypropylene exports from India. Turkey and Viet Nam were distantly following China. Last year, China boosted its purchases from 130K tonnes in 2019 to 352K tonnes in 2020, while Turkey saw a 12%-growth. Viet Nam has also significantly increased the imports from India. In 2020, the average export price for primary polypropylene from India amounted to $847 per tonne, dropping by -20.1% y-o-y.

Indian Polypropylene Exports by Country

India’s polypropylene exports surged from 518K tonnes in 2019 to 794K tonnes in 2020. In value terms, polypropylene in primary forms exports soared to $673M (IndexBox estimates), rising by +22.5% y-o-y in 2020.

China (352K tonnes) was the main destination for polypropylene in primary forms exports from India, with a 44% share of total exports. Moreover, polypropylene in primary forms exports to China exceeded the volume sent to the second major destination, Turkey (102K tonnes), threefold. The third position in this ranking was occupied by Viet Nam (61K tonnes), with a 7.7% share.

China increased its imports from 130K tonnes in 2019 to 352K tonnes in 2020. Turkish purchases grew from 90K tonnes to 102K tonnes over the same period. Exports to Viet Nam rose from 37K tonnes in 2019 to 61K tonnes in 2020.

In value terms, China ($279M) remains the key foreign market for polypropylene in primary forms exports from India, comprising 41% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Turkey ($90M), with a 13% share of total exports. It was followed by Viet Nam, with a 7.8% share.

In 2020, the average polypropylene in primary forms export price amounted to $847 per tonne, shrinking by -20.1% against the previous year. Average prices varied noticeably for the major external markets. In 2020, the countries with the highest prices were Nepal ($935 per tonne) and Italy ($909 per tonne), while the average price for exports to China ($791 per tonne) and Portugal ($860 per tonne) were amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable growth rate in terms of prices was recorded for supplies to Bangladesh, while the prices for the other major destinations experienced a decline.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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What Would a Post-Carbon Supply Chain Look Like?

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Businesses worldwide are pushing for more sustainable practices. As the threat of climate change has worsened, it’s become clear that industry as a whole must move away from carbon emission-generating practices. This movement has significant implications for supply chains.

Today’s supply chains are far from carbon-free. An organization’s supply chain often accounts for 90% of its greenhouse gas emissions when taking overall climate impacts into account. From diesel-powered trucks to natural gas-generated warehouse power, these networks rely heavily on fossil fuels.

It can be hard to imagine supply chains without these resources, but it’s not impossible. Here’s what a post-carbon supply chain would look like and how companies could achieve it.

Electric Vehicles

The most obvious difference between today’s supply chains and a post-carbon one is their vehicles. Transportation accounts for 21% of total global emissions, and freight constitutes a considerable portion of that figure. Almost all trucks that move freight today use fossil fuels, but post-carbon transport will be electric.

Electric trucks will likely be the first type of carbon-free vehicles to appear in supply chains. General Motors has already established goals to produce zero emissions, and electric road vehicles are increasingly common. Post-carbon supply chains will bring electrification to more than just trucks, though.

Ships and airplanes will also be electric. Their longer routes will require more efficiency, so they may rely on technologies like fuel cells or solar power instead of batteries. Regardless of the specifics, every vehicle in the post-carbon supply chain will be electric.

Green Power Sources

While vehicles may be the easiest culprit to pinpoint, they’re not the only source of emissions. Supply chains consume a considerable amount of energy, most of which comes from fossil fuels. In fact, if 125 multinational companies increased their supply chain renewable energy by 20%, they would save more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions.

In a post-carbon supply chain, all energy would come from renewable sources. That would likely mean using various technologies, as sustainable power has varying effectiveness in different applications. Solar, wind and hydroelectric power would all play a part in the transition to zero-carbon operations.

A truly zero-carbon supply chain would also use renewables to generate power for its electric vehicles. Creating batteries or hydrogen for fuel cells requires energy, and this too must be green for supply chains to be truly sustainable.

Sustainable Sourcing

A more easily overlooked aspect of post-carbon supply chains is how sustainability plays into their corporate partnerships. A truly zero-emissions supply chain must ensure its suppliers are also carbon-free. Otherwise, it would still be investing in emissions-producing activity, albeit indirectly.

Industrial sectors like manufacturing are responsible for 29.6% of total emissions in the U.S. If a supply chain moved products from a company with such a significant carbon footprint, one could hardly consider it carbon-free. In a truly post-carbon supply chain, all connected sources are also zero emissions.

Ensuring these connections are sustainable requires a considerable amount of transparency. As such, post-carbon supply chains will require regular audits from involved parties to verify their sustainability. They’ll likely also employ technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) trackers and blockchains to keep operations transparent.

How Can the World Move Toward Post-Carbon Supply Chains?

These factors may seem like lofty goals right now. Today’s supply chains have a long way to go before they can say they’re truly carbon-free. Thankfully, however far-off these sustainability targets may seem, they are achievable. Companies can start acting now to move toward them.

Recognizing the business incentives for removing carbon from the supply chain can help encourage further action. According to one study, 84% of global consumers are more likely to make purchase decisions based on a company’s sustainability practices. Similarly, 61% are willing to wait for longer delivery times if they know it’s better for the environment.

Interest in sustainable supply chains will grow when more organizations realize these benefits. As this trend gains momentum, here are a few ways supply chains can start moving toward zero-carbon goals.

Improve Visibility

The first step in moving away from carbon is improving supply chain visibility. Companies can’t effectively become more sustainable if they don’t know the extent of their current unsustainable practices. Audits and studies can reveal where carbon emissions come from in a supply chain, guiding further action.

Organizations must also ensure their emissions monitoring is an ongoing process. Without continuous checking, they won’t be able to tell how different actions impact their overall goals. Periodic audits and implementing IoT sensors to track carbon emissions can ensure ongoing transparency.

In that spirit, supply chains should start improving visibility between partners. Asking for suppliers to offer proof of their sustainability initiatives will encourage broader action and help reduce emissions on all fronts.

Invest in Green Technologies

Some aspects of the post-carbon supply chain, like electric vehicles, aren’t applicable right now. While options may be limited today, more investment in these technologies will speed their development, making sustainability more viable quicker.

Many companies have already begun to invest in green technologies. Maserati has invested more than $867 million to refurbish its production hub to produce electric cars. As more money flows into these innovations, efficient, low-cost, carbon-free technologies will become available sooner, aiding a faster transition.

Green energy is a technology, not a resource. As such, it will only become cheaper and more efficient over time. Consequently, while some of these technologies may not be viable business choices now, they will be eventually, especially with more funding.

Collaborate

Since supply chains are so interconnected, it will take increased collaboration to push them away from carbon. Decarbonization is also a considerable undertaking. The transition will be far easier and faster if companies can work together toward a common goal.

Collaboration can mitigate the financial burden of decarbonization. Similarly, it can help some companies overcome any qualms they may have about the risks of going green. Climate action experts highlight that shared responsibility translates into reduced risk, at least in people’s perception of it.

In addition to collaborating with other related companies, supply chains can partner with environmental organizations. They can help show where improvements can be made, guiding more effective action.

Supply Chains Must Become More Sustainable

Supply chains are essential to virtually every industry, and they often produce some of the most emissions. As such, these operations must move away from fossil fuels as companies seek to become more sustainable.

The post-carbon supply chain seems like a lofty goal, but it’s attainable. When organizations realize these things are possible, they can start moving toward a better future.

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China Doubles Soap Exports to $1.4B

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IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘China – Soap – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

In 2020, Chinese exports of soap in different forms increased twofold, reaching 779K tonnes in physical terms or $1.4B in value terms. The U.S. remains the largest importer of soap from China, accounting for 43% of the Chinese exports. Australia and Japan follow the U.S. with a combined 16%-share of total exports. Among the leading importers, the U.S. featured the most intensive growth of soap purchases from China. The average export price for soap from China stood at $1,772 per tonne in 2020.

Chinese Soap Exports

Soap exports from China skyrocketed from 377K tonnes in 2019 to 779K tonnes in 2020. In value terms, soap exports surged from $658M to $1.4B (IndexBox estimates) over this period. Over the past decade, soap exports from China increased more than threefold, from 216K tonnes to 779K tonnes.

The U.S. was the main destination for soap exports from China, with a 43% share of total exports. Moreover, soap exports to the U.S. exceeded the volume sent to the second major destination, Australia, fivefold. Japan ranked third in terms of total exports with a 7.3% share.

Last year, the U.S. featured the most intensive growth rate of soap imports from China. Chinese soap supplies to America rose from 103K tonnes in 2019 to 331K tonnes in 2020. Exports to Australia increased twofold, reaching 67K tonnes in 2020. Over the last year, Japan boosted soap imports from China from 34K tonnes to 57K tonnes.

In value terms, the U.S. ($571M) remains the key foreign market for soap exports from China, comprising 41% of total exports. The second position in the ranking goes to Japan ($113M), with an 8.2% share of total exports. It is followed by Australia, with a 7.9% share.

The average soap export price stood at $1,772 per tonne in 2020, growing by +1.6% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was the Philippines ($2,383 per tonne), while the average price for exports to Chile ($1,170 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable growth rate in terms of prices was recorded for supplies to Japan, while the prices for the other major destinations experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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Section 301 Case Offers Importers a Chance at Refunds as Administration Contemplates Further Tariff Action

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After a summer of wrangling, Plaintiffs in the ongoing Court of International Trade (‘CIT’) case challenging List 3 and 4A Section 301 duties on imports from China got a big win: in September the Government conceded that it is not able to administer a repository system that would require each importer to continually submit entry-specific information to preserve its rights to actual 301 duty refunds. The arguably unnecessary and burdensome repository system was the Court’s solution to the fact that the Government refused to stipulate that Plaintiffs would have the right to duty refunds on liquidated entries in the event their claims are ultimately successful. Usually, imports are “liquidated”—think “finalized”—on a rolling basis about a year after entry, so the Government’s position meant that Plaintiffs could potentially lose their rights to duty refunds on more and more entries each day as the CIT litigation continues to play out.

In the end though, after months of intransigence, the Government changed its position and agreed to stipulate that refunds on liquidated entries would be available post-judgment for all Plaintiffs’ entries that were unliquidated as of July 6, 2021. This about-face brings an end to this particular squabble, guarantees Plaintiffs will have access to duty refunds on this set of entries if they win, and allows the case to proceed to the merits. It also suggests that going forward, the Government intends to put forth any possible argument, however tenuous or impractical, to deny refunds to as many importers as possible even if the Plaintiffs prevail on the merits.


While the fact that the Government is vigorously defending its position may not be surprising, it does underscore the benefits of joining the litigation: if List 3 and 4A duties are ultimately declared unlawful, the next debate will center around the extent and form of relief that will be granted to importers who paid these unlawful duties, including which companies will actually get refunds. Actual Plaintiffs in the case will be in the best position to obtain these duty refunds, while the Government will likely make every effort to prevent the ruling from applying more broadly to all importers.

Door Still Open to Join Section 301 Litigation

The CIT case challenging List 3 and 4A duties, which began over a year ago, could very well reach the oral argument stage by early 2022 (barring any further tangential matters brought on by the Government’s efforts to limit potential duty refunds). This would set the stage for a CIT ruling in 2022. Yet the door is still open for other US importers that continue to pay List 3 or 4A duties on China-origin products to join the ongoing litigation and benefit from a potential Plaintiff win once the case and any related appeals are decided.

This opportunity is still available due to multiple arguments that extend the statute of limitations each time duties are assessed on an entry subject to List 3 or 4A. To boot, the burden associated with participating as a new Plaintiff will likely remain quite low in light of the fact that the day-to-day proceedings are led by a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee that has already been established. So while the extent to which Section 301 duty refunds will be available to Plaintiffs and other importers is still up in the air, importers can still file a complaint to join the CIT litigation and improve their chances of benefiting from a favorable outcome.

More Tariffs May Be Coming

Meanwhile, hopes and predictions that the various unconventional tariff increases implemented under the Trump administration would cease and even be rolled back under President Biden have failed to materialize. So far, the Biden administration has left the additional Section 301 tariffs on many products from China untouched. And now, as a result of its ongoing months-long review of the United States’ policy regarding trade with China, the Biden administration is reportedly contemplating further action under Section 301 aimed at leveling the playing field with China.

Specifically, the Biden administration may launch a fresh Section 301 investigation into government subsidies the Chinese central government provides to the county’s manufacturers, thereby giving its manufacturers an advantage over their American counterparts. Understanding the extent of these subsidies and holding China to account for practices that violate US or World Trade Organization laws has been a longstanding US goal. However, the fact that the Biden administration is contemplating initiating its own investigation under Section 301 to address the concern suggests the use of tariffs as a tool to sway America’s trading partners is no longer considered out of bounds by either Republican or Democratic leaders.

For US companies that import goods from China—and are therefore legally liable for paying all duties owed to US Customs and Border Protection (‘CBP’) on those products— this new normal suggests that existing Section 301 duties will not be revoked by the Biden administration anytime soon. Quite the opposite in fact: it looks like more Section 301 tariffs on more China-origin goods could be on the horizon.

Navigating this new normal in a way that keeps companies’ tariff costs down while ensuring compliance with these ever-changing CBP requirements has prompted business leaders to take a more active approach to Customs law issues including classification and country of origin determinations—both of which have the potential to affect how much duty an importer pays to US Customs.

Other Ways to Mitigate Tariff Liability

Beyond joining the CIT litigation challenging List 3 and 4A Section 301 duties companies can identify opportunities to save on both general tariffs and additional Section 301 duties by reviewing and confirming the accuracy of the information they submit to CBP. One example of this is conducting a product-specific classification analysis to determine the correct Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Code (or HTSUS code) applicable to a given product based on the product’s characteristics and the (often gray) body of rules and guidance governing classification. Each 10-digit HTSUS code has a corresponding general duty rate, so if a review of a product’s classification results in an HTSUS code correction, it could also result in a lower general duty rate for that product.

Similarly, conducting a supply chain-specific country of origin analysis to determine the correct country of origin of a given product based on where each manufacturing step is conducted and the applicable (and often gray) rules and guidance governing country of origin can result in duty savings. If a company can establish and document that its product’s country of origin is a country other than China, then Section 301 duties will no longer apply to that product.

While both classification and country of origin reviews present an opportunity to mitigate tariff costs, they also help ensure companies are not inadvertently providing incorrect information to US Customs and exposing themselves to potential penalties for such violations—another must for US importers in light of the fact that tariff issues remain front and center in the minds of regulators and requirements continue to evolve in response to the ever-changing geopolitical landscape.

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Andrew Bisbas is Counsel at Lowenstein Sandler. His practice centers on US Customs and Border Protection import requirements and tariffs. He helps clients navigate CBP requirements including classification and country of origin determinations as well as USMCA and other trade agreement implications. Andrew also assists clients in setting up and maintaining corporate import compliance programs, conducting import audits and supply chain due diligence, preparing and submitting prior disclosures to US Customs, and advising on tariff engineering and supply chain structuring efforts geared towards mitigating tariff costs.

Archives, Global Trade Daily, Imports/Exports

U.S. Boosts Acrylonitrile Supplies to Turkey, South Korea and the Netherlands

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IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘U.S. – Acrylonitrile – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

In 2020, American acrylonitrile exports rose by +49% y-o-y, reaching 524K tonnes. The U.S. has substantially increased the supplies to its main trade partners, including South Korea, Turkey and Taiwan. Boosting Turkish purchases provided the most increment of American exports. Among other importers, the Netherlands, Peru and Mexico featured a notable growth of acrylonitrile shipments from the U.S. The average export price for American acrylonitrile dropped by -31% to $1,051 per tonne in 2020. 

American Acrylonitrile Exports

In 2020, approx. 524K tonnes of acrylonitrile were exported from the U.S., increasing by +49% compared with the previous year’s figure. In value terms, acrylonitrile exports grew by +3.1% y-o-y to $551M (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

In value terms, the largest markets for acrylonitrile exported from the U.S. were South Korea ($176M), Turkey ($112M) and Taiwan ($74M), with a combined 66% share of total exports.

South Korea (158K tonnes), Turkey (115K tonnes) and Taiwan (Chinese) (69K tonnes) were the main destinations of acrylonitrile exports from the U.S., together accounting for 65% of total exports. Mexico, India, the Netherlands and Peru lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 29%.

Turkey boosted the purchases from the U.S. from 41.8K tonnes in 2019 to 115K tonnes in 2020. South Korea and Taiwan increased their imports from America by +28.7% y-o-y and +31.4% y-o-y, respectively. The supplies to the Netherlands rose from 8.7K tonnes in 2019 to 25.1K tonnes in 2020, while Peru ramped up the imports from 7.9K tonnes to 18.4K tonnes over this period. Mexican purchases saw a 16%-growth over the last year.

In 2020, the average acrylonitrile export price amounted to $1,051 per tonne, with a decrease of -30.8% against the previous year. Average prices varied noticeably for the major foreign markets. In 2020, the highest prices were recorded for prices to Mexico ($1,120 per tonne) and South Korea ($1,115 per tonne), while the average price for exports to Peru ($926 per tonne) and Turkey ($970 per tonne) were amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable growth rate in terms of prices was recorded for supplies to Taiwan, while the prices for the other major destinations experienced a decline.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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Free Trade Agreements, Global Trade Daily, International Trade

African Free Trade Area Presents Opportunity and Obstacles Ahead

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The African continent is on the cusp of long-term economic opportunity thanks to the inception of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect in January 2021. The AfCFTA could boost Africa’s growth potential as the agreement intends to liberalize trade across Africa over the next few years. It provides optimism for a region that has been hit hard by the pandemic.

The impact of the pandemic has been uneven across African economies, with some suffering from severe economic contractions, while others managed to record small growth rates. The post-pandemic outlook differs from country-to-country, but most are subject to high uncertainty due to the rise in infections and the slow vaccination process. In the long run, the AfCFTA could be pivotal in Africa’s growth potential as the agreement foresees fundamental freedom of trade in Africa in the next few years.

The agreement has the potential to accelerate African growth rates after the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent economic outlook report for the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region from trade credit insurer Atradius.


Early optics reveal uneven results

While long-term results of the implementation of the AfCFTA, the immediate optics are not looking promising for most countries. Some challenges have to be overcome before the AfCFTA is successfully implemented and countries can reap the benefits. In the short run, protectionist tendencies, insufficient capacity to expand cross-border infrastructure, political instability and weak government finances, among other things hinder a full implementation of the agreement.

The AfCFTA’s full implementation has a long way to go, with several countries needing to first establish the necessary customs infrastructure and required procedures to trade. Countries that already have action plans and customs procedures in place, as well as relatively low barriers to trade with other African countries, will likely see success early on. So far, only Egypt, Ghana and South Africa have accomplished the necessary customs infrastructure. Countries that are likely to benefit the most are those with relatively open and diversified economies and well-established trade links, like South Africa. This also applies to other regional trading hubs such as Kenya, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire.

Economies emerge from harsh COVID effects

Last year’s economic contraction of 1% was the lowest ever witnessed in the region and was stark in comparison to average annual growth of 4.3% since 2010. COVID-19 hit African countries with a drop in trade, lower commodity prices, fewer tourist arrivals, lower remittances and lower foreign investments. Additionally, many countries introduced strict lockdowns in the beginning of the pandemic that hurt domestic economic activity.

Thankfully, 2021 has seen a recovery in the global economy and higher commodity prices, supporting the economic recovery in Africa. Economic growth is expected to reach 1.3% this year. A recovery that is quite moderate, especially in comparison to other regions in the world. Reasons for this are the limited room for government support and the slow vaccine distribution. Similar to other parts of the world, many African governments supported their economies resulting in high budget deficits and an increase in public debt. Now, many face high debt levels that will limit further support and even constrain public investments over the next few years. Therefore, many countries are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic growth figures. The economic outlook is also uncertain due the continued spread of COVID-19 coupled with the slow vaccination process.

Uneven recovery underway for Sub-Saharan Africa

While there is an economic recovery underway for SSA, it will be slow and mostly uneven throughout the region. Oil exporting countries, hit hard by the pandemic, like Nigeria and Angola, will see a particularly slow recovery. Small island economies dependent on tourism, like Mauritius, which recorded deep recessions last year will likely see one of the highest economic growth figures in Africa this year. However, this is still uncertain, as it depends on the expected gradual recovery in tourism.

The more diversified economies fared relatively well through the pandemic and will have a strong economic recovery. Countries such as Kenya, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire recorded a small contraction or even a positive economic growth last year and are among the top performers.

Opportunities for the region could be on the horizon in the form of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Although in the short term there is much to overcome, once it reaches full implementation on the longer term, it is set to benefit several African economies.

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Afke Zeilstra is a senior economist for Atradius

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, International Trade

Spotlight on Supply Chain Management: Raising the Profile & Importance of the Supply Chain Manager

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Supply chain management has become a much more important business function in all companies since the pandemic began in February 2020. Let’s frame the issues which have made this executive and management change occur.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been devastating to the performance of both domestic and global supply chains. The disruption, uncertainty, cost escalations, and delays which began in March 2020, continue into the fall of 2021.

The crisis caused by a disturbing and unanticipated imbalance between demand and supply in all world markets has resulted in unprecedented challenges facing all managers and operations personnel engaged in the supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, transportation, customer service, import/export, and sales.

The challenges and their impact extend to all the support functions to supply chains: service providers, freight forwarders, carriers, 3PL’s, technology providers, consolidators, and distributors.

While the supply chain has generally had a “subordinated” posture in most companies, the Pandemic has now elevated this area of responsibility because the consequences of poor performance and failure are so impactful in the success of a business’s margin, profit, growth, and sustainability.

The importance of this area runs equally now to the importance of the supply chain manager, who may be known under the various “Titles” in the organization. Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, Warehousing & Distribution, Manufacturing, Materials Management, Demand Planning, etc.

With this “increase in importance”:

The disruption has impacted every company, executive, and business vertical. And we must also acknowledge the consequences to people and their families.

The impact to supply chains has moved up the ladder in every company all the way to the CEO, The Board, and the Shareholders.

In our consulting practice, where 90% of the time we deal with mid-level managers, in the last 20 months, my team and I have met with more CEOs than we have in the last ten years.

Supply Chain Managers and their colleagues have been forced due to the disorder in their business models, to work harder, work smarter and ultimately bring resources, experiences, and capabilities to the benefit of the disruptive impacts of the Pandemic.

Supply Chain Managers have been now tested in areas as never seen previously. Most companies, over time, have seen physical, weather-related geopolitical events impact their supply chains. Negative events happen all the time. While we have had some more notable micro-events in the supply chain in the last 10-15 years:

-The Recession of 2008/9

-Hurricane Sandy in 2012

-The 2011 Tsunami in Japan

-Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005

-Global Wildfires 2019

-Sichuan Earthquake in China in 2008

-South and Mid-West USA Tornados in 2013

-Mississippi River Flooding 2011

-Northeast Winter Storm in 2018

-The current Covid-19 Pandemic 2020-?

The impact on people, business, and the costs in billions and trillions from all these events is unthinkable. And the challenges that faced businesses and supply chain managers were dramatic.

However, this Pandemic has presented a unique set of circumstances:

-Every country and every person and business are impacted

-Personnel working from home has changed communications, team efforts, camaraderie and in some cases increased effectiveness and performance

-The tenure, now passing 20 months

-The uncertainty of planning out supply chain functions

-Demand Planning is almost impossible

-Lean Manufacturing and “Just in Time” Inventory Management Systems, have been retired

-All business models are being strained resulting in alternative and modified structures

-Managers and staff are working longer hours, becoming “burnt out” is a serious reality

-Hiring has been impaired

-Margins, profits, growth, and sustainability are all being challenged

With all these concerns having been identified as the “new reality” the good news is that many organizations’ talents, particularly in supply chain functions are finding ways to meet these challenges and maintaining their company’s business models to a necessary extent of successful operations.

Supply Chain Managers have become creative in their approach and along with companies like ours, Blue Tiger International, have found solutions to mitigate the impact of the Pandemic.

We have developed 14 Solutions, collaboratively with our supply chain managers. Some of these are:

The new roles and responsibilities of The Pandemic Supply Chain Manager require them to “think-out-of-the-box” and create approaches that were never thought of or utilized previously.

At Blue Tiger International, we become an extension of the supply chain manager’s resources and provide a business model to evaluate these options and apply them to the uniqueness of their business models and supply chains.

The four steps profiled above start with an overall assessment of the domestic and global supply chain. That review provides some solutions which must be tied into a financial evaluation that defines ROI.

This is followed by an operational review which determines what changes in the companies supply chain and business model require modification to meet the solution requirements. As an example, if it was assessed and evidenced ROI, the company choosing a Foreign Trade Zone as an option, it is likely changes would be made to the functions of compliance, security, product accountability, technology, and business process.

The last step is implementation, working collaboratively to make the solution work to the benefit of the business model.

This is all unfertile ground to the Supply Chain Executive. What we have observed is a significant “rise to the occasion” of many supply chain personnel, managers and executives to meet and successfully manage these required changes.

They are not necessarily eliminating the issues, but they are providing mitigating strategies all in the name of protecting market share, margins and sustainability.

Supply Chain Managers have become “Frontline Heroes” in the face of this Pandemic and deserve much credit and recognition for keeping supply chains functioning in the face of all these challenges.

This has and will continue to “raise the profile & importance” of Supply Chain Management in all companies’ business models. Additionally, senior management is recognizing their value to the organization, which has been a long-time coming.

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Thomas A. Cook is a 30 year seasoned veteran of global trade and Managing Director of Blue Tiger International, based in New York, LA and West Palm Beach, Florida.

The author of 19 books on international business, two best business sellers. Graduate of NYS Maritime Academy with an undergraduate and graduate degree in marine transportation and business management.

Tom has a worldwide presence through over 300 agents in every major city along with an array of transportation providers and solutions.

Tom works with a number of Associations providing “value add” to their membership services and enhancing their overall reach into global sourcing and in export sales management.

He can be reach at tomcook@bluetigerintl.com or 516-359-6232