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The Advantages of Using Biglia CNC Machine in Manufacturing

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Archives, Commentary, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports

The Advantages of Using Biglia CNC Machine in Manufacturing

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Due to the fact that they serve to expedite the production process, Biglia CNC machines have become more popular for usage in the manufacturing industry. These Biglia CNC machines offer several advantages when they are used in the manufacturing industry. The following are the main advantages of using the Biglia CNC machine in the manufacturing industry.

Increase the speed of production.

Using Biglia CNC machines can help in increasing the production speed as well as the efficiency. These machines allow manufacturers to work more quickly while ensuring the things they produce are of the highest possible quality. CNC Biglia machines are also capable of doing a variety of tasks without the need for additional overhead, making them a very important part of the production process.


Reduces Human Errors

When it comes to working, humans are capable of making mistakes. However, when the Biglia CNC machines are used, such errors are avoided entirely. The machines have been preprogrammed to accomplish certain duties, and they will carry out those jobs with pinpoint accuracy and precision. These machines will carry out any work depending on the instructions that have been put into them, ensuring both accuracy and precision. There is an error, which indicates that the problem is not with the computer, but with the software itself.

These machines may also be used to replicate processes and consistently provide the same results over and over again. Furthermore, the Biglia machine operates according to specifications, guaranteeing that no material is wasted.

Safety

The operation of the Biglia CNC machines is one of the more straightforward tasks. The majority of the other operations are automated, and the operator’s main responsibility is to guarantee that the code is followed. In order to improve safety, operators are not required to interact with or handle cutting equipment throughout the process. Therefore, since the operators will not be near such machines, if any accidents occur, they will not be affected or hurt in any way. Additionally, because everything else is automated, it assures that there are no mishaps throughout the process.

Enable advanced fabrication of operations

Another advantage of utilizing Biglia CNC machines is their capacity to create operations, which is another advantage of employing them. These activities include the fabrication of hearing metal, welding, and flame cutting. These machines are equipped with high accuracy, which aids in guaranteeing that complicated shaped products are correct and can be recreated at any point in the future. Furthermore, they include a number of innovative features that will assist you in keeping up with the latest technological trends, such as changes in building codes, design changes, as well as other developments.

Require Minimal Maintenance

Biglia machines are capable of operating for an extended period of time without the need for monitoring or maintenance. They vary from other machines in that they are able to work continuously without having a rest period. Biglia CNC machines are capable of operating for up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The only time an operator is often necessary is when the machine is being programmed to do a specific job or there is a certain problem. However, their capacity to function continuously throughout the day with little maintenance aids in increasing the overall productivity of the company.

Enable changes in production

By allowing for changes, the Biglia CNC machine may aid in the improvement of several activities that are carried out in the manufacturing process. For example, if there are certain components that must be manufactured, you may quickly alter the software to accommodate them. These devices are very adaptable and can perform a wide range of activities. The business is, therefore, able to complete multiple orders in a short amount of time as a result of this arrangement.

Furthermore, Biglia CNC machines are equipped with sensors that may be used to monitor the amount of wear that has occurred on any given component. Following a fire, they will alert the operator of the components that need to be repaired or replaced. You may also be able to integrate these Biglia CNC machines with other machines with the aim of automating several activities such as packaging and removing products in the warehouse in order to ensure that all the duties are completed on time.

Versatility

Furthermore, the Biglia machine’s adaptability makes it an excellent choice for use in the manufacturing business in general. CNC machines may be used to design or produce things from a wide range of materials, according to the application. Plastics, rigid foam, phenolic materials, and carving foam are just a few of the materials available to designers.

These machines are able to withstand these goods really well, and they are capable of producing a wide range of items from the materials listed above. Because they are able to operate continuously throughout the day, the machine is also capable of producing duplicates of items utilizing materials that have the exact same accuracy and precision as the original material. If the order is large enough, this is an irresponsible decision.

Simulated Models or Prototypes

In certain cases, the Biglia CNC machine may be used to create simulated models as well as prototypes. When compared to the manual approach, the automated process saves a significant amount of time and ensures the high accuracy of the results.

Additionally, you may observe the components in three dimensions on the machine, which is accomplished by examining the computer software that is being utilized.

Additionally, the Biglia CNC machine will enable you to inspect every side dog of your simulated model before it is ever manufactured.

Conclusion

Specifically designed for the manufacturing industry, Biglia CNC machines are excellent. As this article explains, there are several advantages that these machines provide to the manufacturing industries in terms of efficiency and productivity. If you want accuracy, precision, higher productivity, versatility, and adaptability in your manufacturing process, you may want to think about using the Biglia CNC machines.

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Warehousing

Embracing a New Normal: Why We Should Never Go Back to a Pre-Covid Supply Chain

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For the past decade, global supply chains have been running a seemingly normal path. However, when COVID hit its peak in March 2020, it exposed many of the vulnerabilities that have been affecting these networks. Even a year and a half later, industries across the board are experiencing the impacts of supply chain disruptions. With massive labor shortages and continual shipping delays, there is increasing desperation to return “back to normal.” Instead of quickly returning back to the way things used to be, we should examine the root causes of these issues and create a new model that better aligns with the world we live in today.

Currently, the majority of global supply chains operate on a global warehousing method due to the industry standard of bulk production from a single manufacturer. Typically, bulk orders are routed from one vendor to another distribution center across the globe. While this system can provide some economies of scale, it has also led to wasteful overproduction, increased pollution, inflexible startup costs and major supply chain disruptions.

Industry leaders, brands, and retailers should instead consider incorporating smarter supply chains that uniquely combine technology, data, and manufacturing to automate and optimize the flow of production, procurement, and logistics.

Because consumers can order around the clock, forecasting demand is less predictable, the volume of order sizes lowers, and the number of products offered increases. Coupled with consumer expectations of short delivery times and high customer satisfaction, businesses need to ensure their supply chain requirements can deliver on speed, complexity, and efficiency. A smarter supply chain can meet and even exceed these seemingly impossible expectations.

Smart Supply Chain: On-Demand Manufacturing + Global Production Network

The manufacturing portion of a smart supply chain unites on-demand manufacturing, a process where goods are created only when needed and in the quantities required, with global production, a distributed network that transfers raw materials to production facilities closest to end consumers for final assembly.

On-demand manufacturing and global production are not only more sustainable than traditional manufacturing methods, but they also allow for more flexibility, efficiency, and responsiveness when issues arise such as the current global shortages and delays.

Moving from Global Warehousing to Global Production

Global warehousing, or traditional wholesale manufacturing, relies on storing items until they are ready to be shipped. Many retailers and businesses have historically depended on this method given there were no other reasonable alternatives for decades. Technological advancements have not only paved the way for new more affordable options but have brought to light the many disadvantages of global warehousing including, but not limited to:

-Producing excess inventory

-Inflexible to changing consumer preferences

-Leading to disengaged workforce

-Requiring high start-up cost

The inflexibility and costly nature of global warehousing are two of the major reasons why global supply chains have been struggling to keep up with unprecedented demand.

Use Cases of On-Demand Manufacturing + Global Production

While both on-demand and global production are relatively new processes within the past decade, remnants of each model have been proven across multiple industries.

-The automotive industry embraces a similar just-in-time approach with their parts and assembly. Instead of selling their vehicles at traditional dealerships, Tesla uses stores that are usually found at popular shopping centers. Customers can’t simply drive away with a Tesla either, they can view sample vehicles and then order a customized car online with the help of a sales expert. That level of personalization and detail can only be achieved via an on-demand production model, which Tesla and other European automotive brands successfully utilize.

-Ecommerce businesses that implement a print-on-demand model also only produce items until a customer places an order, eliminating the need for wasteful inventory and costly order minimums. Additionally, this on-demand method helps shrink the supply chain—meaning, the time it takes to produce and ship an item—from 30 and 45 days to between two and three days. Lowering the restock supply chain lead time allows brands to significantly cut down on the initial inventory runs which in turn helps them be more reactive to customer preferences that dictate the winners and the losers within a design, a SKU, a model, or a season.

-Similar to the distributed network in the global production model, Akamai paved the way in the computer network industry by eliminating network hops and putting servers closer to the end-user in order to quickly and more efficiently deliver content. Akamai’s platform has greatly improved Internet latency and exemplifies how a distributed architecture can yield more flexibility and responsiveness. Gooten, a smart supply chain provider, has a parallel approach in the manufacturing space where they utilize a distributed network of global manufacturers to fulfill on-demand orders more efficiently, sustainably, and at a competitive rate. What’s more, Gooten produces 70% of its orders in the U.S. at 23 factories spanning from New Jersey to Oregon.

Embracing a Smarter Supply Chain

With all the benefits that on-demand and global production provide, it’s easy to wonder why more businesses aren’t embracing them. Despite major outlets such as Vogue and Amazon creating buzz around on-demand manufacturing as an answer to many of the supply chain industry’s biggest challenges, it has made headway primarily amongst startups and eCommerce brands. The major impediment for embracing on-demand is primarily due to knowledge gaps and general resistance to change.

Whenever there are revolutionary shifts in any industry, there are always old guards that are comfortable with the existing status quo. One of the more notable examples of this is the film industry shifting from film cinema cameras to digital recording technologies. While the advantages of digital are paramount—from cost savings, ease of use, flexibility, and accessibility—it took over a decade for the industry to fully adopt the method. Hollywood began filming digitally in the 2000s but it wasn’t until 2013 that digitally shot films began the norm amongst the top 100 grossing films.

While they are not mutually exclusive, one can argue that the supply chain disruptions have a far greater impact than the use of digital over film. That’s why it is imperative for companies to embrace the change, even partially, from global warehousing to global production in order to overcome supply chain disruptions and sustain themselves for years to come.

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Mark Kapczynski is the Chief Marketing Officer of Gooten, a globally distributed company that operates a smart supply chain for brands and retailers that are looking to utilize print on-demand manufacturing to transform the way they do business.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News, Special Reports

Heat-Resistant Nickel Alloy to Witness Soaring Demand from Onshore Power Plants over 2021-2027

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Nickel alloy has always been an important material for various industries, including some high-revenue sectors such as automotive, aerospace & defense, owing to its high solubility with iron, chromium, and other vital metals. The high versatility of the material, along with its exceptional heat and corrosion resistance properties enables its application in aircraft gas turbines, steam turbines in power plants, and other high-performance applications.

In onshore wind power plants, nickel-based alloys are primarily used in the gearing and generator components. On the other hand, in hydroelectric installations, nickel alloys are used in turbines owing to their exceptional erosion and corrosion resistance features.


A growing world government emphasis on scaling up power plant infrastructures, coupled with the soaring number of onshore power projects sanctioned to cater to the rapidly rising electricity demand, would foster the demand for nickel alloy to a large extent.

According to Global Market Insights, Inc., report, the global nickel alloy market size is expected to witness remunerative growth by 2027.

Nickel-based alloys and metals have wide-ranging applications in the automotive sector. Apart from its utilization in many automotive parts, nickel is extensively used in the batteries of electric vehicles. Nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery is witnessing significant adoption in EVs due to its extended power backup.

The rise in electric vehicle production globally is likely to drive the demand for nickel alloy in the coming years. As per the International Environment Agency, approximately 2.1 million electric vehicles were sold in 2019. Moreover, nickel and chromium plating are also used on numerous automotive components to enhance vehicles aesthetics.

The heat-resistant nickel alloy segment is forecast to hold considerable market share by the end of 2027, particularly owing to increasing demand in high-temperature applications. These applications include oil & gas production, and power plants, among others. There have been rising government initiatives to develop a large number of onshore and offshore power plants and oil & gas refineries mostly in developed nations.

From a regional frame of reference, the European nickel alloy industry share is anticipated to expand exponentially owing to the rising number of passenger jet fleets. As per the CAPA Fleet Database, the passenger jet fleet in Europe rose by 1.8% month-on-month in February 2021, to 3,400. The applications of nickel in aircraft engine turbines bring toughness, high-temperature strength, and durability.

Meanwhile, stringent environmental norms encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles and the establishment of renewable-energy power plants would positively influence nickel alloy business in Europe.

Leading companies involved in global nickel alloy business include Ametek Inc., Sandvik AB, Rolled Alloys, Inc., Aperam S.A., Voestalpine AG, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Haynes International, Precision Castparts Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway), and ThyssenKrupp AG, among others. These industry players are focusing on strategic alliances and novel product development to strengthen their position in the global market.

Nickel alloy plays a vital role in the transportation sector, right from its utilization in EVs, aircraft, and traditional automotive. Nickel-based stainless steel is used in passenger trains and subways to offer strongness and durability to the outer body. Superior mechanical properties, along with the ability to dilute with other materials expected to foster applications of nickel and nickel-based materials in the forthcoming years.

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports

To Really Move the Needle, You Must Move the Financial Needle First

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Today’s supply chain management and manufacturing executives live in a finance-driven world, managing profit and loss sheets, dealing with working capital issues, and collaborating with CFOs. Furthermore, the ultimate measurement of a company’s performance is often the stock price or valuation, which is why you should start every day with the same mindset and look at your business’s financials.

When you examine financials, you should always have your specific goals in mind. The market is bursting with tools that promise to increase throughput, boost sales, and solve all kinds of issues, but it’s vital to focus on your own goals and objectives. What problem do you want to solve? How can your data help reorient the material flow to free up cash without jeopardizing the business?

Ultimately, most executives have three priorities: making more sales, managing variable costs to improve margins, and keeping customers happy. When I look at financial reports, I’m really interested in seeing the inventory and the cash flow statements, because the health of supply chain and manufacturing operations is often reflected in the cash positions and inventory of a company.


Measuring Financial Health in the Supply Chain

Instead of getting straight to the nitty-gritty and doing defect analysis on every production line in every factory, it’s critical to understand where the constraints are from a demand perspective. Look at historical data to determine best-case scenario demand and worst-case scenario demand, and apply data from the end-to-end supply chain to start mapping demand and identifying capacity constraints.

The farther upstream bottlenecks are, the more value they’ll create naturally because there’s always a bullwhip effect. By eliminating them, you can either sell more products or capture more market share.

If you want to increase your bottom line, that’s the process to use. Look at financials first to map out the value chain and see where inventory is most concentrated. Then, identify opportunities to free up cash and address immediate bottlenecks by investing in capital expenditures or reorienting the material flow. Both are quicker options than, say, getting injection molding machines installed on the production floor.

Supply chain management is a delicate balance of financial and operational processes, and business growth requires the right perspective. To move the needle at your organization, prioritize these strategies:

1. Remember that cost optimization doesn’t cause growth.

Anyone with a college degree can come in and cut costs. It’s not difficult, and engineers are constantly focused on making technologies that are cheaper and faster. The issue is that a lot of the people who generated growth before the cost-cutters arrived made a deliberate effort to create excess capacity that can support a certain environment.

Everything’s about pennies and dimes these days, but instead of trying to be as cost-centric and effective as possible, a growth mindset requires you to focus on what’s selling and find out how to make your supply chain faster. The more orders you can fulfill, the more money you can earn. If you want to grow, you can’t start by cutting costs. Instead, figure out what’s selling and reorient material flow to turn that product over faster and build up your cash reserves.

2. Step back and measure your efforts.

Supply chain and manufacturing executives are incredibly busy with day-to-day operations. However, it’s important to take a step back, look at your performance data for the last three to four years, and see if the effort you’re putting in is actually leading to sales.

We live in a world where IT is integral to everything, including connecting downstream sales data with operations. This data can help generate forecasts, mitigate risk, and even produce crisis management plans for all the different scenarios that could play out. When you can look at performance data on a global scale, it can build resilience, reduce the waste in your supply chain in the form of buffers, and ultimately preserve your cash flow for growth.

3. Work more closely with the C-suite.

Don’t position yourself as a cost-centric value add. Today’s procurement and supply chain executives are all about getting the best deal, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s great if you can get the best deal, but it’s far more important if you can get customers buying more and logistics providers and suppliers moving the next products into place with the fastest turnaround times.

Executives in supply chain and manufacturing need to have the ear of the CEO and CFO and have an idea of all the levers in the business. With a holistic, end-to-end view, supply chain manufacturing executives can come up with operational improvements and confidently tell sales, “This is what we can realistically make.”

Supply chain and manufacturing executives need to quit the penny-pinching and recognize that cost-cutting measures can’t achieve the groundbreaking growth they want. Once supply chains are accelerated and product is moving off the shelves, you can start looking at the challenges that emerge on a global scale and identify different resources that could help overcome those challenges and demonstrate proven ROI.

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Ali Hasan R. is co-founder and CEO of ThroughPut Inc., the AI supply chain pioneer enabling companies to detect, prioritize, and alleviate dynamic operational bottlenecks. Ali has unique experience in onshore and offshore supply chain management in the U.S., Russia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Yemen.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Global Imports of Bitumen and Asphalt Fall Despite Increased Supplies to China and the U.S.

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

Global imports of bitumen and asphalt went down by -15% y-o-y to 2.1M tonnes in 2020. In value terms, imports dropped to $918M. America holds leadership in global imports of bitumen and asphalt. The U.S., Romania, China and France were among the few countries that managed to ramp up import supplies. The average bitumen and asphalt import price grew by +15% y-o-y to $427 per tonne in 2020. Indonesia dominates the Chinese imports, while Greece, Canada and Spain provide the bulk of bitumen and asphalt imported to the U.S. 

Global Imports of Bitumen and Asphalt

Global bitumen and asphalt imports dropped rapidly to 2.1M tonnes in 2020, down by -15.2% against the previous year’s figure. In value terms, bitumen and asphalt imports dropped from $943M in 2019 to $918M (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

The U.S. (578K tonnes), distantly followed by Saudi Arabia (275K tonnes), Egypt (193K tonnes), France (185K tonnes), Canada (174K tonnes), and China (168K tonnes) were the key importers of bitumen and asphalt, together creating 73% of total imports. The following importers – the UK (92K tonnes), Myanmar (72K tonnes), Romania (51K tonnes) and Viet Nam (48K tonnes) – together made up 12% of total imports.

The U.S., Romania, China and France managed to increase their import volume. Most other countries reduced the purchases from abroad.

In 2020, the U.S., China and Romania featured the highest growth rates regarding import volume. American bitumen and asphalt imports rose from 378K tonnes to 578K tonnes in 2020. Over the same period, China boosted purchases from 112K tonnes to 168K tonnes. Last year, Romania doubled its import volume of bitumen and asphalt, while France saw an 8.4%-increase in supplies from abroad.

In value terms, the largest bitumen and asphalt importing markets worldwide were Saudi Arabia ($320M), the U.S. ($178M) and Egypt ($120M), with a combined 67% share of global imports. France, Canada, Viet Nam, Myanmar, China, Romania and the UK lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 21%.

The average bitumen and asphalt import price stood at $427 per tonne in 2020, with an increase of +15% against the previous year. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major importing countries. In 2020, Saudi Arabia was the country with the highest price, while the UK was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Egypt, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Major Suppliers of Bitumen and Asphalt to the U.S.

Greece (166K tonnes), Canada (152K tonnes) and Spain (83K tonnes) are responsible for 81% of total American imports. Turkey (44K tonnes) ranks fourth among the leading suppliers of bitumen and asphalt to the U.S.

In value terms, the largest bitumen and asphalt suppliers to the U.S. are Greece ($53M), Canada ($42M) and Turkey ($38M), together comprising 74% of total imports.

Major Suppliers of Bitumen and Asphalt to China

Indonesia (84K tonnes) dominates the Chinese imports with a 75%-share of the total volume. Malaysia (17K tonnes) and Canada (11K tonnes) follow Indonesia.

In value terms, Malaysia ($5.6M), Canada ($5.2M) and Indonesia ($3.9M) are the largest bitumen and asphalt suppliers to China, with a combined 96% share of total imports.

Major Suppliers of Bitumen and Asphalt to Romania

Poland (33K tonnes) constitutes the largest bitumen and asphalt supplier to Romania, with a 64% share of total imports. Moreover, bitumen and asphalt imports from Poland exceed the figures recorded by the second-largest supplier, Greece (7.7K tonnes), fourfold. Austria (6.3K tonnes) ranks third in terms of total imports with a 12% share.

In value terms, Poland ($9.6M) is the largest supplier of bitumen and asphalt to Romania, comprising 59% of total imports. The second position in the ranking is occupied by Austria ($3M), with an 18% share of total imports. It was followed by Greece, with a 13% share.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

American Plywood Imports Peak Near $3B

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

In 2020, American plywood imports grew by +15% y-o-y to 5.4M or by +7.7% to $2.9B in value terms, reaching a record level over the past decade. Viet Nam, Brazil and Canada constitute the major plywood suppliers to the U.S., with a combined 41%-share of the total imports. Last year, Cambodia, Indonesia, Brazil, Viet Nam, Chile, Canada and Russia saw the most rapid increases in plywood exports to the U.S. In 2020, the average plywood import price in America dropped by -6.7% against the figures of 2019.

Plywood Imports into the U.S.

Plywood imports into the U.S. skyrocketed to 5.4M cubic meters in 2020, with an increase of +15% against 2019 figures. In value terms, plywood imports rose by +7.7% significantly to $2.9B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

Viet Nam (779K cubic meters), Brazil (766K cubic meters) and Canada (697K cubic meters) were the main suppliers of plywood imports to the U.S., with a combined 41% share of total imports. China, Indonesia, Chile, Russia and Cambodia lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 42%.

In 2020, the most notable growth rate in terms of purchases, amongst the main suppliers, was attained by Cambodia (39.7% y-o-y), Indonesia (+36.6% y-o-y), Brazil (+36.5% y-o-y), Viet Nam (+24.4% y-o-y), Chile (+18.5% y-o-y), Canada (+14.4% y-o-y) and Russia (+7.8% y-o-y).

In value terms, Viet Nam ($424M), China ($363M) and Indonesia ($351M) constituted the largest plywood suppliers to the U.S., together comprising 39% of total imports. Canada, Brazil, Chile, Russia and Cambodia lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 44%.

The average plywood import price stood at $542 per cubic meter in 2020, falling by -6.7% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Indonesia ($695 per cubic meter), while the price for Chile ($420 per cubic meter) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by China, while the prices for the other major suppliers experienced a decline.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

UK Yogurt Imports Spike While Most Other Countries Reduce Purchases

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

The global yogurt imports dropped by -7.2% y-o-y to $2.4B in 2020. The UK remains the leading yogurt importer worldwide. Last year, the UK emerged as the fastest-growing country in terms of yogurt imports. In 2020, France, Germany and Belgium were the prime yogurt suppliers to the UK, providing 80% of the total import volume. 

Yoghurt Imports by Country

In 2020, the amount of yogurt imported worldwide dropped to 1.5M tonnes, with a decrease of -12.1% compared with the previous year’s figure. In value terms, yogurt imports fell by -7.2% y-o-y to $2.4B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

In 2020, the UK (261K tonnes), followed by Italy (168K tonnes), the Netherlands (118K tonnes), Spain (116K tonnes), Portugal (110K tonnes), Germany (103K tonnes), Belgium (100K tonnes) and Sweden (77K tonnes) were the key importers of yogurt, together comprising 68% of total imports. France (49K tonnes), Hungary (34K tonnes), Austria (33K tonnes), Ireland (32K tonnes) and China (28K tonnes) followed a long way behind the leaders.

In value terms, the largest yogurt importing markets worldwide were the UK ($423M), Italy ($266M) and Spain ($167M), together comprising 35% of global imports. The Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, France, Ireland, Austria, China and Hungary lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 40%.

In 2020, the average yogurt import price amounted to $1,587 per tonne, increasing by 5.6% against the previous year. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major importing countries. In 2020, the country with the highest price was Ireland ($1,781 per tonne), while Hungary ($1,168 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

Major Yogurt Suppliers to the UK

In 2020, the UK attained the most notable rate of growth in terms of purchases, amongst the main importing countries. France (95K tonnes), Germany (59K tonnes) and Belgium (54K tonnes) were the main suppliers of yogurt imports to the UK, together accounting for 80% of total imports. These countries were followed by Greece, Ireland, Spain and Poland, which together accounted for a further 19%. In 2020, the biggest increases were in supplies from Poland, while purchases from the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, the largest yogurt suppliers to the UK were France ($140M), Germany ($79M) and Greece ($77M), together comprising 70% of total imports.

Source: IndexBox Platform

Sanitary Paper
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Imports/Exports

European Exports of Household and Sanitary Paper Articles Grow Moderately to Near $6B

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

In 2020, European exports of household and sanitary paper articles rose by +1.1% y-o-y to 2.9M tonnes, which equated to $5.9B. Supplies from Germany, Italy, Poland and France constitute more than half of total European exports. Germany remains the second-largest exporter of household and sanitary paper articles worldwide and the prime supplier to other European countries. In 2020, the average export price for household and sanitary paper articles in the EU remained almost unchanged compared to the previous year’s figures. 

Exports in the EU by Country

In 2020, approx. 2.9M tonnes of household and sanitary articles of paper were exported in the EU; rising by +1.1% y-o-y. In value terms, exports of household and sanitary articles of paper stood at $5.9B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

The shipments of the four major exporters of household and sanitary articles of paper, namely Germany, Italy, Poland and France, represented more than half of total export. Sweden (188K tonnes) took the next position in the ranking, followed by Spain (145K tonnes) and the Netherlands (139K tonnes). All these countries together occupied near 16% share of total exports. Belgium (118K tonnes), Slovakia (114K tonnes), Portugal (111K tonnes), Austria (93K tonnes), Slovenia (49K tonnes) and Finland (45K tonnes) occupied a relatively small share of total exports.

Germany holds the position of the second-largest exporter of household and sanitary paper articles worldwide, following China. Germany accounts for 13% of the total global exports.

In value terms, the largest household and sanitary articles of paper supplying countries in the EU were Germany ($1.3B), Italy ($946M) and Poland ($595M), together accounting for 48% of total exports. These countries were followed by France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Slovakia, Austria, Finland and Slovenia, which together accounted for a further 45%.

The export price for household and sanitary articles of paper in the EU stood at $2,009 per tonne in 2020, approximately equating the previous year. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2020, the country with the highest price was the Netherlands ($2,611 per tonne), while Poland ($1,632 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Finland, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Major Destinations for Household and Sanitary Paper Article Exports from Germany

The Netherlands (109K tonnes), France (64K tonnes) and Austria (64K tonnes) were the main destinations of exports of household and sanitary articles of paper from Germany, together accounting for 40% of total exports. These countries were followed by Belgium, Switzerland, the UK, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and Spain, which together accounted for a further 46%.

In value terms, the largest markets for household and sanitary articles of paper exported from Germany were the Netherlands ($204M), Austria ($147M) and Switzerland ($129M), together comprising 37% of total exports. These countries were followed by France, Belgium, the UK, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and Spain, which together accounted for a further 45%.

Source: IndexBox Platform

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, Site Selection, State Spotlight

GLOBAL TRADE’S 2021 TOP STATES AND CITIES FOR MANUFACTURING

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While 2020 was by no means an ordinary year, manufacturing still remains a strong industry in the United States, largely due to manufacturers keeping on their toes and pivoting when necessary. While some categories were able to chug along at the same output as usual, others changed their products to keep with the times, adding hand sanitizer or PPE to their product lines. Some, unfortunately, have not been as lucky, with supply shortages crippling or slowing output.

In better news, manufacturing is starting to rebound in some of the harder-hit places. In fact, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, manufacturing jobs saw growth in March that is expected to continue throughout the year. According to the Institute for Supply Management’s most recent survey, manufacturing saw the fastest expansion growth in March 2021 since December 1983.

That’s great news for manufacturing, but a welcome consequence of rapid expansion is a need for more employees. So, where do you go when you need a skilled workforce that’s ready to go? Here’s a list of the best areas for the top manufacturing categories in the United States.

Pharmaceuticals

While many areas around the U.S. boast a strong pharmaceutical economy, Cambridge, Massachusetts, remains the top spot for biotech in the country. The state even offers generous incentives to companies looking to expand in its slice of New England, including tax benefits, incubators, education and pre-permitted worksites.

With the most highly educated workforce in the country and 18 out of the 20 top biotech companies in the world boasting at least a location in the Boston area, Massachusetts should definitely be on your shortlist if you’re looking for biotech or pharmaceutical manufacturing space.

Automotive

With apologies to some states in the South and areas along the U.S.-Mexico border where automotive manufacturing is thriving and growing, Michigan is still the king—undeniably. With nearly 1,000 automotive-related manufacturing companies, a highly skilled workforce, ample connections and—let’s face it—a deep and rich vehicle history, Michigan once again tops the list, towering over its most closely-ranked competitors. 

In 2020, manufacturing made up nearly 20 percent of the state’s total output, while workers from the sector filled 14.20 percent of Michigan’s jobs, according to data from the National Association of Manufacturers.

Oil Production

If your business is oil or oil adjacent, Texas is still the place to be. With chemicals, petroleum and coal ranking as the top three industries in the state, Texas has abundant natural resources and the skilled workforce to get the job done right. In fact, the Lone Star State was responsible for more than 40 percent of U.S. oil production in 2019 as well as 25 percent of the country’s total natural gas output.

Texas is home to the popular Texas Enterprise Fund, an economic development incentive that helps incoming businesses. The state still boasts its own power grid and is No. 1 in oil, gas and wind energy.

Computers and Electronics

When it comes to computer manufacturing, California naturally gets the top spot. Home to Silicon Valley, computers are California’s largest industry, raking in a whopping $93.1 billion in 2015. According to Wall Street, that’s more than the economy of 14 other states combined! 

California also has a highly-skilled computer science manufacturing workforce, with a variety of tech jobs and strong education programs that attract top talent from all around the world.

Food Production

Once again, California takes the lead when it comes to manufacturing, only this time we are referencing the food manufacturing category. With a pleasant climate and ample farming space, California is an ideal place for farming and food manufacturing. 

California is home to such food manufacturing giants as Annie’s and Del Monte, and between the state’s farm community and skilled food manufacturing workforce, your business will be in good hands in the Golden State.

Quality of Life

Though you can’t manufacture quality of life per se, there’s something to be said for locating your manufacturing business somewhere with a high quality of life for yourself and your workers. For the quality of life metrics, San Jose, California, tops the list. One of the top cities for manufacturing in 2020, San Jose is home to more than 65,000 manufacturing jobs. The city’s manufacturing output was $76 billion in 2018 alone.

As for the quality of life, San Jose is No. 1 for college readiness for high school students, and the city’s mild climate and small city feel earned it the 19th spot (out of 150) in the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index. Even WalletHub named San Jose the “second happiest place to live in America,” and U.S. News & World Report named the city the third best place to live in America in 2017.

Most Manufacturing Job Growth

Hinesville, Georgia, earns the top spot for manufacturing growth, expanding an impressive 27.50 percent between 2017 and 2018. With nearly 18 percent of its total workforce in manufacturing, Hinesville has also seen recent increases in job growth.

The city, which is home to manufacturers in the paper and plastics industries, among others, was recently named No. 3 for manufacturing workers by SmartAsset.

Top State for Manufacturing, Overall

For the top spot for manufacturing overall, California again takes the crown, with its electronics and computer manufacturing grossing well over the $100 million mark. In 2020, the Golden State employed 1.2 million workers at nearly 39,000 companies, with average pay for a manufacturing engineer coming in around $77k, according to Salary.com. California consistently ranks higher for manufacturing salaries compared to the national average.

The state had $149.56 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019, according to the National Association of Manufacturers, and has grown 19.87 percent in manufactured goods exports between the years of 2010 and 2019.

Most Manufacturing Jobs

The Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana, metropolitan area holds the title for most manufacturing jobs with approximately 38 percent of the region’s workforce in the manufacturing industry, according to the county website. (A recent Fox News report claims it’s actually a whopping 58 percent!)

The area has nearly 1,000 manufacturing companies spanning 14 industries, including recreational vehicle manufacturers Thor Industries and Forest River, Inc. A versatile, skilled workforce is ready to work for new and expanding businesses relocating to the community, and the Elkhart County EDC can assist with everything from incentives to training programs.

Whether you’re looking to manufacture automotive products or electronics, food or technology, there’s no need to look abroad: The United States has plenty of sites and skilled workers to suit your business needs.

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Tips to Grow your Manufacturing Business with a Help of a Blog

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Nowadays, blogs are proving very useful in growing any business. And the same adage holds true for manufacturing businesses. In fact, if you own a manufacturing business, there are several tips that could prove handy to grow it with the help of a superb blog.

Why Manufacturing Businesses Need a Blog

There are a few reasons why manufacturing businesses need a blog. Firstly, a manufacturing business isn’t like a retail one. In retail businesses, you’ll be mainly selling stuff directly to a consumer. For a manufacturing business, you’ll be selling to both, the direct end-user of the product or even to an intermediary party.

In such cases, a blog can prove very useful to grow the business because an intermediate party might not promote your products as much as you would prefer. And furthermore, a good blog for a manufacturing business can also popularize your products in today’s highly competitive market.

A blog is a superb resource for branding your business and letting people online know that you’re offering excellent products that they would love to use, regardless of whether they are Business-to-Business (B2B) customers or Business-to-Consumer (B2C) buyers.

Tips to Grow Your Manufacturing Business with a Blog

Therefore, here are some excellent tips on how to grow your manufacturing business with a blog. You can adapt these tips to meet your own needs for marketing and promoting your business and products according to their nature and target clientele.

Provide Excellent Content

It goes without saying that content is the king of the blog. Therefore, to attract more visitors to your blog, it would require compelling content that people find interesting, engaging, and relevant to their needs. Content is also called the king of any blog.

This would also help you with the digital marketing processes necessary to promote your blog and get it on top of the Google search engine result page. The better the content, the higher your chances of attracting buyers that translate as customers.

Superb Digital Marketing

While we’re on the topic of digital marketing, here are some tips to consider. Hire a good digital marketer, either as a freelancer or full-time employee to do various digital marketing processes on your blog. That would be useful to rank your blog in the topmost searches of Google. And getting on the top always attracts more attention since nobody usually looks for websites or blogs that appear on the second or third page of Google search results.

Digital marketing processes include Search Engine Optimization- both on-page and off-page, social media marketing, and email marketing, among others. A good digital marketer will be able to offer these services that can help your manufacturing business to have a strong online presence and create a superb brand through a blog and your business website.

Spread Out Through Social Media

As part of efforts to promote your blog for the manufacturing business, also open Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest accounts. That way, you can disseminate information about any new posts on your blog very quickly to your followers. And one of the best things about social media posts about your blog is that it would attract people to share your posts if they’re interesting.

Social media also provides you with an opportunity to interact with potential buyers or others that are interested in your manufacturing business and its products. These people can be your prospective customers. If you handle their queries and suggestions or comments carefully, you could convert them as buyers for your products.

Provide Affiliate Links

You can also provide affiliate links to your own products through your manufacturing business blog. That’s because some 90 percent of buyers trust blogs more than company websites and ads. And they read blogs in the initial stages of buying anything before placing an order. Therefore, a superb blog about your manufacturing business can help swing the decision in your favor.

When you provide affiliate links even to your own business website, you’re actually asking potential leads to take action immediately. Very often, this translates as instant sales for your products and helps your manufacturing business to grow.

Create an Email Marketing List

Generally, every blog has a contact form. And you can capture the names, locations, and email IDs of persons that comment on your blog through this contact form or comments section. Now, why would a person part with their email IDs? The answer is simple. They’ll give their email IDs only when your content is attractive, useful, and relevant to their needs.

And you can create an email list and use it for email marketing. If you find that any person comments, or contacts you, through the blog, you could convert them as customers by making special offers or asking your marketing team to approach these potential leads to secure business for your organization.

Speak About Your Industry

As a blogger for your manufacturing business, you can also provide news and views about the latest happenings in your industry in general. That keeps readers and other stakeholders in such businesses interested in your blog. And that’s also one way of increasing your business blog following. Speaking about your industry through news and news analysis also helps establish yourself and your manufacturing business as a formidable brand in the broader industry.

One more thing that occurs when you speak about the industry is that consumers know that you’re serious about your business. And generally, such consumers can translate as loyal customers too, provided you handle them appropriately. There’s always news and views about the industry and you can simplify these and inform your followers and customers through the blog for self-branding.

In Conclusion

These six tips could help your manufacturing business to grow steadily. Nowadays, a blog is a vital resource for every organization serious about doing business and serving its customers. Some of the largest brands in the world also have their own blogs. And you can open one too for your manufacturing business.