In a new initiative, the Director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with key stakeholders to launch a new initiative that will help to “speed up the movement of goods, reducing delays and costs for American consumers.”
Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) is an information-sharing initiative to pilot key freight information exchange between the various segments of the supply chain to move the transportation logistics system into 21st-century digitization. To know more, Click Here.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Intelligence stated that ransomware attacks on the supply chain undermine national security and will cause further congestion at ports of entry and delays in shipping nationwide. Hackers and ransomware groups are targeting American logistics and shipping companies, limiting customs enforcement capabilities and undermining national security. President Biden announced new measures to increase the cybersecurity of the electricity, pipeline, and water sectors and has directed Departments and Agencies to use all existing government authorities to mandate new cybersecurity and network defense measures. Read More
This current rise in diesel prices is creating new challenges for small truck operators. Some small fleets have mentioned that they are taking steps to conserve fuel after the rapid increase in costs that seem to have triggered a shock across the sector. The WSJ reports that the increase in per-gallon average prices across the U.S. to a record $5.25 has slipped back but the price is still nearly $2 per gallon higher than it was a year ago. Industry experts say bigger carriers generally have the financial cushion to absorb the increases and they are passing along higher fuel surcharges to their shipping customers. Still, the fuel surcharges lag behind the rising prices and smaller operators are taking a hit as they cope with fast-rising costs. Learn more
Ukraine and Russia supply significant portions of the world's agricultural commodities. The conflict's food-related potential impacts can be immense and include social unrest and environmental responses. Ukraine's winter wheat harvest should be underway in about three months, but the conflict has worsened the situation for the nation's farmers. A shortage of fuel and fertilizer is a significant challenge while moving commodities to the market face logistical barriers. A key measure of global food prices hit a new all-time high last month, as mounting tensions led to an invasion. The cost of wheat and other commodities has rapidly escalated. Prices for flour and wheat brought into the Gaza Strip have risen by 20% due to the war in Europe. Nearly a third of the fertilizer used within the European Union comes typically from Russia, which has now threatened its scarcity. Click Here to know more.
Experts predict that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could cause backward steps in the world's progress in tackling climate change. Both nations hold vital materials for the world's renewable energy systems. Strengthening the renewable industry against external events will be critical in ensuring consistent progress on the world's energy transition goals. There's a need for a secure, steady, and affordable clean energy supply to meet emissions reduction targets. This supply relies on access to so-called "energy transition metals" such as copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, and lithium. Russia accounts for 7% of the world's mined nickel – a scarce metal needed to make electric vehicle batteries. The current conflict reportedly pushed nickel prices up 250% in 48 hours last week. Russia also produces a third of the world's palladium. To learn more, click here.
The U.S. and U.K. officials met on Monday to discuss strategies to strengthen trade ties, underscoring transatlantic cooperation at a time when Western countries are increasing pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine. To learn more, click here.
Christian Klein, CEO, SAP mentioned in his blog post outlining SAP's position on the war in Ukraine, "Like the rest of the world, we are watching the war in Ukraine with horror and condemn the invasion in the strongest possible terms. An act as inhumane and unjustified as this is an attack on democracy and humanity. Its consequences affect us all. Economic sanctions are an important mechanism in the efforts to restore peace."
Companies are developing and implementing sustainable business models with greater emphasis now. The priorities for businesses have effectively shifted towards protecting the workforce, the environment, reducing impact, and complying with environmental regulations. SAP's webinar on Sustainable Enterprises will discuss the typical environment, health, and safety challenges and SAP solutions for the same that can support your customers in solving these.
Microsoft announced that it will be adopting RISE with SAP to help transform some of its large ERP deployments. This decision follows Microsoft's widely successful adoption and implementation of other SAP solutions, including those for enterprise resource planning. "Our goal is to simplify and accelerate our own journey to SAP S/4HANA Cloud," said Charlotte Yarkoni, President, Commerce + Ecosystems, Microsoft.
project44 has been named No. 1 in market presence and customer satisfaction! The company achieved high-growth trajectory status for its employees' growth and a digital presence on G2 Spring 2022 Grid Report and Momentum Grid for Supply Chain Visibility Software.
The project44 team not only topped this year's spring report but also outpaced several competitors in G2's Momentum Grid, which is determined through an algorithm measuring data across social media and reviews influential to company momentum.