Is warehouse automation increasing unemployment & early retirement?
Good morning! Happy Thursday, everyone! Make it a great one.
“Always think outside the box and embrace opportunities that appear, wherever they might be.” — Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman & CEO of ArcelorMittal
In a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economics Research, economics researchers are concluding that industrial robots in the workplace appear to negatively impact family debt, but add to the time and money that families invest in existing children.
Check out today’s featured article from Supply Chain Digital to read about warehousing automation and how it may increase unemployment rates and encourage early retirement. ☕️
Featured Article:
Supply chain automation 'increases unemployment & debt' | Supply Chain Digital
“The countries with the most robots per 10,000 employees are South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and Sweden, followed by Hong Kong, the US, Taiwan, and then China.”
Regulations & Driver Issues 🚛
FMCSA speed limiter mandate proposal has drawn much attention
Since its conception, efforts to mandate speed-limiting devices on heavy-duty trucks have been a hot topic among truckers. While the commenting period ended in July, the FMSCA has not made any new updates regarding the proposal. Some think this is because the commenting turnout far surpassed what the agency expected, and was notably negative.
A formal proposal is unlikely to be released until late in the summer months of 2023, according to FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. Advocates of the proposed rule seem to be overwhelmingly safety groups and large carriers who already require their trucks to be speed limited. The majority of independent truck drivers are adamantly against the move.
Covid-19 & Trade Issues 🗺️
After heavy protests, China pulls back slightly on zero-Covid strategy
After several large protests and calls for President Xi Jinping to resign, Beijing has eased some of its anti-COVID measures. While some hope this move will lead to a complete scrap of the country’s “zero-Covid” plan entirely, there are still restrictions that are likely to be in place until mid-2023.
While most other major countries have pivoted to “living with” the virus, China has stubbornly been working on stamping the entire virus to the dust. Despite its efforts, China is still reporting 25k+ new cases per day - with 20k asymptomatic.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
Happy Well Done GIF via GIPHY
✈️ Global airlines are on track for their first net gain since 2019. In a surprising turn of events after the pandemic almost crippled and killed many airlines, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the anticipated return to profitability next year, with fanfare. Furthermore, 2022 revenues are up 43.6% compared to 2021, and increased air cargo revenues are attributed to the increase.
🇲🇽 “Near-shoring” can be the key to navigating supply chain challenges. United States companies have been pulling operations out of far-off countries in Asia - such as China - and placing them in nearby countries, especially Mexico. This move is expected to offset some of the serious supply chain issues encountered during the Covid-19 crisis. By near-shoring, companies can also maintain a competitive advantage with lower labor costs than domestically-operated companies.
🛰️ SpaceX introduces its military variation of Starlink satellites to the world. Dubbed ‘Starshield’, the new business line by Starlink is designed for government use, bringing the company to the new frontier, moving past consumer and commercial use. Starlink’s biggest U.S. government customer is currently the Pentagon, and this offering is likely to increase that partnership.
iLevel With You
More topics for the average American household to consider…
👱♀️ Calling all ladies interested in a logistics profession: here’s what you need to know. C.H. Robinson contributor Kim Wilson writes about her 35-year profession in logistics and provided some tips for those who are interested in following in her footsteps. Currently, 51% of all C.H. Robinson employees and 33% of company leaders are female.
⛽️ Maybe we spoke too soon? Diesel has now dropped below $5 per gallon, sitting just a hair under the benchmark of $4.967. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is reporting that metric, showing down from $5.141 on Nov. 28 and $5.233 on Nov. 21. EIA officials are speculating that throughout 2023 the national average diesel prices could hover just below the $5 range.
🚂 A rail strike would decimate the trucking industry. Former ATA chairman Phil Byrd is emphasizing that trucking can’t be successful without a good rail system. Congress voted to fortify a labor contract that the majority of unionized rail workers voted against, but some believe it was the best move to make to avoid economic disaster. While the issue is sideswiped for the time being, some are saying that regardless of the denied strike, disgruntled workers are not a favorable aspect of the rail industry and their concerns should be better considered.
GET SMART
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🤖 Self-driving trucks are introducing a new era to transport logistics. As it’s constantly shown in headlines - there aren’t enough active truckers today to meet the demand in the industry. And while a trucking shortage is nothing new, the industry is pivoting to focus on big data spending and implementing self-driving vehicles into their fleets to make up for the lack of qualified labor.
💡 Visibility is key in a world of evolving sustainability standards. Regulations are becoming more and more attuned to social and environmental issues, pushing companies to focus on “the bigger picture” when selecting suppliers and the components of their supply chain. By using new tech to create a clear picture of what a company is offering, regulators and consumers alike can make educated decisions based on this information.
📊 November cited logistics sector slow-down. The economic activity in the logistics industry is on a steady decline for the second consecutive month, dropping from the pandemic-era highs. Dropping nearly four points from October, this wind-down has been highly anticipated by researchers.
Artificial Intelligence 🦾
SEKO Logistics to add warehouse bots to scale up operations | Supply Chain Dive
Supply Chain Dive Associate Editor Alejandra Salgado writes about SEKO Logistics’s partnership with GreyOrange’s Ranger Assist Bots.
Smart Trailers and Beyond [Video] | Trucking Info
Trucking Info shares a video explaining the realities of smart trailers in the future of trucking.
TuSimple, Navistar End Agreement to Co-Develop Autonomous Trucks | TT News
TT News shares the announcement that Navistar and TuSimple are tossing their planned collaboration to develop autonomous trucks.
Business Strategy 💡
Shippers Explore Transport Alternatives to Manage Congested Freight Networks | Supply Chain Brain
SCB Contributor Alex Winston writes about shippers who are taking a look at their transport methods with fresh eyes.
Companies Want Expanded Logistic Services | Material Handling & Logistics
Material Handling & Logistics Staff writes about the survey results that nine out of ten logistics companies believe their customers want them to offer a broader set of logistics services.
DHL Express adds 45 Ford E-transit vans to Its Bay Area fleet | AJOT
AJOT contributor writes about DHL Express’s decision to roll out 45 new Ford E-Transit vans in Palo Alto, California.
Electric Vehicles 🔋
With Tesla Semi, the 500-mile run is a new benchmark | Fleet Owner
In this article, Fleet Owner contributor Michael Roeth writes about the reported 500-mile run on the much-anticipated Tesla Semi.
GM battery plant workers to vote on union representation in labor test for the EV industry | CNBC
CNBC contributor Michael Wayland writes about the possible unionization underway at the General Motors manufacturing plant for electric vehicles.
GM to put thousands of electric vehicle chargers in rural America | CNN
CNN contributor Peter Valdes-Dapena writers about General Motors’ plans to install as many as 40,000 electric vehicle chargers in the inner parts of America.
Industry Forecast 📊
Gap says in-transit inventory levels are ‘easing’ | Supply Chain Dive
Supply Chain Dive Editor Kelly Stroh writes about the retailer Gap’s plans to pursue moderate buys and ongoing markdowns.
The State of a “Normal” Supply Chain | Food Logistics
Food Logistics contributor Marina Mayer writes about the far-off normalcy in the supply chain space.
Major box carriers’ 2022 nine-month operating profit equals 2021 full-year results | Container News
Container News Editor Themis Karalis writes about Sea-Intelligence reports showing overall operating profit in the last year was US$124 billion.
Safety 🦺
Survey: small businesses seek solutions for truck fleet safety, costs | DC Velocity
DC Velocity Staff writes about the surveyed actions most small businesses and fleets are taking to combat supply chain and inflationary issues.
Electronic truck IDs: Safety tool or unnecessary burden? | Fleet Maintenance
In this article, contributor Scott Keith writes about the proposed rulemaking around electronic truck identifiers.
Network Association 🤝
Scheduling Standards Consortium set to address needed freight API standards | Logistics Management
Logistics Management Staff writes about the partnership between San Francisco-based Uber Freight, Seattle-based digital freight network Convoy, and Ark.-based trucking and intermodal services bellwether J.B. Hunt.
Leadership 🏆
Here’s what America’s top CEOs are saying about a possible recession in 2023 | CNBC
CNBC contributor Rebecca Picciotto writes about what CEOs from JPMorgan, General Motors, Walmart, United, and Union Pacific are saying about a possible economic slowdown over the next twelve months.
The Massie Effect | Seth’s Blog
Seth writes a blog post about the likelihood leaders can feel like an overlooked minority.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.