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In this issue of ACWI Advance we take a closer look at these stories:
- Joe Biden’s plans for the economy could have a profound impact on logistics.
- The Department of Transportation publishes a National Freight Strategic Plan,
- The Chemical Activity Barometer, was up by 1.6% in September.
- The Coronavirus fueled explosive growth of ecommerce in the second quarter.
- National Retail Federation is cautiously optimistic about Christmas sales.
- The American Moving and Storage Association rejoins American Trucking Associations.
- Businesses need to prepare for all eventualities, including hurricanes.
Send your company news to Editor David Sparkman at [email protected], and please understand that there is no cost to you when we use your news in this newsletter.
Biden’s Agenda for Logistics
Amid all the controversy and turmoil surrounding this year’s national election, it’s not surprising that those parts of the Trump and Biden campaign agendas regarding logistics have gone little noticed in the mainstream media, despite heightened national awareness of the vital role played by supply chain management that arose at the very outset of the Coronavirus pandemic.
When they are fighting for re-election, sitting presidents campaign on their records, while their challengers tend to develop detailed platforms in hopes of reeling in the votes of as wide a range of voters as possible.
DOT Adopts Freight Plan
The Department of Transportation published National Freight Strategic Plan, intended to guide policy, programs, initiatives and investments at the federal, regional and state levels across all modes.
“The department is unveiling the first-ever NFSP so that the U.S. can maintain our competitive edge across major industries like agriculture, manufacturing, energy production and ecommerce,” said Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao when she announced its release on Sept. 3.
CAB Registers September Rise
The Chemical Activity Barometer, a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council, was up by 1.6% in September on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, following a 2.5% gain in August.
On a year-over-year (Y/Y) basis, the barometer was down 4.3% in September. The unadjusted data show a 0.7% gain in September following a 2.2% increase in August and a 1.9% rise in July.
Pandemic Boom For Ecommerce
The Coronavirus pandemic fueled explosive growth of ecommerce in the second quarter, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Adjusted retail ecommerce sales in the second quarter of 2020 were $211.5 billion, a Covid‐19 driven increase of 31.8% over the first quarter, and a whopping 44.5% increase from the second quarter of 2019.
Ecommerce retail now represents 16.1% of retail sales in the U.S. The segment grew at a 14.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2015 through 2019 and shows no sign of slowing down, observes Armstrong & Associates.
Retailers Hope For Xmas Sales
Trying to forecast 2020 holiday sales is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle without having all the pieces, according to National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz.
“Completing a puzzle is highly probable given patience, having all the pieces and having the picture on the box to guide assembly,” he said. “But it’s not the same when attempting to fit pieces of the economy together in today’s environment. Many of the pieces are missing.”
AMSA Back in ATA Federation
The American Moving and Storage Association has agreed to become part of American Trucking Associations, a federation of state trucking associations, vocational councils and industry segment groups similar to AMSA.
AMSA, with more than 3,000 members, is slated to become the the ATA Moving & Storage Conference once the merger process is complete. A Moving & Storage Council also will be created to serve as the new group’s training and education arm.
Disaster Prep Crucial for Business
We are still in the midst of one of the busiest hurricane seasons on record and wildfires this year have devastated parts of the West, reminding businesses they need to prepare their operations and employees for all eventualities.
Under regulations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, workplaces that have more than 10 employees must develop a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to identify and coordinate necessary employer and employee actions when an emergency arises.
