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As tariffs change and supply chains shift, procurement leaders are racing to adapt. In this Q&A, Dharani (DJ) Jeyaprakasam, Principal Solutions Architect at ORO Labs, shares how procurement orchestration can help companies streamline supplier onboarding, manage risk, and stay compliant as they navigate an increasingly volatile trade environment.

Supply Chain 24/7: What are you hearing from procurement leaders about these on-again, off-again tariffs?

Dharani Jeyaprakasam: Procurement leaders are increasingly frustrated by the pace and unpredictability of tariff shifts. These changes are often announced with little warning, and many teams still rely on fragmented systems and manual workarounds to respond, leading to slow reactions, inefficient decisions, and missed sourcing opportunities.

According to a recent Hackett Group report, 100% of organizations are actively monitoring cost models and scenario plans to stay ahead o…

In an era where tariffs are disrupting global trade and business with little notice, enterprises are under pressure to stay agile and prepared - ready to pivot quickly, make informed decisions, and protect their supply chains from unforeseen cost increases.

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French government officials are pushing to add a small handling fee to low-cost items bought online from outside the European Union. The move is aimed at curbing the surge of packages arriving from companies like Temu and Shein, which are mostly shipped from China. The proposal, announced during a visit to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on April 29, would apply to all non-EU countries, including the UK and the U.S., and could take effect as early as 2026.

Currently, small packages worth under €150 (USD 161) are exempt from customs duties in the EU, although VAT still applies. But with 4.6 billion such packages entering the EU last year — 91% from China and 800 million going to France — French officials say the system is being overwhelmed.

“This isn't a tax on consumers — it's to make these platforms contribute more to checks we must do for security,” said Budget Minister Amélie de Montchalin. She added the fee would help fund safety and environmental chec…

​Distributors across the U.S. are sounding the alarm as new tariffs and potential tax hikes threaten to squeeze already tight margins and disrupt supply chains. A recent survey by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) and Modern Distribution Management (MDM) reveals that many in the industry are bracing for large cost increases and operational challenges in 2025.​

“The survey indicates that one-third of distributors are already facing price hikes of 25% or more. Though these increases haven’t hit store shelves yet, it’s an indication of where prices are headed,” said Eric Hoplin, CEO of NAW. “We urge President Trump to secure trade agreements quickly to restore certainty, help businesses plan, and ease supply chain pressures.”​

Key Findings

Rising Costs: 62% of distributors expect their cost of goods sold to increase by 10% or more in 2025.​

Financial Strain: 67% report that tariffs have hurt their businesses, while only 2.5% have exp…

Nearly half of supply chain leaders say they plan to pass new tariff costs directly to customers, according to a new Gartner survey. The second most popular strategy? Making changes within their supply chains. The survey polled 126 supply chain leaders between March 17 and April 7, with most respondents coming from companies that earn over $1 billion a year.

“Supply chain leaders have many potential levers to pull from in mitigating new costs related to tariffs,” said Vicky Forman, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner. “While supply chain leaders have multiple initiatives underway to potentially lessen the impacts, many of these actions have yet to be completed.”

Increased costs were the top concern for 92% of those surveyed. But leaders are also worried about losing customers. Three out of four listed declining demand as a major risk, whether from U.S. consumers or international buyers reacting to possible retaliation.

Beyond raising prices, compa…

As more companies turn to AI to streamline the food supply chain, new security risks are emerging, especially as systems scale and connect across more partners, warehouses, and delivery networks. We spoke with James White, CTO and Founding Engineer at CalypsoAI, about the growing threat landscape, how AI can be used to secure itself, and what food and grocery companies need to know before deploying AI tools in critical operations.

Supply Chain 24/7: Why is the food supply chain becoming more vulnerable to cyberattacks as more companies adopt AI?

James White: AI is being adopted at multiple points on the food supply chain, and each of these adoption points can lead to accidental or unintentional mishaps. Understanding the technical details of how these mishaps occur is where bad actors often begin their cyberattacks. For example, if vision AI is being used to automatically read labels on packing slips to auto-route food to a specific location, attacking the…

The World Shipping Council is pushing back against a new fee regime announced by the U.S. Trade Representative, warning it could disrupt global trade and increase prices for American businesses and consumers.

In a statement released April 18, the World Shipping Council (WSC) raised concerns about the USTR's newly announced port fees, calling them “a step in the wrong direction.”

“Revitalizing America’s maritime sector is an important and widely shared goal,” said Joe Kramek, President and CEO of WSC. “Unfortunately, the fee regime announced by USTR will raise prices for consumers, weaken U.S. trade, and do little to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry.”

The WSC said the fees are problematic for several reasons. First, the policy applies retroactively to ships already in transit, adding costs without benefiting U.S. shipbuilders. Second, the fees are based on ship size (Net Tonnage), which the group says unfairly penalizes larger, more efficient vessels…

Roche is making a massive bet on the United States.

The Swiss pharmaceutical company announced that it will invest $50 billion across the United States over the next five years. The move comes as drugmakers around the world brace for possible new tariffs from the Trump administration, which recently launched a “national security” investigation into pharmaceutical imports.

Roche said the investment will create more than 12,000 jobs, including nearly 6,500 construction roles, and boost U.S. manufacturing, research, and distribution operations. The company plans to expand its existing sites in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon, and California, while building new factories for gene therapy and glucose monitoring, as well as a research center in Massachusetts focused on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

“We are proud of our 110-year legacy in the United States which has been a key driver for jobs, innovation and the creation of intellectual property,…

The global economy experienced a seismic shift on April 3, 2025. With a base 10% tariff on all imports and targeted duties reaching as high as 54% for Chinese goods, businesses worldwide are scrambling to understand the implications for their supply chains and bottom lines.

A perfect storm for transportation management

These tariffs threaten to disrupt decades of global trade liberalization, creating cascading effects across industries. Consumer goods face major price increases (like the projected $2,300 iPhone), manufacturing disruptions have already begun (with Stellantis announcing temporary layoffs), and international retaliation is brewing as countries from Canada to China announce countermeasures.

What's particularly alarming is the speed at which these changes are unfolding. Companies with outdated transportation management infrastructure find themselves paralyzed-unable to quickly assess impacts, incapable of modeling scenarios, and powerless to make ti…

As new tariffs take hold under the second Trump administration, supply chain leaders are once again facing disruption. For retailers, the message is clear: reactive supply chains will struggle, but proactive ones can stay ahead.

According to Gartner’s Gerhard Grimm, retailers should align their operations with one of four supply chain profiles—each offering a different strategy for managing tariff risk.

Design: Retailers focused on innovation can reduce tariff exposure through product design and sourcing changes. That could mean switching to lower-duty materials or sourcing from countries with better trade terms. Durability: For companies committed to long-term sustainability, durability means investing in alternative sourcing and regional production. Some are using Foreign-Trade Zones or building partnerships with local farms to reduce their reliance on imports. Deferment: Retailers in highly tariff-sensitive sectors may choose to wait and see, holding off on bi…

DHL Express is stopping business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments over $800 headed to the U.S. starting Monday. The company announced the change in an email to customers, pointing to delays caused by new trade regulations that took effect earlier this month.

The rules, introduced by the U.S. government, lower the threshold for formal customs processing from $2,500 to $800. That means any shipment over $800 now requires more paperwork, including detailed documentation, tax ID numbers, and proof of origin.

DHL said it is suspending B2C shipments “until further notice” to manage the backlog. “The changes outlined above have caused a significant increase in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” the company told customers. “While we are working diligently to scale up and manage this increase, we are experiencing multi-day transit delays to the U.S. from any origin for shipments with a declared customs value exceeding USD 800.”

Sh…

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce are warning that the U.S. Trade Representative’s newly announced shipping tariffs could do more harm than good for American businesses, workers, and consumers.

On April 17, the USTR unveiled the results of its Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, outlining a series of aggressive new tariffs and fees. The phased measures target Chinese vessel owners and operators, as well as ships built in China. Additional tariffs, ranging from 20% to 100%, will apply to critical shipping infrastructure, including containers, chassis, and ship-to-shore cranes.

The AAFA, which testified and submitted comments opposing the proposal in March, said the consequences would be widespread.

“We are deeply concerned that the newly announced port fees and shipping mandates are destined to have devastating consequences for American workers, consumers, …