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Let’s be honest. Tariffs used to be background noise — a slow-moving policy lever that rarely disrupted day-to-day supply chain operations. But that’s no longer the case. In recent weeks, a new wave of U.S. tariffs has brought a level of unpredictability few supply chain leaders were prepared for.

They’re arriving fast, shifting frequently, and targeting a wide range of goods—from raw materials to finished products. This isn’t just a sourcing issue anymore—it’s a full-chain disruption, and most teams are still racing to adapt.

Tariffs Are Creating a New Cost Baseline

When landed costs jump 30 to 40 percent overnight, absorbing the hit isn’t an option. Tariffs are inflating costs across the board — from raw materials and transportation to packaging and components.

Pricing teams are left to decide whether to pass the increase to customers, compress margins, or overhaul their pricing structure entirely. But traditional approaches don’t scale. Long-term B2B …

The Port of Long Beach is officially the busiest port in the United States for the first quarter of 2025. Driven by a surge in imports ahead of anticipated tariffs, the port saw a 26.6% increase in cargo volumes compared to the same period in 2024. Dock workers and terminal operators moved 2.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the year's first three months.

In March alone, the Port of Long Beach handled 817,457 TEUs, a 25% jump from March 2024. Imports rose by 25.8%, reaching 380,562 TEUs, while exports dipped slightly by 1% to 104,063 TEUs. Empty container volumes also increased, up 35% to 332,832 TEUs. This marks the port’s 10th consecutive month of year-over-year cargo growth.

“We are leading the way as the nation’s busiest port by ensuring the fastest, most efficient delivery of cargo from our docks to anywhere in the United States,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach. “Our investments in state-of-the-art, modern facilities a…

With the Donald Trump administration in the U.S. imposing tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and Canada, companies across the globe are preparing for tariff wars and input cost escalations while also looking for cost-mitigation strategies. 

These new tariffs are expected to increase costs for raw materials and components, compelling businesses to reassess sourcing and production strategies. Industries such as automotive, clean energy, and consumer goods are particularly vulnerable, facing potential disruptions and higher expenses. 

The uncertainty surrounding these tariffs complicates long-term planning, as companies must navigate fluctuating trade policies and potential retaliatory actions.

For Those Who Have Failed to Plan Ahead

We don’t know yet if the tariffs will continue to remain in force or get diluted as a result of reciprocal tariffs. But irrespective of how the scenario turns out, planning ahead will help enterprises navigate the …

Retail sales increased in March after two straight monthly declines. Still, the growth was likely driven by consumers rushing to buy goods before new tariffs took effect, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor powered by Affinity Solutions.

Total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gasoline, were up 0.6% month over month and 4.75% year over year in March. Core retail sales, which also exclude restaurants, rose 0.4% month over month and 5.07% year over year.

The gains came before President Trump announced on April 2 a new 10% baseline tariff on all imports and “reciprocal” tariffs targeting dozens of countries. Some consumers, anticipating higher prices, began stocking up in early March. A survey conducted for the National Retail Federation found that 46% of shoppers said they were buying items like appliances and clothing ahead of potential price hikes.

“Retail sales increased in March but only moderately, and the spending came before the pr…

Johns Hopkins University has received a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense to help strengthen the U.S. prescription drug supply chain. Dr. Mariana Socal, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Carey Business School, is leading the project.

The goal is to avoid future drug shortages by closely examining how medications are made, where they come from, and how decisions are made about buying, investing, and regulations. The funding is part of a broader effort by the Department of Defense to ensure that essential medications remain available to both military and civilian populations.

“The pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities in the U.S.’s public health system overall and the pharmaceutical drug supply chain in particular,” said Socal. “During the pandemic, there were significant disruptions in the manufacturing and distribution of a wide range of pharmaceuticals that are used to treat everything from c…

Smartphones, computers, and other electronics will be spared from the steep tariffs President Donald Trump announced earlier this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in guidance released late Friday night.

The move comes after concerns from Apple and other tech companies that rely on China to manufacture their products. Trump’s 145% tariff on Chinese imports sparked fears that prices for phones and laptops would soar. Apple alone lost more than $600 billion in market value in the days after the tariffs were announced.

According to the new guidance, electronics like semiconductors, solar cells, flash drives, and memory cards will also be exempt. The change applies to products brought into the U.S. since April 5.

“This is the dream scenario for tech investors. Smartphones and chips being excluded is a game-changer when it comes to China tariffs,” Dan Ives, Global Head of Tech esearch at Wedbush Securities, told CNBC.

He added, “I thi…

A new report from Ascential Medical & Life Sciences reveals that 69% of manufacturers have adopted some form of automation, but only 9% have fully integrated it across operations. Meanwhile, 42% of companies cite regulatory compliance as the top barrier to commercialization, and 56% say high labor and operational costs block reshoring efforts.

These findings come from the company’s 2025 State of the Industry Report, Automate, Innovate, Adapt. The report draws on exclusive survey data and expert analysis to highlight key trends in medical and life sciences manufacturing.

The report also identifies personalized medicine as a rising operational challenge, with 31% of respondents naming it the most difficult trend to manage in 2025.

“The medical and life sciences manufacturing sector is at the forefront of global healthcare innovation,” said Anupam Girdhar, CEO of Ascential Medical & Life Sciences. “Companies must learn to navigate a complex landscap…

Amazon is considering a $15 billion warehouse expansion plan that would add approximately 80 new logistics facilities across U.S. cities and rural areas, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The proposed facilities would primarily be delivery hubs, with some including large, automated fulfillment centers. The company is currently seeking proposals from capital partners and is reportedly open to long-term leases ranging from 15 to 25 years. Select locations could potentially receive direct investment from Amazon.

“Meetings like this with our capital partners are routine and part of the normal due diligence process, as we consider potential, future projects,” said Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly. He added that the projects remain under discussion and have not been finalized.

If the plan moves forward, it would mark Amazon’s return to warehouse development after a pandemic-era construction boom followed by a pullback. During…

President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariff hikes for most U.S. trading partners, dialing back his administration’s latest trade measures amid increasing concerns from businesses and global allies. The move keeps a flat 10% tariff in place for most countries, but excludes China, where tariffs have now surged to 125%.

“We are hitting China hard,” Trump said during a press conference. “They don’t respect us on trade, and we’re not going to take it anymore.”

The announcement triggered a major rally on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 3,000 points, or close to 8%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted their best single-day gains since the early 2020s. Markets responded to the reduced risk of immediate global trade disruption, even as tensions with China escalated.

In response, China imposed steep new tariffs. According to Euronews, Beijing announced an 84% tariff on a wide range of U.S. goods just hours after Trump’…

Amid new tariffs and rising trade tensions, the Trump administration has revived a familiar demand: Bring iPhone manufacturing home.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Absolutely. [Trump] believes we have the labor, we have the workforce, we have the resources to do it.” She pointed to Apple’s recently announced $500 billion U.S. investment as evidence that domestic manufacturing is viable.

But a closer look inside the iPhone reveals just how globally interconnected its production process is — and why reshoring the entire operation would be more complicated than it sounds.

A Phone for the World

Apple’s supply chain spans over 50 countries and supports over 3 million people. While the iPhone is designed in California, nearly every major component is manufactured abroad. Here’s a look at some of the key components inside an iPhone, based on publicly available data about Apple’s suppliers an…

Louisiana’s Plaquemines Port has a new name: the Louisiana Gateway Port.  The new name reflects the Port’s growing popularity in global trade and its plan to become one of the top five U.S. ports by tonnage within five years.

Located at the closest point on the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, the Port offers deep water access with no height limits for ships. It also has strong rail connections, available land for development, and a new privately funded container terminal with global operator APM.

The Port hopes the new identity will help attract larger vessels and more international business to Louisiana.

“As we embark on this exciting new chapter as the Louisiana Gateway Port, we are committed to transforming our region into a vital gateway for global trade,” said Executive Director Charles Tillotson. “This rebranding reflects our unwavering dedication to enhancing Louisiana’s role in international commerce and supporting economic gro…

From March to April, the U.S. imposed tariffs on nearly every nation. In mid-March, the U.S. enacted a 25% tariff on many imports from Canada and Mexico, a 20% tariff on all Chinese imports, and a global 25% tariff on aluminum and steel. On April 3, a 25% duty began applying to imports of all autos and auto parts, with some exceptions for cars made in Mexico and Canada that fall under existing free trade agreements. On April 2, the US announced that a flat 10% tariff on all imports, along with additional duties on goods from many other countries, would go into effect. Most goods from China, for example, will be subject to a 54% tariff, and Vietnamese imports will face a 49% tariff.

Tariff policies have also been subject to sudden change. Blanket tariffs on all Colombian imports were briefly enacted and then dropped after Colombia complied with U.S. demands. In another example, the 25% tariffs with Mexico and Canada initially applied to all goods, but two days later, t…