Welcome to GLDPartners weekly feature, Supply Chain Intelligence Report, where we highlight important topics and articles that present the tactics and strategies that companies and industry sectors are using to adjust to the onslaught of change in the current age of supply chain disruption.

Aviation
Southwest Airlines is getting serious about cargo with it’s first foray into international cargo.  Cargo will move on Southwest Airlines’ domestic flights and then be loaded onto international flights at gateway cities.  With belly cargo becoming an increasing factor in point-to-point high-velocity shipments, we expect to see more airlines pay increasing attention to cargo.  With SWA venturing deeper into cargo, we may see the low-cost carrier category play an important influence in some parts of the market.  Air Cargo News: Southwest to start international cargo shipping from May

Produce
The Packer, an important fresh fruit and vegetable industry’s source for news is reporting that the implementation of electronic logs on trucks traveling in the U.S.is disrupting the import of produce into Canada with both higher freight rates and delays.  We’re seeing this dynamic on a range of fronts and for food-related supply chain, the impacts have been substantial.  Our firm is working with several trade associations, transport providers and seaports on high-efficiency cost management solutions for international agribusiness shipments.  The Packer: Toronto business strong, but freight causes headaches

Autonomous Vehicles
Waymo continues to be one of the leaders in the driverless car segment.  In November, Waymo announced it would begin testing fully driverless vehicles with no one in the driver’s seat and now it has been announced that they have been approved for the first U.S. commercial ride-hailing service without human drivers.  AdAge: Waymo Wins Approval for First Driverless Ride-Hailing Service

Electric Vehicles
Will GAC Motor’s announcement that it will enter the U.S. market in 2019 with several car models have a disruptive influence on U.S. manufacturers of electric cars?   GAC is a division of China’s Guangzhou Automobile Group and they are not the only Chinese car manufacturer that has designs on the electric car market in the U.S.   This firm and some of its counterparts have or will become players in developed markets like the US, and the impact will be felt by the incumbents.  Between further globalization and the impact of auto technology, the automotive industry will look very different in five years.  AutoNews China:  China’s GAC Motor in Detroit: A sign of the next new auto empire

Consumer Food Products
There are numerous trends and dynamics affecting food purchases today and food manufacturers are feeling the pressure on their earnings.  The question is whether these are lasting trends and can companies diversify to meet current consumer tastes. WSJ: Big Food Faces Pressure as Consumers Seek Fresh Meals, Snacks

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GLDPartners is an international investment and advisory firm that specializes in revenue and infrastructure development projects at and around high-opportunity airports, seaports and strategic trade and logistics hubs.  The firm supports global manufacturers and companies with retail distribution operations with network design strategy and facility location analytics.  GLDPartners’ clients and market perspective is global and the firm is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with offices in New York, Washington DC and in the UK.  www.gldpartners.com