@Risk

After a string of work stoppages in May and June, it appeared that factory strikes in China were tapering off.

However, last Friday, Shanghai Daily reported that Chinese factory workers at two more suppliers for foreign automakers had walked out, demanding pay increases.

The strikes occurred at Atsumitec Co, which supplies Honda Motor Co.’s China operations, and at Japanese electronics maker Omron Corp, which supplies switches and ignition keys to Honda, Ford and other carmakers. Each was settled after the workers won what the article calls “hefty pay raises.” (more…)

Global supplies of tantalum are running low, and that could cause a steep spike in prices and significant disruptions in supply chains over the remainder of this year, according to an article from earlier this week in the International Business Times.

Tantalum –a rare earth metal that is used in a wide variety of products, ranging from bone implants and camera lenses to iPhones and laptop computers –is in short supply mostly because there aren’t many suppliers. A major tantalum mine located in Australia stopped production in 2008 when the price of most commodities collapsed, and production from other suppliers has not filled the void. (more…)

Imports into the Port of Los Angeles were up 32 percent last month, compared to June 2009, and exports also finished strong, up about 12 percent over the same period last year.

In addition, the Port of Los Angeles website reports that for June 2010: (more…)

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) isn’t mincing words.

In its new report Unlocking Freight, AASHTO says the US freight transportation system is facing a crisis,  and that the nation’s highways, railroads, ports, waterways, and airports require investments well beyond current levels to maintain – much less improve – their performance. (more…)

Back in 2009, the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) sent a letter to air cargo shippers reminding them about the congressionally-mandated August 2010 deadline for 100 percent screening of all cargo on passenger planes.

Now, a new government report says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is going to have trouble meeting that mandate.

Researchers at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that even though TSA has made progress, it still faces considerable challenges in developing and implementing a system to screen 100 percent of domestic cargo by August.

In its review, the GAO does recognize several areas where TSA has made great strides. For instance, the agency has: (more…)