Los Angeles Times | SupplyChainBrain

Los Angeles Times

Global Trade Management

2016 U.S. Auto Sales Set a New Record High

U.S. consumers bought a record number of new cars and trucks in 2016. A repeat performance in 2017 could be a tall order.

January 10, 2017

Global Trade Management

Why Cheaper Food in 2016 Was Not Necessarily Good News

For food shoppers, 2016 was a back-to-the-future experience, with retail prices deflating for the first time since Lyndon Johnson was president. The year is expected to end with an annual drop of between 0.5 and 1.5 percent in the retail price of food prepared at home, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.

January 6, 2017

Global Gateways

Trump Economy Poses Big Risk, High Reward for California

California is at the epicenter of some of the most fundamental changes Donald Trump has proposed for the national economy, in trade and immigration. About 40 percent of all goods arriving in the United States by sea come through the state's ports. And more than a quarter of all undocumented immigrants in the U.S. live in California, many of them working in agriculture, hospitality and manufacturing.

December 21, 2016

Warehouses Promised Lots of Jobs, but Robot Workforce Slows Hiring

When Skechers started building a colossal distribution center in Moreno Valley six years ago, backers promised a wave of new jobs. Instead, by the time the company moved to the Moreno Valley, it had closed five facilities in Ontario that employed 1,200 people and cut its workforce by more than half. Today, spotting a human on the premises can feel like an accomplishment.When Skechers started building a colossal distribution center in Moreno Valley six years ago, backers promised a wave of new jobs. Instead, by the time the company moved to the Moreno Valley, it had closed five facilities in Ontario that employed 1,200 people and cut its workforce by more than half. Today, spotting a human on the premises can feel like an accomplishment.

December 16, 2016

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Global Supply Chain Management

Patagonia Wants to Save the World Through Beer and Buffalo Jerky

Beer and buffalo jerky may not be the first tools that come to mind for confronting the environmental crisis. But when you consider that agriculture - from the way we manage soil to the cultivation of livestock - is a major source of carbon emissions and a leading cause of biodiversity degradation, it makes sense that one California company is working to overhaul the food system from the ground up. Beer, buffalo jerky and hot breakfast cereals are just some of the fruits of those labors.

December 13, 2016

HR & Labor Management

U.S. Businesses Add 216,000 Jobs, Most in 5 Months

Companies in the U.S. added a solid 216,000 jobs in November, the most since June and evidence that the incoming Trump administration is inheriting a solid economy. Payroll provider ADP said that nearly all the gains occurred in service sectors such as retail, hotels and restaurants, as well as higher-paying professional services. Construction firms added 2,000 jobs, while manufacturing shed 10,000.

December 9, 2016

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California Vehicle Sales Stall After Years of Sustained Growth

By the slimmest of margins, California's remarkable winning streak for sales of new cars, trucks and SUVs has finally come to an end, falling just short of reaching six years of sustained growth.

December 6, 2016

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Consumer Packaged Goods

Dialing Up Deals: Black Friday Online Sales Hit New High

Holiday shoppers eager to snag big discounts turned to the internet in record fashion this week, one tracking company said, driving online sales on Black Friday to a new high. Consumers spent $3.34bn shopping online on Friday, a 21.6 percent increase from the same day last year, according to Adobe, which tracks online retail transactions.

December 2, 2016

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Judge Orders Striking Cargo Pilots Back to Work: 'Imagine Christmas Without Amazon!'

A federal judge last week ordered pilots for a cargo airline that delivers Amazon packages to go back to work. The judge in Cincinnati said it was in the public's interest to end the strike because holiday shoppers expect to receive their packages on time.

December 1, 2016

Global Supply Chain Management

Labor Department: Clothes Factories for Forever 21, Ross Paid Workers $4 an Hour

It can be hard to ignore the lure of Forever 21, where fall jackets go for $18 and a halter dress can be had for $9. But U.S. Labor Department investigators contend that those deals are costly for people like Pedro Montiel, who said he makes $4.50 an hour putting the labels and other finishing touches on blouses for one of the retailer's suppliers.

November 22, 2016

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