Disruptions, Adjustments, and Norms, Oh My!

As uncertainty, complexity, disagreements, and disruptions continue to plague global trade, companies must be even more diligent and use every tool they can to keep their supply chains running smoothly. One of the most important factors is visibility – full visibility with the capability to see and control every critical aspect of the supply chain. In the articles below which appeared in industry publications, Amber Road’s subject matter experts offer some best practices to gain better visibility and control across the supply chain.

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/disruptions-adjustments-and-norms-oh-my

From Purchase Order to the Last Customs Mile: Streamlining and Automating the Global Supply Chain

As supply chain executives look towards the future, they are faced with a turbulent sea of geopolitical and environmental complications. With current events such as Brexit and USMCA creating uncertainty in global supply chain strategies, executives need to evaluate every opportunity to improve their long term supply chain strategies.

 

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/from-purchase-order-to-the-last-customs-mile-streamlining-and-automating-the-global-supply-chain

CTPAT’s New Minimum-Security Criteria: Is Your Supply Chain Secure?

Today, global supply chain security is more important than ever. When conducting cross-border trade and exchanging of goods across the world, many lurking threats can not only disrupt your business but have potentially dire consequences.  To protect you, your company, and your country, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently released new minimum security requirements as it relates to Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT). If you're a CTPAT partner, then you may need to make changes to your supply chain security in order to remain compliant.

 

Hear from CBP directly as CBP's Carlos E. Ochoa and Global Trade Academy's Suzanne Richer present the complimentary webinar,  It’s Time to Review Your Supply Chain Security: CTPAT’s New Minimum-Security Criteria, which broadcasts live on  Thursday, May 30 at 2pm EDT. 

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/ctpats-new-minimum-security-criteria-is-your-supply-chain-secure

European Customs Filing and Bonded Warehouse Management

Did you know the opportunity cost of paying your duties and taxes upfront can be as high as 10 percent? Capital tied up in these untimely expenses can end up costing a company millions of dollars each year in lost opportunities. But what if you could defer these costs? Supply chain execution leaders understand the importance of keeping their organization’s cash flow flexible and maintain trade compliance. But in order to remain compliant and qualify to defer these duties and taxes, companies must first have complete visibility into their supply chain, including a granular view of what goods are moving in and out of the bonded warehouse, and then be able to share this information with the EU customs agencies.

The easiest way to gain a completely transparent supply chain is to utilize current supply chain technology to help identify opportunities, automate processes, and document the movement of goods along the supply chain. The risks of failing to remain compliant in this increasingly complex global trade arena could be costly. With consequences as extreme as losing your trading privileges, it’s essential to maintain visibility and documentation within your supply chain. You can start digitizing your supply chain by downloading our European Customs Filing and Bonded Warehouse Management brochure.

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/european-customs-filing-and-bonded-warehouse-management

Improving Cost, Quality and Speed in the Fashion Industry: Part 1

Fashion is a tricky business, and gaining cost, quality and speed advantages can be difficult to do in an already complicated and competitive market. There are seasonal changes where products must be designed, developed, sourced, tested and imported and exported in a limited amount of time. Of course, this increased pressure to move quicker in getting products to market can make it more difficult to maintain a quality. If this wasn't enough to deal with, there are also the chaos customers create by not following trends, often making demand unpredictable. The list of challenges goes on and on. However, amid these ongoing struggles, and fluctuations in the global economy over the last few years, the footwear and apparel industry still has a chance to successfully adapt and thrive.

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/improving-cost-quality-and-speed-in-the-fashion-industry-part-1

The Long Arm of OFAC – How US Sanctions Impact Pretty Much Everyone

When you think sanctions, there are a few things that probably come to mind: Iran, North Korea, possibly Russia. You may envision munitions being smuggled in Cold War-era trucks by rogue factions of defunct military groups.  You may think only bad actors such as known terrorists are direct targets of US sanctions, and only companies that operate within the US are subject to sanctions rules. If you think this, you’d be wrong.

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/the-long-arm-of-ofac-how-us-sanctions-impact-pretty-much-everyone

Fashioning Better Supply Chains – The AAFA Annual Conference

Earlier this month, I joined representatives from dozens of footwear and apparel brands in Washington, D.C for a pulse-check on market trends and regulatory changes that affect the industry. The conference, hosted by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), provides a space every year for industry advocates to meet with people actually in the industry to discuss global trade and supply chain issues. Amber Road has been a sponsor of the event for many years, and this year in particular presented an opportunity for a lively discussion. Fittingly, the theme of the event was "Solutions to Challenging Times."

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/fashioning-better-supply-chains-the-aafa-annual-conference

Amber Road Launches Carrier Cargo Screening

Today, Amber Road announced a new cargo screening solution to address the challenge carriers face in identifying shipments that may contain prohibited, hazardous, or dual-use goods based only on the limited information provided on a transportation manifest or air waybill.  The solution is ideal for global logistics providers who must aggregate and accurately screen a high volume of shipments from multiple providers to comply with increasingly stringent laws.

The global logistics industry is challenged by trade regulations related to Know Your Customer (KYC) which requires carriers know the shipper, the recipient, and the end-use of the products they carry to ensure that goods are not shipped to a sanctioned party or embargoed country and comply with non-proliferation of dual-use goods unauthorized for general trade.  Customs authorities around the world are increasingly monitoring the effectiveness of logistics providers’ cargo screening processes to determine compliance.  There are numerous examples of companies that use only “exact matching” screening algorithms on names and addresses who have been cited for failing to meet the standard of reasonable care and have been penalized with escalating fines.

source https://blog.amberroad.com/blog/amber-road-launches-carrier-cargo-screening