This morning in metals news: the US international goods trade deficit moved up slightly from December to January; meanwhile, MetalMiner sister site SpendMatters took to LinkedIn for feedback on President Joe Biden’s executive order on supply chains; and, lastly, Sweden will be home to what will reportedly be the world’s largest “green hydrogen plant.” US […]
Tag: supply chain
Biden signs executive order aimed at securing supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals
President Joe Biden’s latest executive order seeks to secure a variety of important supply chains. For example, in one higher-profile case, General Motors recently announced it would extend downtimes at several plants as a result of a semiconductor shortage. As we’ve noted in our Rare Earths Monthly Metals Index (MMI) series, rare earths supply has […]
U.K. developing an integrated rare-earths-to-turbine supply chain
In a rare example of joined up governmental thinking, the announcement by Pensana Rare Earths that it has submitted a planning application for a $125 million rare earth oxide refining facility. The facility would be near Hull in northeast England and would plug a gap in an ore-to-finished-turbine manufacturing landscape developing rapidly in the U.K.’s […]
U.K.’s electric vehicle supply chain needs an electrifying jolt
Automotive producers the world over are facing challenges, but the U.K. automotive industry is arguably in the most challenging environment of all. Become part of the MetalMiner LinkedIn group and stay connected to trends we’re watching and interesting metal facts. U.K. automotive sector faces headwinds Over the last year, COVID-19 restrictions have closed showrooms. Furthermore, […]
Ongoing trouble on the high seas: container shortages, port congestion continue
The shortage of containers in Asia, which we reported in detail last month, has been ongoing, as has the continuation of port congestion across the U.K. and Northern Europe. Combined, these problems are having a profound impact on sea freight services. Sign up today for Gunpowder, MetalMiner’s free, biweekly e-newsletter featuring news, analysis and more. […]
The case for globalization is on shakier ground
The widely, if not universally, held belief that globalization is a win-win panacea for growth has never looked shakier. While President Donald Trump has led the charge on calling out the failings of unfettered engagement with China and all that entails in terms of loss of manufacturing capability and sharing of hard-won technology, he is […]
Aerospace supply chains face potentially catastrophic changes
Airbus has risen to rival Boeing to form a duopoly despite the plane maker operating across multiple countries and, even before the pandemic, facing problems of scale, fragmentation and lack of profitability.
How reliable are India and Pakistan’s supply chains in the current environment?
A disturbing article in the usually sober British newspaper The Telegraph makes for difficult reading for consumers with supply chains dependent on the Pakistan or Indian subcontinent. It suggests, for different reasons, both countries are significantly underreporting the level of coronavirus deaths. In the process, both countries could be a ticking time bomb for a […]
Chatting with Mercury Resources CEO Anton Posner on supply-chain impacts of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging impacts on the global economy, disrupting supply chains and depressing commodities markets. As Deloitte noted in a recent report on COVID-19 — the “black swan of 2020” — the pandemic’s total impact on supply chains is still unknown.
Auto sales collapse, supply chain suffers unprecedented closures
2019 was a pretty gloomy year for the world’s automakers and their supply chain. MetalMiner’s monthly buying outlook reports give you pricing and specific buying strategies for 10 metal types. Request your trial now.
