Shifts in the Supply Chain Equation Provide Opportunities for Mid-Market Companies—and Concerns

Supply chain management has always been a movable feast in which two constantly shifting variables—production costs and transportation costs—are constantly changing. These days, big changes in the supply chain equation are on the horizon for all companies. Global production cost calculations are being revised as relative costs rise in China. There are three major changes on the horizon affecting transportation costs: the consolidation of the U.S. airline industry, the expansion of the Panama Canal, and the opening of the storied Northwest Passage. So it’s back to the supply chain drawing board for many companies.