Helen Atkinson

2 weeks ago | supplychainbrain.com | Helen Atkinson

There’s a lot of confusion currently about the U.S. President’s tariff program. Some of it is unavoidable. Whatever Donald Trump’s actual goals are, his flip-flopping on tariff policy and implementation has brought chaotic uncertainty to international trade, and therefore supply chain operations. But some confusion springs from an apparently fundamental misunderstanding of how tariffs apply to wholesale and retail prices in practicality.

2 weeks ago | supplychainbrain.com | Helen Atkinson

America used to be great at building commercial oceangoing ships. Can it be great again? The current administration looks like it is going to at least try to find out. President Joe Biden first floated the idea of pushing back against Chinese dominance of shipbuilding during his 2021-2017 term. Now, President Donald Trump has threatened to fine Chinese-built ship up to $1.5 million to enter U.S. ports.

1 month ago | supplychainbrain.com | Helen Atkinson

Even if you don’t have a business where volumes fluctuate significantly, it’s still worth considering adding at least a layer of flexible workers into your distribution center or warehouse operations, says Alex Vinden, general manager, light industrial, at Instawork, a flexible work app that connects businesses with hourly workers. That’s because you’ll simply tap into a larger potential pool of workers. Flexible work — whether in terms of hours or commitment — is here to stay.

1 month ago | supplychainbrain.com | Helen Atkinson

The maddening thing about supply chain sustainability initiatives is that they can make financial sense initially. Then you dig deeper into the figures, and they don’t. Another, closer look, and maybe there’s a hidden yet measurable boost to the bottom line. The trouble with almost all attempts to measure, let alone mitigate, carbon footprint and other environmental metrics is it’s tough to make sure you’re including every consideration.

1 month ago | supplychainbrain.com | Helen Atkinson

Ever heard the adage: “People don’t leave jobs; they leave bosses”? That’s a vast over-simplification, says Daniel Ash, chief executive officer of Journeyfront, a hiring platform. He asked an audience at the ProMat 2025 supply chain conference in Chicago March 18 to consider a job where they might have liked the manager, but left the job anyway. Clearly, a bad boss can’t always be the main reason for workforce turnover. “That’s only a fraction of the problem,” he said.