Defense technology executives appeared pleased that Congress enacted into law the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023. But labor, parts and inflation continue to challenge their companies' ability to improve operating margins, they said during spring 2023 earnings calls. Multiple themes emerged ... READ MORE >
supply chain
Canada’s supply chain healthy as demand slows
The RSM Canada Supply Chain Index reached 2.31 in August, one of the highest readings since 2000, thanks to improvements across delivery time, prices, and inventory levels, signaling sufficient health of the supply chain. This sharp increase represents a dramatic shift from just a few months ago; in ... READ MORE >
RSM U.S. Supply Chain Index: Back to normal for first time since pandemic hit
The U.S. Supply Chain Index in July was back above neutral for the first time in nearly three years on the back of the continuing strong rebounds in inventories and capacity utilization. With most of the COVID-19 concerns behind us and the renormalization of supply-chain linkages around the world, we ... READ MORE >
Back-to-school consumer business outlook: Return of the discount
In our four-part blog series, RSM’s senior industry analysts explore back-to-school shopping trends and the impact on consumer businesses. This week we focus on how retailers are leveraging discount strategies. During the COVID-19 pandemic retailers and wholesalers faced supply chain disruptions and ... READ MORE >
A new ban on some Chinese goods may prompt further consumer goods supply chain disruptions
On June 21, the United States government implemented laws under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that have a significant impact on consumer goods companies’ supply chains. This stems from the U.S. condemning forced labor and repression of minority groups in the Xinjiang region in China, including ... READ MORE >
RSM US Supply Chain Index: Inventory-led improvement in April
Supply chain bottlenecks improved in April yet remained significantly underwater. At the current pace, a full recovery will not take place until the first half of next year, implying that inflation will remain above the 2% target rate for the rest of this year and much of next year. While the impact ... READ MORE >
Increased demand lifts defense technology companies amid inflation and supply chain issues
Executives in the defense technology ecosystem continue to experience rising costs and supply chain disruptions. However, growing international demand and technological innovation are driving optimism and investment for the future. The executives shared their perspectives recently in earnings calls ... READ MORE >
The U.S. may see another supply whipsaw amid transport logjams
The months-long lockdown in Shanghai, China’s most populous city and home to the world’s largest container port, is causing a pile-up of ships at anchor off the Chinese coast. Factory shutdowns and the reduced flow of goods from the city’s port will cause another jolt to U.S. supply chains in the weeks ... READ MORE >
Rapid-fire sanctions: What do they mean for industrial companies?
Russia is known for its commodity exports to the world, and the short- and long-term impacts of the recent sanctions on the country are not yet completely clear. But given the wide-reaching implications of these sanctions on everything from energy and metals to airplane parts and shipping, we can ... READ MORE >
Price increases are necessary but could prove costly for food and beverage companies: Spring 2022 outlook
Robotics, artificial intelligence and other solutions will help alleviate the constraints on labor. Growing food and beverage businesses will maintain or improve market share while passing along costs to consumers. Read about other sectors If 2021 was the year for middle market food and beverage ... READ MORE >