It’s a bird…it’s a plane….No, it’s a drone!
In past articles, we talked about the potential impact drones could have on the supply chain, contemplating whether or not drones will ever be flown commercially. Just this week, the FAA granted oil company BP and drone manufacturer AeroVironment permission to fly over U.S. land. The first commercial flight took place on Sunday June 8th and surveyed BP’s pipelines, roads and equipment. According to BP, the use of commercial drones allows them to identify potential maintenance needs in a more time efficient and safe manner.
This is a big win for the commercial drone industry and more pressure is expected to be placed on the FAA to grant permission for similar commercial activities.
Click here to read the full story
Thailand’s shrimp supply chain practices under scrutiny
The Guardian recently came out with a documentary titled “Globalised slavery: how big supermarkets are selling prawns in supply chain fed by slave labour.” This investigation exposes the treacherous conditions within the Thai fishing industry which is filled with abuse and even executions. As a result of these revelations, Thailand may face economic sanctions and the U.S. is considering placing the country on a human trafficking black list.
The Guardian’s investigation also revealed a list of supermarkets involved in this Thai shrimp supply chain scandal, which includes Walmart, Costco, Tesco and Aldi.
Click here to read the full story and watch the video.
A nightmarish year for the automotive supply chain
A disturbing trend seems to be emerging in the automotive industry. In 2013, 28 million cars and related parts, which include child seats, equipment and tires, were recalled by the auto industry. This is a number that was 54% higher than in 2012. Through the first quarter of 2014 alone, the number of recalled cars and related parts stood at 13 million. The industry is on pace to eclipse the 28 million mark from 2013.
These increasing recall rates can be contributed to the growing technological complexity of the vehicles as well as increased public awareness of product defects. Furthermore, as supply chains become more diversified and expansive, a lack of supplier visibility can become a problem and result in the delivery of lower quality parts.
To read the complete article, click here.
Have a great weekend!
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[…] that just last week it emerged that slave labour was being used across the shrimp supply chains, these revelations highlight the extent of exploitation across food supply […]
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