Supply Chain by the Numbers
   
 

- March 25 , 2011

   
 

Supply Chain by the Numbers for Week of March 24, 2011

   
  Developing Economies See Share of Global Manufacturing Rise; SuperValue Bags Big Savings; Shippers See Looming Capacity Crunch; Fuel Cell Technology in Forktrucks Starting to Emerge
   
 
 
 

32%

The share of world manufacturing output from developing economies in 2010, up from just 20% a decade ago, according to a report issued this week by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The US share was just over 20%. See Supply Chain News: US Manufacturing - is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

 
 



 

$4-6 million

Amount grocery store and wholesale giant SuperValu expects to save annually through a rigorous program to reduce the number of bags used at check out, whether they are paper or plastic, according to a story this week in the Wall Street Journal. The program includes thorough training on how to pack bags very full, rules on when not to use any bag, and monthly calls amongst its various chains' managers to track progress. Another example of being "Green" while saving money.

 

 

 
 
1000

Approximate number of fuel cell-based fork trucks that have been sold into the US market, out of some 80,000-100,000 trucks sold annually, according to a spokesman from Raymond Corp. this week at ProMat. Though the fuel cell trucks are cheaper to run and eliminate all the headaches that come with batteries, the $30,000+ cost for the fuel cells themselves is the barrier for now. Many companies, such as grocery chain Wegman's, are testing these trucks, however.

 
 
 
 
77%

Number of shippers who expect tighter truckload capacity in the US market over the next 12 months, according to the latest "State of the Freight" report from the market analysts at Wolfe Trahan That is the highest percentage in the quarterly report since mid-2004, which was followed by several years of very tight capacity and rapidly rising rates. See Latest "State of the Freight" Report Finds Shippers Expect Big Rise in Trucking Costs, Shifting more Freight to Rail and Intermodal
 
 
 
 
 
 
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