Supply Chain by the Numbers: Week of June 4, 2009
 

-June 4, 2009
   
 

This Week's Supply Chain by the Numbers - UPC Birthday, Oil Price Prediction, Baltic Dry Index, Intelligrated Purchase

   
 

The Supply Chain and Logistics Numbers Worth Knowing This Week: Happy Birthday UPC, Oil Prices Expected Climb, Baltic Dry Index Brings Good News to Shippers, The Materials Handling Negotiator?

   
 
 
 

10 billion

The approximate number of times per day a UPC bar code is scanned across the world, according to the GS1 US, the developer and administrator of the “universal product code,” as the UPC reaches its 35th birthday this week.

 
 



 

$80-$90

Level to which oil prices are likely to rise by early 2010, according to an OPEC oil minister this week.
 
 
22

The number of consecutive days of increase in the Baltic Dry Index, as of Tuesday this week, as the measure of ocean freight costs for bulk shipments of such goods as iron ore, coal and grains continued its move up from the incredible lows of earlier this year. At about 4100, the index is at its highest level since September, meaning rates have recovered substantially.
 
 
 
 
$116 million

The total price paid by conveyor manufacturer Intelligrated ($40 million in cash plus assumption of $76 million in debt) to acquire rival FKI Logistex last week – quite a deal considering FKI was said to have over $700 million in revenues. Either the materials handling industry is really, really struggling, or Intelligrated hired William Shatner to negotiate.