Supply Chain by the Numbers for Week of Nov.18, 2010

Supply Chain by the Numbers

- Nov. 18, 2010 -

Retail Christmas Inventories Up - Barely; Parcel Rate Hikes more than they Seem?; WalMart Same Store Sales Drop Again; Here Comes EPA on Greenhouse Gases



2.8%
Average planned increases in inventory levels across 100 large retailers for the 2010 Christmas season, according to a new survey by consulting firm BDO. That the number is up is, we suppose, a somewhat positive sign, but the very modest increase planned against 2009's drastic cuts shows inventory control remains at the top of retailer concerns.

18.7%

The increase in costs to ship one example parcel under the revised dimensional weight (DIM) factor planned by UPS and FedEx for 2011 - several times the official net average rate increases according to recent announcements. That example came from parcel industry expert Jerry Hempstead, in an interview with SCDigest. See UPS, FedEx Rate Hike Could be More Painful to Shippers than Many Realize.


6
Number of consecutive quarters of negative US same store sales growth for WalMart, after being down 1.3 percent in Q3 2010 according to results announced this week. While some of this is due to lower overall price levels, analysts also blamed merchandising missteps at WalMart. International sales were up 9.3% and Sam's Club sales up 2.7%, however.




75,00
The threshold in tons for planned or potential emissions of greenhouse gases from a new factory or one undergoing "significant modifications" that will require an EPA permit starting Jan. 2, 2011, according to a "Guidance" document for local regulators just released by the EPA. That process will require companies to demonstrate they are using "Best Available Control Technologies" to reduce GHG emissions, under the controversial move by the EPA to regulate GHGs. See EPA Issues "Guidance" in Controversial Plan to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions; New Requirements Mostly for Large Factories.