New orders for manufactured durable goods for the US in October plunged $12.7 billion or 6.2 percent to $193 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. Shipments, down three consecutive months, fell another $5 billion or 2.4 percent to $202.9 billion after a 0.2 percent September decrease. Unfilled orders fell for the first time in twenty-six months. The $4.6 billion or 0.6 percent decline to $823.6 billion followed a 0.2 percent September increase. Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up fifteen of the last sixteen months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.4 percent to $341.1 billion, the highest level since the series was first stated on its current basis in 1992.

The Somali piracy articulates a case in point in the image of the supply chain industry. While the financial sectors continue to receive front page coverage and governments coming together to formed global solutions, the absolute bullying of the shipping lanes by the Somali pirates only garner scarce attention until a USD100 million tanker is captured. Maybe the one consolation for the shipping industry is that so many trade lanes have so much spare capacity and such low rates at present that it can easily respond to the need for longer routes. It seems we have a lot more to do to show the world that supply chain professionals do a lot more than moving cargoes from one point to the next!

The Transportation Management Systems (TMS) market grew almost 10% in 2007 to nearly $1.2 billion, once again exceeding the expectations of ARC Advisory Group. Positive momentum continued in the first half of 2008, with more than two-thirds of vendors surveyed reporting increased sales and larger pipelines, compared to the first half of 2007. ARC forecasts the market to exceed $1.6 billion by 2012, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. But the impact of the financial crisis and economy on TMS is unknown. The crisis and slowing growth is the biggest threat to the market.