Wine exports are “growing like crazy.” But protectionism could stopper trade. by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Argentina surged ahead of Chile to become the third largest source of US table wine imports during the first quarter, according to the National Association of...
Happier Returns
Carnets cut costs when your goods are only temporary exports by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor If you’re traveling internationally, you need a passport to get back home. Normally, if you’re shipping, it’s because you have sold the goods. But what if you’re shipping...
Basking in the Glow
When employees burnish credentials, employers can benefit by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor In my last column, I examined relatively low-cost ways to burnish trade credentials from the perspective of employees, focusing primarily on continuing education in the form of...
Burnishing Your Trade Credentials
Trade association programs can add luster to your resume and improve your job performance by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor One of the mantras of the past few years has been that job hunters can improve their prospects by getting trained in new fields. In many cases,...
Who’s Open for Business?
World Bank’s annual report is a treasure trove of free information by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Want to know how many documents it takes to ship a container to China? Or the cost of export compliance in Brazil? Then check out the World Bank’s annual Doing Business...
PanaMAX (or mini) Prospects?
A bigger canal still faces competition from the Suez, rail by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor The Panama Canal will become a more viable option for trade between Asia and the eastern U.S. after the waterway’s expansion is completed in 2014, but I question whether it will...
Rates Over-Rated
Carriers say shippers should value service, consider commitment by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Shippers should consider a lot more than just rates when they are choosing their ocean carriers, say carrier executives in reacting to the results of our December survey on...
Rates Matter Most
Reliability ranks second in survey of shippers’ criteria for carriers by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Last month we did a survey asking what matters most to shippers when they choose an ocean carrier. Rates ranked as the top priority, garnering 41% of the votes,...
Rates Are Running First…
… but there’s still time to weigh in on what matters most to shippers by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor “Rates are the golden fleece. It determines whether or not you will be awarded a piece of business,” comments one respondent in our survey on top considerations for...
What Shippers Want
What matters most to shippers when they choose an ocean carrier? By Bill Armbruster Below is a list of 10 criteria, in no particular order, that may affect a shipper’s choice of ocean carrier. I would like to know which you think are most important. So, please,...