Editor's Note: Logistics: Key to Company and National Competitiveness
September 2010
Meanwhile, imports - which had been growing - dropped 2.1 percent to $196.1 billion. The fact that unemployment is still high (remaining at 9.6 percent as of August) contributed to weakened consumer demand. Imports of autos alone dropped $713 million, and demand for business machinery and other capital goods fell off as well. So while the economic outlook looks bleak if one considers the number of people still out of work, the outlook takes on a rosier glow if rising U.S. exports are painted into the picture.
Needless to say, the ability to move all of these exports is critical to the continued growth of this sector and the economy as a whole. This is the focus of this issue. Both Bill Luttrell of Werner Enterprises and Adam Wasserman of PortCentric Logistics Partners discuss the importance of the nation's transportation infrastructure.
Interestingly, the latest Obama administration plan attempts to tackle U.S. unemployment woes by making badly needed improvements to its infrastructure. The six-year plan to make major upgrades to the nation's roads, rail lines, and runways would cost tens of billions of dollars and create a government-run bank to finance the projects, which has been the focus of some serious debate. Nonetheless, President Obama wants to rebuild 150,000 miles of road, lay and maintain 4,000 miles of railroad track, restore 150 miles of runways, and develop a next-generation air-traffic control system.
The infrastructure bank would be part of the U.S. Treasury. It would attract money from institutional investors and then channel it to projects selected by a panel. Many believe that such projects have the potential to transform entire regions - and possibly the entire national economy - in much the same way the interstate highway system and the first transcontinental railroad once did.
Whatever plan for infrastructure improvements is finally put into motion, we cannot lose sight of the urgency of this issue. Having the proper infrastructure in place is key for an efficient, cost-effective logistics network. Such a network translates not only into a company's economic competitiveness but our nation's as well.
Project Announcements
Certus Medical Expands Ingham County, Michigan, Operations
04/16/2024
Kalmbach Feeds Expands Wyandot County, Ohio, Operations
04/16/2024
Germany-Based Tesa Tape Relocates-Establishes Grand Rapids, Michigan, Headquarters
04/15/2024
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies Expands Holly Springs, North Carolina, Operations
04/15/2024
Two Rivers Lumber Plans Coosa County, Alabama, Sawmill Operations
04/15/2024
Protomet Corporation Plans Rockwood, Tennessee, Operations
04/15/2024
Most Read
-
2023's Leading Metro Locations: Hotspots of Economic Growth
Q4 2023
-
2023 Top States for Doing Business Meet the Needs of Site Selectors
Q3 2023
-
38th Annual Corporate Survey: Are Unrealized Predictions of an Economic Slump Leading Small to Mid-Size Companies to Put Off Expansion Plans?
Q1 2024
-
Manufacturing Momentum Is Building
Q1 2024
-
20th Annual Consultants Survey: Clients Prioritize Access to Skilled Labor, Responsive State & Local Government
Q1 2024
-
Making Hybrid More Human in 2024
Q1 2024
-
Public-Private Partnerships Incentivize Industrial Development
Q1 2024