1. TARIFF WHIPLASH DISRUPTS GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS:
In a rollercoaster week for trade, the U.S. walked back steep new tariffs on many countries just hours after implementation, only to simultaneously raise duties on Chinese imports to a punitive 125%. China hit back by increasing its own tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% (up from 84%), as the European Union likewise paused its planned retaliatory tariffs for 90 days following the U.S. reversal. This tit-for-tat tariff escalation – and sudden partial reprieve – has injected significant uncertainty into global supply chains, forcing companies to scramble for contingency plans amid volatile trade policies.
Sources:
https://talkinglogistics.com/2025/04/11/above-the-fold-supply-chain-logistics-news-april-11-2025/
https://talkinglogistics.com/2025/04/11/above-the-fold-supply-chain-logistics-news-april-11-2025/
2. UPS REIMPOSES SURCHARGE ON CHINA SHIPMENTS:
UPS announced it is reinstating a “Surge Fee” of 0.29 USD per pound on all shipments from China (including Hong Kong and Macau) to the U.S., effective April 13, with no set end date. The surcharge, which had been briefly applied in March, comes as U.S.–China trade tensions intensify – notably with China’s tariffs on U.S. imports jumping to 125% in response to new U.S. duties. Shippers now face yet another added cost, on top of existing fuel surcharges and general rate increases, as carriers like UPS grapple with higher cross-border expenses amid the escalating trade war.
Sources:
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/ups-china-us-surge-fee-2025/745166/
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/ups-china-us-surge-fee-2025/745166/
3. APPLE AIRLIFTS IPHONES TO BEAT TARIFFS:
In a dramatic logistical move, Apple chartered cargo flights to rush about 600 tons of iPhones (roughly 1.5 million units) from its factories in India to the U.S. ahead of tariff hikes. The company quietly ramped up production in India and utilized five Boeing 747 flights in late March to avoid looming U.S. import tariffs on China-made electronics. This costly airlift underscores how major manufacturers are reconfiguring supply chains and absorbing higher logistics costs to sidestep trade barriers and keep products flowing to key markets.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-airlifts-600-tons-iphones-india-to-beat-trump-tariffs-sources-say-2025-04-10/
https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-airlifts-600-tons-iphones-india-to-beat-trump-tariffs-sources-say-2025-04-10/
4. AMAZON LAUNCHES LTL FREIGHT SERVICE:
E-commerce giant Amazon rolled out a new less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping service for vendors sending goods to its fulfillment centers. Through Amazon’s self-service freight portal, shippers can now get instant quotes, compare LTL vs. full-truckload options, and book inbound loads up to 14 days in advance. Backed by Amazon’s network of 60,000 trailers, the service (initially for U.S. domestic inbound freight) extends Amazon’s logistics capabilities into LTL transport, offering seamless tracking, online billing, and potentially more competitive rates for suppliers – and signaling Amazon’s continued expansion into every segment of the supply chain.
Sources:
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/amazon-offers-ltl-services/745160/
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/amazon-offers-ltl-services/745160/
5. NOVARTIS INVESTING 23 BILLION USD IN U.S. MANUFACTURING:
Swiss pharmaceutical leader Novartis announced plans to spend 23 billion USD over five years to build six new production plants and expand three others in the United States. This massive investment will enable Novartis to produce all key medicines “end to end” domestically for the U.S. market. Coming amid tariff turmoil and geopolitical supply risks, the move follows similar localization pushes by peers and reflects a broader trend of strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity to enhance supply chain resilience for critical products.
Sources:
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/novartis-23-billion-us-manufacturing-new-drug-plants/745100/
https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/novartis-23-billion-us-manufacturing-new-drug-plants/745100/
6. UNILEVER ACQUIRES ECO-FRIENDLY BRAND WILD:
Consumer goods giant Unilever bolstered its sustainable product portfolio by acquiring Wild, a UK-based startup known for natural, refillable personal care products. Wild – launched in 2020 – sells refillable deodorants, lip balms, body washes and more, with a mission to eliminate single-use plastics in bathrooms. The acquisition aligns with Unilever’s Growth Action Plan 2030 focus on high-growth, planet-friendly brands, and demonstrates the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions in the supply chain as consumers and regulators increasingly push to reduce plastic waste.
Sources:
https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2025/04/01/unilever-acquires-eco-friendly-brand-wild/
https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2025/04/01/unilever-acquires-eco-friendly-brand-wild/
7. ROBOTICS SHINE AT PROMAT TO TACKLE WAREHOUSE LABOR CRUNCH:
The ProMat 2025 expo in Chicago showcased the latest warehouse and supply chain technologies, with a heavy emphasis on robotics to address the ongoing labor shortage in logistics. Vendors demonstrated advanced automated solutions – from dense storage retrieval systems and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to aerial inventory drones and AI-driven picking arms – all aimed at boosting efficiency and reducing reliance on scarce human labor. The proliferation of these innovations, by companies like Quicktron, XYZ Robotics, and Universal Robots, underscores an industry push toward automation to enhance productivity and supply chain resilience in fulfillment operations.
Sources:
https://logisticsviewpoints.com/2025/04/11/supply-chain-logistics-news-april-7th-10th-2025/
https://logisticsviewpoints.com/2025/04/11/supply-chain-logistics-news-april-7th-10th-2025/
8. WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION: GAP AND GNC EMBRACE ROBOTS & DRONES:
Retailers are deploying new technologies in distribution centers to improve safety and accuracy. Gap Inc. has started using Boston Dynamics’ “Stretch” robots to unload merchandise from trailers at several U.S. distribution centers, augmenting workers and significantly reducing on-the-job injuries while speeding up inbound throughput. Meanwhile, health retailer GNC implemented autonomous drones (Corvus One) for daily inventory cycle counts in its warehouses, which has improved inventory accuracy and freed up staff and equipment for order fulfillment, resulting in faster operations and fewer errors. These real-world deployments illustrate how robotics and drones are transforming warehousing by taking on tedious or strenuous tasks – improving efficiency and worker well-being in the process.
Sources:
https://www.bringoz.com/bringoz-industry-weekly-4-6/
https://blog.adafruit.com/2025/04/07/gnc-now-using-drones-for-inventory-management-drone-droneday/
9. SUPPLY CHAIN SOFTWARE STARTUP RAISES 40 MILLION USD:
In supply chain tech investment news, Ann Arbor-based Optilogic closed a 40 million USD Series B funding round to accelerate development of its cloud-native supply chain optimization and decision-making platform. Optilogic’s software leverages data integration and AI-driven analytics to let companies model scenarios and design more resilient, cost-effective supply chains. The funding – led by supply chain-focused investors – highlights continued momentum in the digital supply chain arena, as enterprises seek more sophisticated tools to navigate complexity and disruptions in global logistics.
Sources:
https://optilogic.com/resources/news/optilogic-closes-40-million-series-b-funding/
https://optilogic.com/resources/news/optilogic-closes-40-million-series-b-funding/
10. VOLVO & GREENLANE PARTNER ON EV TRUCK CHARGING:
In a boost for transportation electrification, charging network operator Greenlane is teaming up with Volvo to integrate Greenlane’s public high-power chargers into the Volvo Open Charge platform for electric trucks. This partnership will let fleet drivers easily locate and access Greenlane’s North American charging sites through Volvo’s system, providing seamless charging for heavy-duty electric vehicles of any brand along key freight routes. By improving infrastructure and user experience for electric truck fleets, the collaboration addresses a critical link in the sustainable supply chain transition – helping to reduce emissions in freight transportation while making EV adoption more practical for logistics operators.
Sources:
https://www.drivegreenlane.com/news/greenlane-and-volvo-partner-to-drive-commercial-electrification/
https://www.drivegreenlane.com/news/greenlane-and-volvo-partner-to-drive-commercial-electrification/