Shipping bottlenecks from China subside, but risks still present, say experts.(LEAN LOGISTICS)

Manufacturing Business Technology, May, 2005

One year ago, few companies foresaw the bottlenecks that would emerge in importing goods from China. But by late summer 2004 and into the fall, a mix of factors--some of them stateside--resulted in major delays unloading at ports, including at Long Beach, Calif. Port officials don't expect delays this year, but analysts and other experts think the potential for bottlenecks is a risk that needs to be managed at a strategic level, and lessened tactically by logistics visibility solutions.

"Companies have to think along both lines: strategic, such as evaluating your supply network, or how much to source from one region; and from an operational perspective, by ensuring access to timely and complete information," says Adrian Gonzalez, an analyst with...

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