The Supply Chain Economy with Fexingo: Logistics, Shipping, and Goods Movement

Episode 31 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into a puzzle: US manufacturers' new orders hit $662.7 billion in April 2026, up 4.8% year-over-year, yet spot trucking rates are in the basement. Lucas and Luna explore why the link between industrial production and freight demand has broken. They look at the role of inventory destocking, the shift to rail and intermodal, and the rise of private fleets...

Lucas and Luna examine a surprising disconnect: US manufacturers' new orders jumped 4.8% in April, industrial production hit 102.5, and imports are surging — yet trucking spot rates are barely above operating cost. They trace the problem to a flood of new carriers that entered during 2020-2022, creating chronic overcapacity. Even as freight volumes grow, the number of trucks grew faster. The episo...

Episode 29 of The Supply Chain Economy explores a puzzle: US factory orders and industrial production are up, but truck tonnage is flat. Lucas and Luna dig into the data — manufacturers' new orders hit $662.7 billion in April, imports are rising faster than exports, and the trade deficit widened to $60.3 billion in March. They connect these numbers to a structural shift: more goods are coming in b...

Port congestion has mostly moved out of headlines, but it hasn't disappeared — it's shifted. In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how congestion that once clogged Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Savannah is now migrating to smaller ports like Charleston, Norfolk, and Houston. They break down the numbers: capacity utilisation at the top ten US ports hit 85% in April 2026, up from 78% a year ago, wh...

Manufacturers' new orders hit $630 billion in March 2026, up nearly 1.5 percent from the prior month. Industrial production is rising and capacity utilization is climbing back toward 76 percent. But trucking volumes are still stuck in neutral and spot rates are barely above operating cost. Lucas and Luna look at why the factory floor and the loading dock are telling two different stories, and what...

In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna dig into a quietly devastating trend in American trucking: the rapid departure of owner-operators from the industry. With spot rates stuck below operating costs for nearly three years, thousands of small carriers have thrown in the keys. Using live data on industrial production and capacity utilization, they connect the macro picture to t...

Industrial production hit 102.5 in April 2026 and capacity utilization is rising, but the trucking industry is still mired in a recession that began in 2023. Lucas and Luna drill into why the recovery isn't reaching the road: oversupply of carriers, falling spot rates, and empty backhauls. They examine trucking employment data, the impact of the Iran War on diesel costs, and whether the industrial...

Industrial production and factory orders are up in early 2026, but the trucking industry is stuck in a mini-recession with spot rates below operating costs. Lucas and Luna explore why the divergence is happening, how the capacity glut from the pandemic boom still hasn't cleared, and what the latest Federal Reserve capacity utilisation data tells us about the real state of the goods economy. They e...

Lucas and Luna dig into the growing problem of empty miles in US trucking—when trucks drive without a load. They discuss how the trucking recession has worsened the issue, with data showing utilization rates stuck around 70%. The hosts reference recent import and export numbers from March 2026 and explore why the imbalance between inbound and outbound containers forces carriers to run empty. They...

Episode 22 of The Supply Chain Economy dives into the lingering bottleneck at the Port of Bandar Abbas, Iran's main container gateway, nine months after the conflict ended. Lucas and Luna examine why shipping lines have not resumed calls, how alternative routes via Jebel Ali and Salalah are absorbing the diverted volume, and what the delayed normalization means for oil-tanker availability and cont...

Episode 21 of The Supply Chain Economy examines how the Iran war and subsequent Strait of Hormuz disruption have permanently altered global shipping routes. Lucas and Luna discuss the shift away from the Middle East as a major oil transit point, the rise of alternative energy supply chains from the US and Brazil, and the implications for tanker rates, port infrastructure, and maritime insurance. T...

In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna examine a surprising bottleneck emerging from the nearshoring boom: the severe shortage of industrial real estate in northern Mexico. With capacity utilization at 76.1% in the U.S. and factory output rising, more manufacturers are moving production across the border. But demand for warehouse and factory space in cities like Monterrey and...

Trucking rates have been flat or falling for two years, but one hidden cost—empty miles—is quietly stealing billions from owner-operators. Lucas and Luna break down why carriers spend roughly 20% of their miles driving empty, how the 2026 capacity glut makes it worse, and why digital freight-matching hasn't fixed the problem. They cite recent data showing industrial production ticked up while capa...

Episode 18 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into a hidden squeeze: big buyers like automakers and big-box retailers are stretching payment terms to 90 or even 120 days, while small suppliers face rising borrowing costs. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers—manufacturers' new orders hit $630 billion but trade deficits widened—and explore how factoring, reverse factoring, and fintech platforms are...

Episode 17 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into an overlooked bottleneck in the goods-movement network: U.S. railroad capacity. Hosts Lucas and Luna explain how a decade of cost-cutting, Precision Scheduled Railroading, and reduced investment have left the Class I railroads with less slack than many shippers realize. They walk through the specific math: train-crew shortages are adding 8 to 12 hou...

Cargo theft has surged 40% year-over-year, with organized rings targeting high-value electronics and pharmaceuticals. Lucas and Luna break down how thieves exploit the same supply chain chokepoints that legitimate businesses navigate — and why the gray market for stolen goods has gone digital. They examine the role of port congestion, the rise of fictitious pickups, and the surprising data point t...

In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna explore why US retailers are stockpiling inventory at levels not seen since early 2023. With imports running hot and warehouse vacancy near historic lows, the hosts break down the numbers: manufacturers' new orders hit $630 billion in March, up 1.5% from February, while capacity utilization climbed to 76.1%. They discuss the strategic shi...

Lucas and Luna break down why warehouse and logistics labor is getting scarce even as industrial output hits records. With factory capacity utilization at 76.1% and industrial production up to 102.5, the bottleneck isn't machines—it's people. Lucas cites a recent survey of 500 logistics managers finding that 68% struggle to fill entry-level warehouse roles, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data...

Episode 13 of The Supply Chain Economy examines the growing trend of US manufacturers shifting production and logistics hubs to Mexico, not as a cost play but as a nearshoring response to trade uncertainty. Lucas and Luna break down the latest trade balance data showing imports outpacing exports by $60 billion in March 2026, and how capacity utilization at US factories hit 76.1% — a sign of strain...

In this episode of The Supply Chain Economy, Lucas and Luna examine the ripple effects of a major shipping chokepoint — the Panama Canal's reduced transit capacity due to drought. With the canal handling about 5% of global maritime trade, draft restrictions and fewer daily slots have forced container lines to reroute via Suez or around the Cape of Good Hope, adding days and millions in fuel costs....

Episode 11 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into the growing imbalance of empty shipping containers that is leaving US exporters stranded. Lucas and Luna break down why American ports are flooded with imports but starved for empty boxes needed for outbound shipments, how container repositioning costs have surged 40% year-over-year, and what it means for agriculture and manufacturing exporters. The...

Episode 10 of The Supply Chain Economy takes a sharp look at a problem that gets less attention than the import surge: the growing container imbalance tilting against US exporters. Lucas and Luna break down how the flood of inbound containers leaves empty boxes piling up at US ports while exporters struggle to find them at the right price and location. They point to two key data points from the la...

Trucking rates have been in the doldrums for nearly three years, and the industry is still shedding carriers. Lucas and Luna examine why the long-awaited freight recovery hasn't materialized, how capacity utilization and trade data point to a structural shift, and what the recent uptick in industrial production might mean for the sector. They discuss the role of excess capacity from the pandemic b...

Episode 8 of The Supply Chain Economy dives into the growing split in ocean freight rates across trade lanes. While spot rates from Asia to the US West Coast have doubled since January, the Asia-to-Europe route is barely up 10 percent. Lucas and Luna examine why container lines are pulling capacity from the transpacific, how port congestion in California is creating a two-tier market, and what the...

With a potential strike by 45,000 dockworkers at East and Gulf Coast ports looming this summer, Lucas and Luna break down what's at stake: $3 billion a day in economic activity, the lessons from the 2022 rail strike, and why retailers and manufacturers are front-loading inventory now. They also examine how the current capacity utilization rate of 76.1 percent and rising industrial production figur...