Powering Performance

Automakers might have to shift supply chains as US Customs officials increasingly detain metal imports from companies suspected of using forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of up to $12.4 million in grant funding for three organizations to reduce child and forced labor in Mexico and support migrant workers. 

EV expert Brian Engle says we are in the midst of a new era of supply chain management, one of reducing dependencies and vertically integrating your manufacturing process. As business development director, electrification for Amphenol’s Advanced Sensor group, Engle provides insight on what AIAG members can do to make their supply chain less vulnerable.

Registration is now open for our virtual ACE Reporting Demonstrations for Export and Import on Thursday, November 16, 2023!

From both a human rights and global commerce perspective, forced labor is a serious and pervasive issue, impacting millions of people and compromising global supply chains. Defined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for its non-performance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily,” forced labor is insidious, impacting the manufacturing and production of a vast range of goods — spanning everything from electronics, apparel and industrial materials to pharmaceuticals, base metals and agricultural products.

Human-induced climate change and environmental degradation is no longer a nebulous future threat. It’s here, and it threatens global economic development, global health, and global security. Last year, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization declared climate change a “defining challenge of our time,” posing dangers to the security of allied nations and elsewhere.₁ Given its influence over global supply chain practices, which account for a significant portion of global emissions, CBP hopes to help move the needle toward more sustainable trade through the Green Trade Strategy, which the agency launched in 2022.

A veritable grab bag of international trade developments to parse this week. Recent developments include increasing FCPA enforcement, a record OFAC economic sanctions penalty, and a large customs penalty for willful failure to correct known customs errors. Because nothing gets companies to pay more attention to compliance than the prospect of big fines and enforcement actions.

For the 11^th straight year, AIAG and Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business are collaborating on a non-degree certificate program that delivers an in-depth understanding of global supply chain issues. Supply chain management topics include strategy, finance, AI and EV infrastructure, forecasting, negotiations, procurement strategy, supplier development, corporate responsibility, cybersecurity, risk management, quality, Six Sigma, trade management and more. Participants also have the opportunity to explore new manufacturing and logistics technologies.

Don't miss out on this year's ACE Reporting Demonstrations...now offered virtually to make it easier than ever to attend! 

AIAG has several training dates available from now through the end of the year for individuals looking to update and advance their knowledge of Materials Management Operations Guideline/Logistics Evaluation (MMOG/LE) or the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).