PG Procter and Gamble Co

By Paul Page 

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Some of the world's biggest consumer-goods suppliers are taking aim at packaging. Companies including Procter & Gamble Co., Nestlé SA, PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever PLC say they'll start selling some products in glass, steel and other containers designed to be returned and refilled, reports the WSJ's Saabira Chaudhuri. It's a plan to eliminate plastic waste that would reverberate across their supply chains. The efforts could reduce waste from single-use packaging, and the companies hope it lures eco-conscious consumers, provides important data and fosters brand loyalty. The idea seems to face long odds, though there is history here: Refillables once dominated industries such as beer and soft drinks but lost out to single-use containers. The new effort takes in products including shampoo, laundry detergent and cereal. Some stores sell such goods in bulk with reusable containers, but the practice is a niche without large-scale distribution channels.

The corporate alarms over Brexit are growing louder. Aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus SE sharpened its threat to move operations out of the U.K. if politicians can't strike a deal for an orderly departure from the European Union, the WSJ's Robert Wall and Max Colchester report, raising the prospect of a big shift in high-value aerospace supply chains. Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders calls the lack of clarity for businesses as the March 29 deadline nears a "disgrace," and some corporate managers are starting to take their own actions. P&O, the once-iconic British shipping giant now owned by Dubai's DP World, says it would re-flag its English Channel ferries in Cyprus. A shift in the aerospace industry would sting more. The sector is among the country's biggest exporters, but even British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC says it could shift some operations to Germany depending on the Brexit terms.

Global energy markets may have to brace for another shift in oil supply chains. The economic slowdown taking hold in China will likely curb the country's appetite for gasoline this year, the WSJ's Kevin Kingsbury writes, leading to a likely flood of exports to the rest of Asia. That could pressure margins for the region's refiners but may boost some tanker operators who have been looking for more stability in volatile international crude markets. Chinese demand has been a key support for oil prices, and import volumes rose at double-digit rates in 2017 and 2018, as car ownership and industrial use both grew. Car sales fell last year for the first time in nearly 30 years, however, and could decline again this year. Official fuel-export quotas, which include diesel and kerosene, jumped 35% last year, and China may raise them again so refiners can maintain production.

SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIES

Walmart Inc. is sending a new warning signal to the U.S. trucking industry . The retailer plans to add around 900 drivers to its sprawling U.S. private-fleet operations after hiring about 1,400 truckers last year. The hiring effort comes in a trucking sector that added nearly 37,000 jobs last year as freight demand heated up and carriers raised pay and incentives for drivers. The Dallas Morning News reports Walmart's new hiring effort includes higher compensation that will take average annual pay to $87,500. The bigger impact on the market may come in a streamlined "on-boarding" process aimed at getting new hires on the road faster. It's a sign Walmart sees greater private-fleet operations as a long-term solution to the capacity and service concerns of 2018. With dedicated fleet operations growing rapidly at some trucking companies, Walmart doesn't appear to be alone in that decision.

QUOTABLE

IN OTHER NEWS

An index of U.S. business trends slipped 0.1% in December. (WSJ)

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since 1969. (WSJ)

Mexico's gasoline prices are declining despite a fuel shortage. (WSJ)

Some U.S. airlines warned of growing delays and more canceled flights if the partial federal government shutdown drags on further. (WSJ)

American Airlines Group Inc. swung to a fourth-quarter profit and cargo revenue rose 3% as higher pricing offset a traffic decline. (WSJ)

Southwest Airlines' fourth-quarter cargo revenue was flat at $45 million while passenger revenue rose sharply. (WSJ)

Huawei Technologies Co. unveiled a chipset for 5G devices even as it faces a growing backlash from Western governments. (WSJ)

China's state-owned Silk Road Fund denied it has been in talks with smartphone parts supplier Japan Display Inc. over a potential investment. (WSJ)

Moody's says Sears Holdings Corp.'s plan to shutter more stores will hurt struggling lower-tier regional malls most. (WSJ)

Starbucks Corp. boosted sales at U.S. cafes 4% in the past quarter. (WSJ)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. swung to a fourth-quarter profit as it worked toward the planned acquisition of rival Celgene Corp. (WSJ)

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says Washington and Beijing are "miles and miles" from resolving their trade dispute. (South China Morning Post)

Amazon.com Inc. is testing a wheeled robotic delivery vehicle it calls Scout. (Seattle Times)

Japanese auto makers face roughly $1.37 billion per year in new tariffs under Brexit. (Nikkei Asian Review)

Union Pacific Corp.'s fourth-quarter net profit rose 29% and international intermodal revenue soared 21% during the full year. (Progressive Railroading)

Norfolk Southern Corp.'s fourth-quarter profit jumped 44% on strong pricing. (Associated Press)

Transport equipment maker Wabash National Corp. sold its aviation and truck business to Garsite Progress. (Inside Indiana Business)

Chinese oil company Sinopec produced its first batch of low-sulfur marine fuel. (Ship & Bunker)

Libya's two governing authorities will jointly support the construction of a deep-sea port near the city of Susah. (Libya Herald)

Cosco Shipping Ports is buying a controlling stake in Peru's Chancay terminal and will work with Volcan Compañía Minera to expand the site. (Seatrade Maritime)

Belgian tanker operator Euronav NV's fourth-quarter profit tumbled despite a strong improvement in crude carrier rates. (Shipping Watch)

The Dutch Spliethoff Group bought five cargo vessels from bankrupt operator Hansa Heavy Lift. (TradeWinds)

Freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel International AG won't challenge rival DSV A/S's bid to take over Panalpina. (Lloyd's List)

Several cargo airlines are adding to their freighter fleets this year. (The Loadstar)

Discount retailer Ollie's Bargain Outlet Inc. is planning a large distribution center south of Dallas. (Dallas Morning News)

Ryder System, Inc. is expanding its COOP truck-sharing platform into South Florida. (DC Velocity)

Digital supply chain startup Citizen Reserve will work with RFID tag manufacturer Smartrac. (TechCrunch)

ABOUT US

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Follow him at @PaulPage, and follow the entire WSJ Logistics Report team: @CostasParis, @jensmithWSJ and @EEPhillips_WSJ. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on Twitter at @WSJLogistics.

Write to Paul Page at paul.page@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 25, 2019 09:27 ET (14:27 GMT)

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