News & Reports

FDA Import Compliance for Pharmaceutical and Biologics Importers: A Practical Guide

More than 85 percent of the brand-name pharmaceuticals dispensed in the United States are manufactured overseas, and the active pharmaceutical ingredients, biologic drug substances, and finished products that supply the American market cross…
view down the aisle of a cold storage warehouse full of goods

Build, Expand, or Outsource? The Strategic Case for Outsourced GMP Storage in Life Sciences Manufacturing

Pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturers all reach the same operational moment. Inventory volumes have grown. A commercial launch is approaching. A new supplier has been qualified. An existing facility is running at capacity.…
stern view of a cargo ship

The New Sourcing Map for U.S. Importers in 2026

Three years ago, the “China+1” strategy, maintaining Chinese sourcing while adding at least one alternative country to reduce concentration risk, was an emerging concept being discussed in board rooms. Today it is the operational baseline…
air freight prepped to be loaded into a plane

Air Cargo at 33% Above Year-Ago Rates: What Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Shippers Are Doing About It

Air cargo rates have not normalized. According to the World ACD weekly air cargo report, global air cargo spot rates were running approximately 33% above year-ago levels through June 7, 2026, with sharper regional pressure on lanes most directly…
various packaged medications on top of an Indian flag

India’s Emergence as the Leading Pharmaceutical Sourcing Alternative: What Life Sciences Importers Need to Know in 2026

The pharmaceutical industry’s effort to diversify sourcing away from China has matured. According to recent industry data, nearly 79% of companies have moved at least some sourcing volume away from China, and India has emerged as the leading…
vaccine production line

Section 232 Pharmaceutical Tariffs: What Life Sciences Importers Must Do Before July 31, 2026

The April 2, 2026 presidential proclamation imposing Section 232 tariffs on patented pharmaceutical imports did not give the life sciences industry much time to prepare. For covered importers, branded drug manufacturers, biologics CDMOs, specialty…

The Strategic Advantage of Local: How Proximity to Massachusetts’ Life Sciences Hub Accelerates Your Supply Chain

Modern life sciences supply chains demand more than movement. They demand velocity, compliance, and resilience — the ability to move products quickly, safely, and without regulatory interruption, regardless of what is happening in the broader…

Transfer Pricing and Customs Valuation: What Importers Need to Know About CBP Audit Risk

A large and growing share of U.S. imports involve transactions between related parties — a U.S. subsidiary purchasing goods from its foreign parent, an American manufacturer sourcing from an affiliated overseas plant, a distributor buying…

Global PMI Update: What April 2026 Manufacturing Data Tells Us About Global Supply Chain Risk

The Global Purchasing Managers’ Index is one of the most closely watched leading indicators in international trade. It captures manufacturing conditions in real time across dozens of countries — translating factory-floor sentiment about…

Future-Proofing Your Pharmaceutical Cold Chain

Building a Compliant, Scalable Cold Chain from Clinical to Commercial The pharmaceutical cold chain has never been more demanding. Biologics, monoclonal antibodies, GLP-1 therapies, and an expanding pipeline of temperature-sensitive products…

International Supply Chain Update: Tariff Hearings, Freight Market Data, and Middle East Disruption — April 2026

International supply chains are navigating simultaneous pressure from two directions: a tariff policy transition that will reshape duty exposure for importers across dozens of countries, and the ongoing ripple effects of Middle East conflict…

CBP’s New CAPE System Is Live: What Importers Need to Know About IEEPA Duty Refunds

Background: Why IEEPA Refunds Are Available On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. As a result, tariffs collected under…

China vs. Vietnam: A Strategic Comparison of Import Costs for U.S. Businesses

For U.S. importers, the sourcing decision has fundamentally changed. Manufacturing cost alone no longer determines profitability. What matters today is total landed cost — the full picture of duties, tariffs, freight, compliance, and risk…

Understanding Landed Costs: A Practical Guide for U.S. Importers

Every importer knows that the purchase price is not the cost of goods. What determines profitability — what sets the floor for pricing decisions, margin projections, and sourcing strategy — is landed cost: the total, all-in expense of moving…

Customs Clearance Checklist: ISF Filing, Entry Process, and Release Timeline

Customs clearance is not a single event. It is a structured sequence of filings, reviews, and compliance decisions that begins before your cargo is loaded and does not end until duties are paid and your shipment is in your hands. Every step…

How to Start Importing into the United States: A 10-Step Compliance Guide

Most first-time importers underestimate the process. They understand, broadly, that goods need to clear customs. What they often do not anticipate is the sequence of regulatory requirements, documentation obligations, and agency reviews that…

Strait of Hormuz Closure Disrupting Global Supply Chains

Global supply chains continue to face a mix of pricing shifts, infrastructure constraints, and geopolitical uncertainty. While certain cost pressures have eased in early 2026, underlying risks remain—particularly across energy markets, key…

Why Pharma Manufacturers Are Turning to Niche, All-in-One 3PL Providers

In today’s pharmaceutical landscape, supply chains are more complex, more regulated, and more critical to product success than ever before. As biologics, cell and gene therapies, and temperature-sensitive products continue to dominate development…

The War in Iran and CDL Driver Shortages influencing North American Logistics

North American supply chains are entering a period defined by rising structural pressures beneath the surface of relatively stable pricing trends. While transportation rates remain manageable in the short term, emerging risks tied to energy…

The Luxury of Direct Communication with Your U.S. Customs Broker

In international trade, timing, accuracy, and compliance are everything. A single delay at customs can disrupt production schedules, impact inventory availability, and create costly downstream consequences. Yet, one of the most overlooked…

Special Area of Focus: Ukraine — Supply Chain Disruption, Resilience, and Strategic Shifts

Ukraine remains one of the most complex and closely watched supply chain environments in the world today. Ongoing conflict with Russia continues to reshape the country’s economic structure, trade flows, and global logistics relevance. Despite…

What’s New & Important in North American Supply Chains?

North American supply chains are entering a new phase defined by volume recovery, structural workforce constraints, and continued network recalibration. Two developments deserve particular attention: a strengthening intermodal outlook and persistent…

Mexico in Focus: Trade, Nearshoring, and the 2026 Outlook

Mexico continues to play a central role in North American supply chains. With an estimated nominal GDP of approximately $1.86 trillion (USD) in 2025 and projected annual growth near 2%, the country remains a critical manufacturing and export…

U.S. Container Processing Times Improve: What It Means for Supply Chains

Port congestion remains one of the most visible pressure points in global trade. When vessels queue offshore or containers dwell too long at terminals, the impact ripples through transportation planning, inventory management, and customer delivery…