The Thomas Blog

What Does The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Mean For The Supply Chain?

Late Sunday evening, the United States, Mexico, and Canada finalized the parameters of a new trade deal — the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. The USMCA, which still needs to be formally ratified by each country, would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

While it is not expected to go into effect until 2020, manufacturers and buyers in North America will undoubtedly begin to feel its effects very soon.

Getting To Know The Future Of Supply Chain

The fact is that the procurement and supply chain profession is in the midst of a revolution, getting more global, analytical, and tech-savvy than ever before. It’s also getting younger — 40% of the buyers on the Thomas Network at Thomasnet.com are between the ages of 18 and 34.

This emerging generation of professionals aren’t just up-and-comers — they’ve arrived. Many are in leadership positions, heading up initiatives and driving discussions on the other side of your negotiating table. Knowing what makes them tick can help you forge better relationships with these important players in the supply chain.

Southeast U.S. Industrial Buying Trends

If you are a manufacturer or industrial supplier that serves the Southeastern United States, wouldn't it be great to know what buyers in your region are looking for? This way, instead of anticipating their needs, you can be meeting their needs — and winning their business.

Thomas recently examined buyer behavior data generated on Thomasnet.com to uncover supply chain trends in Southeast U.S. If you provide industrial products or services in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, this information could prove pivotal in connecting with more buyers. 

New York Industrial/B2B Buying Trends

What's trending with B2B buyers in New York State right now? What products and services are experiencing a surge in demand?

Texas Industrial/B2B Buying Trends

What are industrial and B2B buyers in Texas looking for right now?

As a supplier, knowing the answer to this question can be incredibly powerful. By understanding which products and services are in demand, you can put your company in prime position to connect with new buyers. 

Thomas recently examined buyer behavior data generated on Thomasnet.com to uncover supply chain trends in Texas. If you provide products or services in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, or other cities within the state, this data can give you a distinct competitive advantage. 

Ohio Industrial/B2B Buying Trends

If you are a manufacturer or industrial supplier that serves the Ohio area, wouldn't it be great to know what buyers in your region are looking for? This way, instead of anticipating their needs, you can be meeting their needs — and winning their business.

Thomas recently examined buyer behavior data generated on Thomasnet.com to uncover supply chain trends in Ohio. If you provide products or services in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, or other cities within the state, this information could prove pivotal in connecting with more buyers. 

Steel Scandal Will Shake Up The Supply Chain

Some of the biggest names in manufacturing — Boeing, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and many others — have seen their supply chains thrown into turmoil after a major Japanese steel supplier admitted fabricating quality control data.

Thomas Index Report: Hurricane Harvey

To help buyers and suppliers stay ahead of the latest shifts and emerging trends, we constantly analyze the industrial/B2B buying activity taking place at Thomasnet.com, where every 2 seconds a buyer evaluates a supplier. This powerful, proprietary data fuels our Thomas Industrial Index.

This week we take a look at sourcing in and around the Houston area in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, with our data adding some insight into the sheer magnitude of the disaster. Here’s what we’re seeing:

Thomas Index Report: Custom Injection Molding

To help buyers and suppliers stay ahead of the latest shifts and emerging trends in the digital industrial economy, we constantly analyze the industrial/B2B buying activity taking place at Thomasnet.com, where every 2 seconds a buyer evaluates a supplier on our platform. This powerful, proprietary data fuels our Thomas Industrial Index.

Here’s what we’re seeing in the Index this week: