Supply Chain Research

Samsonite has indicated that U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports of luggage, set at 10% since September, is “starting to impact some of our gateway cities”. CEO Kyle Gendreau has indicated price rises of 7% were sufficient to pass through duties to customers. Another price rise of a similar amount may be needed in the new year if duty rates rise to 25%. That’s leading the company to cut its reliance on China as a supplier to 80% of supplies in 2019 from 95% this year. The company may also be stockpiling into the new year with imports from China to the U.S. up 27.4% on a year earlier in the t...