Supply Chain Research

Furniture retailer IKEA has rolled out its Taskrabbit-based assembly service. That’s come as its U.S. activity has begun to accelerate, with seaborne imports having risen 18% in the three months to February 28 on a year earlier from 10% in the prior three months. A bigger challenge will come from potential tariffs on Chinese consumer goods imports – including furniture – from the administration of President Trump. IKEA currently sources 30% of its U.S. seaborne imports from China. Particular supply chain challenges will apply to metal shelving and chairs (10,000 TEUs of imports in the pa...