EXW, DDP and landed cost: why the cheapest supplier quote can cost more
Supplier prices are easy to put in a spreadsheet. They only become comparable once the missing responsibilities are priced in as well.
Berg Insights
Practical perspective on procurement and trade
Notes from the operational side of sourcing, supplier management, quality control, compliance and international logistics. Each article focuses on the decisions behind the shipment, not only the headline around it.
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EU EUDR: traceability must start before the purchase order
Traceability requirements cannot be fixed afterwards by asking the supplier for documents once production is done.
Strait of Hormuz: how an energy shock reaches freight and factory costs
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz showed how an energy shock travels into freight, production cost and purchasing decisions far beyond the Gulf.
EU CBAM: carbon data becomes part of the import process
For affected goods, carbon data is no longer a side report. It now influences whether an import can move through customs correctly.
Approved samples versus mass production: where quality fails
An approved sample shows that one unit could be made correctly. Production control has to show that the whole order followed it.
China's Golden Week: why a one-week holiday disrupts production longer
The holiday itself is one week. The pressure around it stretches much further into production and transport.
South China typhoon season: port closures are only the first delay
The port closure is obvious. The quieter knock-on effects on factories, trucking and inspection schedules are often missed.
Red Sea shipping: why routing still needs to be checked after booking
A route can stay open on the map and still become commercially unsuitable for many carriers.
Supplier verification in China: why certificates are not enough
A document can confirm that something was issued. It does not by itself confirm who will make the goods or how production will be controlled.
Tariff frontloading: when early imports become expensive inventory
Buying early can protect against a tariff change, but it can also move the risk from the border into inventory.
ICS2 for road and rail: customs data must be ready before arrival
Advance customs information turns an incomplete product description into a transport problem before the truck or train even reaches the border.
EU PPWR: why packaging now starts with product design
Packaging choices increasingly affect compliance, cost and future market access, long before a product reaches the shelf.
Chinese New Year: production risk starts before factories close
The factory shutdown is visible. The loss of attention before and after it usually matters more.
Suez diversions: how the Cape route changed Asia–Europe freight
When vessels avoid the Suez Canal for long enough, the detour stops behaving like a temporary exception.
US East and Gulf Coast port strike: why three days caused weeks of disruption
A short disruption can cast a long operational shadow once cargo has already been booked around it.