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US GDP SLOWS IN SECOND QUARTER, CANADA'S DIPS |
 | | Markets await U.S. National Debt legislative action. |
WASHINGTON
D.C. -- The North American economy gave signs of slowing sharply and of threatening to re-enter recession Friday.
The U.S. economy has slowed considerably this year from a year ago, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Canada's statistics agency reported the Canadian economy had actually contracted slightly in the period.
Mexico's economy has been on a fast glide path, but is expected to slow to 4% or lower if its main trading partner, the U.S., remains stuck in neutral or moves to contract. In 2010, Mexico Gross Domestic Product, the value of the nation's total annual output of goods and services hit 5.5%, the highest in Mexico since 2000.
Friday's surprising U.S. and Canada GDP reports showed U.S. GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.3% in the second quarter, and, in addition, the department published revised data showing the Great Recession of late 2007 through 2009 actually was deeper than originally understood and the recovery that began in 2009 has been weaker than previously understood.
The U.S. GDP indicator slowdown was sharply lower than expected by the market.
A Reuter's news service poll of 78 economists had indicated they expected U.S. second-quarter GDP had increased at a 1.8% annualized pace.
The economists had been expecting a slight dip from first quarter 2011 when U.S. GDP officially grew by 1.9%. But in Friday's report, the U.S. Commerce Department also revised the official first quarter GDP increase to a tiny 0.4%.
Economic observers said the very slight U.S. GDP growth rate could confirm that the economy is stuck in a soft patch and is struggling to rebound. Lower government spending aimed at taming the $1 trillion-plus annual U.S. federal budget deficit expected for fiscal 2011 also will dampen growth further, analysts said Friday.
The surprisingly weak U.S. and Canadian economic data came as the U.S. Administration and the U.S. Congress are seemingly on the verge of failing to agree on legislation needed by an August 2 deadline to raise the U.S. National Debt ceiling to allow the USA to pay interest on its outstanding debt or default on its bills for the first time in history.
Such an adverse outcome most economists consider would produce a disaster in U.S. and world financial markets, as credit rating agencies would downgrade the U.S.' credit rating, raising interest rates and sending investors fleeing from U.S. debt instruments into cash and other alternative investment vehicles other than U.S. Treasury bills and bonds and provoking a double-dip U.S. recession.
On Friday, in Canada, the Statistics Canada agency said that nation's GDP output in May unexpectedly contracted by 0.3%, while officials had expected modest growth of 0.1%.
The decline follows unchanged activity in April and a 0.3% rise in March. Economists generally consider a recession to be two consecutive quarters of contraction in a national economy.
In Mexico, the news of a notable slowdown in the U.S. economy, the No. 1 trade partner of Mexico and buyer of more than 70% of Mexico exports, helped put a damper on its expansion hopes.
The Bank of Mexico and private economists in Mexico still forecast higher than 4% annual GDP growth in for the year. But private analysts recalled the long-held maxim: "when the U.S. catches a cold, Mexico gets the flu," because of the nation's overwhelming economic, investment, trade and tourism ties to the health of the economy of the United States.
ANALYSIS: A quick report on the weak U.S. GDP data by economic analysts at Wells Fargo bank said "most of the weakness is due to dramatically higher prices, specifically for gasoline and groceries.
"Inflation is even worse when you look at domestic purchases, where prices soared at a 3.2% pace in the second quarter and a 4% pace in the first quarter," the report said.
"With prices rising more rapidly, real U.S. after-tax income grew at just a 0.7% pace in both the first and second quarters ... the lack of purchasing power, combined with rising fears about employment security, caused U.S. consumers to cut back on discretionary purchases," the Wells Fargo report said.
Other analysts noted the second quarter U.S. GDP growth was negatively affected by the end of various Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury fiscal and monetary stimulus programs, while state and local government spending fell at a 3.4% clip in the first and second quarters and federal government spending dropped sharply at a 9.4% in the first quarter and rose by a modest 2.2% rate through the second quarter.
Canada's unexpected GDP weakness in May and recent months was concentrated in the mining, oil and gas extraction component, which plunged 5.3%.
The weakness in mining, oil and gas extraction came from a series of tough events -- wildfires in Northern Alberta, plant maintenance shutdowns, and challenging weather conditions that slowed exploratory drilling activity.
Some of the same factors that mining activity may have played a role in the decline in activity in this sector given that the weakness was concentrated in the engineering and repair work and non-residential building constriction.
Most analysts in Canada seemed to view the decline in GDP in May as a temporary weakness that may be reversed soon by improvements in weather and other temporary effects and the lifting of supply chain problems in Japan from the earthquake, tsunami and flooding that hurt parts supplies for Canada's motor vehicle production sector.
But the weakness reported Friday in the U.S. economy and in U.S. consumer consumption could also negatively slow the Canadian economy given that more than 60% of the nation's trade with the world is with the USA.
Most Canadians live within 90 miles of the border with the USA.
"Canada's economy was hit by one thing after another in the spring and it now faces yet another hurdle from the deepening uncertainty emanating from the U.S. debt drama," BMO Capital Markets deputy chief economist Doug Porter said in a note issued Friday.
"While we believe that the most likely outcome is a mild pick-up in growth over the second half, the starting point is even weaker than we expected and there are still clearly plenty of potential dangers lurking ahead for the economy."
A separate report Friday from Statistics Canada showed lower fuel prices helped cut prices for both Canadian industrial products and raw materials in June over May.
In the U.S. very slow job growth - only a net 18,000 new jobs created in U.S. in June - and thus tiny income gains are putting in question U.S. growth and consumption for the rest of 2011.
It appears clear that the need for severe U.S. government spending cuts being negotiated between President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress will hamper U.S. economic growth as well.
"The (U.S.) economy is stuck in a very slow-growth scenario," said Julia Coronado, chief economist for North America for the French bank BNP Paribas in New York.
"Consumers are still very cautious and vulnerable. This is a very challenging report for policy makers." |
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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES OKs USE OF ONASSET FLIGHTSAFE DEVICES |
IRVING, Texas --
OnAsset Intelligence, a leading provider of machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless asset tracking solutions, said Tuesday aviation leader Southwest Airlines Co. now accepts cargo shipments protected by OnAsset's SENTRY 400 FlightSafe tracking device.
The OnAsset Sentry 400 FlightSafe device makes it possible to provide location, environmental sensing and monitoring of temperature-sensitive and high-value, air-transported cargo.
With more than 3,400 flights each day, Southwest Airlines Cargo provides fast and secure delivery of high-value cargo including temperature-sensitive items such as medical and pharmaceutical products.
Through the use of Irving-based OnAsset's SENTRY technology, companies shipping product over Southwest Airlines can now achieve full chain-of-custody and quality assurance tracking on all Southwest flights.
"We have worked with OnAsset for more than a year to evaluate their technology and are happy to accept the GPS device within our customer's shipments," says Wally Devereaux, Director of Cargo Sales & Marketing for Southwest Airlines.
"Our first and foremost objective with our customers is to provide excellent service and we believe the visibility to cargo shipments provided by the SENTRY FlightSafe device fits within our core objectives."
OnAsset Intelligence's SENTRY 400 is a highly advanced wireless, personal electronic device (PED) that includes multiple sensors for temperature, humidity, pressure, shock, location, and vibration detection with additional patented intelligence, known as FlightSafe.
This OnAsset-patented innovation enables the SENTRY 400 device to use multiple modes of sensing and proprietary logic to operate with the necessary intelligence to automatically suppress its wireless radios to an "off" mode, ensuring safe and FAA compliant operation during air cargo flights.
Intelligent radio suppression is a patented feature and unique to SENTRY, making it the only wireless device in the industry capable of turning its radio on and off without human intervention aboard aircraft.
"Many companies that we work with that utilize SENTRY for ground operations also have air operations and ship with Southwest Airlines today," said Adam Crossno, President and CEO of OnAsset Intelligence.
"We are thrilled to enable those customers to now ship SENTRY FlightSafe with Southwest Airlines Cargo, making the SENTRY a single device platform available for all modes of freight, including ground, ocean, and air."
The advanced SENTRY FlightSafe device has completed evaluations by Southwest's Maintenance, Flight Operations, Safety and Security, Ground Operations, and Engineering teams.
It has also satisfied stringent testing requirements by an independent laboratory and been approved for use by the FAA, satisfying all current regulatory flight requirements.
Southwest Airlines' Wally Devereaux will address the airline's approval of use of the Sentry device at the Machine2Machine EvolutionConference at 11 am next Sept. 13 in Austin, Texas.
The The event is billed as "the Premier Remote Asset Event for the Transportation, Oil and Gas, Supply Chain Logistics and International Compliance Industries."
ANALYSIS: OnAsset Intelligence Inc. is a leading provider of wireless devices and software solutions focused on helping customers wirelessly locate, track, connect, and manage fixed and mobile assets in real-time.
A NASCO member for several years, OnAsset boasts so-called Machine-2-Machine (M2M) electronic products and services including SENTRY wireless hardware with its flagship product line FlightSafe for air cargo tracking and ContainerSafe™ for secured tracking of containerized cargo.
OnAssets' web-based Vision Platform and global wireless connectivity services also add value to the tracking and tracing of valuable cargo assets.
In recent years, NASCO joined with OnAsset Intelligence and several other private firms to design, plan and conduct a hybrid, public/private sector, tri-national tracking and tracing pilot program across North America. The research and development effort began with the support and supervision of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
NASCO is considering similar R&D program possibilities with OnAsset and other firms across North America as part of its effort to demonstrate that leading edge technology can simultaneously bolster the efficiency and security of both transportation infrastructure and cross-border trade in North America and across the world.
The research effort with OnAsset formed part of NASCO's charter to promote a sustainable, secure and efficient trade and transportation system.
Frank Conde, Director of Communications and Special Projects for NASCO, will share NASCO research on the use of asset-tracking technology to enhance the security and productivity of the nation's transportation infrastructure at the M2M Evolution Conference in September at the Austin Convention Center.
The M2M Evolution Conference is designed as a one-stop-shop for the shipping industry to learn about the latest cargo/asset tracking and security solutions and the best technology industry practices for mitigating risk and also reducing losses in the supply chain.
Conference organizers have honored NASCO as the nation's leading trade and transportation corridor coalition by offering NASCO members a 20% discount on the cost of admission.
Conde's presentation also will cover recent trends in cargo theft throughout North America. The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI estimate annual losses by business of as much as $30 billion a year, making cargo theft an increasingly attractive business for organized crime groups.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, now in its 40th year of service, is the nation's largest carrier by number of domestic passengers boarded and recently expanded by acquiring AirTran Airways, now a wholly owned unit.
Southwest serves 72 cities in 37 U.S. states. It is highly regarded for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.
Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees system wide. For more information visit www.onasset.com and Southwest Airlines Cargo at www.swacargo.com.
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NORTH AMERICAN FREIGHT RAIL DEMAND CONTINUES RISE | |
WASHINGTON D.C. -- U.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending July 23, 2011 rose 1.4% over the week in 2010 and the U.S. intermodal freight volume edged up 0.8% in the same period, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Thursday.
Even as the U.S. economy appeared to be slowing, freight rail demand continues to grow, much of it involving U.S. international trade with its neighbor nations and the world.
AAR said 12 of the 20 carload commodity freight groups it measures posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, led by metallic ores, up 53.2%, iron and steel scrap, up 24.5%, and crushed stone, sand, and gravel, up 16.8%.
Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 13.5%, waste and nonferrous scrap, down 10.2%, and primary forest products, down 10.1%.
Meanwhile, the AAR noted Canadian freight carload traffic rose 0.7% compared with the same week of 2010, while Canadian intermodal freight rail jumped 8.3%.
And Mexican freight carload traffic jumped 15.2% for the week compared with the 2010 time frame, while intermodal freight soared 56.6% for the period, an indicator of the more robust Mexican economy. Mexico GDP rose 5.5% in calendar 2010, the highest in the nation since 2000, and is on pace to hit 4% or higher in calendar 2011, according to Mexico's central bank, the Bank of Mexico.
Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 29 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 2.5% compared with the first 29 weeks of 2010, while combined intermodal rose 6.6% compared with a year ago.
Other signs abound of the health of the U.S.' and North America's freight railroads.
For example, the rail car fleet leasing firm CIT Rail last week ordered 5,000 hopper and tank cars at a cost of about $475 million, with production to be completed by 2012 and split among "multiple manufacturers," the Journal of Commerce newspaper reported.
ANALYSIS: The new rail car orders became the latest sign that rail-related industries are gaining confidence in rising demand for key commodity cargoes, even if other aspects of the U.S., Canadian and Mexican economies show signs of slowing.
In a statement, CIT said they can be used by a range of industrial customers "including oil/natural gas drilling, renewable fuels, and agriculture, which are experiencing increased demand and contributing to the economic recovery."
Some potential users of tank cars could be ethanol distillers, while the hoppers could carry their distilled dried grain byproduct that is in high demand as animal feed as an alternative to sky-high prices for corn, normally primary animal feed.
U.S. freight railroads are finding a great source of new business from the industrial needs generated by the fast-growing oil and gas exploration and production in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation through Pennsylvania and New York and West Virginia in the East and particularly from the Bakken Shale rock oil fields in North Dakota and Wyoming and into the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada.
The new freight rail demand in these emerging oil and gas zones includes rail cars needed to haul materials ranging from sand -- used in hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") to break up the shale rock to produce the oil and gas -- and chemicals used in that 'fracking" process, as well as whole trains devoted to shipping the highly valuable light sweet crude oil in the North Dakota basin to southern crude oil terminals and Midwest and Gulf Coast refineries.
A single crude oil train can carry as much as 60,000 barrels a day of Bakken light sweet crude oil, industry sources report.
But the explosive growth of crude oil production is now above 200,000 barrels a day in the region, with projections for the northwest North Dakota region alone to produce over 350,000 barrels a day within the next 24 months. North Dakota is on the verge of passing Alaska for the No. 3 state oil producer slot behind Texas and California.
The 3-year old oil boom is so new there that very little crude oil pipeline transmission mileage exists to get the black gold to market. BNSF and UP and other rail firms are making extraordinary efforts to meet oil rail shipment needs in the region.
The CIT rail car order is its second of the year for North America's third-largest railcar lease fleet with over 100,000 units. It previously ordered 3,500 cars and took an option for another 1,750, and this latest 5,000-car order includes that option.
Despite being hampered by spring flooding across the NASCO Corridor states, U.S. railroads continue to build carloads at a steady, if a bit slower pace, the Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.'s Domestic Truck, Intermodal and Rail Trends report for July said.
The report noted that, excluding coal, rail carloads have been trending up 5% year over year so far in July compared with plus-4% in June and plus-2% to plus-3% in the second quarter's first six weeks, the report said.
"Looking ahead, secular intermodal growth and continued recovery in industrial end-markets should continue to drive growth in the back half of the year, with rail commentary suggesting expectations for a compressed peak season with a seasonal demand pickup beginning in mid-August," Baird analysts said in the report.
Industrial volumes have continued to steadily improve since demand softened in April and early May. As of mid-July, volumes were up 8 percent vs. 1 percent to 2 percent in April/early May.
"Recent improvement has been largely attributable to improved metal-related volumes," Baird analysts said. "Outlook commentary from rails suggests improved demand should continue in the second half, benefiting from ongoing industrial recovery and improved auto production."
The report said Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad are "more bullish" on the second-half coal freight load outlook because demand for U.S. coal exports is solid and domestic utility demand remains steady, the report said.
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CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY ADDS CAPACITY, PROFITS | |
TORONTO - Canadian National Railway Co. said July 19 it plans to build four more extended sidings on its Northern Ontario main line by the end of 2012 at a cost of $20 million Canadian ($21 million US).
The company, which operates Canada's largest and one of North America's largest Class I rail networks, said the plans will begin this year with two sidings constructed at a cost of $10 million.
Train sidings can serve multiple purposes, allowing trains to easily shift off the main track for various functions, including loading and storage, and permitting other trains to bypass.
In this case, the sidings are specifically intended for the trains to pass each other, CN told the Canadian Press news agency.
The expansion bring its investments in nine long sidings along the corridor to more than $40 million, CN said.
"The strategic investments in longer sidings will help to further increase our ability to process freight trains efficiently across this line, enhance network velocity and productivity, and improve the safety of operations," chief operating officer Keith Creel said in a company statement.
"These extended siding investments in the almost 1,900-kilometre (1,180-mile) corridor between Toronto and Winnipeg will help CN deliver greater supply chain efficiencies," he said.
The Northern Ontario main line is a key part of CN's transcontinental network stretching from the far east to the far western plains across most of Canada.
Railway will spend roughly $21 million on line connecting Toronto with Winnipeg.
Canadian National Railway will spend more than $21 million U.S. dollars this year and next to expand the sidings of a key line that connects Toronto with Winnipeg, and takes freight from the big West Coast ports.
The improvements are expected to allow the railway to run trains faster and longer.
ANALYSIS: CN will build two extended sidings on the northern Ontario line this year, and then construct two more in 2012. The line averages 14 freight trains daily, including intermodal trains between Toronto and the cities of Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta; and from the West Coast seaports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert to the plains provinces.
The corridor also hosts two transcontinental passenger trains three days a week.
CN already has been extending sidings to 13,000 feet or longer that were previously 6,000 feet to 7,000 feet, allowing them to hold much longer trains while others pass by on the main track.
CN is boosting its average length of trains by distributing locomotives among railcars for more control of train movement, moving more cargo per each train start while increasing trip speeds.
Spokesman Mark Hallman said when CN completes all the projects through 2012, it will have built nine longer sidings along its northern Ontario line, spending over $42 million US dollars (or Canada $40 million).
On July 25, Canadian National Railway Co. reported its net earnings rose slightly in the latest quarter on an eight per cent increase in revenues.
Montreal-based CN said its net earnings in second quarter 2011 edged up to $538 million edged up slightly from $534 million in second quarter 2010, on revenues up 8% to $2.26 billion in the second quarter from $2.1 billion reported in the period a year ago.
CN said its car loadings rose by 4% and revenue ton-miles - a measure of railway operations - rose 5% over second quarter 2010.
Earnings would have been better except for net deferred income tax expenses of $40 million resulting from the enactment of state corporate income tax rate changes and other legislated state tax revisions in the U.S., where CN has major operations.
"CN delivered a solid second-quarter performance as a result of continued improvements in freight volumes and strong operational execution," CN President and CEO Claude Mongeau said in a statement issued after the close of markets July 25.
He took pride in noting "CN railroaders responded quickly and effectively to a series of weather challenges including floods, forest fires and mudslides.
"Their tireless efforts and dedication helped to protect the integrity of our network, the reliability of the supply chain we serve and our service to customers," Mongeau said.
He highlighted that all of CN's commodity rail freight groups posted revenue gains during the second quarter from a year earlier.
Intermodal rail freight - CN's largest revenue segment - was a bright spot, benefiting principally from higher containerized cargo import volumes over the West Coast ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C. and increased domestic retail store product shipments.
North American railroads were affected by extensive flooding throughout the quarter caused substantial detouring. Mongeau said CN outperformed railway company peers with higher average train speeds and reduced time in terminals.
CN had the highest reported volume growth in the rail industry during the quarter, the company said. Overall carloads rose 4.4% in the quarter from a year ago, while total volumes increased 5.4%.
CN gains came from stronger volumes in metals, up 10.8%, intermodal, up 9.1% and agricultural products, up 7.8%.
Canadian National Railway Co. said July 19 it plans to build four more extended sidings on its Northern Ontario main line by the end of 2012 at a cost of $20 million Canadian ($21 million US).
The company, which operates Canada's largest and one of North America's largest Class I rail networks, said the plans will begin this year with two sidings constructed at a cost of $10 million.
Train sidings can serve multiple purposes, allowing trains to easily shift off the main track for various functions, including loading and storage, and permitting other trains to bypass. In this case, the sidings are specifically intended for the trains to pass each other, CN told the Canadian Press news agency.
The expansion bring its investments in nine long sidings along the corridor to more than $40 million, CN said.
"The strategic investments in longer sidings will help to further increase our ability to process freight trains efficiently across this line, enhance network velocity and productivity, and improve the safety of operations," chief operating officer Keith Creel said in a company statement.
"These extended siding investments in the almost 1,900-kilometre (1,180-mile) corridor between Toronto and Winnipeg will help CN deliver greater supply chain efficiencies," he said.
The Northern Ontario main line is a key part of CN's transcontinental network stretching from the far east to the far western plains across most of Canada.
Railway will spend roughly $21 million on line connecting Toronto with Winnipeg.
Canadian National Railway will spend more than $21 million U.S. dollars this year and next to expand the sidings of a key line that connects Toronto with Winnipeg, and takes freight from the big West Coast ports.
The improvements are expected to allow the railway to run trains faster and longer.
CN will build two extended sidings on the northern Ontario line this year, and then construct two more in 2012. The line averages 14 freight trains daily, including intermodal trains between Toronto and the cities of Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta; and from the West Coast seaports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert to the plains provinces.
The corridor also hosts two transcontinental passenger trains three days a week. CN already has been extending sidings to 13,000 feet or longer that were previously 6,000 feet to 7,000 feet, allowing them to hold much longer trains while others pass by on the main track.
CN is boosting its average length of trains by distributing locomotives among railcars for more control of train movement, moving more cargo per each train start while increasing trip speeds.
Spokesman Mark Hallman said when CN completes all the projects through 2012, it will have built nine longer sidings along its northern Ontario line, spending over $42 million US dollars (or Canada $40 million).
On July 25, Canadian National Railway Co. reported its net earnings rose slightly in the latest quarter on an eight per cent increase in revenues.
Montreal-based CN said its net earnings in second quarter 2011 edged up to $538 million edged up slightly from $534 million in second quarter 2010, on revenues up 8% to $2.26 billion in the second quarter from $2.1 billion reported in the period a year ago.
CN said its car loadings rose by 4% and revenue ton-miles - a measure of railway operations - rose 5% over second quarter 2010.
Earnings would have been better except for net deferred income tax expenses of $40 million resulting from the enactment of state corporate income tax rate changes and other legislated state tax revisions in the U.S., where CN has major operations.
"CN delivered a solid second-quarter performance as a result of continued improvements in freight volumes and strong operational execution," CN President and CEO Claude Mongeau said in a statement issued after the close of markets July 25.
He took pride in noting "CN railroaders responded quickly and effectively to a series of weather challenges including floods, forest fires and mudslides.
"Their tireless efforts and dedication helped to protect the integrity of our network, the reliability of the supply chain we serve and our service to customers," Mongeau said.
He highlighted that all of CN's commodity rail freight groups posted revenue gains during the second quarter from a year earlier.
Intermodal rail freight - CN's largest revenue segment - was a bright spot, benefiting principally from higher containerized cargo import volumes over the West Coast ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C. and increased domestic retail store product shipments.
North American railroads were affected by extensive flooding throughout the quarter caused substantial detouring. Mongeau said CN outperformed railway company peers with higher average train speeds and reduced time in terminals.
CN had the highest reported volume growth in the rail industry during the quarter, the company said. Overall carloads rose 4.4% in the quarter from a year ago, while total volumes increased 5.4%.
CN gains came from stronger volumes in metals, up 10.8%, intermodal, up 9.1% and agricultural products, up 7.8%.
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For more information or to submit story ideas contact:
Frank Conde
Director of Special Projects & Communications
North America's Corridor Coalition, Inc.
T 214.744.1018
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| NASCO HIGHLIGHTS GROWTHNET TRADING AS MEMBER |  | |
NASCO is pleased to highlight as a member GrowthNet Trading LLC, a sales engineering company based in Dallas that helps medium-sized and small companies capture their opportunities and solve their business development problems derived from changing situations, mergers, acquisitions, international expansion and multi-cultural ventures.
The company formed by a professional network of senior business and industry executives around the world brings a wealth of experience to create unique and cost-effective solutions.
Bud Browne, co-founder of the firm, says GrowthNet Trading possesses a plethora of visual models - Internet Demonstration Systems - templates and tools that can and are customized to provide powerful and fast results to its individual clients.
GrowthNet Trading developed the "Interactive Map," tool for NASCO as a visual demonstration tool that opens up a depth of data about trade and freight transport assets along the NASCO Corridor from Mexico through the heartland of the U.S. and extending across Canada's strategic Gateways and Corridors from coast to coast.
"Over the last 10 years we have perfected models which accelerate business development processes for companies and other enterprises," Browne said.
GrowthNet helps clients target and find companies, people, technologies and strategic business information needed to adapt to and take advantage of changing business and market situations.
The firm specializes in developing business communication tools that help firms accelerate programs and new projects, explain existing and new products and services to the marketplace and convey discovery process information to catalyze sales and marketing organizations.
GrowthNet helps clients discover and create solutions to accelerate the sales cycle and evolve one-of-a-kind situations that fit a production and development business outsourcing model industry focus.
The company is involved in particular business and industry clusters, including engineered products and services in the Logistics industry; agribusiness; renewable energy; environmental; automotive and infrastructure sectors.
GrowthNet also is effective in assisting enterprises engaged in international trade and logistics development and regional economic development. The firm has been active in assisting major intermodal freight transportation facilities in Mexico, particularly in central and northern Mexico, including the states of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi, a major strategic industrial freight transport intermodal shipping hub.
The firm consults with companies engaged in real estate, cultural systems management, business process optimization, transportation, supply chain management and assessment, business conferences, trade shows and oil and gas pipelines.
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NEWLY UPDATED WEBSITES OF NASCO MEMBERS |  |
New NASCO Member TransHub Ontario just launched their official website! Click here or on the graphic above to access. The Transport Institute at the University of Manitoba has launched a new version of its website! Click here or on the graphic above to access all of the Institute's great features.
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| THE FACE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT VIDEO |  | |
NASCO endorses and promotes as a National Model Standard the Certified Logistics Associate/Certified Logistics Technician (CLA/CLT). The CLA/CLT program was developed by our partners at Workforce Solutions North Central Texas and the Washington, DC based Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC).
At the National Association of Workforce Boards recent annual conference, various Board Executive Directors and Board Members from across the U.S. were interviewed to document the importance of the workforce development system. Dave Setzer & Mark Murtagh of Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas are featured in the video. To view the video click here.
In 2010, the NAWB honored Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas as a distinguished honoree for the Theodore E. Small workforce partnership award for its work on the CLA/CLT program.
We are proud of our partners at Workforce Solutions!
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MEMBER EVENTS |  | |
M2M Evolution is for any company that is looking to utilize the wireless network to extend control over their supply chain, product development, and distribution channels.
What's unique about this event is the focus on supply chain performance, ROI models and business process efficiency.
*NASCO's very own Frank Conde will be speaking on Technology in Transportation Infrastructure! All NASCO members & friends receive a 20% discount. Simply enter NASCO as the discount code when registering!
Midwest International
Shippers Conference
Presented by: Cargo Business News & Intl. Traders of Iowa
September 21-22, 2011
Embassy Suites on the River
Des Moines, Iowa
The U.S. Midwest is home to major manufacturing, agriculture, and a significant consumer market of over 66 million. Conversely, getting cargo in and out of the nation's heartland is challenging for a variety of reasons, and the International Midwest Shippers' Conference will address these themes among others pertinent to the global supply chain's vital connection to the region and its developing infrastructure.
*NASCO board member Ken Allen, President of Bridgestone Americas Agricultural Divison, will be the keynote of this event! Our members at the Des Moines Area MPO also have a lead role in organizing.
Mexico's Top Manufacturing & Consuming Regions Utilizing
Port Laredo
Presented by: Laredo Development Foundation
September 21-23, 2011
Laredo, Texas
The Symposium will focus on certain fundamental attributes that govern a port's ability to become a leader in facilitating global supply chains. These attributes are transportation and communications infrastructure, port and border administration, market access, and the overall business environment. In addition, the Symposium will focus on the right balance for future port capacity and infrastructure.
*LDF is a member of NASCO! There will be a BIG NASCO presence at this event - in our new President's hometown.
3rd Annual North American Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum
Presented by: CG/LA Infrastructure
October 11-13, 2011
Washington, D.C.
Over 500 executives from the public and private sector will gather in Washington, DC for the 3rd Annual North American Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum. The Forum is a dynamic 2.5 day conference, focused on infrastructure development in North America, designed to facilitate business and promote projects across the region, as well as showcase the cities, states and provinces with the most innovative infrastructure plans.
*For the 2nd year, NASCO will be a supporting organization at this event. CG/LA is also a new NASCO member!
18th ITS World Congress
Featuring ITS Annual Meeting & Exposition
Presented by: ITS America
October 16-20, 2011
Orlando, Florida
Under the theme of Keeping the Economy Moving, it is sure to be our most exciting and innovative event to dateThe Intelligent Transportation Society of America, ERTICO-ITS Europe, and ITS Asia-Pacific invite you to join the world's leading transportation policy makers, technology, and business professionals in Orlando, Florida, from October 16-20, 2011 for the 18th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, which will also feature ITS America's Annual Meeting & Exposition.
16th Annual Fields on Wheels Conference
Presented by: University of Manitoba Transport Institute
September 30, 2011
Winnipeg, Manitoba
The objective of this conference is to identify the issues that will have to be addressed by the Canadian Wheat Board, governments and commercial grain industry participants. Officials from both Transport Canada and Agriculture Canada have expressed interest in hearing the views of a broad cross section of industry people. Officials from both departments are expected to attend, and written summary of the views expressed will be provided to both the participants and to the two government departments.
*The Transport Institute is a member of the NEC.
7th Annual Supply Chain Connections Conference
Mid-Continent Cold Chain:
Opportunities & Challenges
February 9-10, 2012
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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18th ANNUAL LOGISTICS & MANUFACTURING SYMPOSIUM IN LAREDO
SEPTEMBER 21-23, 2011 |  |
Join NASCO and our partners at the 18th Annual Logistics & Manufacturing Symposium in Laredo this September!
18th Annual Logistics and Manufacturing Association Symposium
Hosted By:
Laredo Development Foundation & Community Partners
September 21-23, 2011
Texas A&M International University
This year's Symposium theme is entitled "Mexico's Top Manufacturing and Consuming Regions Utilizing Port Laredo." The Symposium will focus on certain fundamental attributes that govern a port's ability to become a leader in facilitating global supply chains.
These attributes are transportation and communications infrastructure, port and border administration, market access, and the overall business environment.
In addition, the Symposium will focus on the right balance for future port capacity and infrastructure. Port capacity and infrastructure will be determined by the trade, the customer, the size of the port, their proximity to the customer's distribution centers and distribution network.
Mexico's important manufacturing regions and major cities that support those regions in Northern, Central and Southwestern Mexico have been invited to participate at this year's Symposium.
In addition, this year's Symposium will feature Keynote Speakers representing both the U.S. and Mexico:
Alan Bersin, Commissioner, U.S. Customs & Border Protection,
Lic. Gerardo Perdomo Sanciprian, General Administrator, Mexican Customs,
Carlos Palencia Escalante, Director General, National Council of Maquiladora &Manufacturing Industry,
Luis Olive Hawley, Chief of Promotions, Investments and International Business, PROMEXICO
The full registration for the Symposium is $300 for LDF/LMA/LLUSCBA/ALFA member and $350 for non-member or $150 per day.
For more information please visit the official conference website.
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2011 NASCO OUTLOOK PUBLICATION NOW AVAILABLE |  | |
***Click here to view the 2011 NASCO Outlook online. |
| ABOUT NASCO |
 Since 1994, NASCO and its members have stood at the forefront of driving public and private sectors to unite to address strategically critical national and international trade, transportation, security and environmental issues. Our membership includes a diverse range of public and private partners from Mexico, the United States and Canada, extending along the International Corridor. |
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