Good morning.

GM is pulling another vehicle out of China. General Motors will end Buick Envision production in China, shifting the next generation of the SUV to the U.S. in 2028 at its Kansas City–area plant.

GM is also relocating Equinox and Blazer SUV production from Mexico to the U.S., underscoring a broader push to re-shore manufacturing.

Let’s dive into today’s edition.

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President Donald Trump has walked back his threat to impose tariffs on European allies after linking trade pressure to U.S. control over Greenland. Following talks with the NATO secretary general in Davos, Trump said the planned tariffs set to take effect on February 1 would not go ahead.

Key Details: Earlier, President Donald Trump said the United States would impose a 10% tariff from February 1 on imports from European countries backing Greenland amid U.S. threats to seize the territory. He added that the tariffs would rise to 25% in June unless a deal is reached for what he described as the “complete and total purchase” of Greenland.

European Reaction: In response, the European Parliament suspended the ratification of the long-anticipated EU–US trade deal. EU capitals were also considering steps such as imposing tariffs on up to €93 billion of U.S. goods or restricting American firms’ access to the bloc’s market.

Current Status: EU lawmakers are seeking clarity on Donald Trump’s intentions after he dropped planned tariffs on eight countries in response to their stance on Greenland. Following the reversal, the European Union has withdrawn the threat of retaliatory tariffs against the United States.

Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s EU–US trade committee, said Brussels still lacks clarity on Trump’s proposed “framework” deal.

Energy Fuels, a US-listed uranium producer, has agreed to acquire Australian Strategic Materials in a $300 million all-share deal to build a fully integrated rare-earth supply chain outside China.

What’s the deal? The transaction would combine ASM’s mining and processing assets with Energy Fuels’ separation facilities in the US, creating what the company says would be the largest non-Chinese “mine-to-metal” rare earth platform.

Big Picture: ASM brings both a rare earths project in Dubbo, New South Wales, and a processing facility in South Korea that produces metals and alloys for permanent magnets. Analysts say its processing capability — a major bottleneck outside China — makes ASM a strategic asset, despite years of weak share performance and investor doubts over its mining project.

On January 29, we are publishing an exclusive deep dive into Target’s evolving fulfillment strategy, featuring direct insights from the company.

The piece offers a rare, inside look at how one of the world’s most influential retailers is re-architecting its fulfillment model — and what those decisions signal for the future of retail operations, inventory flow, and supply chain design.

This story is available only to our paid subscribers — upgrade now to get access to the full story.

Echo Global Logistics has agreed to acquire ITS Logistics from GHK Capital Partners, forming a combined third-party logistics provider with an estimated $5.4 billion in pro forma revenue. Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026.

Double Power: The acquisition adds scale and service depth, combining Echo’s large truckload brokerage, managed transportation, and technology platform with ITS Logistics’ drop trailer, dedicated capacity, intermodal, and drayage capabilities. Executives said the combination is designed to help shippers manage growing supply chain complexity.

ITS Logistics will continue to operate with its existing leadership and customer-facing structure. The deal reflects Echo’s long-standing strategy of growing through acquisitions. Since launching in 2005, Echo has completed more than 20 deals, expanding from a truckload brokerage into a broader logistics company.

The Port of Los Angeles handled 10.2 million containers in 2025, marking the third time in its history that volumes exceeded 10 million TEUs. The result comes despite a difficult trade environment shaped by tariffs, shifting policy, and weaker demand for Chinese imports.

Loaded imports fell nearly 8% year over year, while exports slipped just over 2%, reflecting softer global trade flows. Empty container movements dropped sharply, down more than 26%, signaling tighter equipment circulation and changing shipping patterns.

Port Executive Director Gene Seroka used the milestone to highlight a new wave of infrastructure investment, including the proposed Pier 500 terminal — the first new container terminal in decades.

CMA CGM has pulled three Asia–Europe services back from the Red Sea to the longer Cape of Good Hope route, citing a “complex and uncertain international context.” The move reverses the French carrier’s tentative return to the Suez Canal following a temporary regional ceasefire.

Route Reversal: The French carrier said it would redirect its FAL 1, FAL 3, and MEX services — which link Asia with Northern Europe and the Mediterranean — back to the longer Cape of Good Hope.

The reversal comes just weeks after CMA CGM began sending vessels on these routes through the Suez Canal following a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It also follows Maersk's Jan. 15 announcement that it would return its MECL service connecting India and the Middle East to the U.S. East Coast through the Suez after successful test transits.

The Supreme Court entered a four-week recess without ruling on legal challenges to President Donald Trump's tariffs, leaving duties in place that are generating more than $16 billion in monthly revenue for the federal government.

What’s next? The justices have not scheduled another courtroom session until Feb. 20, meaning disputed tariffs imposed over the past year will remain in effect through at least mid-February.

A ruling against the administration would represent Trump's most significant legal defeat since returning to office. The White House has said it would quickly replace struck-down tariffs using alternative legal authorities, though Trump said Tuesday those substitutes would be inferior to the current framework.

We sat down for a detailed conversation with Marc Levinson, economist, historian, and the award-winning author of The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger.

From supply chains and shipbuilding to tariffs and China +1 policy, the conversation examines the forces reshaping global commerce.

This interview is available exclusively to CrossDock paid members on Feb 12.

U.S. truck freight activity posted a modest gain in December but remained constrained by a sluggish market, industry data showed.

Modest Increase: The American Trucking Associations reported that its For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 0.4 percent in December to 112.9, up from 112.4 in November. The index increased 0.9 percent from the same period a year earlier. For all of 2025, tonnage rose just 0.1 percent over 2024 — the first annual gain since 2022.

Weak Points: ATA said weak manufacturing and construction activity continued to weigh on freight demand. Two prior months of sharp declines left overall volumes subdued despite December’s uptick. Logistics activity also slowed, with the Logistics Managers’ Index falling to its lowest expansion level since April 2024.

Economists warned that future freight demand hinges on tariffs and the strength of consumer spending. Without new trade disruptions, freight growth is expected to remain uneven.

Prologis, the world's largest owner of industrial real estate, posted a 2% increase in fourth-quarter revenue on Wednesday, signaling renewed demand for warehouse space after years of market weakness.

Customer Confidence: The company said leasing activity improved after several quarters of slowdown following the pandemic-era boom. Prologis leased 228 million square feet globally in 2025, its highest annual total since 2021. Executives said customers are showing more confidence in making long-term space commitments.

Broader Outlook: The warehouse market is showing signs of stabilization. The average vacancy rate across the United States remained flat at 7.1 percent in the fourth quarter — an 11-year high, but the second consecutive quarter without expansion, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Freeport-McMoRan said it remains on track to restart its large copper mine in Indonesia after a deadly mudslide forced a shutdown last year. The September incident halted operations at a site considered critical to global copper supply. Freeport said earlier disruptions had tightened markets and raised concerns over long-term availability. The company reiterated that recovery plans are progressing as scheduled.

Back on Track: Two unaffected areas of the mine were brought back online in November. On Thursday, Freeport confirmed it plans a phased restart of the underground operation in the second quarter of 2026.

Loss & Hope: In the latest quarterly earnings report, the miner’s copper output fell to 640 million pounds from more than 1 billion pounds a year earlier, largely due to a prolonged shutdown at its Grasberg mine in Indonesia following a mud rush incident. Looking ahead, Freeport expects copper sales of about 3.4 billion pounds in 2026.

We’re also working on a detailed e-book that’s nearing completion. BuildOut AI — a comprehensive e-book that goes beyond models and chips to map the physical supply chains powering the AI boom. From energy systems and grid capacity to critical materials and industrial infrastructure, it reveals the real-world foundations shaping AI’s next phase.

CrossDock paid subscribers will receive full access at no additional cost, while non-subscribers can purchase the book through a limited-time early-access offer.