AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 6/08/18

American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.796574; American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.153708; American Dollar to Euro = 1.192946; American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.009168; American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.048030.

Continuing the pioneering trend; first to market with new technology and breakthrough sheetfed ink formulations, Flint Group today announces the global launch of its latest version UV LED process inks, XCURA EVO. ““EVO” is short for evolutionary,” explains Trevor Amps, Global Product Management Director for Energy Curing inks. “This signals a step change from our world renowned XCURA formulations which, for the past four years, have served our customers very well as an industry leader. XCURA EVO is our next generation offer to the UV LED and low energy sheetfed market, and we are very pleased to announce its global launch today.” “More and more sheetfed press manufacturers are heading their technology development with LED and low energy curing, and we see growing numbers of retro-fit conversions from lamp providers and OEMs as well,” stated Mr Amps. “Some of the main drivers encouraging commercial printers to switch to UV LED are improved efficiency, reduced energy costs and the ability to break into new markets. XCURA EVO helps to maximise all of these with its excellent flow characteristic, superb transfer and high gloss.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

A shortage of truck drivers is a big part of the country’s supply chain problems. The trucking industry is short 80,000 drivers, an all-time high for the industry, according to the American Trucking Associations. The shortage, which existed pre-pandemic but has grown worse since then, comes at a critical time in the retail supply chain cycle, with U.S. ports backlogged just before the start of the holiday shopping season. Truck drivers move 71% of the US economy's goods,. “Since we last released an estimate of the shortage, there has been tremendous pressure on the driver pool,” said Bob Costello, chief economist, ATA. “Increased demand for freight, pandemic-related challenges from early retirements, closed driving schools and DMVs, and other pressures are really pushing up demand for drives and subsequently the shortage." The outlook for the next few years doesn’t offer much hope. Based on driver demographic trends, including gender and age, as well as expected freight growth the shortage could surpass 160,000 in 2030.