Every week, Rinchem shares important articles and topics about chemical and gas logistics, industries we operate in, and the general global supply chain. In this week's review we discuss diesel prices, cybersecurity in the food supply chain, and Taiwan's approach to rare earth metals.
Keep reading to see this week's hot topics.
This week's stats
16- months an intruder remained undetected in a company's network Freight Waves
91- the percentage China accounts for refined magnet rare earth production DC Velocity
Record-high diesel prices impacting every part of the supply chain
A recent WLNS report explains how record-high diesel prices are rippling across the entire supply chain, from trucking companies and farmers to grocery shoppers. Driven by ongoing conflict in Iran and the closure of a major crude oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, diesel prices in Mid-Michigan have climbed to unprecedented levels. Trucking companies report dramatically higher operating costs, forcing them to raise transportation rates to remain viable, while farmers face increased fuel expenses during the critical harvest season with little ability to pass those costs on to buyers. Industry leaders interviewed in the article emphasize that these higher transportation and production costs ultimately flow through the supply chain, contributing to increased prices for consumer goods, especially food. Record-high diesel prices impacting every part of the supply chain.
Food distributors warn cyberattacks can quickly become supply chain disruptions
During the 2026 International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) Solutions Conference, cybersecurity leaders warned that attacks can disrupt warehouses, transportation networks, customer orders, and business continuity. Rather than assuming all cyberattacks can be prevented, panelists emphasized building resilience through rapid detection, containment, recovery planning, and manual fallback processes. The discussion also stressed that vulnerabilities often originate outside a company's own network, with compromised carriers, vendors, or technology providers creating pathways for cargo theft and operational disruption. As food distributors rely on interconnected transportation, warehouse, and ordering systems, executives were encouraged to strengthen third-party risk management, limit unnecessary data retention, and regularly test business continuity plans to ensure freight can continue moving during technology outages.
With rare earths, Taiwan looks beyond the ‘red supply chain’
"Taiwan looks beyond the ‘red supply chain’" article examines Taiwan’s efforts to reduce dependence on China for rare earth materials by developing domestic refining, recycling, and supply chain capabilities. Researchers, government agencies, and industry partners are working to build a "non-red" supply chain centered on recovering rare earths from sources such as discarded electric vehicle magnets and supplementing them with imported feedstock from countries including the United States, Australia, and Canada. While Taiwan has demonstrated promising technical capabilities in refining and recycling rare earth elements, experts caution that commercial success will depend on securing sufficient feedstock, achieving economic viability, and creating reliable links between refiners and manufacturers. The effort reflects a broader strategic push to improve supply chain resilience for critical materials used in semiconductors, electronics, renewable energy technologies, and advanced manufacturing.
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