U.S. containerized imports closed 2011 with a surge, with goods related to the recovering housing and auto markets pushing inbound volume up 3 percent year-over-year during December, according to The Journal of Commerce/PIERS.

The growth marked a rebound from weakness earlier in the fall and lifted containerized imports for the year up 3 percent over 2010 and 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter over the same period last year.

Sumner is limiting the Bridge Street Bridge to vehicles weighing less than 12 tons. This means that passenger cars, smaller commercial trucks and SUVs can continue to use the bridge, but large delivery trucks, buses and tractor-trailers cannot.

The bridge serves as a link between Sumner's downtown and The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse, The Old Coffee Company, Sumner's Visitor Center, Snider Petroleum and Captain Jacks, as well as routes to Edgewood, Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma.   

New orders for manufactured durable goods during December increased $6.2 billion, or 3 percent, to $214.5 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The increase followed an uptick of 4.3 percent in November.  
 
Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.5 percent.

Members of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory Committee will discuss new toll rates for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge during a meeting Feb. 8 at the Gig Harbor Civic Center. An informational open house hosted by the Washington State Department of Transportation will precede the meeting.

The committee will consider rate scenarios before recommending a new toll rate to the Washington State Transportation Commission in March.

New orders for manufactured durable goods during December increased $6.2 billion, or 3 percent, to $214.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. The boost in demand, up five of the last six months, followed a 4.3 percent November increase.

Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.5 percent.

Increased exports of agriculture products helped boost the Port of Tacoma's full containerized export volumes by 11 percent last year.

Agriculture products account for more than half of the port's full containerized exports. Leading agriculture exports through Tacoma include potatoes, hops and hay.

Steel imports totaled $2.2 billion (1.8 million metric tons) during December, a decrease of 100,000 metric tons from the preliminary November totals of $2.4 billion (1.9 million metric tons), according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The change reflected decreases primarily in plates in coils and oil country goods and an increase primarily in line pipe greater than 16 inches in diameter.

Two Washington State Department of Transportation workers injured yesterday while helping keep state roadways open during the winter storm are expected to make full recoveries.

But Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said these incidents, plus other situations faced by WSDOT employees and State Patrol troopers, highlight the dangers emergency responders face as they work to keep the state's transportation system functional against difficult weather odds.

A report issued by the Association of Washington Business and its nonprofit AWB Institute underscores the value of the manufacturing industry to the state's economy while highlighting several key competitiveness concerns.

"Challenges & Opportunities for Manufacturers in Washington State," features the findings from a three-month, six-city tour conducted by the business group, talking with manufacturers about key issues affecting employment and the general business climate.

The Producer Price Index for finished goods declined at a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent in December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices for finished goods moved up 0.3 percent during November and fell 0.3 percent in October.

At the earlier stages of processing, the index for intermediate goods decreased 0.5 percent during December and crude goods prices moved down 1.1 percent.

Teena Williams has joined RE/Max Professionals, Tacoma. She has worked in the real estate industry since 2005 and specializes in real estate law.

Lori Tetreault has joined RE/Max Professionals, Tacoma. She specializes in residential real estate and property management and has worked in the real estate industry since 2000.

November exports of $177.8 billion and imports of $225.6 billion resulted in a U.S. goods and services deficit of $47.8 billion, up from a revised $43.3 billion during October, according to the Department of Commerce.

November exports were $1.5 billion less than October exports of $179.4 billion. November imports were $2.9 billion more than October imports of $222.6 billion.

The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments for November, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1.22 billion during November, up 0.3 percent compared to October and up 9.6 percent compared to November 2010, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers' and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1.55 billion, up 0.3 percent compared to October and up 8.5 percent compared to November 2010.

World Trade Center Tacoma is hosting a trade mission to Vietnam, including a day in South Korea, this March. The trip is being led by Secretary of State Sam Reed.

There are still places for a few more companies that are interested in starting or
expanding their trade, contacts, investment with Vietnam to join.

More information is available online.

Wholesaler trade rose 0.6 percent during November to $407.9 billion compared to a month earlier, and 11.3 percent compared to the November 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

 The October preliminary estimate was revised downward $400 million, or 0.1 percent. November sales of durable goods were up 0.9 percent compared to October and 11.2 percent compared to 2010. Sales of professional and commercial equipment and supplies were up 3.8 percent for the month. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.3 percent from October and 11.3 percent compared to the previous November.

Tree removal along southbound Interstate 5 between Mounts Road and the Nisqually River Bridge will require a right lane closure this weekend.
 
Maintenance crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation will close the lane from 6:30 a.m. to noon both Saturday and Sunday.

U.S. containerized import volume rose 5 percent year-over-year to 1.49 million 20-foot equivalent units during November, a sharp turnaround in the slumping market that was pushed by strong gains in shipments tied to the recovering housing industry.

Mario O. Moreno, economist for The Journal of Commerce/PIERS, said increases in home sales have buoyed the housing market, leading to a 7 percent November growth in shipments of furniture, a top import commodity, to 144,823 TEUs.

New orders for manufactured goods rose during  November, following two consecutive monthly decreases, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Order totals increased $8.2 billion, or 1.8 percent, to $459.2 billion, following a 0.2 percent October decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3 percent.

Shipments, up six consecutive months, increased $100 million to $455.0 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent increase during October. Unfilled orders, up 19 of the last 20 months, increased $11.1 billion, or 1.3 percent, to $898.3 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent October increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.16, up from 6.07 in October.

Southern Alaska Forwarding has merged with Fife-based Pacific Alaska Freightways.

"This is a great acquisition for us. We know the SAF business model and we expect a seamless transition," said PAF CEO Ed Fitzgerald. "We are really excited to have Mike York and his team in Kodiak join PAF. And we are equally pleased that Chuck Kollasch (will) be joining us at our headquarters in Fife as well."

Pacific Alaska Freightways has been providing freight transportation services to Alaska since 1961.

The Lincoln Avenue Bridge in the Tacoma Tideflats is now open for traffic. Minor work still needs to be completed; however, in an effort to minimize traffic impacts, temporary lane closures will be utilized.


The Lincoln Avenue Bridge rehabilitation project included replacement of two sections of the bridge deck and an overlay of the entire bridge deck. The rehabilitation also included bearing, sidewalk and guardrail repair, and the bridge was completely re-painted.