#supply-chain-resilience

#supply-chain-resilience

The watershed moment came in July when the federal government became the largest shareholder of MP Materials, a California miner of rare earth elements for the oft-overlooked but critical magnets that help connect the global economy. The government's unusual foray into private industry was accompanied by new rules setting minimum U.S. market prices for some of these materials-a pricing floor it said was necessary to protect MP Materials from Chinese competitors it accused of "dumping" their goods at artificially low prices.

China is the top producer and exporter of rare earths, which are vital in the production of smartphones, electric vehicles and military technology.

When Hurricane Helene barreled through North Carolina in September 2024, General Motors' artificial intelligence system had already predicted that one of its key suppliers, Auria Solutions, would take a direct hit. The automotive acoustics and textiles company manufactures carpets for General Motors' full-size SUVs - like the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade - at its plant in North Carolina. When the storm pummeled the town, the factory lost water and power, but General Motors was prepared for the production-halting damage.