Newton, Mass.–Increased security in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington is continuing to disrupt businesses that rely on the cost-saving strategy of just-in-time (JIT) delivery of materials and parts. Especially troublesome are deliveries from suppliers in Canada and Mexico, since U.S. Customs Service officers continue to painstakingly examine truck cargoes at the borders. Also, clearances have been slowed for cargoes at ports and international airports. A week after the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, 45% of the buyers polled online by Cahners Business Information’s Purchasing magazine had seen a dramatic impact on supply chain activities, while another 30% reported slight impact, and 25% saw no effect on deliveries. Similarly, 43% of the transportation services buyers polled by sister publication Logistics Management magazine reported dramatic impact, while 51% saw a slight impact and only 6% reported no effect. Also, Industrial Distribution magazine found 75% of its readers reporting dramatic impact with the rest having either slight effect or no impact on their activities. Tom Stundza, executive editor, Purchasing, with additional reporting by Anne Miller Porter, Dave Hannon and Christopher Reilly, all of Purchasing, and Peter Bradley of Logictics Management