Guest: Ashray Lavsi of Efficio on what happens to supply chains if China attacks Taiwan; Top investments in supply chain tech; Will this be a flat holiday season for retailers?

Nov 1, 2024

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Our guest on this week's episode is Ashray Lavsi, a principal at the global procurement and supply chain consultancy Efficio. It's no secret that China has ambitions to bring Taiwan into its fold. Chinese rhetoric and military operations in the region have already threatened Taiwan, which has acted as a sovereign nation since the end of the Second World War. But such a move against Taiwan would cause major chaos to our supply chains, including the 50% of world container shipments that currently pass through the Taiwan Strait. While we hope this will not turn into a worst-case scenario, what should shippers and manufacturers do now to prepare for a potential attack on or blockade of Taiwan from China?

A new report from Gartner outlines the supply chain investments in digital technology that companies are currently prioritizing. And it should be no surprise as to which digital technology tops the list for investment dollars. We reveal the tech and discuss the impact that it is making on supply chains.

We have turned the calendar to November and that means the holidays are right around the corner, so it is not too early to talk about the upcoming holiday shopping season. Are consumers expected to fill their stockings to the brim this year? We offer insights from two new reports that show that consumer spending may be somewhat flat this peak shopping season.

Supply Chain Xchange also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane. It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A series of ten episodes is now available on the "State of Logistics." The episodes provide in-depth looks into the current states of key transportation modes, such as trucking, rail, air, and ocean. It also looks at inventory management, 3PLs and more. All ten episodes are available to stream now. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.

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