Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Jason Schenker, president of Prestige Economics & chairman of The Futurist Institute. He is a well-known economist who regularly focuses on supply chains and creates forecasts and economic outlooks for the industry. 2023 was a rough year for most aspects of the supply chain economy. Schenker shares the economic issues that caused supply chain problems during the past year and what issues will affect supply chains in 2024. We are now past the holiday peak season and we know what that means for retailers – we’ve now moved into the returns season. This year, retailers are figuring out how to differentiate between legitimate consumer returns and those who use returns to conduct fraud.The new year often signals a new round of industry awards and accolades. This year is no different, as many trade associations prepare to recognize industry professionals for their many achievements. The Women in Trucking Association has been out front on this issue, announcing over the past couple of weeks plans to honor women truck drivers and logistics leaders with two separate awards this spring.  We provide details on how you can nominate deserving supply chain professionals.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Prestige EconomicsRetailers chip away at online return rate, but fraud continues to growWomen In Trucking to honor drivers and logistics leadersWomen In TruckingGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: ApteanOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Col. Ted Silvester USMC (Ret.) and VP, marketing & development, for the  Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Each year, the United States Marine Corps Reserve and its partners undertake one of the nation’s largest toy drives, Toys for Tots. The organization's goal is to assure that all children have toys for Christmas morning. It takes an army – or rather a Marine Corps - of volunteers and corporate partners to pull it off. Col. Silvester shares about the logistics behind the annual campaign. As we close our 2023, it is natural to look ahead to 2024. While 2023 was a down year for logistics, there is some hope that conditions will improve in the coming year. A new report from Prologis offers some insights into prospects for the logistics sector and the major trends that will affect the industry in 2024.Electric vehicles (EV) for last-mile delivery remain in demand around the world, according to a recent market report from research firm Global Market Estimates. The group says the EV market for last-mile delivery will grow at a nearly 16% compoundannual growth rate (CAGR) between 2023 and 2028, driven largely by demand formore sustainable business practices in general, as well as government policiesand incentives to purchase EVs. CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Toys for TotsPrologis says global freight recession will reverse in 2024Report shows EV market for last mile delivery set for growthGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: PERCOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Carson Krieg, director of global alliances at project44. With Christmas only 10 days away, we are just about to finish the busiest time of the year for the shipping industry. So, how are things going? Have we seen the snags of previous years, or is there too much capacity? Have shippers over-prepared for the season? Our guest has some insights.New employees are most vulnerable to workplace accidents. New research from Travelers shows that a  third of workplace injuries occur during an employee’s first year on the job, driven by strains from overexertion. We look at what types of injuries are most common and what can be done to reduce the risks of injuries among new employees.How well do you know your suppliers and partners? New legislation as well as security concerns make it imperative that companies get to know their suppliers and other business partners better. For example, starting in the new year, many companies doing business in Canada will have to report on their efforts to make sure they’re not using forced labor or child labor. Companies should also make sure that their partners don't provide an entrance way into their own computer systems for hackers to exploit.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:project44Report shows that new employees are most vulnerable to workplace accidentsCompanies prepare for Canadian policy against forced and child laborReport reveals that hackers target third-party suppliers in automakers' supply chainsGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: PERCOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Chirag Modi, corporate VP of industry strategy at Blue Yonder. Last week the Biden administration unveiled more plans to strengthen our domestic supply chains, with the goals of making them more resilient.  Our guest shares some details on these initiatives and how they may impact our supply chains.Economic activity in the logistics industry fell in November following three months of steady increases; that’s according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index report (LMI), which was released this past Tuesday. We look behind the numbers at what they mean for the economy and the supply chain industry.We keep hearing of the promise of self-driving truck and cars, but it has been a tough year for autonomous vehicle companies. A few have hit major speed bumps in developing their technologies. Yet, there are a few bright spots as these technologies are tested and advanced. We look at what it may take before we see deployment in large numbers of autonomous vehicles.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Blue YonderLogistics economy contracted in NovemberTorc to use data from Uber Freight to develop autonomous trucking networkGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: PERCOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Matthew Hart, founder and CEO of Soter Analytics. This is the season of gift giving. And many of those gifts are online retail orders that have to be delivered by parcel carriers. Along with increasing volumes comes the risk of more injuries to delivery workers, especially among part-time or seasonal workers not used to increased physical activity. How can these potential injuries be prevented? Our guest offers some insight on protecting workers while keeping them even more productive.From the warehouse to the road, logistics operations are ripe for technology solutions that make it easier for shippers and carriers to get orders where they need to go. New entrants to the market are answering the call. In a December article, Victoria Kickham takes a close look at three companies are providing specific solutions for transportation, warehousing, and labor-related challenges. There is a new king of last-mile deliveries. Ben Ames discusses how one major retailer has surpassed both UPS and FedEx in the number of parcels it delivers and what it means to the industry.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Soter AnalyticsRising tech firms target logistics challengesAmazon's parcel delivery growth puts pressure on retailers, Veho saysGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: PERCOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Liz Richards, the soon-to-be retiring CEO of MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association - an organization that helps distributors and their customers in finding the right material handling solutions for meeting today’s distribution challenges. She has led MHEDA for nearly 29 years and will retire at the end of the year. We talk about the changes she has seen in the industry and what the future may hold for MHEDA.It has been a challenging year for both shippers and their logistics providers, but these two groups working in transporting goods should not have relationships that are in opposition to each other nor have competing goals. We discuss a new report from McKinsey that talks about both can find a win-win if they coordinate and complement each other’s capabilities. We discuss the DHL's new Americas Region Hub in Atlanta. The facility is being considered a model of high-tech material handling systems and green energy solutions—and it’s pushing the company closer to net zero. What makes this facility stand out as the model for the future?CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:MHEDAMcKinsey: Shippers and logistics providers share common pain pointsAutomation meets sustainability in AtlantaGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: HysterOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Duane Duhamel, Director of Health, Safety and Environment at ISN, a provider of contractor and supplier management solutions.  OSHA recently released its list of top 10 safety violations. Of course, the violations mean that some things are not being done safely in the workplace – and many of the most common violations occur in transportation and warehouses. We look at what those violations are, why they happen, and what can be done to better assure safety within supply chain operations.One hangover from the pandemic that has really caused problems is a lingering shortage of computer chips. This is a problem because those chips are a crucial part of so many products in our connected world. The shortage affects production of electronics, but also things like trucks and other vehicles. This week we learned about how some engineering companies are coping with that problem.There seems to be no shortage of industry products and projects designed to create more environmentally friendly supply chains, and we heard about a new one this week. This is a partnership between industry and academia, specifically Lucas Systems and Carnegie Mellon University. It is designed to address the problem of excess packaging in distribution centers. We share details on the project and how it will be implemented.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:ISNA new survey of engineers shows IT component shortages have eased since 2022A partnership between Lucas Systems and Carnegie Mellon University tackles sustainable logisticsGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: HysterOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Evan Dexter, vice president, rental product management at Ryder System, Inc. Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day, a day we remember our military families and the important work they do to safeguard all of us. One of the ways our industry helps to support our troops is through programs designed to transition veterans into logistics jobs. We hear how Dexter made that transition himself and how his company works to bring other vets into the logistics industry. New laws in California will require that about half the trucks sold in California must be all-electric by 2035. As a step toward this goal, we report on an effort by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to award $60 million in vouchers for the purchase of new electric trucks for drayage operations within the ports.Facing a host of economic and labor challenges, manufacturers are sharpening their focus on frontline workers as a way to differentiate and propel their organizations forward. That’s according to recent research from consultancy PwC and the Manufacturing Institute, which is the workforce and development arm of the National Association of Manufacturers.  We report on details from this research.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Ryder SystemCalifornia offers $60 million in vouchers for zero-emission drayage trucksManufacturers sharpen their focus on the front lineGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: HysterOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Art Eldred, vice president and growth officer at Vargo, a systems integrator. Automation is increasingly an answer for distribution facilities that need to fulfill a growing number of orders, but can’t find enough workers. Automated storage and retrieval systems are one of the tried and true technologies that are finding more applications in today’s warehouses. We discuss their benefits and use cases.The National Retail Federation has released is annual projections of holiday shopping.  The NRF says that despite higher prices, inflation, and the uncertain economy, shoppers are expected to open their wallets even more than they did last year - with a return to pre-pandemic holiday spending.The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is launching its 17th annual Truckers for Troops campaign next week. This is a two-week fundraising effort that supports U.S. military personnel overseas and veterans here at home. We discuss the campaign and how you can participate.CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:VargoNRF holiday spending growth will return to pre-pandemic levelsOOIDA launches its 17th annual Truckers for Troops CampaignGet episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: HysterOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest on this week's episode is Chris Grossman, chief commercial officer of Spectaire. It is often said that as California goes, so goes the nation, as other states tend to follow the regulations that the Golden State adopts. Recently there was a new agreement between the state and original equipment manufacturers on California emissions programs  that may affect transportation nationwide. The difficult thing is that there seems to be a gap between measuring emissions and calculating emissions. We explain the differences and what can be done to comply with the regulations.Demand for third-party logistics services – or 3PL services – is on the rise, due to a range of factors including e-commerce and technology adoption. This is according to recent market research from  Fact.MR. They released data this week showing that the 3PL market size is expected to grow by a nearly 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next several years, reaching more than $2.1 billion by 2032. Consulting firm Forrester Research has a set of predictions for 2024 about how various factors will affect the way  “smart manufacturing” firms will deploy different technologies in the new year. These include the industrial metaverse, generative AI, re-shoring, and autonomous vehicles. We explain what they are and how they might influence technology adoptions for manufacturing. CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.  The current series features Transportation Tech. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:SpectaireThe 3PL market is poised for growthForrester Research says smart manufacturing firms will slow tech rollouts in 2024Get episode transcriptsVisit Supply Chain QuarterlyListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastListen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.comPodcast is sponsored by: nVision GlobalOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts