Earlier this year, the Reverse Logistics Association held their 19th Annual Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was their biggest event yet, with over 350 member companies and over 800 people registered for the event, which featured a pitch competition, awards ceremony, top notch content, and – of course – plenty of networking time.Tony Sciarrotta has been the Executive Director of the Reverse Logistics Association since 2016 and is a return guest and co-host in the Supply Chain Now Reverse Logistics Series. Tony has also held a variety of sales and marketing positions in the consumer electronics industry, including President of Reverse IT Sales & Consulting and 25 years at Philips Consumer Lifestyle.In this episode, Tony joins host Scott Luton to share his main takeaways from the event and to shine the spotlight on top trends in reverse logistics:• How new software is automating the business decisions about whether each return should be liquidated, resold into the secondary market, or sold via a special business channel• Why he is challenging business leaders to prioritize reverse logistics by appointing someone at the VP or even the C-level to own their management• What he is doing – and who the RLA is partnering with - to increase the reverse talent pipelineAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3VuwnIkWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/business-case-prioritizing-reverse-logistics-1123

The Supply Chain Buzz is Supply Chain Now’s regular Monday livestream, held at 12n ET each week. This show focuses on some of the leading stories from global supply chain and global business, always with special guests – the most important of which is the live audience!This week’s edition of The Buzz featured Scott Luton and special guest co-host Allison Giddens. They opened the conversation by sharing the latest edition of “With That Said,” Supply Chain Now’s LinkedIn newsletter. It highlighted Armed Forces Day by taking the opportunity to celebrate Supply Chain Now’s Veteran Voices programming, led by U.S. Army Veteran, Mary Kate Soliva.In this livestream, created in collaboration with a live Supply Chain Now audience, Scott and Allison discussed:• The long lead time and increasing cost of spare and generic airplane parts, estimated to represent a $35 Billion annual industry expenditure• How 3D printing is keeping the Air Force’s largest cargo plane, the C5, in the air – and plans to do so through 2040• Signs that U.S. manufacturers may be moving their sourcing activity from China to Mexico because full Made in America production is too costly• What is means that generative AI ChatGPT is now connected to the Internet in real time• And more!Additional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3VuwnIkWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Allison Giddens. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-buzz-aerospace-innovation-north-american-sourcing-AI-1122

Modern warehouses need seamless integration between order release, picking, packing, shipping, tracking, and audit. This creates a closed loop of information on supply chain deliveries and makes it possible to support all modes of transportation in a single software platform.Without a real-time full-featured Warehouse Execution System (WES) or a Tier 1 WMS integrated into a multi-modal TMS, shippers are wasting time, money, and opportunities to optimize both their customer experience and transportation deadlines.Shannon Vaillancourt is the President of RateLinx and a 30-year industry veteran, and Dan Hanrahan is the CEO of The Numina Group. They have seen firsthand how automating warehouse and transportation execution into a unified operation makes it possible to achieve real-time visibility and automate the selection of parcel carrier and LTL shipment modes.In this livestream-based session, Shannon and Dan join hosts Scott Luton and Greg White to discuss ways automation can reduce freight spend:• Using real-time carton and case order dimensional weight visibility to automate carrier cost selection across all modes of transportation.• Managing by exception to allow software logic to manage daily shipping optimization activities• Automatically selecting the lowest holistic cost using rate shopping and auctions to make transportation into a profit center• Removing the subjectivity in carrier selection to identify the lowest-cost qualified carrierAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3VuwnIkWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Greg White. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/tms-wes-best-holistic-decisions-1121

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a high profile – and quickly evolving – set of standards by which organizations are being measured. Customers and the market as a whole are often watching closely to see what commitments they make and how they perform against those targets. For supply chain professionals, this means it is critical to understand all the risks covered by the ‘umbrella’ of ESG, including environmental (e.g., climate change and emissions), social (human rights, labor), and governance (compliance, sanctions, and anti-corruption).Heiko Schwarz is the founder of riskmethods, now Sphera Supply Chain Risk Management. He has successfully led companies through the adoption of supply chain risk management (SCRM) technology for over a decade.In this livestream-based session, Heiko joins hosts Scott Luton and Enrique Alvarez from Vector Global Logistics to discuss:• Why ESG is an expanding part of global supply chains and how it factors into the ongoing effort to manage supply chain risk• The cross-functional collaboration required to build a sustainable ESG program that achieves its stated goals at scale• How technology is not only making it possible for supply chain teams to balance the demands of risk management and ESG targets, but also setting them up for success as wellAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3VuwnIkWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Enrique Alvarez. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/how-adapt-supply-chain-risk-programs-evolving-ESG-mandates-1120

The Supply Chain Buzz is Supply Chain Now’s regular Monday livestream, held at 12n ET each week. This show focuses on some of the leading stories from global supply chain and global business, always with special guests – the most important of which is the live audience!This week’s edition of The Buzz featured co-hosts Scott Luton, Greg White, and returning guest Constantine Limberakis. Constantine has over 20 years of international experience, holding strategic roles in analyst advisory, consulting, product marketing, product development, and market research. He has always been passionate about engaging with global business leaders through speaking engagements, podcasts, research, webinars, and industry articles.In this livestream, created in collaboration with a live Supply Chain Now audience, Constantine, Scott, and Greg discussed:• What is being done to strengthen the global pharmaceutical supply chain in response to ingredient shortages and international regulatory challenges• The need for comprehensive cyber risk response programs, given the 600 percent increase in documented cyber-attacks in 2022• Speculation about the apparel industry’s seeming unwillingness to embrace modern (i.e. post fax machine) technologyAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://bit.ly/3VuwnIkWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton, Greg White, and Constantine Limberakis. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-buzz-drug-shortages-cyber-risk-digital-1119

Gartner’s Top 25 Supply Chain ranking was started 19 years ago to recognize the best supply chains in the world and to raise awareness about the impact a well-run supply chain can have on the overall health and competitiveness of a business.Mike Griswold is the Vice President of Research at Gartner, specializing in retail with a particular focus on forecasting and replenishment. He is responsible for Gartner’s annual Top 25 Supply Chain ranking and joins Supply Chain Now on a monthly basis to discuss the latest in retail supply chains from an analyst’s perspective.In this episode, Mike talks about the importance of learning from the best supply chains in the world with co-hosts Scott Luton and Greg White:• What everyone can expect to hear and learn from the ‘big reveal’ of this year’s Top 25 Supply Chain ranking on May 24th• The three macro-themes that serve as the focus for this year’s ranking: driving growth in an elevated risk environment, embracing the supply chain ecosystem concept, and investing in digitally facilitated connections with customers, suppliers, and employees• Special bonus guest Donna Krache, Supply Chain Now’s Director of Communications and Executive Producer, also joined the stream to share the professional and life lessons she has gathered during her fifty years in the workforceAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VWEBINAR- 5 Reasons Network Design is Essential to Supply Chain Resiliency: https://bit.ly/3MxcCNsThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Greg White. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-today-tomorrow-1118

Many manufacturers leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) to gather data and streamline their operations. Lexmark has been applying that concept since long before the IoT was commonly understood, using sensors to gather data and provide their clients with an exceptional customer experience.Tonya Jackson is the Senior Vice President of Chief Product Delivery Officer at Lexmark. She has over 30 years of experience in the high-tech industry, and is currently responsible for Lexmark’s product delivery strategy, which includes supply chain, manufacturing, hardware, supplies development, and more.In this interview, sponsored by Microsoft, Tonya joins co-hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson to discuss:• Initiatives that Lexmark has implemented to move their digital transformation forward, such as leveraging IoT capabilities to pinpoint variances and accelerate responses• Investing in supply chain resilience by institutionalizing lessons learned in preparation for the decisions she and her team will make in the future• How the cloud makes it possible for manufacturing companies, and supply chain leadership specifically, to access powerful computational resources on an as-needed basisAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/building-disruptive-differentiated-offering-lexmark-1117#MSFTAmbassador

The Supply Chain Buzz is Supply Chain Now’s regular Monday livestream, held at 12n ET each week. This show focuses on some of the leading stories from global supply chain and global business, always with special guests – the most important of which is the live audience!This week’s edition of The Buzz featured co-hosts Scott Luton and Greg White. In addition to covering top supply chain news stories from around the world, they teased six tools for doing supply chain management better, as shared in the most recent edition of “With That Said,” Supply Chain Now’s LinkedIn newsletter.In this livestream, created in collaboration with a live Supply Chain Now audience, Scott and Greg discussed:• Big moves and tough decisions made by Shopify as they cut back on warehousing and delivery services to focus on their retail operations• How predictive AI is being used to increase worker safety in manufacturing, the industry with the third highest rate of nonfatal work injuries and illnesses• Some unique aspects of the cannabis industry, as a group of new states considers the legalization of recreational marijuana useAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2022 Q4 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comWEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Greg White. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chain-buzz-shopify-AI-safety-legalization-cannabis-1116

In 2022, U.S. Bank processed $46 billion in freight payments for some of the world’s largest corporations and government agencies. Those payments and the data that accompanies them are analyzed quarterly by Bobby Holland, U.S. Bank Vice President and Director of Freight Data Solutions, and his team. The FPI report includes quarter-over-quarter, year-over-year, and full-year data and analysis.Bobby opened the conversation by sharing his five key takeaways from the first quarter of 2023: the trucking market continues to be soft, quarterly and yearly metrics for shipments and spend both dropped for the first time in three years, the Southwest outperformed while the Midwest continued to struggle, and the Southeast saw an 8 percent increase in yearly spend despite 16 percent fewer shipments.In this interview, Bobby was joined by Michelle Moore, Head of Supply Chain at GAF, to share and discuss the results of the Q1 2023 report with co-hosts Scott Luton and Greg White:• Why national shipment volume being lower than spend indicates there is a capacity issue• Signals that the drop in activity in Q1 2023 is more significant than the regular seasonal reduction U.S. Bank would expect• How a decline in manufacturing activity is impacting capacity at the regional levelAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comWEBINAR- How Collaboration, Tail Spend Management, and VMI Can Improve Up and Downstream Communications: https://bit.ly/41jsl85WEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Greg White. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/analysis-us-bank-q1-freight-payment-index-1115

Supply chains are increasingly dependent upon digital tools, data, and automation. And yet, for all that progress, it is still people who ultimately make global supply chains work and ensure that progress continues to be made from one generation of professionals to the next.Stela Jaqueta is a podcast host, procurement professional, and supply chain enthusiast who is passionate about being an advocate for the development of African supply chains. Karen Pretorius is the Founder, Owner, and Executive Consultant of KPI Cubed Supply Chain Consulting and Training, where she applies her 20 years of industry experience.In this session, part of the Supply Chain Leadership Across Africa series, Stela and Karen join hosts Scott Luton and Jenny Froome, Chief Operating Officer at SAPICS, to discuss:• Why they support the supply chain community in different forms and what they have learned from their experience• Where they find the inspiration for their continued work in supply chain• How they feel about the role of mentorship in professional developmentAdditional Links & Resources:Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comCheck out our new Supply Chain Now Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3emdLcKSubscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribeJoin the NOW Community: http://bit.ly/41kpUSOLeveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine: https://vectorgl.com/stand-with-ukraine/2023 Q1 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comWEBINAR- How Collaboration, Tail Spend Management, and VMI Can Improve Up and Downstream Communications: https://bit.ly/41jsl85WEBINAR- “Decoding Digital Transformation” – Charting a path forward: https://bit.ly/3VvVc6VThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Jenny Froome. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/making-commitment-push-supply-chain-forward-1114