Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Jonathan Dawley, president and CEO of Kion North America, a leading manufacturer of forklifts and other material handling equipment. Dawley is also chair of this year's National Forklift Safety Day. Sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), this is a day set aside each year to promote safe practices around forklift operations. ITA organization will be hosting a safety-focused program next Tuesday in Washington, D.C. that will also be live streamed. To register, check out this link.
In addition, programs will be held at various forklift dealers nationwide. Dawley will talk about these initiatives for safety as well as how the industry is focusing around training and creating a culture of safety within warehouses, distribution center, and manufacturing facilities.

Supply chains are getting more attention at the academic level, with many of North America's best universities offering outstanding programs in supply chain studies. Gartner's annual list of the Top 25 supply chain undergraduate programs is out. See who is tops the rankings and what makes them considered the best of the best.

We have all seen the TV commercials hyping 5G technologies. They are supposed to be faster at transferring huge amounts of data. While they have benefits when it comes to the cell phones we all carry in our pockets, are there good applications for distribution operations? The answer is Yes, as shown in a demo that AT&T has conducted at a military warehouse on a naval base in San Diego. Find out what operations can be improved with 5G technologies.

DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Kion
• Industrial Truck Association
• University of Arkansas tops list of best supply chain undergraduate programs
• US Navy demonstrates smart warehouse based on 5G wireless tech
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Rite-Hite

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Alex Saric, chief marketing officer at Ivalua. He is here to share about new research that has just come out that shows how better collaboration with suppliers can help to minimize supply disruptions, improve sustainability efforts, and promote innovation. He shares details on these findings and more.

Gartner's annual list of the Global Supply Chain Top 25 is out. See who is tops the rankings and what other companies have highly respected supply chain operations. We also discuss the best practices that these companies have in common which makes them supply chain winners.
 
Drayage rates continue to rise, especially in connection with the nation's busiest ports. What is causing the latest increases and what's the outlook for rates for the rest of 2022?

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ivalua
• Cisco tops Gartner supply chain ranking for third straight year
• Report: Drayage rates will continue to surge in 2022
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Rite-Hite

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Jim Carlisle, the head of the technology and business solutions vertical and the automation fund at Thomas H. Lee Partners. T.H. Lee has recently acquired or been a major investor in some of the supply chain industry's biggest names, including AutoStore, Fortna, MHS, FourKites, and RightHand Robotics. He speaks to why supply chain companies are so attractive to the investment community. He describes the types of investments made into companies and what the investors hope will result from the input of their funds to grow these firms.

While supply chains have historically been very male-dominated fields, women have been steadily growing in numbers over the past few decades. The latest report from Gartner and AWESOME reveals how many women are in leadership positions and what are some of the issues that take women out of the industry.
 
Walmart has chosen a robotics partner to add a great deal of automation to its current distribution facilities. Partnered with Symbotic, the mega retailer hopes to speed its distribution operations to make store shelves easier to stock while saving costs. Find out just how much Walmart is counting on this technology.

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Thomas H. Lee Partners
• Research finds more women in supply chain leadership roles
• Walmart expands orders for warehouse robotics from Symbotic
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Yale Materials Handling

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Mike Bush, head of communications and brand for Next Trucking, a digital freight broker. As automation and robotics continues to impact supply chains, the question remains: Where we will find the technicians and robotic engineers the industry needs to keep the technology running today and advancing to new capabilities tomorrow? Bush talks about his company's involvement with high school robotics competitions and how it helps to encourage the next generation of robotics designers and engineers.

As many supply chain companies are seeing record profits, some are investing their gains in other portions of the industry. An example is maritime carrier CMA CGM, which has bought or acquired interest in other freight and logistics firms. Its latest investment is a stake in Air France-KLM. Is this diversification by such a big player a trend others will follow?
 
Supply chain bottlenecks continue to take their toll on the industry, and now experts are predicting another chaotic peak shipping season ahead. What is causing these concerns and how can shippers prepare for the upcoming holiday season while mitigating their risks?

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Next Trucking
• CMA CGM to buy a 9% stake in Air France-KLM and operate combined air freight fleet
• Report shows a chaotic peak shipping season ahead
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Yale Materials Handling

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Zac Rogers, assistant professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University. We are hearing conflicting reports of what is going on in freight markets.  Some carriers are struggling with high fuel costs and fewer shipments while others are enjoying record profits. Are we about to enter a collapse of freight markets as some analysts are predicting? Rogers shares his insights for the road ahead.

Empty containers continue to sit at docks and warehouses and that unused container inventory certainly is not helping companies ship their products, particularly those for export. New efforts are being made to turn containers faster by offering incentives to companies to return their containers in a timely manner. Will this new initiative help relieve backlogs?
 
Ocean carriers have had a banner year. They basically have chosen to cruise those lanes that have had the most profit. However, there are challenges ahead for the maritime industry. A new report shares the risks the market is facing.

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Colorado State University's supply chain management program
• CMA-CGM to pay bonus for quick return of containers
• Ocean shipping losses decline, but industry faces emerging risks
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Yale

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Nicole Glenn, founder and CEO of Candor Expedite. She is the recent recipient of the 8th Annual Distinguished Women in Logistics Recognition  by The Women In Trucking Association (WIT), Truckstop.com, and Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA). She joins us to talk about the current state of the transportation sector and where she believes the industry should be steering in the future.

The most recent Logistics Managers Index (LMI) report is out and it shows that while the logistics industry continues to grow, that rate of growth has begun to slow after its frantic pace of the past two years. We take a look at what's behind the numbers.
 
We also discuss another report on the tight market for warehouse space. This report on warehouse real estate shows warehouse vacancy rates have sunk to a 27-year low. How is the industry reacting and what can be done to create more warehouse capacity within the market?

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Candor Expedite
• Logistics Industry growth slows in April
• Warehouse vacancy rates sink to 27-year low
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Yale

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

This is the 100th episode of Logistics Matters. Our thanks to our guests, sponsors, and listeners for making this a successful podcast series.

Our guest in this week's episode is Michael Mikitka, executive vice president of the MHI Knowledge Center and the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC). He discusses the roles of both organizations in education and professional development. He also highlights the WERC annual conference being held next week in Louisville, a return to an in-person national event which is the first in two years due to the pandemic.

New investments are being made to update the U.S. air traffic control network. It is part of the Infrastructure Bill that provides a total of $5 billion for air infrastructure. The initial $1 billion is being invested immediately to upgrade control systems for both passenger and cargo flights.  We also highlight a new startup company that is designed to provide autonomous air cargo flights.
 
A new report from the University of Tennessee shares best practices for supply chain leadership. The research highlights the capabilities that leaders need to keep their organizations on the right track in the 2020s and beyond.

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• WERC - Warehousing Education and Research Council
• MHI
• FAA directs bi-partisan infrastructure bill money to air traffic control towers
• California startup lands $37 million for electric autonomous airplanes
• UT study reveals top supply chain leadership practices
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Aptean

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Susan Boylan, senior research director in logistics and customer fulfillment at Gartner. Today is Earth Day, a day each year when we reflect on our planet and the impacts that we make on the environment. Transportation and supply chains are among the leading sources of greenhouse gasses. Is the industry making any progress on sustainability goals? What more needs to be done to reduce the environmental impact of our supply chains?

Fuels costs continue to rise and most of that added burden is being passed on to shippers in the form of fuel surcharges. New data reveals the latest trends in freight markets and offers some tips on how shippers can manage their freight spend in this tough environment.

More investments are flowing to logistics startup companies. Why are investors seeing opportunities in these companies and how does that influx of new cash influence innovation that may improve our supply chains?

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Gartner
• Transportation report shows rising fuel prices will drive higher costs
• Freight-matching apps gain momentum as Convoy raises $260 million
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Aptean

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Dawn Tiura, president and CEO of SIG (Sourcing Industry Group), a membership organization of companies involved in sourcing raw materials and finished goods. She discusses the impacts of China's Zero-Covid policy of locking down major cities to slow the spread of Covid. The latest example is Shanghai, China's most populous city. Unfortunately, the lockdowns are not really stopping Covid from spreading and they cause major disruptions to lives and supply chains. Tiura shares how her member companies and others are dealing with bottlenecks and disruptions caused by the shutdowns.

New orders for truck trailers are on the rise for the first time in quite a while. Because of supply chain problems, companies looking to replace aging trailers or make additions to their fleets have seen few trailer  manufacturers taking on new orders. Is this a sign that things are getting better for the industry?

It's a fact that supply chain technology can improve operations, and now companies are proving it with their latest investments. A new study shows a healthy increase in the numbers of companies making investments to digitalize their operations and reaping solid benefits as a result.

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• SIG
• Freight industry drives hot demand for trailers as capacity stays tight
• Consumer spending just keeps chugging in March, NRF finds
• Report shows supply chain tech investments are on the rise
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Aptean

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

Our guest in this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director of ALAN, the American Logistics Aid Network. Logistics companies are stepping up to make a difference in Ukraine. She talks about ALAN's role in trying to bring together those logistics companies that have resources available, such as transportation, to help relief efforts in Ukraine and neighboring nations where refugees have fled.

As costs continue to rise, many businesses are being forced to cut programs, including their climate change initiatives. What are the impacts of these cuts and are their alternative ways to be sustainable during inflationary times?

World trade has certainly taken a hit this past year, as supply chain bottlenecks, Covid closures in China, the war in Ukraine, and other disruptions have made trade more volatile. What will it take to regain some sense of normalcy?

 DC Velocity's sister publication CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  offers a new podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  Co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, this series first focuses on an eight-part look at the State of Logistics. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:

• The American Logistics Aid Network - ALAN
• Companies are slowing climate initiatives due to rising costs
• Volatile markets hit Kion earnings forecast
• Visit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. 
• Visit Supply Chain Quarterly
• Listen to Supply Chain Quarterly's Top 10 Supply Chain Threats podcast
• Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Quarterly's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast
• Send feedback about this podcast to [email protected].

Podcast sponsored by: Aptean

Other links

• About DC VELOCITY
• Subscribe to DC VELOCITY
• Sign up for our FREE newsletters
• Advertise with DC VELOCITY
• Top 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts