The Supply Chainer

The latest episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast examines a persistent contradiction in modern operations: safety metrics may improve while serious injuries and fatalities remain stubbornly hard to reduce. Hosted by Tom Raftery, the episode features John Dony, CEO and co-founder of the What Works Institute, and Mike Swain, Technical Enablement Manager at Evotix. Together, they explore how traditional safety measurement can obscure rather than reveal real risk, particu

It happens faster than anyone plans for. A regional conflict escalates overnight. A sovereign government closes its airspace to foreign carriers. A major hub airport shuts down due to an extreme weather event. Within hours, the air corridors that your supply chain quietly depended upon - for critical components, time-sensitive pharmaceuticals, high-value electronics - simply cease to exist. The question isn’t whether this will happen to your supply chain. History says it will

Warehouses are rapidly becoming one of the most important environments for the deployment of video management systems VMS and AI driven analytics. What was historically a passive layer of CCTV recording for loss prevention is now evolving into an operational intelligence platform that connects cameras, analytics engines and warehouse execution systems. Across logistics networks, distribution centers and fulfillment hubs, cameras are no longer installed simply to document inci

Large-scale military operations are rarely discussed in the language of supply chain management. Yet when viewed through a logistics lens, operations such as the recent Epic Fury  campaign illustrate one of the most complex supply chains on earth - a tightly synchronized network moving sensitive payloads across thousands of kilometers through air, sea, and land corridors under extreme time pressure. For supply chain professionals, the operation offers a striking case study in

Governments and infrastructure authorities across Europe and Asia continue to launch large procurement processes aimed at expanding logistics capacity and modernizing freight infrastructure. Recent media coverage points to a steady pipeline of tenders tied to port terminals, freight corridors and multimodal logistics hubs - projects designed to reduce bottlenecks, support trade flows and strengthen supply chain resilience. Many of these procurements rely on concession or publ

The rapid evolution of e-commerce is pushing logistics providers far beyond traditional parcel delivery. Retailers and online marketplaces increasingly expect logistics partners to support time-critical shipments, same-day fulfillment, and “white-glove” services for bulky, fragile, or high-value goods. For many logistics providers, especially franchise networks and SME-focused intermediaries, building those capabilities internally has become a growing strategic challenge. Lar

The electrification of industrial equipment is accelerating across logistics, warehousing, construction, and other off-highway sectors, creating growing demand for high-capacity lithium battery systems capable of supporting heavy-duty operations. Forklifts, aerial work platforms, sweepers, and other industrial vehicles are gradually transitioning from lead-acid battery systems toward lithium-based alternatives that promise longer operational cycles, reduced maintenance requir

Updated: March 8, 07:42 The escalating disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly shifting from a geopolitical flashpoint to a structural supply chain event. While the waterway has not been formally sealed, carrier suspensions, tanker diversions, rising insurance premiums, and aviation interruptions are already reshaping trade flows across energy, chemicals, containerized goods, and time-sensitive air cargo. Roughly one-fifth of global petroleum and LNG moves through

Fast-moving consumer goods brands are under constant pressure: innovation cycles are accelerating, consumer loyalty is increasingly fluid, and the ability to spot early signals from the market often determines whether a product succeeds or fails. In a conversation with The Supply Chainer , Ester Marchetti, Co-Founder and Head of Innovation at Bolt Insight, explained why she believes AI-powered qualitative research is becoming central to how brands adapt. “Traditional qualitat

Retail e-commerce sales topped $6 trillion globally in 2024, fueling continued growth in international parcel flows. Cross-border orders now account for roughly one in five online purchases worldwide, with about 59% of online shoppers reporting purchases from overseas retailers, according to recent consumer research. Amid this growth, tariffs, de minimis caps, currency fluctuations, and geopolitical tensions are adding new volatility to global parcel networks. Facing shifting

February delivered a focused set of confirmed supply chain leadership transitions across food manufacturing, container shipping, and consumer goods supply operations. Rather than sweeping overhauls at global logistics giants, the month reflected structural reinforcement in sectors where execution discipline, fleet modernization, and operational resilience remain paramount. Hormel Foods Names New Chief Supply Chain Officer Hormel Foods appointed Will Bonifant  as Group Vice P

With U.S. retail return rates estimated at roughly 15–20% annually, reverse logistics is becoming a central factor in retail profitability rather than a secondary operational concern. Retailers and logistics providers are increasingly rethinking how returned goods are processed, moving away from centralized national facilities toward regional returns infrastructure designed to shorten processing times and reduce costs. The shift reflects broader pressure on retailers to contr