The Supply Chainer

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 the narrow passage each d

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

Freight runs 24/7. But most logistics decision-making still doesn’t. When the workday ends, trucks keep moving. Appointments shift. Weather rolls in. Drivers check in from the road. Yet in many organizations, meaningful intervention slows until the next shift logs on. That structural gap - between nonstop freight and time-bound human oversight - is where delays compound and invisible friction builds. It’s also why AI has generated so much interest. In the pilot phase, AI in l

In episode 109 of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, host Tom Raftery speaks with Jonathan Doller, Solution Consultant at Logility, about the intersection of artificial intelligence and operational resilience. At the centre of the discussion is a deceptively simple question: is AI genuinely strengthening supply chains, or is it being layered on top of fragile foundations? For senior supply chain leaders navigating disruption, data overload and growing governance pressure, th

Post-holiday inventory backlogs are again testing apparel supply chains, as weaker-than-expected Q4 retail performance leaves brands holding surplus fabric, packaging, and finished goods. With discount channels saturated and landfill increasingly scrutinized, excess inventory is no longer just a balance sheet problem. It is becoming a regulatory and reputational liability. At the same time, extended producer responsibility frameworks advancing in the EU and several US states

Interview with Paul Vezelis, CEO and Co-Founder of Traxlo Food retailers rarely operate with excess staff. High turnover, absenteeism, seasonal spikes, and repetitive in-store tasks create constant pressure on store managers. The need is not abstract — it is immediate: reliable, on-demand labor that can step in quickly without long hiring cycles. Traxlo positions itself as a structural response to that problem. The Europe-based startup operates a retail gig platform designed

The days of compliance data living downstream in the supply chain and ticking the “last checkbox” before a product hits the shelves are over. Manufacturers that prioritize regulatory intelligence as a core input into their procurement strategy, risk modeling, and long-term supply chain design are the ones protecting their company - and their bottom line - from risk. They also benefit from fewer data gaps and smarter, faster sourcing decisions. But the changing regulatory land

Artificial intelligence has dramatically improved how supply chains make decisions. Autonomous fleets now optimize routes in milliseconds. Orchestration systems dynamically rebalance workloads across hundreds of assets. Predictive models anticipate failures before they occur. Decision quality is no longer the dominant constraint. Yet a structural contradiction remains in modern automation: systems are designed to operate continuously, but their energy architecture is not. Rob

A growing number of forward-thinking businesses in e-commerce and other fields are enjoying the economy, productivity, flexibility and sustainability of ‘right-size’ automated packing lines, whereby every consignment, be it a single item or an assortment of goods, is given a bespoke box of just the right size to hold the goods without unnecessary voids and the need for void fill. But one sector in particular stands to benefit the most from this advanced, highly-flexible techn

Volatility has become the defining characteristic of ocean freight markets. Over the past five years, container shipping rates have exhibited swings more extreme than many financial commodities, creating significant uncertainty for both carriers and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs). In response, the industry is steadily moving toward index-linked contracting structures — agreements that tie freight rates to an external benchmark rather than fixed annual prices. This shift has t

In the latest episode of the Resilient Supply Chain Podcast, host Tom Raftery is joined by Ricky Ho, Founder and CEO of SourceReady, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping supplier discovery, risk management, and diversification strategy. The discussion examines how relationship-driven sourcing models are being challenged by geopolitical volatility, tariff exposure, sanctions risk, and increasing regulatory scrutiny. The full episode is available at www.resilient

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs has triggered a fresh round of analysis across global supply chains. On paper, the ruling invalidates the legal basis for a wide range of country specific and emergency related duties imposed over the past year. In practice, however, the implications are more nuanced and, for operators, far less relieving than headlines might suggest.