Supply Chain Now

Supply Chain Now
Supply Chain Now

Discover why Supply Chain Now is the #1 Voice of Supply Chain. Our hosts comprised of seasoned industry-leaders, practitioners, and solution providers address the industry’s challenges, trends, and innovations for our global audience. With engaging, informative, and on-trend content, our podcasts, livestreams, and webinars bridge expertise and entertainment, empowering supply chain professionals to elevate their businesses. Listen, watch, and subscribe to the #1 Supply Chain Podcast on Apple Podcasts, ranked in the Top 1% of all Global Podcasts!

  1. 16 hr ago

    Macro Trends and Micro Moves: Inside the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026

    The annual release of a major industry index always sparks intense debate, but the true value lies in the core strategies driving the world’s top performers. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton is joined by regular co-host Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, and special guest Laura Rainier, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, to break down the defining macro trends from the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026. The panel explores how leading organizations navigate global volatility by moving past tech experimentation to deliver true enterprise value. They dive into the realities of the autonomous workforce era, detailing how top-tier supply chains prioritize human-machine collaboration and systems thinking over simple digital literacy. Highlighting standout examples like Unilever’s shared forecasting and Schneider Electric’s disciplined process optimization, the discussion illustrates what it takes to build a resilient, network-centric operation. Laura Rainier also addresses critics directly, explaining why qualitative community opinion remains the ultimate "secret sauce" for capturing true excellence, while Mike Griswold wraps up by challenging leaders to leverage the supply chain as a primary engine for strategic growth.    Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introduction (00:44) Gartner's 2026 Top 25 preview (02:23) Meet Gartner analyst Laura Rainier (04:46) Laura's future supply chain research (07:28) Three supply chain macro trends (11:26) Network-centric strategies and orchestration (15:46) Top 25 companies leading change (21:41) Fix processes before deploying AI (24:30) What defines a Supply Chain Master (26:49) Why leaders invest in people (27:34) How Supply Chain Masters stay ahead (29:07) New and returning Top 25 companies (31:09) How companies earn their return (34:03) Why Schneider Electric ranks first (40:34) Walmart's rise and retail momentum (42:41) Why community opinion matters (47:38) 2027 ESG methodology changes (48:25) Gartner events and upcoming summits   Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Mike Griswold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-griswold-6a68922/ Connect with Laura Rainier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-rainier-9087857/ Learn more about Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt WEBINAR- SAP AI Inside the Supply Chain: From Silo to Orchestration: https://bit.ly/4bvpz6K   This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/macro-trends-micro-moves-inside-gartner-supply-chain-top-25-1618 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Macro Trends and Micro Moves: Inside the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026

  2. 2 days ago

    Introducing The Collective

    Most supply chain discussions get bogged down in hype and theoretical buzzwords. In this episode, they get stripped back to reality. In this debut episode of The Collective on Supply Chain Now, a powerhouse panel of battle-proven commerce veterans comes together to dive deep into the forces currently reshaping the global trade landscape. The panel features Kim Reuter (Chief Advisor and Leader at CSG Consulting), Derreck Travers, Jack Mowreader (Founder & Principal at Ascendant Business Solutions), and Kerry Gibson-Morris (VP of Global Sourcing & Product Development at BDA, LLC).  Drawing on their extensive experience building foundational programs at Amazon and scaling operations across air cargo, trucking, luxury retail, and finance, the team breaks down the critical shifts in modern supply chain management and where the industry is heading next. Kerry kicks off the conversation with a frank look at AI in smart sourcing, warning against the trap of treating technology as a total labor replacement rather than a strategic amplifier. She emphasizes the critical need for "checking the checker," maintaining strict data hygiene, and exercising executive oversight to avoid costly operational mistakes. Jack pivots the focus to the financial volatility of modern trade, breaking down how rapid tariff changes, shifting de minimis policies, and shorter planning cycles are forcing companies to abandon hyper-lean "just-in-time" models in favor of strategic safety stock and bonded warehousing. Finally, Derreck unpacks the massive wave of industry consolidation, highlighting CMA CGM's acquisition of FedEx's supply chain unit, and analyzes why M&A deals often fail to deliver customer value, drive up costs, and open doors for nimble market disruptors. If you're looking for an unvarnished, real-world breakdown of where supply chain, leadership, and modern trade are actually heading, this conversation earns its time.   Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (02:44) Introducing The Collective (05:15) AI and smart sourcing (11:22) Checking the checker: Data integrity & oversight (14:39) The financial risks of AI (17:08) Tech hype vs. system architecture (21:06) Tariff volatility and financial risks (27:36) Domino effects in alternative sourcing markets (28:47) Re-evaluating just-in-time inventory (32:46) Foreign trade zones and bonded warehousing (34:16) Carrier consolidation (CMA CGM & FedEx) (38:19) What industry consolidation means for e-commerce (49:53) Looking ahead: agentic commerce Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Kim Reuter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-reuter-csg/ Learn more about CSG Consulting: https://www.clarityscalegrowth.com/ Connect with Derreck Travers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrecktravers/ Connect with Jack Mowreader: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmowreader/ Learn more about Ascendant Business Solutions: Connect with Kerry Gibson-Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-gibson-morris-179453/ Learn more about BDA, LLC: https://www.bdainc.com Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Kim Reuter and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/introducing-collective-1617 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Introducing The Collective

  3. 5 days ago

    The Buzz: Why Supply Chain Resilience Depends on Judgment, Data, and Action

    Global supply chains are facing no shortage of complexity from shifting tariffs and changing consumer behavior to rapid advances in artificial intelligence. But having more technology and data does not automatically create a more resilient operation. What matters is how leaders interpret that information and turn it into action. In this episode of The Buzz, powered by Zebra Technologies, host Scott Luton is joined by guest co-host David Shillingford and Shannon Vaillancourt, founder and president of RateLinx. Together, they explore the latest developments affecting global trade, grocery spending, freight operations, supply chain resilience, and AI adoption. The conversation examines why resilience is ultimately a leadership challenge, how poor data can undermine even the most advanced technology, and where human judgment remains essential as organizations automate more decisions. Key Takeaways Why increased tariffs create additional complexity and uncertainty for global trade and supply chain teams How consumer spending pressures, food waste, inflation, and changing purchasing habits may be influencing grocery sales Why supply chain resilience requires action, not simply visibility, risk documentation, or additional technology How experienced leaders use patterns, information, and anticipation to make stronger decisions Why AI often exposes existing data-quality problems rather than creating new ones Which routine supply chain tasks are best suited for AI and where human oversight remains critical How technology can eliminate repetitive work and help teams focus on higher-value decisions Why conversations, collaboration, and real-world experience remain powerful sources of supply chain insight Supply chain leaders do not need more information for information’s sake—they need the ability to recognize patterns, evaluate risks, and act with confidence. Tune in to hear practical perspectives on using AI responsibly, strengthening operational resilience, improving decision-making, and preparing your organization for the next disruption. Additional Links & Resources: Zebra: https://www.zebra.com/machinevision With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-19-JULY-2026 Easypost Playbook: https://bit.ly/3PL-Carrier-Playbook US imposes tariffs over forced labor before global duty ends: https://bit.ly/New-Tariffs-July2026 The Slave-Free Alliance: https://www.slavefreealliance.org/ Grocery unit sales sink for five straight months: https://bit.ly/US-Grocery-Shopping-Data David's Post: https://bit.ly/David-Shillingford-SC-Resilience Supply chain resilience isn’t a data problem; it’s a judgment problem: https://www.scmr.com/article/supply-chain-resilience-isnt-a-data-problem-its-a-judgment-problem Zebra: zebra.com/warehouse-vision Insight 26: https://www.ratelinx.com/ratelinx-insight-conference/ RateLinx: https://www.ratelinx.com/ Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shillingford/ Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-vaillancourt/ Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now   Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join   Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and David Shillingford, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. Fort additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/thebuzz-why-supply-chain-resilience-depends-on-judgment-data-and-action The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Buzz: Why Supply Chain Resilience Depends on Judgment, Data, and Action

  4. 29 Jul

    Review of the July 2026 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index - Rates Edition

    Freight rates have entered a new phase, and the signals pointing to it have been hiding in plain sight for anyone willing to look past the headlines and into the data. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton is joined by Jake Barr, Chris Caplice, Chief Scientist at DAT Freight & Analytics, and Bobby Holland, Vice President/Director of Freight Business Analytics at U.S. Bank, to dig into the newly launched U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index Rates Edition, a joint report combining U.S. Bank's $46 billion in annual freight payment processing with DAT's database of more than a trillion in freight market transactions. Chris breaks down why this tightening cycle isn't the surprise so many transportation executives believe it to be, explaining how capacity, not demand, is the real driver this time around, fueled by driver shortages, tighter regulations, and unprecedented data center build-out. Bobby brings the numbers to life, showing how spot rate movement has historically preceded shifts in contract rates and why shippers should treat that signal as an early warning system rather than an afterthought. The conversation lands on what shippers can actually do about it: stress-testing budgets, segmenting freight into dedicated, contract, and dynamic buckets, and using data to answer the question every CFO eventually asks, is it me, or is it the market? Jake closes with a blunt prediction for the shipper side and a challenge to turn the last few years of smooth sailing into real, productive reinvestment. \ Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (02:54) What is the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index Rates Edition (05:18) What DAT Freight Analytics does (06:28) The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index explained (08:47) Is the truckload market really turning (11:24) Why this cycle is capacity-driven, not demand-driven (17:57) Carriers gain pricing power in a tightening market (20:53) What's changed in the market since January (23:16) Why spot rates lead contract rate shifts (28:01) Elephants vs goldfish: how shippers and carriers remember the market (37:52) Prescribed actions: segmenting your freight network (55:23) Final predictions and one key takeaway for shippers Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Chris Caplice: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-caplice-1839/ Connect with Bobby Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-holland-4a9355/ Connect with Jake Barr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-barr-3883501/ Learn more about DAT Freight & Analytics: https://www.dat.com/ Learn more about U.S. Bank: https://www.usbank.com/index.html Learn more about BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting: https://www.blueworldscc.com/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Jake Barr, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/review-july-2026-us-bank-freight-payment-index-rates-edition-1615 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Review of the July 2026 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index - Rates Edition

  5. 27 Jul

    Beyond the ERP Tradeoff: Building AI-ready Operations

    Enterprise technology has long promised to unlock operational potential, but the trade-offs between monolithic ERP systems and fragmented best-of-breed stacks continue to slow organizations down in ways most leaders don't fully account for. In this episode of Enterprise Unleashed on Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Wiley Jones (Co-founder at DOSS) are joined by Jindra Zitek (Partner and Head of Scale at Stripes), a former McKinsey consultant and C-level operator whose career spans Chobani, HelloFresh, and a range of board and advisory roles across industry. Together, they unpack what it actually takes to build operations that are truly AI-ready, and why the answer starts with people long before it reaches technology. Jindra draws on firsthand experience leading through hypergrowth and crisis to make the case that both ERP consolidation and best-of-breed ecosystems carry a hidden coordination tax, one that only gets more expensive the longer organizations avoid naming it. He challenges leaders to stop framing AI as a job automation tool and start treating it as a lever for dignity and purpose, giving people the ability to focus on the work that actually requires human judgment. The conversation lands on what separates organizations that experiment successfully from those stuck in pilot purgatory: shared business objectives, cross-functional coalitions, and guardrails that free people to move fast without losing control. Wiley grounds the discussion in what Doss is seeing in practice, where the complexity of edge cases is finally collapsing, and where the real work of comprehension still cannot be skipped. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro  (02:29) Jindra Zitek’s background across McKinsey, Chobani, and HelloFresh (04:16) Lessons from family, farming, and leadership (06:09) Why people should come before systems (10:28) The trade-off between ERP and best-of-breed tools (15:24) The hidden cost of technology choices (17:09) How company DNA shapes technology strategy (20:57) Eliminating the human tax of broken systems (21:49) Automation should enable people, not replace them (25:57) The rise of agentic operations (28:57) Building trust and control with AI systems (31:34) Measuring real ROI from AI investments (35:17) Building cross-functional teams for AI success (37:30) Creating guardrails for enterprise AI adoption (40:40) The first workflow to transform with AI (42:10) Finding business problems AI can solve (47:56) How AI changes workflow design and implementation Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Jindra Zitek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jindrazitek/ Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/ Learn more about DOSS: https://www.doss.com/ Learn more about Stripes: https://www.stripes.co/ Learn more about Supply Chain Insights: http://www.supplychaininsights.com Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Wiley Jones, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/beyond-erp-tradeoff-building-ai-ready-operations-1614 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Beyond the ERP Tradeoff: Building AI-ready Operations

  6. 24 Jul

    The Buzz: AI, Freight Volatility, and the Hidden Power of Yard Operations

    From rising diesel prices and China's evolving economy to Boeing's continued turnaround and the growing role of AI in logistics, this week's episode of The Buzz, powered by Zebra Technologies, covers the biggest stories shaping global supply chains. Scott Luton is joined by special co-host Blythe Milligan (Everything is Logistics) and featured guest Matt Yearling, CEO of YMX Logistics, for a timely conversation on freight markets, infrastructure, innovation, and what leaders should be paying attention to now. The discussion begins with the latest freight and economic headlines, including diesel price volatility, shifting global trade patterns, China's export performance, and what these trends mean for supply chain professionals. Scott and Blythe also explore Boeing's ongoing recovery and why trust remains one of the industry's most valuable currencies. Later, Matt Yearling joins the show to discuss an often-overlooked area of supply chain operations: the yard. He shares why yard management has become a strategic differentiator, how AI is driving measurable operational improvements, and why successful digital transformation requires more than simply adding new technology. Throughout the conversation, the panel emphasizes practical innovation, operational excellence, and the importance of people in every supply chain. Key Takeaways Diesel prices, freight rates, and geopolitical uncertainty continue to pressure transportation costs. China's manufacturing and export trends are reshaping global trade and nearshoring strategies. Boeing's recovery demonstrates that rebuilding trust takes years—but is essential for long-term success. AI delivers the greatest value through practical, incremental improvements rather than flashy automation. Yard operations remain one of supply chain's biggest untapped opportunities for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Technology succeeds when paired with operational expertise, strong processes, and empowered people. Whether you're navigating freight volatility, evaluating AI investments, or looking for new ways to improve operational performance, this episode delivers practical insights from experienced supply chain leaders. Tune in for thoughtful analysis of today's biggest headlines and actionable ideas you can apply across your own organization. Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Matthew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyearling/ Learn more about YMX Logistics: https://ymxlogistics.com Learn more about Zebra: zebra.com/warehouse-vision WTS: https://bit.ly/WTS-19-JULY-2026 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https:bit.ly/scn-us-bank Everything is Logistics: https://everythingislogistics.com Diesel Fuel Prices:  https://on.wsj.com/4wgKItI Chinese Economy:  https://cnn.it/4fkw5hD Boeing Turnaround:  https://cnb.cx/4fkxVix Zebra Technologies:  zebra.com/warehouse-vision The Blockbuster vs. Netflix Era of Yard Logistics: https://ymxlogistics.com/blog/the-blockbuster-vs-netflix-era-of-yard-logistics Latest blog post:  https://bit.ly/Losing-Sales-Due-to-Inventory Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now   Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join   Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Blythe Milligan. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episodes page at: https://supplychainnow.com/thebuzz-ai-freight-volatility-hidden-power-yard-operations-1613 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Buzz: AI, Freight Volatility, and the Hidden Power of Yard Operations

  7. 22 Jul

    How AI Is Transforming Supply Chain Jobs, Skills, and the Future Workforce

    The AI hype cycle is over. The scaling race has begun. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton welcomes special guest co-host Marina Mayer, Content Director of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Co-Founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, for a wide-ranging conversation on how AI is actually reshaping global supply chains, manufacturing, and the workforce behind them. Marina unpacks data showing the AI in logistics and supply chain market is set to grow from just over $20 billion to nearly $196 billion by 2034, and explains why the real driver isn't AI adoption itself but companies learning to target it to the specific parts of the business where it belongs. From there, the two dig into a 2026 AI Skills Enterprise Benchmark from Workera, revealing that manufacturers committed to structured upskilling are hitting 79% workforce readiness scores, and why employee confidence, not just capability, is the missing piece in so many transformation efforts. The conversation builds into how KPMG research shows 73% of businesses are now planning a comprehensive overhaul of their supply chain operating model within the next three years, up from just 11% a year prior, and what that means for hiring, training, and the next generation of talent entering the industry. Marina and Scott also explore how mid-sized businesses are using AI to manage expenses and detect fraud, and revisit a conversation on putting frontline AI directly into the hands of workers on the floor to speed up onboarding and decision-making. Along the way, Marina previews the 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum in Charleston, including its new mentorship program and self-advocacy theme. If you want a grounded, data-backed read on where AI in supply chain is headed next, this conversation delivers.   Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (00:25) Meet Marina Mayer (02:00) Balancing work and sports mom logistics (05:28) The 196 billion AI supply chain boom (06:05) Why AI adoption needs a targeted approach (10:36) The 2026 AI Skills Enterprise Benchmark (13:02) Building employee confidence with AI (16:18) Lessons from MODEX and workforce transformation (19:38) Why 73 percent are overhauling operating models (25:47) Mid market businesses tackle AI and expenses (28:35) Putting frontline AI in workers hands (35:27) Women in Supply Chain Forum 2026 preview   Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Marina Mayer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinamayer/ Learn more about Supply & Demand Chain Executive: https://www.sdcexec.com/ Learn more about Food Logistics: https://www.foodlogistics.com/ Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now   Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join   Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkps://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/ai-transforming-supply-chain-jobs-skills-future-workforce-1612 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    How AI Is Transforming Supply Chain Jobs, Skills, and the Future Workforce

  8. 20 Jul

    Inside Shipium's Plan to Turn Freight Audit Into Real-Time Monitoring

    Freight audit is one of supply chain's most stubborn cost centers, and the traditional model of catching errors months after the fact is no longer good enough. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Marty Parker are joined by Jason Murray, CEO at Shipium, and Tim Meester, Vice President, Network Performance & Intelligence at Shipium, to discuss the shift from reactive freight audit to always-on, AI-native monitoring. The panel explores why the freight audit industry keeps growing at a 14.2% CAGR even as billing errors persist at 2 to 6% of all parcel invoices, and why every dollar lost to those errors can take 19 to 20 new revenue dollars to recover. They address how delayed, after-the-fact reconciliation lets small pricing mistakes snowball into major margin loss, outlining a vision for continuous, agentic auditing that catches issues before invoices even arrive. By leveraging live data, simulation, and autonomous AI agents, shippers can detect root causes in real time and act on them immediately rather than weeks later. Jason Murray concludes by challenging operators to start building a data-first culture now, before the competitive gap becomes impossible to close.   Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro  (02:40) Meet Jason Murray and Tim Meester of Shipium (08:36) Jason's journey from Amazon to founding Shipium (12:30) Why freight audit keeps growing yet errors persist (12:47) Auditing as reconciliation hell and the GLP-1 analogy (17:55) Always On Audit reframes reconciliation as monitoring (22:08) Reframing leakage and loss spend as a margin tax (26:47) Where the money actually leaks in parcel billing (33:16) Always on audit versus traditional after the fact review (46:18) Why the data layer has to come first for AI (50:37) Real world use cases where AI catches hidden savings (56:21) Holistic differentiation and the next 24 months for audit Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Jason Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shipium/ Connect with Tim Meester: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meester/ Connect with Marty Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyparker/ Learn more about Shipium: https://www.shipium.com/ Learn more about Adæpt Advising: https://www.adaeptadvising.com/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4 WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Marty Parker, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/inside-shipium-plan-turn-freight-audit-into-real-time-monitoring-1611 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now. For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com © 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Inside Shipium's Plan to Turn Freight Audit Into Real-Time Monitoring
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