Supply Chain Unlocked

Dr. Matthew Waller
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Supply Chain Unlocked delivers actionable intelligence for suppliers to Walmart and other retailers. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Waller—renowned supply chain expert, author, and trusted advisor—the show decodes the strategies, technology, and leadership required to win on the world’s biggest retail stage. Each episode blends Dr. Waller’s expertise with insights from industry leaders, innovators, and former retail executives, giving listeners clear and practical strategies to navigate compliance, harness technology, and build stronger partnerships. More than just commentary, the show provides the intelligence and actionable guidance suppliers need to stay ahead in today’s fast-changing supply chain.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep. 19 - Securing Operations: Visibility Without the Cloud

    Unwatched virtual entry points are silently threatening global supply chains. Brianna Sullivan, CEO of Iolite Secure, breaks down how threat actors exploit overlooked infrastructure to halt operations. Most security tools focus entirely on enterprise IT, leaving operational technology completely blind. We examine why legacy hardware, HVAC systems, and disconnected logistics assets are highly vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Operators on the front lines need a way to spot anomalous device communications before physical production stops. For logistics managers operating legacy infrastructure, this conversation maps out how to secure hardware without relying on cloud connectivity. Subscribe and share this episode with an operations director assessing facility vulnerabilities. What overlooked physical asset in your warehouse or production line keeps you up at night? 0:00 Introduction & Sponsor 1:15 The Threat to Critical Infrastructure 3:03 How Hackers Exploit Virtual Entry Points 8:23 Protecting the Supply Chain & Utilities 15:45 Visibility Without Cloud Connectivity 23:41 Bridging the IT and OT Gap https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  2. Oct 15

    Ep. 18 - Applied vs Generative: Structuring True AI Workflows

    The retail industry wastes millions of human hours building dashboards no one reads. Data science veteran Ravi Sharma joins the show to explain how agentic workflows are replacing stagnant reporting. Most organizations misunderstand artificial intelligence, treating it as a weekend project rather than a complex integration of machine learning and domain knowledge. Ravi breaks down why generative models are simply the user interface, while causal models do the heavy analytical lifting. He details the financial drain of executive turnover on system continuity and why forward-looking planograms dictate accurate assortment signals. For CPG leaders exhausted by manual reporting tasks, this conversation provides a blueprint to automate analytics without exposing proprietary data. Please subscribe and share this episode with an operator who needs to abandon static spreadsheets. What specific retail metric consumes the most manual effort for your team to track? 0:00 Introduction and Guest Background 2:10 Defining Agentic Data Science 12:12 Autonomous Forecasting in Supply Chain 15:48 Predictive Category Management and Assortment 23:23 The Monday Morning Dashboard Madness 27:42 How Executive Turnover Stalls Tech Adoption https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  3. Oct 1

    Ep. 17 - Counterfeit Threats: Securing the Physical Supply Chain

    Supply chain operators lose billions annually to black market counterfeits because they blindly trust their suppliers. Daniel Stanton, known as Mr. Supply Chain, joins the show to break down how physical vulnerabilities quietly drain logistics networks. While most professionals obsess over network optimization, they ignore the physical security of their freight. Stanton shares his experience developing nanotech ink to track component provenance for aerospace and defense. He explains why procurement teams frequently miscalculate risk, trading true supply chain resilience for comfortable assumptions about their vendors. For procurement directors fighting gray market infiltration, this conversation offers a framework to identify hidden operational risks before they cause catastrophic failures. Please subscribe and share this episode with a peer managing vendor compliance. Where is the biggest blind spot in your current vendor verification process? 00:00 - Introduction to Mr. Supply Chain 03:53 - Counterfeits and Physical Supply Chain Security 10:24 - The Role of Trust in Procurement 12:18 - Training a Global Logistics Workforce 23:09 - Writing the Guide to Supply Chain 31:40 - The Trojan Horse of Logistics Risk https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  4. Sep 17

    Ep. 16 - Value Over Cost: Redefining Supply Chain Metrics

    Unchecked complexity is actively destroying operating margins across global supply chains. Supply chain veteran Lora Cecere unpacks why large multinationals are failing to scale performance and maintain structural efficiency. We break down the operational differences between food manufacturing and consumer packaged goods, examining how ingredient scarcity complicates procurement. Misguided cost-cutting measures are currently squeezing suppliers and lengthening the bullwhip effect across the board. Tactical planning must evolve past outdated safety stock assumptions and isolated functional silos. Leaders must synchronize distribution with transportation and build networks that sense harvest yields directly. For operations executives fighting margin erosion on long-tail products, this discussion provides a framework to transition from functional optimization to balanced scorecard value. Subscribe and share this episode with a peer navigating network bottlenecks. What obsolete planning practice is causing the most friction in your current supply chain? 0:00 Introduction and Guest Background 2:04 Why Global Supply Chains Fail to Scale 8:48 The Divergence of Food and CPG Industries 18:53 Product Complexity and Margin Erosion 28:16 Transitioning from Cost Centers to Value Drivers 31:40 Outdated Planning Practices That Need to Die https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  5. Sep 3

    Ep. 15 - Tribal Knowledge: What Algorithms Miss in Logistics

    Forced AI adoption is breaking legacy logistics workflows. Overroute CEO Alex Reed explains how to merge agentic technology with human tribal knowledge inside massive enterprises. Algorithms fail when perfect models hit spot market perturbations. Reed unpacks building an embedded startup within JB Hunt, showing how tracking "Time to Dopamine" accelerates user adoption. You cannot automate away the messiness of a dropped trailer or a wrong bill of lading. True transformation means giving operators context-rich data to make rapid decisions on the dock, rather than forcing top-down optimization that ignores field conditions. For supply chain executives struggling with stalled software rollouts, this conversation provides a roadmap for securing front-line buy-in. Subscribe and share this episode with an operations leader facing tech integration issues. What is the biggest hurdle blocking software adoption in your network? https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  6. Aug 20

    Ep. 14 - Supply Chain Tech: Connecting Startups to Global Brands

    A disrupted supply chain will quietly drain your margins if you rely on outdated systems to manage modern operations. With immediate consumer demands and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, companies that fail to adapt are getting left behind while forward-thinking operations secure their growth for the next thirty years. Josh Saffran, Director of Plug and Play Arkansas, joins the show to explain how he bridges the gap between early-stage startups and Fortune 500 logistics problems. We get into the mechanics of open innovation and venture capital matchmaking. The conversation explores the corporate build-versus-buy dilemma for robotics, the integration of autonomous human-in-the-loop forklifts, and how major logistics carriers are establishing internal incubators to solve distinct operational bottlenecks. Josh also shares a unique philosophy on investment strategy, explaining that prioritizing the exact technological fit for a corporate partner, even if it means introducing a non-portfolio company, is the actual secret to driving long-term innovation. Sifting through thousands of pitches and AI-generated cold emails is a massive burden for corporate engineering teams. The reality of working with early-stage, pre-seed startups means navigating a high failure rate and managing severe corporate risk tolerance issues when resources are on the line. Listeners will walk away with a clear understanding of how to assess whether to develop tech internally or partner with external founders, alongside a framework for leveraging global innovation networks without giving up equity upfront. If you care about supply chain innovation, venture capital matchmaking, and corporate technology ecosystems, you’ll get a lot from this. Please remember to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with colleagues who are building the future of logistics. What is the biggest operational bottleneck you are trying to solve right now, and would you rather build the solution internally or buy it from a startup? https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  7. May 7

    Ep. 13 - Industrial Safety AI: Stopping Accidents Before They Happen

    Safety is usually treated as a lagging indicator where leaders only react after a claim is filed or an injury occurs. This reactive stance is a massive profit leak and an avoidable human cost that traditional safety walks can no longer manage in complex industrial environments. Vernon O'Donnell, CEO of Voxel, explains how computer vision and AI are flipping this script by identifying risks before the collision happens. We sit down to discuss the practical application of visual AI in distribution centers and manufacturing plants across the globe. The conversation covers the reduction of workers' comp claims through ergonomic heat maps, the removal of "noise" from thousands of daily alerts, and the transition toward 90% true automation in safety monitoring. Vernon shares how Voxel identifies operational choke points—like poorly managed dock doors or incorrect forklift governors—to solve the root causes of near-misses. The unglamorous truth of industrial technology is that many companies fear a multi-year IT nightmare that never delivers. This episode highlights a shift toward lightweight edge devices and software integrations that provide measurable value in days rather than months. You will walk away with a clear understanding of how to treat safety as a strategic lever that increases throughput and reduces employee attrition rather than just a cost center or a compliance checkbox. https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

  8. Apr 23

    Ep. 12 - Automating the Freezer: The Future of Cold Storage Ops

    Cold chain is one of those supply chain functions everyone relies on, yet few people really understand until something melts, spoils, or gets rejected at the dock. We sit down with Cindy Parker, Director of Operations at Americold, to unpack what modern cold chain logistics actually looks like and why it has shifted from “storage at temperature” into a true operations partner for food, grocery, export, and emerging pharmaceutical cold chain needs. We get specific about what large retailers now care about most: on-time shipping, product quality, and cost discipline. Sandy explains where suppliers commonly stumble, from weak packaging that collapses over longer dwell times to late communication that forces expensive last-minute labor and space decisions. We also dig into why forecasting matters even before EDI kicks in, and why the best cold chain relationships feel like a third leg of a production facility rather than a disconnected warehouse. From there we move into the realities of running temperature-controlled warehousing: labor and power costs, sustainability pressure to keep food out of landfill, and extreme seasonality like the holiday turkey rush that sites plan for all year. We also explore the tech wave hitting cold storage, including automated freezer facilities that keep people out of the cold, AI-supported labor planning, safety tools that flag risky lifting, and real-time inventory and temperature monitoring that customers increasingly expect. Finally, we talk traceability and FSMA 204, plus the unsexy spot where many temperature excursions happen: the trailer-to-dock transition. If you work in supply chain, operations, retail, food safety, or logistics planning, you’ll walk away with practical ways to cut cold chain cost and reduce risk. Subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a review with your biggest cold chain challenge. https://www.smurfitwestrock.com/ https://www.sellcord.co/

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About

Supply Chain Unlocked delivers actionable intelligence for suppliers to Walmart and other retailers. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Waller—renowned supply chain expert, author, and trusted advisor—the show decodes the strategies, technology, and leadership required to win on the world’s biggest retail stage. Each episode blends Dr. Waller’s expertise with insights from industry leaders, innovators, and former retail executives, giving listeners clear and practical strategies to navigate compliance, harness technology, and build stronger partnerships. More than just commentary, the show provides the intelligence and actionable guidance suppliers need to stay ahead in today’s fast-changing supply chain.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Matthew Waller
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Supply Chain Unlocked
  • Show Website
    Supply Chain Unlocked