Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

AGiLE Business Media

The editors of DC VELOCITY magazine bring you weekly updates on logistics, material handling, and supply chain news.

  1. 5D AGO

    Guest: Lisa Dyer of the GPS Innovation Alliance on vulnerabilities of GPS systems; Growing technology gaps; The clever ways thieves steal cargo

    Our guest on this week's episode is Lisa Dyer, Executive Director of the GPS Innovation Alliance. Many of us rely on GPS satellite technology every day. But what we may not realize is that these important systems are vulnerable to criminals, hackers, and a range of other bad actors. Between jamming GPS signals and mimicking real signals, the potential for harm is real—unless we do something about it. Lisa Dyer of the GPS Innovation Alliance shares about these potential threats to our GPS systems and what can be done to secure them. Just about every company on the globe is trying to figure out what to do about artificial intelligence and other digitalization efforts, especially where they can be deployed in their operations and whether it is worth the huge investments.  Yet, Senior Editor Victoria Kickham reports on some new research that shows there is a considerable gap between these digital ambitions and actual execution. Cargo theft is a topic that we’ve been covering more and more in recent months. Every now and then, a high profile example makes the news, like those thieves that recently stole an entire truckload of lobsters or the ones who stole a truck of Kit-Kat bars. But on a day to day basis, it happens far more often, and one reason is that the thieves are constantly becoming better at being criminals. Senior News Editor Ben Ames reported that during the first quarter of 2026, thieves in the U.S. and Canada committed fewer heists but they targeted more valuable goods. He shares what types of goods are stolen the most and the clever ways thieves are pulling off these capers. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: GPS Innovation AllianceReport: Tech challenges persist across operations and supply chainsCargo thieves narrow their focus on high-value targetsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

    26 min
  2. APR 24

    Guest: Helaine Rich of ePost Global on rising fuel costs; Truck stops work to accommodate women drivers; Changing shopping patterns

    Our guest on this week's episode is Helaine Rich, Vice President of Strategic Sales and Administration at ePost Global. As the war against Iran is in its seventh week, fuel prices continue to rise. And it is getting to the point where carriers can no longer just simply absorb those costs. So, how have those unexpected costs affected supply chain companies? Senior News Editor Ben Ames discusses with our guest how companies are coping and trying to adjust to these latest uncertainties.  Each year, the number of women taking the wheel is rising. Right now, women make up about 9 1/2 percent of truck drivers, according to the Women in Trucking organization. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham reports that as women continue to impact the industry, truck stops are looking to make life on the road better for these women drivers. She shares the top three truck stops nationwide that are tops for best accommodating women truckers. Shoppers can sometimes be fickle. Just a few years ago, most retailers were losing traction with in-store shopping, forcing malls nationwide to close. Now we see a new trend where younger shoppers are returning to store shopping. Ben Ames reposts on a consumer survey he saw this week that found that only 12% of Gen Z and 9% of Millennials this summer plan to shop entirely online this summer, while the rest of shoppers are omnichannel, meaning that 69% of Americans are planning to shop both in-store and online. What does this mean for how companies manage their inventories? Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: ePost GlobalIndustry identifies the top three women-friendly truck stopsYounger consumers stay omnichannel, shun fully digital shoppingVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

    17 min
  3. APR 17

    Guest: Disney Petit on a better way for customer returns; Managing a variety of robots successfully; Autonomous fulfillment advances

    Our guest on this week's episode is Disney Petit – founder and CEO of LiquiDonate, a company that provides software for companies to donate unwanted returned items. As any retailer can tell you, returns can be the most difficult part of their work. Each return has to be evaluated to decide what to do with it. But what if there is a better idea for handling returns? With Earth Day approaching, we present a great way to find homes for returned items that cannot be resold. Rather than disposing of these items in landfills, LiquiDonate connects retailers and others who process returns with schools and non-profits that can use the items. Our team just returned from the MODEX conference this week in Atlanta where we saw all sorts of material handling systems and automation that will probably be coming to a warehouse nearby soon. Ben Ames reports on getting lots of these systems from a variety of vendors to work together: Walk into any distribution center and you’ll see products from several different vendors running at the same time on the warehouse floor, not to mention all the different brands of software controlling them that you can't even see. So how do you make them all behave well together and work toward a single goal? Many things also caught the eye of Victoria Kickham at MODEX 2026 this week. She chose a couple of things to highlight. The first was the launch of an autonomous warehouse fulfillment system from Locus Robotics. The company debuted its Locus Array system, which is an autonomous, in-aisle picking solution that combines mobile robotics, an integrated robotic picking arm, and AI-powered perception to complete picking and fulfilment tasks without manual intervention. She also talked with robotics company Boston Dynamics about the long-term potential of humanoid robots in the warehouse. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: LiquiDonateLocus Robotics launches fully autonomous fulfillment systemRoboteon tool simulates impact of robotics automation on specific DCSFanuc robot arms combine AI and computer vision to adopt flexible workflowsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

    21 min
  4. APR 10

    Guest: Christelle Keefer of A3 on gaps in automation skills; Robot density is growing; Fleets flex in AI

    Our guest on this week's episode is Christelle Keefer, director of training and certifications at The Association for Advancing Automation (A3).  As labor becomes harder to find for our distribution and manufacturing facilities, companies are turning more and more to automation. This is National Robotics Week  - when the industry celebrates the impacts that these mechanical workers are making on our operations. Our guest speaks with Senior Editor Ben Ames about gaps that still remain when deploying robots to work with human workers. New information from the International Federation of Robotics, or IFR, illustrates just how prevalent robots are becoming in factories and industrial settings around the world. The group released its World Robotics 2025 report this week, which outlines the number of factory robots being used in various regions as compared to the local manufacturing workforce.  TD Cowen, a banking and investment analysis firm, shared the results of their quarterly “1Q26 TD Cowen Carrier Survey” this week. It showed that a lot of the companies that operate trucking fleets are looking increasingly to technology for answers, and specifically AI. The survey found that 26% of trucking carriers would be willing to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools entirely instead of relying on human freight brokers. What might this mean for the freight broker industry? Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: The Association for Advancing Automation (A3)Report: robot density surges in Europe, Asia, and the AmericasTD Cowen: 26% of carriers would use AI instead of freight brokers?Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

    16 min
  5. APR 3

    Guest: Stefan Heck of Nauto on distracted driving; Coping with surging diesel prices; Cold storage goes high tech

    Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Stefan Heck, CEO and Founder of Nauto. We have turned the calendar to April and many of our listeners may not be aware that April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. From phones to radios to navigation systems, there are many things that can distract drivers as they move down our nation’s roadways. Even professional drivers can be distracted, putting themselves, their loads, and of course other drivers at risk. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham discusses with our guest how extensive the problem of distracted driving is and what can be done to assure greater safety on our roads. Among the impacts of the war against Iran is the rising cost of oil, with a good bit of the oil the world relies upon stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. That has created uncertainty to energy markets and higher prices per barrel. And in turn, that leads to rising prices at the pump for both gasoline and diesel for drivers on American roads. Senior News Editor Ben Ames takes a look at the impacts of higher diesel prices on America’s trucking fleets. Rising e-grocery sales and growing investment in domestic food production are fueling demand for cold-storage warehouse space nationwide, and companies are responding in a variety of ways—from building state-of-the-art automated facilities to adding technology that can make existing refrigerated and frozen space easier to manage. Victoria Kickham looked into this trend for a story in our April issue and found a couple of examples that illustrate how quickly—and technologically—the cold storage landscape is changing. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: NautoIran war diesel price surge forces change in U.S. freight marketsCold storage goes high techVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    24 min
  6. MAR 27

    Guest: Ian Massey of S-RM on the ongoing supply chain impacts from the war against Iran; What is “port proximate” and why is it changing?; Work remains to optimize pharmaceutical supply chains.

    Our guest on this week's episode is Ian Massey, Head of Corporate Intelligence, EMEA, S-RM. As the war against Iran continues, supply chains feel the effects – whether that is oil tankers stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, disruptions to air cargo flying through the Middle East, or many other impacts that conflicts of this time bring. Victoria Kickham talks with this week’s guest about these effects and potential risk scenarios.   For years upon years, importers have rented warehouse space near ports, because of course, ships would bring freight to US shores, and they needed a convenient space to store those goods. However, as Ben Ames reports, that conventional wisdom now seems to be shifting. The industrial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield says that for the year of 2025,  “port-proximate” industrial markets captured that segment's lowest market share in the past 15 years. We explain where these distributors are going instead and what is driving those shifts in location. Pharmaceutical companies are racing to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) across their supply chains, but the technology is not yet making a widespread impact., Victoria Kickham reports. This is according to industry research released this week from WBR Insights. The researchers surveyed 100 heads of supply chain from across Europe to identify key challenges and emerging solutions facing the industry. And they found that pharmaceutical supply chains are “performing but not yet optimized”—and that there is work to be done when it comes to making the most of AI investments. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: S-RMWarehouse leasers seek cheaper properties away from portsReport: 65% of pharmaceutical supply chain leaders lack confidence in AIVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    21 min
  7. MAR 20

    Guest: Mark Becker of G10 Fulfillment on safe handling and shipping of lithium-ion batteries; Workers experience AI anxiety; The logistics behind hyperscaling data centers.

    Our guest on this week's episode is Mark Becker, CEO of G10 Fulfillment. We have all heard the stories about the fire risks of lithium-ion batteries – for instance, you can’t put them in your checked luggage on a flight or use portable power-bank batteries inside an airplane cabin. Of course, larger industrial batteries used in forklifts and mobile robotic systems are built to much better specifications than many consumer batteries, but how can we assure they are safe? Ben Ames talks with this week’s guest about best practices for shipping, storing, and fulfillment of lithium-ion batteries. The modern workplace is changing amid widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and ongoing economic uncertainty—issues we’ve been talking about quite frequently on the podcast. New information on this topic from staffing and recruitment agency Randstad USA emphasizes the “AI anxiety” piece and is in line with other recent research that raises some pretty big questions about where we’re headed. Victoria Kickham shares the details. There is a lot of logistics effort  required to build the physical machinery that makes AI work. We’re talking about buildings and pipes and wires and chips and servers. The companies that build these data centers — called hyperscalers — are spending a ton of money in a race for market share. The latest Goldman Sachs report upgraded the estimate for 2026 spending on those projects from $465 billion $527 billion. This week DHL announced a “significant expansion” of its North America data center logistics (DCL) infrastructure with 10 dedicated warehouse sites totaling more than seven million square feet of capacity set to go live in 2026.  Ben Ames has this report. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: G10 FulfillmentAutomation/AI reshape the workforceDHL expands white glove logistics for construction of AI data centersGoldman Sachs: Why AI companies may invest more than $500 billion in 2026Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    20 min
  8. MAR 13

    Guest: Mike Van Bree of the American Ladder Institute on safety when working at heights; A cybersecurity collaboration; Sensing your way to a smoother supply chain

    Our guest on this week's episode is Mike Van Bree, director of product safety and engineering at Louisville Ladder Inc. and current president of the American Ladder Institute (ALI). This is Friday the 13th, and you have probably heard that old adage not to walk under ladders. That warning is probably not so much because it might bring you bad luck, but because it is an unsafe thing to do. And that brings us to our guest today: March is National Ladder Safety Month in the United States – a reminder to follow proper safety procedures while working at heights in warehouse and distribution centers, among other places.  Mike Van Bree brings some safe practices when working with ladders to our discussion. This week we saw the launch of a new plan by businesses in Europe to cooperate on joining together to set standards and practices for cybersecurity, specifically for software used in industrial automation and manufacturing. Ben Ames tells you what their plans are to defend themselves against cyber criminals. Global demand for sensors in logistics is set to double between 2024 and 2033, according to recent industry reports. Victoria Kickham shares about a feature she wrote for DC Velocity’s March issue that examines how sensor technology is helping companies improve the efficiency, accuracy, and security of their supply chains. Specifically, she looked into an inventory project by Walmart and a recent market expansion by a transportation industry security startup that shows just how powerful sensors are in logistics. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The latest series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: American Ladder InstituteNational Ladder Safety Month websiteLadder Safety Training resourcesEuropean groups form cybersecurity initiative for industrial automationSensing your way to a smoother supply chainVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    21 min

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The editors of DC VELOCITY magazine bring you weekly updates on logistics, material handling, and supply chain news.

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