Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

In this episode, guest Kevin Doucette, North American Director of Trade Policy and Compliance for C.H. Robinson, discusses global trade in light of tariffs, the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. presidential election, and the stagnant worldwide economy. What areas should supply chain managers focus on when looking at global markets? Industrial real estate continues to be in demand, especially in urba...

In this episode, guest Colin Yankee, chief supply chain officer at Tractor Supply, shares how his company has been able to thrive in the midst of the pandemic. As an essential business, this retailer offers the goods that people need. But beyond that, the company made some strategic changes in its supply chains to meet changing customer requirements and the different ways goods are sold and distri...

In this episode, guest Rebecca Brewster, president and COO of the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), shares the findings of her organization's recent study, the 16th Top Industry Issues Report. This report from the trucking industry's research association shows that executives are concerned about driver shortages, insurance rates, parking availability, and more. Listen to...

In this episode, guest Steven Horwitz, an economics professor and director of the Institute for the Study of Political Economy at Ball State University, joins us to discuss the upcoming holiday shopping season. We already know it will be a season like no other in history, due to the pandemic. But how will this affect supply chains, and will the community mall survive? We also look at recent report...

In this episode, guest Drew McElroy, chairman and co-founder of Transfix, a digital freight matching system, discusses freight markets and the challenges of last-mile deliveries. We are already entering the peak holiday shopping season, and it will be a year like no other, with omnichannel sales dominating in ways never before seen. How are retailers preparing their supply chains to handle the sur...

In this episode, guest Dr. Yossi Sheffi, a professor of engineering and director of the Center for Transportation and Logistics at MIT, discusses his new book, The New (Ab)Normal.   Dr. Sheffi looks at which companies have been successful during the pandemic and which have failed, as well as what the future holds for our supply chains. We also examine the growing demand for warehouse automation. T...

In this episode, guest Gillan Hawkes, VP of product management and analytics at 6 River Systems, discusses how autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) help distributors meet surging demand, while offering other benefits during the pandemic and beyond. The new Logistics Managers' Index is out, and it shows a huge spike in logistics growth. Does it foretell a busy and possibly chaotic holiday peak seas...

In this episode, guest Ron Dutt, CEO of Flux Power, discusses lithium-ion battery technology, which is growing in use as a power source in fork lifts and other industrial trucks. Amazon's Prime Day is just around the corner. Why was it postponed from its normal summer schedule and what will it mean for shippers and customers? And environmental sustainability is becoming a greater focus of sup...

In this episode, editors from DC Velocity and CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly share their experiences at CSCMP EDGE, which was held this past week. This year's conference was completely virtual and marked the largest such virtual event ever held in our industry. We discuss the format and environment used to present more than 100 educational sessions, keynote addresses, and a virtual trade...

This is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in the United States. In this episode, guest Randy Guillot, chairman of ATA (American Trucking Associations) shares about the vital role truck drivers play in keeping goods moving during trying times. Everyone knows that e-commerce shopping continues to surge, but now we have the numbers to prove just how much growth this sector has experienced with...

In this episode, guest Chris Wolfe, CEO of PowerFleet, discusses how we have seen new sustainability initiatives during the pandemic that have created efficiencies and may become standards in a post-pandemic world. We also discuss how executives are reassessing their risk mitigation strategies in light of a pandemic that no one was prepared to meet. How good was their planning, and what should the...

In this episode, guest Brian Thompson, the chief commercial officer at SMC³, discusses what the transportation markets may look like through the end of the year, and in particular how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the LTL (less-than-truckload) segment. Capacity for both trucking and air freight remains very tight as we navigate the pandemic. How long will it be before we see more capacity ent...

In this episode, guest Phil Evers, a logistics professor at the University of Maryland, shares why the United States Postal Service is facing financial difficulties and what can be done to fix it. How might this affect the agency's parcel services? We also talk about how supply chains will be affected by Hurricane Laura. Some changes in anticipated landfall and other disruptions are expected...

In this episode, guest Patrick Penfield, an assistant professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, discusses how Amazon will be moving into vacant mall spaces to create mini distribution centers. We also examine a growing trend of some shippers moving away from the major parcel carriers and toward smaller, regional carriers. And despite high unempl...

In this episode, guest Dr. Tom Goldsby of the University of Tennessee discusses why we still have so much trouble equipping our essential healthcare workers and others with the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to assure their safety during the pandemic. New trucking numbers are in for the June and July time periods. Has trucking turned the corner after several very difficult months? A...

In this episode, guest Zac Rogers of Colorado State University shares about the Logistics Managers' Index (LMI). He discusses how this measurement tool is a snapshot of the current state of the logistics industry and how supply chain professionals should apply its monthly findings. We also look at how several new collaborations between lift truck companies and robotics firms may spur the deve...

In this episode, Dana Stiffler of Gartner discusses new research that the organization has conducted on women in supply chain executive positions. Are they making gains? And what can supply chain companies do to enhance diversity in their C-Suites? Consumers have come to love curbside pickup during the pandemic, but it puts a strain on operations for retailers. What can retailers do to ease the bu...

Bill Van Amburg, the executive vice president of CALSTART, a national transportation accelerator organization, discusses the recent memorandum of understanding agreement from 15 U.S. states and the District of Columbia to advance zero-emission vehicle technology on our nation's roads. We also look at the growing number of retailers either running fulfillment out of the back room of their stor...

In this episode, guest Michael Zimmerman discusses what the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ annual “State of Logistics Report” reveals how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the logistics industry. Zimmerman, a partner at Kearney, was the lead author of the report and heads up the consulting company’s Analytics Practice for the Americas Region. Many of America's ports end...

In this episode, Rob McKeel, CEO of Fortna, discusses how retailers and other distributors are adjusting to the new normal during the midst of the pandemic. He addresses how network and facility design may change, how retailers must adapt, and what technologies will be key going forward. We also look at how freight companies are adjusting their business strategies to cope with changing business re...

In this episode, David Henry, the regional manager for Mexico at transportation broker and logistics provider GlobalTranz, talks about the impact of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that went into effect July 1. Based in Monterrey, Mexico, he has his pulse on what the new agreement means for cross-border transactions and what shippers should know. We also look at our annual class...

In this episode, we talk to Ken Raycroft of Briggs Equipment in Dallas, Texas. He shares how he is working with customers on sanitation best practices with a program from Hyster-Yale that assures lift truck equipment is safe between shifts and multiple users. Our news team discusses how many manufacturers are moving their sourcing and production from China, looking for more resiliency and to avoid...

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Terry Esper, associate professor of logistics at The Ohio State University, who talks about the problems that Black drivers face when making deliveries. Our news team discusses the upcoming United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement that goes into effect July 1 and replaces NAFTA. We also look at some major recent investments that have been made i...

In this episode, we talk to Brian Feehan, President of the Industrial Truck Association, who shares about National Forklift Safety Day, a virtual event held this past Tuesday to promote a culture of safety around forklift operations. Our news team discusses how logistics workers have honored the memory of George Floyd while bringing attention to racism and police violence. We also look at how the...

In this episode, we talk to Mike Griswold of Gartner about the recently released list of companies with top supply chains and what goes into making those rankings. Our news team discusses this month's Logistics Managers Index numbers and how it reflects the current state of the supply chain. We look at Amazon's latest additions to its air fleet and what it means to competitors. And we sh...