Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Lee Ambrose, vice president at Remote Security Solutions. We hear regularly about securing our supply chains from threats, such as products being stolen while they are in transit. But security is more than just theft - it is also securing and protecting facilities and the people who work in them. Our guest discusses the possible threats that face our supply...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dwight Klappich, research vice president and Gartner Fellow at consultancy Gartner, Inc. There is tremendous interest in the growth of robotics and drone applications now being deployed in distribution operations. Is the hype and attention they have received warranted?  Klappich defines the "hype cycle" and how it can be a useful tool for determin...

Our guest on this week's episode is Paul Caron, a cyber Intelligence expert whose title is Head of Cyber Security, Americas at global intelligence and cybersecurity consultancy S-RM. Last week we learned of a major ransomware attack at Blue Yonder that put many supply chains in a somewhat perilous situation just as we went into Black Friday. So, how secure are our supply chains and should thi...

Our guest on this week's episode is Chris Jamroz, CEO at Roadrunner. It is no secret that the trucking industry has had a challenging couple of years. In addition to economic factors, like higher interest rates and inflation, truckers have also had to face too much capacity in the market and disruptions from several natural disasters. How has the less-than-truckload market weathered these sto...

Our guest on this week's episode is Judah Levine , head of research at Freightos Group. We are now past the elections here in the United States and supply chains are already planning for life under a second Trump administration. The president-elect has promised sweeping tariffs on imports that will have huge impacts to our supply chains. Our guest shares his insights into how importers are tr...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jeff Rogers, director of field maintenance operations at Ryder, Inc. Veterans' Day is Monday. The supply chain industry, like many fields, has a large number of veterans who have brought the skills they acquired in the military and now apply them to civilian work. Our guest today shares about his own military experience and how it has helped him carve...

Our guest on this week's episode is Ashray Lavsi, a principal at the global procurement and supply chain consultancy Efficio . It's no secret that China has ambitions to bring Taiwan into its fold. Chinese rhetoric and military operations in the region have already threatened Taiwan, which has acted as a sovereign nation since the end of the Second World War. But such a move against Taiw...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dennis Moon, COO of Roadie, a crowd-sourcing delivery company. Halloween is just a few days away. It has grown in popularity over the years to now be among America's favorite holidays - right up there with Christmas and Thanksgiving. Making sure that the deliveries of all of the costumes, decorations, and treats get to their destinations on time is a b...

Our guest on this week's episode is Bindiya Vakil, CEO and co-founder at Resilinc. As the Southeast is continuing to recover from the double whammy of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, supply chains have recovered to bring goods to the affected areas and the people who need help. But what can we do to strengthen those supply chains and reduce future risk from the disruptions that widespread natur...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director at the American Logistics Aid Network, or better known in the logistics industry as ALAN. All of us have witnessed the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to the Southeast and the Carolinas in particular. And then right on the heels of that we had Hurricane Milton tearing across Florida earlier this week. It is during...

Our guest on this week's episode is Elizabeth Gallenagh, general counsel and senior VP, Supply Chain Integrity, for the Healthcare Distribution Alliance. Pharmaceutical supply chains have been ramping up for a number of years to meet the requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, also known as DSCSA.  The DSCSA requires the tracking and serializing of all pharmaceutical products. The...

Our guest on this week's episode is Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos. The deadline is Monday to avert a dockworkers strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. That is when the current labor contract is expiring. A strike of even short duration could wreck a lot of supply chains. Our guest gives us the latest update on the negotiations and what effects a strike might have. Wreaths A...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dana Stiffler, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner, an industry research and consulting firm. Women continue to be leaders in our industry throughout the world and their impacts are immeasurable. Recently Gartner teamed with the women's supply chain organization AWESOME to complete the ninth annual Women in Supply Chain survey that looks at the work of...

Our guest on this week's episode is Andrew Billings, vice president and supply chain capability lead at North Highland. The retail world has already survived this year’s Prime Day and now we are heading into the peak holiday shopping season. Are retailers prepared and are there any clues as to what consumers will be snapping up this year? Our guest has some insights. With an eye on assuring i...

Our guest on this week's episode is Michael Sadowski, a researcher and author who just completed a study on sustainability in the apparel industry.  Released by the Apparel Impact Institute, the study looks at the apparel industry's use of  available resources. Of course, there are the fabrics that are grown and harvested or man-made materials that consume water and power. Most of our cl...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dawn Andre, chief product officer at Jaggaer. New supply chain talent is on the way, as college programs continue to mold new entrants for the industry. But what are some of the best ways to make use of these new recruits? Our guest has some ideas. Victoria Kickham is off this week, so filling her seat is Susan Lacefield, the executive editor of Supply Chai...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jim Bunsey, director of commercial business development at the Propane Education & Research Council, better known in the industry as PERC. With the goal of reducing carbon footprints and clearing the air, supply chain managers are seeking cleaner technologies to power their operations. Our guest shares that the full energy cycle should be considered whe...

Our guest on this week's episode is Scott Walker, vice president of Supply Chain Product Management for Powerfleet. Last month the U.S. Department of Labor  issued a proposed rule to regulate how employers manage and protect workers in extreme heat conditions – both for indoor work, such as in factories and warehouses, and outdoor work, like in trucking, docks and in yards. The proposals woul...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). This week Hurricane Debby made landfall on the East Coast, bringing with it lots of rain, flooding, and damage to Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. It is now making its way up the coast. What are the effects on supply chains and how is the industry responding to help those in...

Our guest on this week's episode is Tom Behnke, vice president of sales and marketing at distribution 3PL Boxzooka. With the turning of the calendar pages to August, it's back-to-school season for most American families. While stores have been stocked for some time with the latest in shoes, clothing, and school supplies, parents are now shopping in earnest to prepare their young learners...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kevin Ledversis, vice president of sales at Newcastle Systems. Labor continues to be in short supply, which means that it is important for distributors and warehouse operators to hold on to the labor that they do have by keeping warehouse employees engaged and happy. Our guest shares ways to foster an environment of employee contentment. Mexico recently pas...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dennis Mullahy. He is the former chief supply chain officer for Macy’s and he has also worked in the supply chain operations for several other large retailers, including Ulta, Michaels, and Meijer. These days, Mullahy is an independent consultant working with a number of supply chain startups. He is also a senior advisor to Fortna. He talks to us about supp...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Alex Scott, an associate professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Many of our regular listeners are familiar with CARB, the California Air Resources Board, and their attempts to reduce air pollution in the Golden State. However, recently, new regulations have hit supply chain companies hard in California. We repo...

Our guest on this week's episode is John Lash, group vice president of product strategy at e2open. Good supply chains allow companies to remain competitive. But sometimes they need a bit of government help, especially when their competitors receive assistance from their own governments. That’s one reason why the Biden administration has launched the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilie...

Our guest on this week's episode is Arun Rajan, chief strategy and innovation officer at transportation provider C.H. Robinson. Artificial intelligence is beginning to make inroads into logistics operations. But beyond all the hype, are there ways that generative AI can benefit transportation companies now?   We’ve all heard about the decline of imports from China and how other countries are...