A message from CSCMP President and CEO, Mark Baxa.
 
The number of stressors facing supply chain professionals today from continuing “demand vs. supply” imbalances to tariffs and the threat of port strikes and war, all means we’re facing the most challenging business climate that we’ve seen in decades. But there’s little doubt in my mind that the challenge that currently sits at the top of most supply chain managers’ list of concerns is the shortage of labor.
 
This problem is wider and deeper than a lack of qualified drivers to operate trucks. It is a holistic one that cuts across the entire supply chain from the warehouse floor to the C-suite. Positions in the transportation and warehousing sectors have long been challenging to fill. But companies are also struggling to fill what I would call more corporate types of roles. As a result, right now we’re all competing for the same limited supply of talent, trying to lure away the best and the brightest from our competitors. This approach is not sustainable. We need instead a new pipeline of talent, and we need to build it together.
 
A new program from CSCMP seeks to create training-to-jobs programs that will attract more people to the field of supply chain management.
 
Here at CSCMP, we believe we need to join as one across the entire supply chain profession to develop more core talent at all levels of the supply chain. We need talent that is competent and capable to produce results, and we are going to have to work together across government and private industry to find and nurture it.
 
To begin the process of developing this core talent pool, CSCMP has created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called the Talent Center. The Talent Center will create training-to-jobs programs that will reach people and places that have been overlooked or underrepresented in terms of supply chain jobs. We will also be developing programs at the high school level to introduce students to the field of supply chain management. Part of that curriculum will be focused on preparing students for a two-year or four-year college. But another equally important part will provide technical training to help other students directly enter the workforce with a greater skill set than they have ever had before.
 
But we cannot do this alone. We need partners. We encourage companies and individuals to join us by making tax-deductible donations to the Talent Center to fund these programs. Our goal is to raise $5 million by 2025. With your help, we can get there. By taking this first step, we believe that we can begin to be more intentional about developing the workforce of the future and making the profession sustainable for years to come.
 

You can make a donation to help change the future of the supply chain profession by reaching out to Cynthia Mebruer at cmebruer@cscmp.org.

When it comes to helping ALAN there’s no such thing as “just a small” donation. Each tax-deductible dollar you give allows ALAN to help provide more than $70 worth of relief to individuals and communities at a time when they need it most – and to deliver dignity, comfort and hope.

Help ALAN continue the good work they do by becoming an ALAN corporate donor or member – or by making a one-time gift today. Click here to learn more about becoming an ALAN corporate donor.
Or contact comms@alanaid.org for donation inquiries.

P.S. Did you know you can also give to ALAN through Amazon Smile? When you shop on Amazon Smile using the link below, you can select American Logistics Aid Network as the charity you’d like to give to.

The growth in e-commerce is driving retailers to compete in digital channels and implement omnichannel supply chains. To help companies develop and apply omnichannel strategies at a time when they also face extreme market uncertainty, the MIT Omnichannel Distribution Strategies Research Lab, directed by Dr. Eva Ponce at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL), is researching the impact of e-commerce changes on retail supply chains.

Please take a moment to fill out this 5-minute survey. The findings will be published in the upcoming December 2022 issue of DC Velocity magazine and Q1 2023 issue of CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly.

 

If you have trouble with the link above, please copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2bGMT7s2tFR8tU2?Source=DCV

33RD ANNUAL STATE OF LOGISTICS REPORT
 
Last year taxed every inch of the U.S. supply chain. Fueled in part by trillions of dollars of COVD-relief money, demand for goods surged in 2021. Global supply chains, however, struggled to keep up as they faced material shortages, a tight labor market, capacity constraints, and a congested transportation network.
 
This volatility and tumult caused U.S. business logistics costs (USBLC) to skyrocket to $1.85 trillion, a 22.4% increase over 2020, according to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ (CSCMP’s) 33rd Annual “State of Logistics Report.”
 
Originally created in 1989 by the late logistic consultant Robert V. Delaney to measure logistics efficiency following the deregulation of transportation in the United States, the “State of Logistics Report” has expanded over the years. It now not only details all the costs associated with moving freight through the U.S. supply chain but also analyzes the overall state of the economy and key logistics trends to watch.

SCPro™ Certification is a three-tiered program that assesses progressive knowledge and skills across integrated supply chain activities. This process validates an individual’s ability to strategically assess business challenges, effectively implement supply chain improvements through the analysis of real-world case studies, and develop a comprehensive project plan to achieve results such as a positive ROI.

 

We’ve seen that our supply chain is resilient to a point, but we also have sustained continued inflationary and workforce pressures; therefore, there is a real need and opportunity for industry collaboration across the entire value chain to restore equilibrium, identify supply chain root causes, share best practices, find solutions, and embed greater resilience in the system.
 
With this in mind, FMI is hosting the 2022 FMI Supply Chain Forum, October 18-20, 2022, in Arlington, VA, and thrilled to be welcoming attendees in person for this important event. 

October 20, 2022 | Free & Virtual Event
 
Gain Visibility Into the Digital Supply Chain - Understanding how to improve supply chain visibility today – while planning for tomorrow – can help you:

Mark Baxa, CSCMP president and CEO, will speak on Wednesday, November 9 at 10:30 AM in his presentation titled: 
 
Supply Chain in Crisis – The Latest Developments & How You Can Meet the Challenge
As the global supply chain continues to present unprecedented challenges for NACD member companies with escalating delays, historically high costs and uncertainty with container movements, learn the latest developments and see how your company can meet these challenges.
 
The NACD Annual Meeting is the highlight of the year for the chemical distribution industry. It’s a time where industry leaders, together with their customers and colleagues, learn from each other new ways to lead high-performing companies, to improve sales organizations and better understand challenges facing all of us. These interactions are vital to staying current and energized. Each Annual Meeting program will include the most qualified and knowledgeable subject-matter experts to ensure that you get the essential updates, fresh strategies and practical advice you need.

CSCMP President and CEO Mark Baxa will be speaking at Manifest, a global gathering for leaders in logistics & supply chain, to uncover next-gen technologies that are transforming the way goods move internationally and domestically.
 
CSCMP members save on registration for the event at the Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, January 31 - February 2, 2023! Learn more about the event here.

According to the September Logistics Manager’s Index Report®, the overall LMI reads in at 61.4 up from August’s reading of 59.7, returning to the 60’s after a one-month dip into the 50’s. The report suggests the continued growth in the overall index is mainly due to the expansion in inventories, utilization of warehousing and transportation, and the related costs while it's moderated by the slowdown in transportation metrics. This is generally a peak season for supply networks (the overall network read in at 72.2, 11.8 points higher, this time last year). Seasonality would dictate that activity should pick up throughout the rest of the year, particularly if consumer spending is strong.

CSCMP’s EDGE 2022 On-Demand Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition is an experience with opportunities to learn from industry experts and hear dynamic speakers you won't find anywhere else.
 
EDGE is how the supply chain management professional connects to the latest in industry knowledge and developments while meeting today's innovators and trend-setters.
 
EDGE 2022 on-demand access is available for FREE to registered attendees from September 30, 2022 through November 15, 2022. Share the news with friends and colleagues to access this premier content before it ends.