Supply Chain Monthly

Given the circumstances of the world and those of us who inhabit it are in these days, I wish to lead this column with a shout-out to the staff of CSCMP, sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, and to our many members who showed courage, demonstrated patience, had the passion to succeed, and persevered against so many odds to build and hold an in-person CSCMP EDGE Conference in Atlanta. The conference was more than a success. It was a victory and a testament to CSCMP and the supply chain profession’s practitioners and academics alike. You showed the market that the world is coming back – and every supply chain professional needed that!
 
At this point in the year, you’d normally be hearing something like, “well, 2021 has been yet another year of growth and change for Supply Chain.” Instead, words like “unprecedented”, “historic”, and “uncertain” have been used to describe a year like no other.
 
In fact, there has been very little for any of us to draw upon in terms of precedence. The challenges and constraints within our supply chains due to the pandemic became apparent and newsworthy – all the way down to the consumer. Some organizations are still struggling to know where everything is at, and trust in the supply chain has been tested.
 
COVID-19 may have felt like a Category 5 hurricane that left you battered and bruised – and you’re not alone – but I’d like to think that Supply Chain took a direct hit and is still standing. There’s no doubt that the pandemic increased costs and disrupted efficiencies, but it also highlighted the value of end-to-end visibility, data and analytics.

 

It’s these learnings that need to be analyzed and shared, so that we all come out of this stronger and more resilient.
 
First, there’s no doubt that resiliency and redundancy within our supply chains is critical. But resilience is most effective when paired with visibility. Supply lines require the ability to see, feel and touch, and we not only need visibility into our supplier’s, but our supplier’s suppliers.
 
Next, companies need information and knowledge to be agile and make quick decisions. CSCMP’s 32nd Annual State of Logistics Report describes the homebound consumer, who in 2020 embraced e-commerce and exacerbated shippers’ normal ability to meet consumer expectations and manage costs and quality. E-commerce growth then spurred demand for warehousing, but not for traditional SKUs because in response to the pandemic, our unpredictable consumer not only changed how they shopped, but what they purchased.
 
The supply chain must be flexible enough to absorb any shocks that comes along, including natural disasters, humanitarian crises, tight labor markets and unpredictable demand. The State of Logistics Report also describes supply chains as “continuing to reset from the pandemic with resilient logisticians adapting, planning and shifting to meet current and future demands.” The U.S. economy is now expected to grow 7.7% this year, hopefully signaling a return to normal.
 
Or … maybe a new, and dare I say, improved normal?
 
How has the past year changed you and your organization? Well, before you ponder that question, I want to first congratulate you on being the smartest supply chain professionals in the world. To quote an ancient Chinese proverb, "To know the road ahead, ask those coming back." The blend of supply chain leadership, experience, and knowledge available within the CSCMP supply chain community can be found nowhere else on the planet.
 
As your professional organization, it’s our responsibility to provide access to cutting-edge research, and unparalleled networking and educational opportunities.

 

You know that your CSCMP membership and events like CSCMP’s Annual EDGE Supply Chain Conference and local roundtable meetings are the right tools to help you solve today’s challenges and prepare you for the next … and there WILL be a next!
 
If CSCMP doesn’t help prepare you for what’s coming…who or what will?

 

Watch Scott Lang, Chairman & CEO of Turvo, to hear results from a recent survey of 200+ supply chain leaders on the Amazon effect and why customer experience (CX) is now at the heart of every CSCO’s growth strategy. Learn how collaboration makes for exceptional customer experiences using a ‘Farmers’ approach to logistics, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts by unifying the people, processes, and systems that drive profitability.
 
Scott Lang serves as Turvo’s Chief Executive Officer. He brings more than 30 years of leadership and management experience in the services and technology industries to this role.

Hear from Chief Revenue Officer of Truckstop.com, Kendra Tucker, on the critical role that technology plays to help freight movers succeed in today’s freight market and beyond.
 
For more than 10 years Kendra Tucker has grown and led teams across a variety of business models and industries. Tucker graduated with a degree in international studies from the University of Chicago and spent her early career at Gallup and CEB (now Gartner), working in research and then moving to product marketing and sales leadership, scaling teams and closing deals with companies like BMW and Chanel.

While the transportation industry has always been data rich, most companies do not leverage its full potential. In this talk, Chris Caplice, DAT’s Chief Scientist and Chief of Analytics, describes and demonstrates how data science, visualization, and advanced modeling is being used to help shippers, carriers, and brokers improve their operations. Moving beyond just averages, this talk will illustrate the power of data science in transportation.
 
Dr. Caplice is Chief Scientist for DAT Solutions as well as a Senior Research Scientist at MIT. He is also the Executive Director for the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and Founder/co-Director of the MIT FreightLab. Chris was named the Silver Family Research Fellow and awarded the CSCMP Distinguished Service Award in 2016.

Did you know that many enterprise shippers only have visibility into 30%-70% of shipments? As a result of not having the real-time visibility needed, supply chains are not living up to modern customer expectations and are being forced to overcompensate with excess inventory, manual workarounds and disappointed customers. Global end-to-end Order Health is what’s required to proactively manage exceptions, streamline supply chain operations, and deliver on the customer promise. Watch Adam Compain, Senior Vice President, Global Product Marketing at project44 for this presentation.
 
Adam Compain is SVP of Global Product Marketing at project44, which acquired ClearMetal, where he was Founder & CEO for six years. Prior, Adam spent five years at Google launching their latest technologies, and spent 21 years as Executive Director of a charity he founded to export charitable goods. Adam holds five technology patents, a B.S. from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from Stanford University.

CSCMP’s Young Professionals in Supply Chain Report Presented by Penske Logistics 
 
What do young professionals think about working in the supply chain field? Why are they attracted to the business, and what are they looking for in a career? These are questions leaders from CSCMP, Penske Logistics, and Korn Ferry set out to answer in the bi-annual Young Professionals Survey.

In the third edition of CSCMP’s Biannual Young Professionals in Supply Chain Report, researched and authored by Korn Ferry and presented by Penske Logistics, the 2021 survey results provide insights on the motivations and perspectives of the next generation of supply chain leaders. Gain insights into how they like to be developed, how they uncover supply chain jobs, and if they will relocate for the right opportunity.

The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) announced the 2021 winners of its Humanitarian Logistics Awards at CSCMP's EDGE Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition in September.
 
“Today we have a chance to recognize a group of outstanding companies and individuals who exemplify what selfless logistics is all about,” said ALAN Executive Director Kathy Fulton. “This year’s recipients have truly inspired us, because when the chips have been down, they’ve repeatedly stepped up to help – all without asking what’s in it for them.”

"I was involved with CLM (Council of Logistics Management) in college at John Carroll University, and SOLE (Society of Logistics Executives) in the Army, and then joined what is currently CSCMP, specifically with the Columbus Roundtable in the early 2000's. I joined CSCMP to network and to learn. CSCMP has directly helped me advance my career, and through my involvement in CSCMP I have since helped many others advance their careers. My advice to new CSCMP members is to get engaged. The more you invest in CSCMP, the more you will gain from your immersion. My advice to members that are not getting what they want out of it, is to get more involved. You will get out of it, what you want, what you seek, and the return will be directly proportionate to what you put into it. The great benefit for me is the network of fellow supply chain professionals that I have gained and built and that continues to grow through my involvement in CSCMP. The benefit is not simply my direct network, but the extended network."

"I jumped in with both feet on October 5, 2020, to share experiences within our profession, enhance my skill set, align myself with other supply chain professionals, and be a contributing member within the organization. That said, I love to learn and meet new people! My advice to new members is take advantage of the opportunities offered, complete your profile, and most importantly apply the nuggets as you receive them. After my orientation, I made a point to fully explore the website to identify where to focus my effort. The most valuable membership benefit is tough to identify since everything is great."

Through a portfolio of logistics and transportation solutions, Covenant helps customers engineer value-driven supply chains to get products where they are needed – quickly, cost-effectively and seamlessly.

Watch CSCMP's Corporate Spotlight video to learn more about Covenant today!

CSCMP offers a Basic Membership for only $179, an affordable membership option which provides access to a wide variety of member benefits:

Basic Membership does not include preferred pricing for EDGE. If you plan to attend CSCMP’s annual EDGE Conference, then Premier Membership will be the best option.

Webinar ︱November 4, 2021
 
CSCMP, Auburn University, NASSTRAC, and Agile Business Media have undertaken a multi-year study Logistics 2030: Navigating a Disruptive Decade. During the webinar, our panelists will cover the 2021 study findings and managerial implications of operating in a dynamic sourcing environment. Explore trends and challenges related to sourcing strategy, inbound logistics planning and execution, and supplier collaboration for mutual success.

According to the September Logistics Manager’s Index Report^®, the overall index is 72.2, down from August’s reading of 73.8, and down slightly from July’s reading of 74.5. Clear trends emerge when looking back over the last two years of readings for the overall index. From September 2019 to May 2020, a period marked by an industrial contraction and the outbreak of COVID-19, the overall index displayed marginal growth, registering scores in the 50’s.