In the 2018 MHI Annual Industry Report, 11 emerging technologies that have the potential to disrupt supply chains were studied. The MHI NextGen Supply Chain Update video series takes an in-depth look at the most relevant topics and case studies from the report. The first video looks at blockchain and its potential to revolutionize the way we do business and its impact on the future of supply chains.

It’s pretty inevitable at this point that supply chain is going digital. Or, at least, that’s what all the research says. And there have been many stories about workers being... hesitant to make that change, for fear, in many instances, of losing their jobs. However, there’s research to suggest that factory workers support the shift to digital.

The looming disruption from digital supply chain technologies is creating increased pressure on supply chain teams to get their arms around this new reality, according to new White Paper from the University of Tennessee Global Supply Chain Institute titled "A SAVVY Guide to the Digital Supply Chain."

Thank you to all who attended MODEX 2018 in Atlanta. We hope you were able to take advantage of the show’s many learning opportunities. In case you missed it, the MODEX 2018 education and keynote sessions are now available as webinars online. Access over 100 recordings tailored to your specific business needs.

Today’s autonomous mobile robots use a variety of sensors to make their way around their environments. This new video from MHI view discusses the  combination of radar, lidar and camera technology autonomous vehicles use today to see and navigate around modern facilities. 

Graduates of vocational logistics programs may come to an employer with an impressive academic record. But unless they understand the basics of how to conduct themselves on the job, and of how to interact with their supervisors and their coworkers, they’re unlikely to do well in their new positions.

To keep workers safe when picking items stored at levels above the facility floor—such as in pick modules or on shelving within rack supported platforms—guidelines are offered in RMI’s "ANSI MH16.1-2012: Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks," section 8.4, "Pick Modules and Rack Supported Platforms." The documentation focuses on common-sense safety features and best practices, including ongoing training, to minimize the risk of worker injury as they go about their assigned tasks.

If you want a deep dive into what all happened at MODEX, take a look at our recap blog. But, here’s MODEX 2018 by the numbers: Our attendee number was 30,944, which is a 25% increase over 2016 and had 140 different countries represented. We had 925 exhibitors, covering 283,025 square feet in 2 show halls.

In the drive to address the skills gap in the supply chain sector, companies have a strong ally in academia. While community colleges and trade schools are adjusting their curricula to produce work-ready graduates for entry-level jobs, the universities are training people for high-level positions and working with industry to reduce the hiring pressure through implementing new technology, increased efficiencies and other solutions.

Due to rising consumer demand for sustainable, slave-free goods and services, leading retailers like Nestle and Walmart have backed this new initiative to improve global supply chains.

Among the topics covered in the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics: Version 2.0 was an exploration of changing U.S. demographics. By 2030, Baby Boomers—who are currently retiring at a pace of every nine seconds—will be scarce in the workforce. Despite the millions of entrants to the workforce by 2030, the continuous supply of new workers won’t be enough to replace those retiring.

A new eBook entitled "Can Technology Help the Manufacturing Industry Solve Its Employee Engagement Crisis?" reviews the current state of employee engagement in the manufacturing industry and offers immediately actionable solutions.

Brian Reh, a mechanical engineer by trade, never planned to end up at MHI member Gorbel, the company founded by his father in 1977. These days, he owns the place. Brian and his father, Dave, set out on a multi-year succession plan. The transition was so successful that Brian has implemented succession planning throughout the organization.

Hamilton Caster, along with other businesses in Hamilton, OH, are looking for ways to combat an aging—soon to be retiring—workforce. Workforce recruitment problems won’t be solved in a day, but initiatives like this one are a step in the right direction.

Before committing your warehouse to an automated system, there are three major factors to consider. View the MHI view video to learn more.

The "e" in e-commerce could stand for "explosion" these days, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. But we don’t have to tell you that. Amazon and other large-scale entities may have enlisted automation but they still need a human workforce—and so do the rest of the companies in the supply chain. And as online orders continue to pour in, the Baby Boomers continue to age out.