Forbes — The war of political rhetoric rages in the debates in the United States. I am watching the resounding political sound bites on local television as I travel the world helping global supply chain teams in Brussels, London, Singapore, Shanghai and Spain. I am trying to help global manufacturing companies build effective supply chains. The political debate's focus is on manufacturing. I think manufacturing is only a piece of the story. I firmly believe that effective supply chains build economies. In this jobless economy there is a shortage of supply chain talent in mid-management positions globally. My mission is to help companies and countries close this gap.

Ebnonline — Several organizations have set their sights on Japan for the next wave of successful startups and visionary entrepreneurs. At a pitch event, investors discussed how emerging startups can harness the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Researchers have developed nanometer-thin graphene sheets that can better absorb light and heat.

Modern Materials Handling — With the continual expansion of the global economy-and the supply chain reach required to support it-MODEX 2016 expects more than 2,900 attendees from nearly 90 countries. With the continual expansion of the global economy-and the supply chain reach required to support it-MODEX 2016 expects more than 2,900 attendees from nearly 90 countries.

The Wall Street Journal — Many of the autonomous vehicles that are expected to come to market by 2020 tackle the problem of perception by using laser sensors or high-definition cameras. Seegrid takes a different approach, plotting data from pairs of low-end cameras on a three-dimensional grid. Proprietary algorithms determine the probability that an object is in the space represented by each cell of the grid.

MHI Blog —MHI will preview its 2016 Annual Industry Report-Accelerating Change: How Innovation is Driving Digital "Always-On" Supply Chains during the April 6 Keynote at MODEX 2016.

www.supplychainshaman.com — The new world of supply chain analytics is my current research project. Using unstructured and stream data is a brave new world. The possibilities of data variety and velocity to improve supply chain management excite me. As I study the market; today, I have more questions than answers. There is a great need for improved supply chain analytics.

MHI Blog — In November 2015, MHI launched a new awareness campaign to connect, engage and inspire next-generation workers to pursue manufacturing and supply chain careers.



The campaign launched with a #iWorkInTheSupplyChain video that tells the unique stories of a variety of manufacturing and supply chain professionals.

The Wall Street Journal — Rising minimum wages in cities and states around the country could raise the costs of e-commerce operations. 



In a report released Friday, analysts with real-estate brokerage firm CBRE Inc. estimated a $1 increase in average hourly wages could add more than $1 million in annual costs to a warehouse operation employing 500 people. For e-commerce facilities, which can be two-to-four times more labor-intensive than a typical warehouse-especially during the busy holiday shipping season-the impact could be even greater, the report said.

Fast Company — It's no longer (just) about patriotism or marketing. These brands want to create the best, most innovative clothes in the world.

MHI Blog — The MHI Young Professionals Network (YPN) is sponsoring a Supply Chain Education Summit Track titled New Generation Supply Chain Workforce on Tuesday, April 5 at MODEX 2016. Below are answers to common questions about attending.

MHI Blog — More than 11 million people work in the U.S. supply chain-that is 8.6 percent of the nation's workforce. However, a shortage of skilled workers remains. Without a doubt, the skilled workforce shortage is the biggest challenge facing this industry.



The need for new skill sets to run the new breed of digitized, connected supply chains will only intensify this talent gap. As lower-skilled jobs are increasingly replaced by a more connected, automated supply chain, new, higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs will be created as entirely new categories of work are defined.

Ebnonline — We are all still reeling from the aftermath of the winter of 2015, which brought record snowfall to a number of major cities across the country. The city of Boston alone saw 9 feet of snow, with 64.8 inches falling just in February. Boston plows removed 35,000 truckloads of snow, and many of the massive piles didn't melt until July.



This extreme winter weather caused problems not just for commuters and snowplow operators, but also for road and rail infrastructure. The 193,256 potholes created in New York City will cost an estimated $15 million to repair.

Industryweek — Google transformed itself into Alphabet last year to keep the ambitions of a wild and crazy startup even as the company matured into an increasingly prudent adult. As any millennial can tell you, the shift into adulthood isn't easy. 



The inherent tensions between teenager Google and grown-up Alphabet contributed to the company's decision to seek a possible buyer for its Boston Dynamics robotics business, which it purchased in late 2013 as part of a robotics acquisition spree.

Modern Materials Handling — How best to attract and retain the next generation of supply chain workers to our industry is a frequent topic of discussion. That's why MHI's Young Professionals Network (YPN) is dedicating its first formal educational track to the subject at MODEX 2016. How best to attract and retain the next generation of supply chain workers to our industry is a frequent topic of discussion.

MHI’s new Career Forum  enables manufacturing and supply chain professionals to view current job postings of MHI member companies. Go to http://www.mhi.org/careers to find the perfect opportunity for you.

The Washington Post — Drones: a useful business tool or playtime toy? The question will arise again Wednesday on the floor of the Senate as lawmakers consider how much regulation is needed for a burgeoning industry that is projected to supply 2.8 million drones this year, with a bottom line rapidly approaching $1 billion in annual sales.

The Maritime Executive — Sustainability expectations are growing in the shipping industry, and a new agenda is emerging. Dr Henrik Sornn-Friese is working to unify what have been, until now, fragmented attempts to bring best environmental practices to the maritime supply chain.

Industrial Distribution — Industrial distributors are facing a significant challenge from their B2B customers: Provide a rich online experience that’s similar to a consumer’s online retail experience, or risk losing them to a manufacturer or competing distributor.