MHI Blog—This summer, we invite you to consider "The Power of Different." An important part of being a good leader is being able (and willing!) to think differently about the world around us. Here are five reasons why the 2017Emerging Leaders Conference (Thursday, July 13 at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown) is a must make event!

CNN—Automation is storming the transportation sector, eliminating some jobs and turning others into desk jobs. Sailors, pilots and drivers are slowly shifting from the high seas, blue skies and open roads to staid office buildings where they monitor vessels from afar.

Modern Materials Handling—If you attended ProMat 2017, you may agree that it’s time to look at materials handling leaders as innovators. On the show floor, companies were demonstrating training and picking solutions using virtual and augmented reality; vision-based maintenance; mobile and piece-picking robotics; pocket sorters; and new software solutions. Are they all ready for prime time? Of course not. Many of these innovative solutions are still in search of a customer willing to do a pilot. But, they demonstrate the leaps the industry is taking after years of tweaking existing hardware.

TechRepublic—Lowe's employees are getting a futuristic new uniform: A robotic suit. The home improvement company partnered with Virginia Tech researchers to develop an exosuit, or a wearable robot suit with lift-assist technology, for store employees to wear. The lightweight exosuit is designed to help employees more easily lift and move products throughout the store, and to help avoid muscle fatigue.

Wired—Uber Freight is Uber’s bid to bring the ride hailing model to trucking. The service, which quietly launched in Texas late last year, connects truckers with stuff that needs trucking, much like the app connects drivers with people who need driving. It’s like Uber, but for freight.

SupplyChainDive—It’s official: U.S. officials will meet with counterparts in Mexico and Canada as early as August this year to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), kicking off a complex process that could potentially redefine supply chains.

As part of MHI view's ongoing video program, this new episode focuses on Shaping Your Culture to Improve Retention.  Company culture is a big part of employee life. This episode shows you three ways to improve your company culture so employees will choose to stay.

San Francisco Chronicle—Walmart is conducting an experiment, that will wrap up next month to better understand how to make use of blockchain — a secure system of recording data that, many believe, could have a transformative effect on the world’s economy. The technology is already creeping into everything from supply chain management to banking to health care.

Bloomberg—JD.com Inc. announced plans to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. The company said it will test the drones on a network it is developing to cover the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi. It said they will carry consumer goods to remote areas and farm produce to cities.

Supply Chain Management Review—Windows will stop supporting its mobile operating system in 2020, leaving devices vulnerable to attack. While that may seem like a lifetime away, savvy DC operators need to develop a migration plan.

EBN—For major electronics OEMs, transitioning to renewable energy entails not only using it in their own factories but calling on those that supply components to do the same. Apple has done just that. As a result, many of its suppliers are turning to solar and wind power, and some are even reaching out to sea to get it.

MHI Blog—Some of the ways you could easily be more involved with MHI are maybe not what would immediately come to mind. Check out these six ideas; you might be surprised!

EBN—The U.S. manufacturing industry is facing a big problem: women make up half of the total workforce yet only 29% of the U.S. manufacturing workforce. According to research from Deloitte, there will be a shortage of two million workers in the manufacturing industry over the next decade. Recruiting more women to join supply chain, especially in the area of manufacturing, is key to overcoming this anticipated talent gap. Hiring more women is an obvious strategy, but retention hinges on the ability of employers to provide a work environment where women flourish and advance.

USAToday—Sears Holdings, which wasn't shy when it announced at the start of the year that it isclosing 150 underperforming stores, has quietly added at least 30more to the list.

Las Vegas Sun, First Coast News—Amazon is planning to hire 500 people for full-time positions in a new 800,000-square-foot fulfillment center in North Las Vegas opening over the summer. Amazon also is hiring 4,000 people in Jacksonville, FL, to fill positions at facilities in the region opening over the next year.

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 Guardian—Uber said it plans to test flying cars by 2020, with the goal of eventually enabling customers to "push a button and get a high-speed flight in and around cities." The embattled ride-sharing company, which is facing a high-stakes intellectual property lawsuit over its self-driving car technology, said it is partnering with aircraft manufacturers to develop an "on-demand" network of "vertical take-off and landing vehicles."

The Maritime Executive—A panel discussion held in conjunction with Infrastructure Week has heard that U.S. ports need a combined $66 billion in federal government infrastructure investments. The panel briefing was held by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the Congressional PORTS Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA).

The LoadStar—Forwarders are increasingly announcing exclusive partnerships with airlines for full freighter services.National Airlines and Navitrans USA will launch a new global service, which is one of several examples of forwarders launching partnerships with airlines to improve freighter services. Navitrans had nearly the same arrangement with Atlas Air and Trinity Logistics USA has extended its partnership with Etihad Cargo.

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