Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Bindiya Vakil, CEO and co-founder at Resilinc. As the Southeast is continuing to recover from the double whammy of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, supply chains have recovered to bring goods to the affected areas and the people who need help. But what can we do to strengthen those supply chains and reduce future risk from the disruptions that widespread natural disasters like hurricanes can ca...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director at the American Logistics Aid Network, or better known in the logistics industry as ALAN. All of us have witnessed the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to the Southeast and the Carolinas in particular. And then right on the heels of that we had Hurricane Milton tearing across Florida earlier this week. It is during disasters like these that we see th...

Our guest on this week's episode is Elizabeth Gallenagh, general counsel and senior VP, Supply Chain Integrity, for the Healthcare Distribution Alliance. Pharmaceutical supply chains have been ramping up for a number of years to meet the requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, also known as DSCSA.  The DSCSA requires the tracking and serializing of all pharmaceutical products. The deadline is set for November, but ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos. The deadline is Monday to avert a dockworkers strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. That is when the current labor contract is expiring. A strike of even short duration could wreck a lot of supply chains. Our guest gives us the latest update on the negotiations and what effects a strike might have.

Wreaths Across America is seeking carriers an...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dana Stiffler, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner, an industry research and consulting firm. Women continue to be leaders in our industry throughout the world and their impacts are immeasurable. Recently Gartner teamed with the women's supply chain organization AWESOME to complete the ninth annual Women in Supply Chain survey that looks at the work of the female gender in supply chains...

Our guest on this week's episode is Andrew Billings, vice president and supply chain capability lead at North Highland. The retail world has already survived this year’s Prime Day and now we are heading into the peak holiday shopping season. Are retailers prepared and are there any clues as to what consumers will be snapping up this year? Our guest has some insights.

With an eye on assuring it has the raw materials it needs, li...

Our guest on this week's episode is Michael Sadowski, a researcher and author who just completed a study on sustainability in the apparel industry.  Released by the Apparel Impact Institute, the study looks at the apparel industry's use of  available resources. Of course, there are the fabrics that are grown and harvested or man-made materials that consume water and power. Most of our clothing is also made overseas, so th...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dawn Andre, chief product officer at Jaggaer. New supply chain talent is on the way, as college programs continue to mold new entrants for the industry. But what are some of the best ways to make use of these new recruits? Our guest has some ideas.

Victoria Kickham is off this week, so filling her seat is Susan Lacefield, the executive editor of Supply Chain Xchange. Susan shares about the ne...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jim Bunsey, director of commercial business development at the Propane Education & Research Council, better known in the industry as PERC. With the goal of reducing carbon footprints and clearing the air, supply chain managers are seeking cleaner technologies to power their operations. Our guest shares that the full energy cycle should be considered when choosing power for material handl...

Our guest on this week's episode is Scott Walker, vice president of Supply Chain Product Management for Powerfleet. Last month the U.S. Department of Labor  issued a proposed rule to regulate how employers manage and protect workers in extreme heat conditions – both for indoor work, such as in factories and warehouses, and outdoor work, like in trucking, docks and in yards. The proposals would require each employer with more t...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). This week Hurricane Debby made landfall on the East Coast, bringing with it lots of rain, flooding, and damage to Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. It is now making its way up the coast. What are the effects on supply chains and how is the industry responding to help those in need? 

It is always good for us to t...

Our guest on this week's episode is Tom Behnke, vice president of sales and marketing at distribution 3PL Boxzooka. With the turning of the calendar pages to August, it's back-to-school season for most American families. While stores have been stocked for some time with the latest in shoes, clothing, and school supplies, parents are now shopping in earnest to prepare their young learners for a good school year. What does ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kevin Ledversis, vice president of sales at Newcastle Systems. Labor continues to be in short supply, which means that it is important for distributors and warehouse operators to hold on to the labor that they do have by keeping warehouse employees engaged and happy. Our guest shares ways to foster an environment of employee contentment.

Mexico recently passed China to become the U.S.’s large...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dennis Mullahy. He is the former chief supply chain officer for Macy’s and he has also worked in the supply chain operations for several other large retailers, including Ulta, Michaels, and Meijer. These days, Mullahy is an independent consultant working with a number of supply chain startups. He is also a senior advisor to Fortna. He talks to us about supply chains post-pandemic, facility d...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Alex Scott, an associate professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Many of our regular listeners are familiar with CARB, the California Air Resources Board, and their attempts to reduce air pollution in the Golden State. However, recently, new regulations have hit supply chain companies hard in California. We reported a few weeks ago on new regulat...

Our guest on this week's episode is John Lash, group vice president of product strategy at e2open. Good supply chains allow companies to remain competitive. But sometimes they need a bit of government help, especially when their competitors receive assistance from their own governments. That’s one reason why the Biden administration has launched the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience. Our guest shares why this late...

Our guest on this week's episode is Arun Rajan, chief strategy and innovation officer at transportation provider C.H. Robinson. Artificial intelligence is beginning to make inroads into logistics operations. But beyond all the hype, are there ways that generative AI can benefit transportation companies now?  

We’ve all heard about the decline of imports from China and how other countries are benefiting from that decli...

Our guest on this week's episode is Don Hicks, CEO of Optilogic. We saw during the pandemic how badly our ports were jammed with all of the many imported goods we needed and wanted to keep us happy while stuck in our homes. The congestion had eased a bit in the past year or so, but now things are beginning to jam up again. What’s causing that congestion? Our guest has some answers as well as advice on how to deal with these ne...

Our guest on this week's episode is Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handing North America. He also serves as the current chair of the Industrial Truck Association. Each year, the forklift industry sets apart a special day, known as National Forklift Safety Day, to recognize the importance of driver training and safe practices when operating industrial trucks. It's sponsored by the Industrial Truck Associa...