Feature BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER GREENBUTTERFLY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM One of the key takeaways for companies operating disrupted supply chains during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftermath) was how imperative it had become to gain visibility throughout multiple tiers of suppliers—specifically their inbound deliveries. By gaining a more precise view of where a product was enroute, not to mention its ...

By The Numbers DARKO 1981/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM 85% of supply chain leaders have struggled with insufficient digital technologies in the supply chain. Source: McKinsey surveys of global supply leaders, May 15-22, 2020 Four out of five supply chain leaders expect to or already use AI and machine learning for planning. Source: McKinsey survey of global supply chain leaders, May 6-June 3, 2021 The global ...

Industry Focus Automated solutions streamline operations in the pharmaceutical and health-products industry. BY NICK FORTUNA Photo provided by ABB Robotics Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur and television personality, made big news last January when his Cost Plus Drug Co. launched its online pharmacy, selling generic medications wholesale to retailers and directly to consumers paying in cash. By limiting its profit ...

Higher Education A Unit-Level Case: Radiology Emergency Viewpoints BY SADAN KULTUREL-KONAK, PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, PENN STATE BERKS AND MICHAEL A. BRUNO, PROFESSOR OF RADIOLOGY & MEDICINE, PENN STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, HERSHEY HXDBZXY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM For over two and a half years, the world has been fighting COVID-19, with the total death toll passing 6.5 million, and there has been ...

CEO Update The pandemic coupled with supply chain disruptions have led to an increased urgency for the digital transformation of supply chain operations. A defined digital strategy leads to more streamlined and more efficient supply chains that can take advantage of automation and other emerging technologies. However, these supply chain efficiencies and cybersecurity are closely intertwined. While increased reliance on ...

DEI Feature BY CHRISTIAN DOW, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MEMBERSHIP AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP FIZKES/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM At October’s Annual Conference, MHI’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee presented “Discussions about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs.” Moderated by Dr. Shanthi Muthuswamy of Northern Illinois University, the panel included: Edward Lada Jr., president & CEO of Goodwill Keystone Area and the Goodwill Keystone ...

MHI Solutions Community BY CHRISTIAN DOW, MHI EXECUTIVE VP OF MEMBERSHIP AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP RYMDEN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM In a sense, managing a warehouse or distribution center is like coaching a football team. First, you prepare for the big game, then you play it, and then you watch film to evaluate the team’s performance. Hopefully, small improvements over time result in many more ...

Economic Market Analysis BY JASON SCHENKER PRESIDENT, PRESTIGE ECONOMICS, CHAIRMAN, FUTURIST INSTITUTE® A year of shifting forces The year ahead is one of significant risk but also opportunity. While backlogs of unfilled orders have been a hindrance to revenue since mid-2020, those same backlogs could help keep manufacturing and material handling activity somewhat buffered from the persistent rise in interest ...

Safer Handling BY TOM GRESHAM PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEEL KING INDUSTRIES In 2024, the Storage Manufacturers Association (SMA) will celebrate 50 years of representing the leading suppliers of industrial storage equipment. For the SMA, a trade group within MHI whose members supply everything from steel shelving and industrial work platforms to modular drawer equipment and movable base storage equipment, safety ...

Product Spotlight: ECMA BY NICK FORTUNA PHOTO PROVIDED BY BOSCH REXROTH For the supply chain industry to harness the full power of Industry 4.0, stakeholders must come together to increase the connectivity of material handling equipment and the uniformity of the data it produces. Only then can end users realize the full potential of artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and other ...