Current Features

This year’s tariff turmoil is just the latest in a growing list of shocks to global supply chains. Experts say we can expect more frequent and less predictable challenges to stability from geopolitical upheaval, wars, extreme weather, supply‑and‑demand fluctuations—and even the occasional black swan event. As disruption becomes the new normal, companies are evolving new mindsets, strategies and tactics to ...

How Agentic AI Turns Supply Chain Uncertainty into Business Advantage Five industry experts share how agentic artificial intelligence is transforming supply chains by enabling autonomous decision‑making, real‑time adaptation and resilience in the face of an unpredictable future.   BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER   In today’s globalized and hyper‑connected world, supply chains face an extraordinary array of challenges. From geopolitical instability, ...

Emerging Technologies Give Companies Insights from Every Vantage Point   BY NICK FORTUNA   When supply chains operate in the dark, costs add up quickly—and for too long, instinct and improvisation have stood in for solid information. “Supply chains, by and large, are run by heroes,” said William Wappler, chief executive of MHI member Surgere. “These folks often don’t have ...

Protecting the Power and the Water Supply   BY MARY LOU JAY   Discussions about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the supply chain tend to focus on all the potential benefits it offers for improving operations. But those improvements come at a cost that is just now starting to receive more attention: Implementing AI places considerable demands on ...

How Accurate, Unified Data Enhances Efficiency, Forecasting and Resilience   BY VICTORIA LIM   The frantic scramble for toilet paper and hand sanitizer during the COVID‑19 pandemic just a few years ago was likely the first time many consumers paid attention to supply chains. The world saw firsthand that supply chains aren’t just logistics puzzles; they are essential systems working ...

BY TOM GRESHAM   Since the COVID pandemic, trade uncertainty and disruption have been commonplace in the retail supply chain. “Whether it’s on the trade front or geopolitics or weather disasters or all manner of different things, there’s always something going on that’s affecting the retail supply chain,” Jess Dankert, vice president of supply chain for the Retail Industry Leaders ...

A shifting policy landscape is pushing companies to rethink how they balance clean energy goals with economic security and industrial growth.   BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESIDENT OF PRESTIGE ECONOMICS® AND CHAIRMAN OF THE FUTURIST INSTITUTE®   As the Trump Administration prioritizes U.S. reindustrialization, technological supremacy and energy dominance, the landscape for sustainability and clean energy appears to be entering a ...

Member Stories BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI As labor shortages continue to challenge supply chains across the U.S., many companies are reevaluating long‑held hiring practices. With frontline positions in warehousing, distribution and manufacturing increasingly hard to fill, talent acquisition leaders are turning to a demographic long overlooked: mature workers. These are individuals typically over the ...

WERC Matters Filling a new role, Capellán leads MHI’s workforce initiatives. BY MICHAEL MIKITKA, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MHI’S KNOWLEDGE VALUE CENTER AND WERC As the material handling and supply chain industry continues to evolve rapidly, the pressure to build a skilled, diverse workforce has never been greater. Enter Pahola Capellán, MHI’s new Workforce Development Manager. She’s filling a new ...

Higher Education BY JOANNA LEON, MANAGING DIRECTOR, COLLEGE‑INDUSTRY COUNCIL ON MATERIAL HANDLING EDUCATION (CICMHE) The material handling and supply chain industries are evolving rapidly, driven by automation, data, sustainability and global challenges. Yet one of the most pressing concerns isn’t just technological—it’s human. A significant workforce gap threatens the industry’s growth, fueled by a lack of student exposure to the ...