Industry Trends

Why “Humans + Automation + AI = The New Supply Chain Workforce” is the optimal formula for operational success. By Sara Pearson Specter Multiple surveys have confirmed that—as a result of COVID-19—companies worldwide are accelerating their investments in digital technologies as a means to better anticipate and forestall future disruptions. KPMG’s 2020 CEO Outlook, for example, found that 74% are ...

The pharmaceutical industry is constantly going through changes, from new techniques for manufacturing medicine to streamlining the distribution of medicine. By Sandy Smith For many, the pain points for pharmaceutical companies are familiar: finding good help, meeting increasing demand for medications and filling orders quickly and accurately—if at all possible, delivering the next day.That’s what Monty McVaugh, manager of product ...

The trends in warehousing are based on new technologies, digitalization and IoT and Industry 4.0—with a high degree of automation and robotization. By Tone Lerher The emerging trends in warehousing—and in a variety of industries—are based on the development of new technologies, digitalization, the concept of the Internet of Things and the concept of Industry 4.0 with the high degree ...

By Michael Mikitka Annually, for the past 18 years, the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) has undertaken a benchmarking study, DC Measures, to determine which warehousing and distribution performance metrics are most used by operations managers in facilities nationwide. Conducted every January, the research seeks to eradicate bad warehousing practices by asking respondents to report their actual levels of ...

The Q4 2020 Issue of MHI Solutions takes a deep dive into a subject that has always been a priority in our industry, but has seen added layers over the past year: Safety. These additional layers of safety and health protocols are necessary to ensure worker safety continues to be a top priority during the pandemic.  Leading firms are accepting ...

If 2020 has taught us anything it is that the health and safety of our workers and all our stakeholders must be our top priority. For me, the pandemic reinforced my sense of our common humanity, our responsibility to each other. It’s in times of crisis like these that leaders reveal their true commitment to workers and corporate social responsibility. ...

BY CAROL MILLER, MHI VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Supply chain disruptions took on a whole new dimension in 2020 with the emergence and worldwide spread of COVID-19. The simultaneous challenges of overseas supplier shutdowns, domestic shelter-in-place mandates, and an unprecedented uptick in demand for the basics initially left the world’s supply chains reeling. Here, nine supply chain leaders ...

BY MD SARDER, BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES, and SEYED MOHSEN HOSSEINI, INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI In recent years, supply chains have been more susceptible to a variety of disruption—including natural disaster, technical failure and human errors. Hence, many supply chain enterprises are recognizing the importance of designing reliable and resilient supply chains in ...

Looking Forward to 2021 Despite Election Uncertainty Risks BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESTIGE ECONOMICS As we begin to plan for the year ahead, we need to look back at 2020, understand current uncertainties and be prepared for how they could cast a shadow on the year ahead. Fortunately, we also need to consider upside opportunities for the economy and material handling ...

BY NICOLE NELSON During COVID-19, so many companies and people have gone the extra mile to help out where help is needed. Whether it is providing PPE, a financial donation, a fundraiser, or a random act of kindness, these people are looking out for the greater good of both the industry and the people involved in it. Financially, physically and ...