Technology

MHI Solutions Community BY CHRISTIAN DOW, EVP OF INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP, MHI For little kids, playing “telephone” is a fun game, because as one child whispers the message to the next child in line, it often changes substantially, so it’s anyone’s guess what the last child will hear. In supply‑chain operations, however, there’s no room for garbled communications or a lack ...

Solutions Spotlight   BY KATIE KUEHNER‑HEBERT The Scan, Label, Apply and Manifest (SLAM) Industry Group of MHI offers automated solutions for packaging and shipping products from a warehouse—and now the group has established a new committee for automating inbound processes: Warehouse Automated Receipt and Putaway (WARP). WARP is almost an identical process to the SLAM outbound system, except it’s for ...

Improved collaboration and advanced operational technology strategies can help enhance security.   BY CAROL MILLER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MHI Cybersecurity remains a critical concern for supply chain leaders as digitalization increases both connectivity and complexity across global networks. The growing number of digital touchpoints between suppliers, partners and enterprise systems has significantly expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. No longer ...

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 ...

More than half of industry leaders plan to increase investments in supply chain technologies to facilitate end‑to‑end orchestration of equipment, workforce and goods, according to the 12th edition of the MHI Annual Industry Report. BY CAROL MILLER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, MHI The increasing complexity and volatility of today’s highly competitive business environment is prompting companies to pursue a more integrated ...

Feature The next generation of artificial intelligence—called agentic AI—is being hailed as the technology that will finally fulfill the promise of autonomous supply chains that are smarter, faster, more agile, more efficient and more reliable than ever before. What are the real opportunities and roadblocks, and when can we expect agentic AI to make a real impact? We talk to ...