Tag Archives: supply chain innovation

BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESIDENT, PRESTIGE ECONOMICS; CHAIRMAN, THE FUTURIST INSTITUTE; AUTHOR, “COLD WAR TWO”   ENERGY PRICES ARE significantly exposed to Cold War Two risks. The key takeaway for manufacturing and supply chain professionals is that the companies that insulated themselves by reducing their reliance on hydrocarbons ahead of the conflict with Iran to meet sustainability goals are poised to ...

Member Stories: How Changing MHI Event Demographics Are Shaping Exhibitor Strategy BY CHRISTY DULA, CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MHI WALK THE AISLES at any recent ProMat and MODEX, and one thing is immediately clear: the audience is changing. Exhibitors are engaging with a more diverse mix of attendees than ever before—from first‑time visitors and early‑career professionals to ...

From early‑career apprenticeships to mid‑career transitions, companies are rethinking how talent enters—and stays in—the industry. BY MICHAEL MIKITKA, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MHI KNOWLEDGE CENTER AND WERC DIVISION AS THE MATERIAL handling and supply chain industry continues to grapple with persistent labor shortages, a growing number of companies are rethinking a long‑held assumption: that talent must be sourced externally. ...

BY JOANNA LEON, DIRECTOR, WAREHOUSE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COUNCIL (WERC) MEMBERSHIP & CHAPTERS AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MHI‑CICMHE AS SUPPLY CHAINS become more complex, technology‑driven and essential to global economies, the demand for a skilled and adaptable workforce continues to rise. Meeting this demand requires more than traditional hiring strategies; it requires intentional collaboration between industry and academia. The College Industry ...

BY SANDY SMITH IN AN INDUSTRY crowded with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)—and even more crowded with unmet promises—Nick Saur, CEO co‑founder of MHI member USAMR, is blunt about what’s broken in the AMR market, and equally clear about what he intends to fix. “The idea of shelf‑to‑goods and shelf‑to‑person is not new,” he said. “The technology was proven by Amazon. ...

BY CHRISTIAN DOW, EVP OF INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP, MHI   WHILE REFLECTING ON her past experiences, Amanda Vernaglia, director of target development at MHI member Rehrig Pacific Company, has found that “systems integrators know their designs and systems very well.” On the other hand, end users “know their processes and workflows” much better. When it comes to systems integration as a ...

BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESIDENT, PRESTIGE ECONOMICS; CHAIRMAN, THE FUTURIST INSTITUTE; AUTHOR, “COLD WAR TWO” THE U.S. AND global economic outlooks have darkened following the onset of the war between the United States and Iran and the accompanying rise in oil prices. Geopolitics and Cold War Two tensions remain the biggest risks to markets and the economy, increasing the likelihood of ...

Building high‑performing supply chains and achieving other key business objectives starts with a clear strategic vision, but even the most brilliant strategies often fail due to poor execution, stranding organizations short of their goals and leaving billions in unrealized value on the table. Experts see potential in leveraging artificial intelligence to overcome barriers to implementing strategy and close the strategy‑execution ...

  BY SANDY SMITH   AUTOMATION IS POWERFUL in theory, but when a material handler confronts irregular shapes or sizes, that theory can become difficult to execute. MHI member Freespace Robotics—winner of the ProMat 2025 StartUp Pitch Competition—aims to solve that problem with an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) designed to handle an unusually wide range of product dimensions. ...

IoT sensors and edge computing are transforming supply chains by enabling real‑time insights, predictive maintenance and faster operational decisions. As these technologies mature and integrate with AI and standardized systems, companies can achieve greater visibility, efficiency and resilience across their operations. BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER   IN TODAY’S ULTRA‑COMPETITIVE logistics landscape, data visibility alone isn’t enough. Companies must act on ...