Organizations across manufacturing, retail and distribution are deploying artificial intelligence to optimize individual functions, including demand forecasting, warehouse slotting, carrier selection and last-mile routing. The results at the node level are often impressive, but something unexpected is happening at the network level: The constraints are moving instead of disappearing. When AI is deployed function by function, each team improves its own performance in relative

Same-day delivery promises speed, convenience and competitive advantage, but its role in the future of logistics is far from straightforward. Same-day delivery has long been heralded as the next frontier in retail logistics, but its role is more complex than a simple end state for the industry. Research from McKinsey suggests consumer expectations have already shifted significantly. Speed is no longer viewed as a premium add-on but part of a new normal influencing purchasing

Copper mining in Namibia is seeing a significant revival as of April 2026, driven by a national strategy to diversify the mining sector beyond uranium and diamonds. The industry is currently defined by the restart of historical "brownfield" mines and the advancement of massive new porphyry deposits. Key Mining Developments Orion Minerals: Aims to start Prieska Mine production in the Northern Cape, with funding to be secured by mid-2026. Copper 360 & Jubilee Metals: Reopening

In this discussion, Robert Bowman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Cris Lauer, account executive at Enveyo. To offset the market power wielded by parcel giants FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service, shippers need to explore alternative services. Diversification mitigates risk and, in the end, provides better service. There are plenty of players from which to choose. “There are so many regional carriers coming out of the woodwork,” says Lauer, offering lower cost as well a

The MODEX trade show , produced by MHI, is North America's largest manufacturing and supply chain event. "Modex" is held biennially in Atlanta, Georgia. MODEX 2026 just concluded (April 13–16, 2026) and the event showcased robotics, AI, material handling equipment, and last-mile logistics. Keynote speakers featured were leaders from The Home Depot and NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, Jr.. At the most recent event, more than 70% of supply chain executives say that artificial intel

In this discussion, John Maytham from Cape Talk Radio interviews Gavin Kelly, the CEO of the Road Freight Association, to unpack what this latest fuel shock means for transport operators and the broader economy. South Africa is at an average increase of 47% to the diesel price. This has a massive impact, especially on small and mid-sized operators. At payment terms of 60 to 90 days, as is the industry standard, this puts significant pressure on cash flows. Keys to reducing di

Project44, the global leader in supply chain decision intelligence and context-fueled AI, today announced its acquisition of LunaPath.ai in an all-cash transaction. LunaPath is an AI-native logistics automation company specializing in orchestration and execution-focused agents. The acquisition accelerates project44’s AI Agent Orchestration strategy, embedding LunaPath’s automation capabilities to eliminate repetitive freight work and turn insight into coordinated, real-time e

In this discussion, Robert Bowman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Mahesh Rajasekharan, the CEO of Cleo . They are a Supply Chain as a Service, software and network provider. He offers a perspective on how supply chain leaders are approaching 2026 after a volatile 2025. Last year found supply chain organizations confronting extreme volatility in multiple forms, and the situation continues in 2026, Rajasekharan says. But one thing is different: As geopolitical tensions domi

Flight cuts and soaring jet fuel costs highlight structural vulnerabilities in airline networks, reshaping cargo capacity, rates and global logistics. Global air cargo networks are under pressure as rising jet fuel costs and geopolitical tensions expose structural vulnerabilities in airline operations. Major carriers such as United Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Air New Zealand are trimming schedules, affecting cargo capacity and increasing logistical complexity for comp

In this discussion, Russell Goodman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Joshua Haun, vice president of business development at UniUni . He explains that as the use of alternative carriers increases, carrier diversification is the new norm in supply chain. Haun believes the growth of alternative carriers was inevitable, given the number of rate increases imposed by traditional carriers, not to mention the disruption in the industry caused by international shippers, especially

In the past several weeks, gold crossed $5,000 an ounce, dropped, then rebounded, only to drop again. Silver spiked and then plunged. The U.S. dollar rallied to a five-week high and its strongest position since late 2024, temporary reclaiming its global defacto standard status. Energy markets, meanwhile, continue to respond to instability in Venezuela and war in Iran. For investors, this whiplash reflects anxiety and unpredictability — and good luck finding a safe haven. For

A Gartner survey of 509 supply-chain leaders found changes in working, driven by advancements in agentic AI, will be the most influential driver of performance in the years to come. Supply chains are set to become increasingly autonomous as AI is set to resolve 60% of disruptions without human intervention by 2031, according to new research from Gartner. As global trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions mount, supply chains face growing risks of mismanagement, delayed re

In this discussion, Russell Goodman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with James Wee, senior vice president and general manager of fleet at Descartes . He explains that artificial intelligence isn't just in the conversation throughout the supply chain. It's delivering real, measurable value in fleet and last-mile operations. Ask fleet operators what’s top of mind today, and expense reduction in last-mile delivery may be at the head the list, Wee says. Not far behind are higher e

Post-signature contract management is where real value emerges in supply chain operations, yet many organisations overlook this critical phase entirely. For many teams, the signing of the contract marks the completion of a procurement cycle – but for Dominique Kindt, CEO and Founder, and Koen Vercauteren, Head of Product Management of WITH and its digital platform Birdseye, it is precisely where the real challenge of supply chain value realisation begins. WITH was founded in

In this discussion, Robert Bowman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Melanie Burns. She is the Senior Director of Parcel Strategy at Transportation Insight . They are an American transportation optimization strategy and service provider. She says here that making the right decision on parcel and freight movements is a lot more complex than some shippers realize. Shippers are missing a lot when they approach transportation costing solely from the perspective of volume and rat

When you’ve been an industry analyst for 27 years, not much really surprises you anymore, mostly because history has a habit of repeating itself. Or at least rhyming, as Mark Twain supposedly said. “ Oil Hits New Record; Is $200 a Barrel Coming ?” ABC News reported in May 2008. A few months later, the global financial crisis hit and oil prices crashed to below $50 per barrel. “ Sky is the limit: Analysts warn oil prices could surge further ” is the CNBC headline this morning.

In this discussion, Russell Goodman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Chris Cutshaw, vice president of market solutions at C.H. Robinson . He says that making sense of unstructured oceans of data is the greatest need supply chain managers have when it comes to artificial intelligence. One of the most interesting developments in supply chain, Cutshaw says, is that it has been “democratized” in the last five years. Many of the large-language models that are available can be a

President Trump’s firehose of tariffs is having an impact on the world that extends well beyond the price of imported goods. It promises to trigger a wholesale realignment of global trade alliances. That’s the contention of Sam Wilkin, director of political risk analytics with Willis, a global insurance brokerage and risk adviser. In exchange for reduced tariffs, Wilkin explains, a number of countries have agreed to align with the U.S. on national security policies, such as s

In this discussion, Russell Goodman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with Jay Koh, managing director and co-founder of The Lightsmith Group . They are a New York and California-based private equity company that focuses its investments on technology-enabled business services and solutions in the areas of energy, water, food and agriculture, and climate resilience solutions. He says here that as supply chain companies have become ever more integral to the economy, private equity

Most supply chains are leaking value long before anyone sees a problem, and the edge now comes from spotting those leaks early enough to stop them. This is less about another dashboard and more about a different way of running the business — one that treats foresight, optimization, and orchestation as daily habits, not special projects. The old strategies of financial engineering and one‑time cost cuts still matter, but no longer separate leaders from the pack for very long.