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GLOBAL LOGISTICS: BREAKING THROUGH THE COMPLEXITY
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BITE SIZED SUPPLY CHAIN/LOGISTICS INFORMATION Info SNACKS
CUTTINGEDGE MOVE Gillette is relocating its razor and blade manufacturing operations from South Boston to a new 200,000-square-foot facility in Andover. Construction started in April 2025, and the new facility will also handle packaging, shave-prep manufacturing, and direct- to-consumer fulfillment. This Andover manufacturing expansion, combined with the new Boston headquarters, accounts for Gillette’s approximately $1.5 billion in total investment across Massachusetts.
BUT WILL IT BE ON TIME?
Amtrak unveiled its first Airo trainset, beginning a comprehensive fleet overhaul to modernize the national rail network. This new generation of equipment, manufactured by Siemens Mobility in California, aims to address rising passenger demand by improving reliability and expanding capacity. Initial deployment is scheduled for the Pacific Northwest on the Amtrak Cascades route, with service for the Northeast Regional route projected to begin in 2027. These trainsets are engineered for speeds up to 125 mph and feature propulsion systems that produce 90% less particulate emissions in diesel operations.
A 100 TRILLION DATA POINT ADVANTAGE
C.H. Robinson expanded its AI capabilities, which use 100 trillion+ proprietary data points collected across decades of global operations. The 3PL developed an AI engine designed to support decision-making and action within complex supply chains. Its in-house “Lean AI” operating system integrates intelligence directly into logistics workflows for its 75,000 customers. This system utilizes hundreds of connected AI agents, which are supported by the company’s data on 37 million annual shipments and enriched by operational context.
FROM THE LAB TO THE WAREHOUSE Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB unveiled MobED, an autonomous mobility robot platform they say is production-ready for diverse applications, including industrial and everyday use. First unveiled as a concept in 2022, the platform leverages AI-based navigation, LiDAR,
CHARACTER LICENSING GETS SUPPLY CHAIN SCRUTINY TrusTrace and Rights & Brands, the licensing agency for brands including Pippi Longstocking, have partnered to strengthen supply chain transparency and compliance for licensed consumer
products worldwide. Rights & Brands selected TrusTrace’s platform to centralize compliance documentation, strengthen supplier oversight, and create greater visibility across its complex global network.
and a control mechanism for adjustments on the fly, making the device stable and adaptive even on inclined or uneven terrain. Mounting rails and APIs allow for easy integration of task-oriented attachments, suggesting MobED could serve diverse applications from video production to logistics and delivery. BUY A HOUSE BUT MAKE IT 3D Here are 5 of the coolest and craziest things ever 3D-printed: Houses: Large concrete-extrusion printers can build the walls of a full-size home in 24-48 hours. Robot Skin: Researchers are studying stretchy, human-like robot skin with embedded electronic sensors for bionics. Real Skin: A custom handheld 3D printer was used to apply a pig’s skin cells onto a wound, a method that could replace skin grafts for burn victims. Food: Gourmet pop-up Food Ink printed dishes and furniture; other companies now print structured plant-based steaks. Rocket Engines: Companies like SpaceX and NASA 3D print major engine components.
YOU WANT SURVEILLANCE WITH THAT? Burger King is expanding a new AI-powered assistant named Patty that listens to employee headset interactions and tracks how sta speak with customers. Patty also flags inventory shortages and alerts managers when machines stop
working. It even tracks how often employees tell customers an item is unavailable, which can highlight supply gaps.
March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 1
CONTENTS MARCH 2026 | VOL. 46 | NO. 3
FEATURES 24 18 WAYS TO BREAK THROUGH GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN COMPLEXITY Managing a global supply chain requires navigating ongoing disruptions, fluctuating taris, geopolitical tension, and more. Here are 18 tips to help cut through these obstacles.
30 CONTENT PARTNERS CONQUER THE CHAOS: WHY GLOBAL TRADE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS MATTER NOW With taris, disruptions, and rate swings reshaping global trade, shippers need better visibility and agility. GTM systems help them keep up
38 CONTENT PARTNERS GEORGIA BECKONS
Find out why Georgia consistently ranks at the top of “must” lists for companies seeking to locate facilities or expand operations in the Southeast.
Beckons
2 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
INFOCUS 1 INFO SNACKS 12 NOTED 14 TAKEAWAYS
56
50 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Ecommerce innovations 52 IN BRIEF 56 LAST MILE Supply chain autonomy gets in the zone
50
6
GOOD QUESTION When will we start seeing fully autonomous supply chains?
INSIGHT 4 CHECKING IN Rusting Russian rail link 6 GOOD QUESTION
INFO 48 SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS 54 CALENDAR 55 RESOURCE CENTER
INPRACTICE 10 READER PROFILE
ELEVATING SUPPLY CHAIN FROM ‘NECESSARY EVIL’ TO C-SUITE INFLUENCE From kicking tires in a warehouse to building one of the industry’s first supply chain
When will we start seeing fully autonomous supply chains? 8 10 TIPS Optimizing warehouse automation 18 IT MATTERS Supplier risk Is shifting—your data strategy should too 20 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Rewiring the supply chain for the AI era 22 SC RESILIENCY Three pillars of a resilient supply chain
CONTENT PARTNERS 16 Asking the Right Questions When Selecting A Data Center Transportation Partner O ered by Landstar
recruiting practices, Heidi Homan has spent her career where operations and opportunity intersect.
Inbound Logistics (ISSN 0888-8493, USPS 703990) is mailed monthly to approximately 60,000 business professionals who buy, specify, or recommend logistics technology, transportation, and related services, by Thomas, a Xometry company, 6116 Executive Blvd, Suite 800, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Periodicals postage paid at North Bethesda, MD, and additional mailing oces. All rights reserved. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the validity of claims of any products or services described. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic means, or stored in any information retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Postmaster send address changes to: Inbound Logistics, P.O. Box 1167, Lowell, MA 01853-9900
March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 3
CHECKINGIN
Vol. 46, No. 3
March 2026
THE MAGAZINE FOR DEMAND-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES www.inboundlogistics.com
Rusting Russian Rail Link
STAFF
Keith G. Biondo publisher@inboundlogistics.com Felecia J. Stratton editor@inboundlogistics.com Katrina C. Arabe karabe@inboundlogistics.com
PUBLISHER
F or decades, Russian rail corridors were marketed to global customers importing product from Russia as the “reliable middle ground” between slow ocean freight and expensive air cargo. However, the backbone of Russian Eurasian land-bridge logistics isn’t faring well. Russian Railways (RZD) is now on life support, even though it is owned by the Russian Federation. RZD debt has tripled since 2022, fueled by a toxic combination of high interest rates, export tariffs and a shrinking indus-
EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CONTENT
Amy Roach amy.roach@thomasnet.com
Tom Gresham Karen M. Kroll Rich Osborne
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Keith Biondo, Publisher
trial base. The railroad recently requested $10 billion in emergency cash from the government but this is a weak patch because Russia’s National Wealth Fund is also on track for full depletion. The likelihood of a continuing rail infrastructure breakdown seems unavoidable The Russian government recently mandated that military shipments take precedence over cargo, yet another bottleneck for traditional freight. Cargo loading dropped to its lowest levels since 2003. Key commodities that once anchored the rail system—coal, timber, and metals—are in freefall. As the Russian rail route became problematic, shippers shifted to the “Middle Corridor” (Caspian Sea/Turkey). This route lacks the throughput capacity of the usual rail lines, leading to border-crossing congestion and higher spot rates. And new Ukranian “send in the drones” moves makes Caspian Sea workarounds unworkable. If you shifted from ocean to rail during the Red Sea crisis, it’s time to re-evaluate that, too. It gets worse. Locomotives suffer from a lack of imported components, and thousands of Russian freight cars sit idle or bottlenecked. The global pool of specialized rolling stock is shrinking, which limits intermodal equipment for neighboring regions. That impact goes well beyond Russian borders. Even if a route through Russia is technically “open” under current transport sanctions, its reliability is at an all-time low. And more sanctions are likely coming. Freight volumes dropped by 9.8% last year. The “iron silk road” fail illustrates how bad political decisions foster systemic and unnecessary economic and supply chain cataclysm. For global logistics planners, this isn’t just one more temporary speed bump and a waiting game for a return to behavioral sanity. Those in that value chain need permanent recalibration on East-West Russian strategies because RZD man-caused problems create a bullwhip effect on global logistics. The Russian people are known for their ability to endure years of hardship so waiting for a “return to normalcy” (read sanity) in Russian/Eurasian rail is no viable strategy. Logistics managers should consider permanent pivots. This “Rusting Link” in the global supply chain serves as yet another reminder that geopolitical stability is the silent partner in global logistics contracts. When that partner fails, the wheels of global commerce, rusted or not, stop turning.
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GOODQUESTION Readers Weigh In
When Will We Start Seeing Fully Autonomous Supply Chains?
IN 5-10 YEARS. I’d have to check when Skynet took over in the Terminator movies. More realistically, to encompass forecasting, sourcing, planning, ordering, delivering, and everything in between, early adopters could reach full autonomy in as few as 5-10 years. Late adopters are 10+ years away. –Robert Humphry Senior Sales Director, Swisslog Americas NEVER. While automation drives efficiency and higher output, it does not eliminate the workforce; it reshapes it. As more warehouses adopt autonomous mobile robots and AI-coordinated workflows, they will always need people to work alongside these systems. –James Kuffner Chief Technology Officer, Symbotic EARLY 2030s. We’ll see truly autonomous supply chains emerge in the early 2030s. We’re still operating in “islands of automation,” where systems work in silos but fail at handoffs. The real shift is toward end- to-end integration powered by AI and shared data. It’s a heavy lift, but the foundation is being built now. –Timothy O’Connell Vice President, Sales Operations & Marketing, Odyssey Logistics WE WON’T. I don’t think we’ll ever see fully autonomous supply chains. Technology can automate steps, but logistics runs on human judgment: the relationships, decisions, and instincts that keep cargo moving, particularly when plans go awry. –David Weeks Supply Chain Industry Practice Lead, Moody’s
100% Autonomous? Up in the Air
Trick question. Full autonomy is likely already happening in some small pockets of the global economy. Scale is the real variable. Agentic AI is collapsing timelines fast: By 2030 the tech is ready and deployed for most routine decisions. However, 100% autonomy at scale takes decades: Human organizations change slower than technology. The last few percent? Not a technology gap. A human choice. –Tommi Vilkamo Engineering Director, RELEX Solutions It’s more impactful to ask, “When can we automate the 90% of operational work that actually drives cost and complexity?” That threshold arrives far sooner than most people think. The final 10% of edge cases will always require human judgment. The goal of automation should be focused on removing the operational burden that holds businesses back rather than striving for perfection. –Stefan Heck CEO, Nauto
SOON, within the next six months. I can run a small supply chain with a decent level of complexity using autonomous agents backed by data logic. We no longer need the job of a transportation manager, and once robots/hardware/autonomous vehicles are more integrated into the physical spaces of the supply chain, we’ll be able to run fully autonomous. –George Maksimenko CEO, Adexin WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. This will initially be relatively simple, straightforward supply chains with few decision making points and low complexity achieving 100% autonomy. The majority of supply chains may never achieve full autonomy, especially
complex ones with many decision points, and a variety of products and handling requirements. –Gagan Luthra UNCERTAIN. Supply chain autonomy won’t arrive all at once and may never be fully hands-off. The limiter isn’t AI, it’s data integrity, process discipline, and trust. By 2032– VP, Systems Product Management, Impinj 2035, AI agents will autonomously sense, decide, and act in execution- level domains like warehouses and fulfillment. AI won’t replace people but let them focus on what machines can’t: governance, ethics, and strategy. –Dag Calafell Director of Technology Innovation, MCA Connect
6 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
GOODQUESTION
IN 1015 YEARS. A 2040 timeframe allows governments
Supply chains, broadly defined, will never fully automate. We have automated warehouses, but we need engineers and technicians for service; same for factories. Trucks will eventually be driverless, but inspections and servicing will still need humans. Planning will automate to a degree, but there will always be human inputs. –Nick de Klerk Senior Director, TMX Transform “Fully autonomous” never takes o because of the question of liability. We have to distinguish between machines doing the work or making the decisions. Who is to blame when the algorithm gets it wrong? In 100 years humans probably won’t run the day-to-day, but they will still have to oversee the system and intervene when they see a problem. –Peter Perrella VP, Operations, Fuel Transport I’m not sure we will see truly autonomous supply chains. The jury’s still out on human involvement needed in these capabilities. You might accept autonomous invoice payment, risking occasional overpayment. But strategic decisions like supplier changes or negotiations? Those stay with people who understand business context AI can’t grasp. –Shaz Khan CEO and Co-founder, Vroozi Humans Stay Essential
and corporations to build required infrastructure. Today hyperscalers face resource constraints, power and water limits, long approval cycles, and supply shortages, delaying AI and cloud infrastructure. –Joe Adamski Managing Director, ProcureAbility NOT THIS DECADE. By the early to mid-2030s, we’ll see highly autonomous networks, but not end- to-end autonomy. Supply chains are shaped by regulation, geopolitics, and exceptions that require human judgment.
–Nick Rakovsky CEO, DataDocks
SHOULD WE? The importance of people in supply chains makes me wonder if we will ever see them fully autonomous, or if we should. The next 3-5 years will be critical to see how the future is shaping up. The use cases are growing and the potential is strong, but it will be important that security and regulations keep up. –Brad Forester Managing Partner/Founder, JBF Consulting NOT UNTIL 2040+. We’ll see ‘autonomous-first’ pockets by 2030, but true end-to-end autonomy requires a level of data hygiene and cross-party trust that the industry hasn’t mastered. Success isn’t just about AI; it’s about the unsexy work of cleaning up legacy data and managing the human change required to let the machines drive.
IN DECADES. While most of the technology needed exists, cost, regulation, and physical variability remain barriers. Humans serve as the fail-safe, especially in transportation. We’ll likely see closed-loop systems such as ports and barges adopt first, but broad adoption across the market won’t come for 30-50 years. –Tim Callaghan Director, Strategic Sales, Aerotek NO COMPLETION DATE. Supply chain automation will be measured in adoption maturity, and it will always evolve. Even as automation expands, performance still depends on human judgment, governance, and continuous improvement. –Nicole Brackett Enterprise Account Executive, TradeBeyond NOT IN MY LIFETIME. Pallet and case operations will become increasingly autonomous, but piece picking will remain human-driven. Technology will advance, humanoid robots will mature, and costs will drop, but fully autonomous supply chains
require judgment, adaptability, and exception handling that humans do best.
–Daniel Sokolovsky Co-Founder and CEO, Warp
IN 3 YEARS. Full autonomy may occur within 3 years on the software side. We already have AI agents managing workflows, real-time data layers, API-first integrations, and predictive models operating with minimal human input. The real barrier is how quickly organizations commit to AI-first operating models and clean, interoperable data. –Mike Trudeau EVP, Business Development, Montway Auto Transport
–Ben Hussey Co-CEO, Katana Cloud Inventory
WE MAY SEE highly autonomous execution layers by the early 2030s, but supply chains will never be fully autonomous. They’re too dynamic, geopolitical, and interconnected. AI can optimize and predict, but it can also misinterpret signals. There will always need to be humans with a true bird’s eye view. Human judgment and intuition are irreplaceable. –Ainsley Williams VP, Innovation and Automation, Kenco
Answer upcoming Good Questions at: www.inboundlogistics.com/ good-question
March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 7
10 TIPS
Warehouses are rapidly deploying automation, yet many fail to achieve their full return on investment. The challenge isn’t the hardware but poor coordination, creating “islands of automation” that worsen bottlenecks instead of synchronizing systems. Optimize Warehouse Automation
1 STOP TREATING YOUR WMS AS A BRAIN
Humans cannot process this data volume in real time. Use AI-driven agents to automate these high- frequency decisions so supervisors can focus on exceptions and strategy. 8 TREAT A WAREHOUSE AS PRODUCTION’S “LUNGS.” In manufacturing-attached warehouses, unreadiness causes catastrophic production downtime that can cost up to thousands of dollars per hour. Ensure your automation is synchronized with the manufacturing execution system (MES) to prioritize raw material delivery to the line above all else. 9 TRACK OEE INSTEAD OF JUST AVAILABILITY Do not just measure if the robot is broken, which is known as Availability Loss. Track Performance Loss, which includes the micro- stops and reduced speeds that occur when systems are out of sync. Quantifying these losses reveals the hidden “capital efficiency tax” eroding your ROI.
Your warehouse management system (WMS) is a transaction system designed to record scans and update inventory. It is not built to optimize what should happen next based on real-time constraints. Expecting a WMS to orchestrate complex automation leads to execution gaps that are filled by manual firefighting.
2 ORCHESTRATE “MUSCLE” WITH A “BRAIN” Think of physical automation as the “muscle” of the operation. It delivers speed but lacks context. To maximize value, you need an orchestration layer acting as the “brain” to synchronize machine activity with human labor and inventory flow. This ensures the robot is not just moving fast but moving the right product at the right time. 3 PREVENT “STARVATION” AND “BLOCKING” Automation losses often stem from upstream or downstream readiness failures. “Starvation” occurs when a robot is ready but has no work because upstream processes have not released inventory. “Blocking” happens when high-speed automation overwhelms downstream manual processes and causes jams. Use orchestration to balance flow and keep the machine fed and clearing effectively.
4 SYNCHRONIZE HUMAN FLEXIBILITY WITH ROBOTIC SPEED Despite heavy investment in robotics, humans remain critical for dexterity and decision-making. Avoid “labor hoarding” where staff are called in just to wait for machines. Instead, align labor schedules with machine capacity. Ensure your system can dynamically reallocate workers to packing stations if an AS/RS surge threatens to overwhelm the dock. 5 HARMONIZE DATA ACROSS SILOS Automation fails when it acts on partial data. If your warehouse execution system (WES) controls the robots but does not see the inbound truck delays in the TMS, you create bottlenecks.
Implement a decision layer that harmonizes data from the WMS, LMS, and TMS to create a single and unified view of operations. 6 ELIMINATE RELIANCE ON THE “HERO MANAGER” Many facilities rely on “hero” managers to manually intervene when systems desynchronize. This “firefighting” consumes 8% to 15% of operating expenses and masks systemic failures. Shift from reactive manual intervention to proactive and system-driven orchestration that handles routine decisions autonomously. 7 AUTOMATE THE MICRO DECISIONS In high-volume facilities, thousands of decisions regarding inventory flow and task sequencing must be made every hour.
10 EMBRACE THE USE OF AGENTIC AI
The future of automation is agentic, where intelligent agents wrap around existing systems to negotiate trade-offs. A supply agent should be able to communicate with a maintenance agent to schedule downtime without disrupting critical orders. Move toward systems that sense, decide, act, and learn without constant human hand-holding.
SOURCE: KEITH MOORE, CEO, AUTOSCHEDULER.AI
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READERPROFILE Elevating Supply Chain from ‘Necessary Evil’to C-Suite In uence as told to Karen Kroll
HEIDI HOFFMAN leads the supply chain practice at ON Partners Executive Search. RESPONSIBILITIES: Recruiting senior supply chain and operations executives for privately held, investor-backed, and publicly traded companies. EXPERIENCE: Senior client partner, supply chain practice, Korn/ Ferry International; managing director, Russell Reynolds Associates; associate, Booz Allen & Hamilton; credit analyst, Core States Bank (now Wachovia). EDUCATION: M.B.A., The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; B.A., economics, Franklin & Marshall College.
M y rst job out of college was in commercial banking. I was a trainee, charged with making sure that our borrowers had the appropriate inventory to secure their loans. Once, I was in a warehouse and literally kicking tires that were security for a loan. I didn’t love the nance part of banking, but I loved working with inventory. That started my path down the supply chain. After earning my M.B.A., I went into operations consulting. I put my love of supply chain to the test, doing large supply chain projects for industrial and consumer companies. I think like an engineer, although I’m not educated as one. I should be. I love consulting and solving big hairy problems, but the lifestyle was not great. I was in a plane, on my way to see a client, when I started chatting
investment in supply chain technologies and businesses right now. Supply chain management is not like it was even ve years ago. It used to be a sort of necessary evil operating behind the scenes, and nobody wanted to work on it. Now, it’s more strategic. Supply chain executives have a seat at the table and sit on boards. Chief supply chain of cers look more like CEOs now because they constantly think about what’s changing and how they can make money. They’re more technical, as well as more commercially oriented, as they gure out how to use their supply chain to drive revenues. One of the biggest challenges is the digital transformation of supply chains. Automation is essential to meet customer expectations and manage labor constraints. You need it to keep moving
with my seatmate; I didn’t know him or what he did. When he asked what I liked to do, I said, ‘I love to build teams and develop people.’ One month later, I had an offer to join the recruiting rm Russell Reynolds. At the time, I was the only female on a large industrial recruiting team. Nobody wanted to touch roles like purchasing and traf c. I said, ‘I love inventory. Send me to the warehouse.’ I created a supply chain recruiting practice and have been doing it ever since. One great thing about the supply chain is it never goes away. People love their stuff, and to have stuff, you need a supply chain. So, the opportunities keep getting bigger. I came to On Partners about eight years ago. I’m blessed to have moved when I did, because there’s so much
10 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
READERPROFILE
forward or you’ll get left behind. Yet a lot of companies grapple with outdated technology stacks that limit their ability to put automation in place. There’s also a shortage of skilled professionals in data analytics, automation, and arti cial intelligence. The challenges of the digital transformation in supply chain have a huge impact on talent. Global trade disruptions, tariffs, and geopolitical instability also have a tremendous impact. Nobody knows where to source from, and companies can look only about six months out. So, they’re shifting to nearshoring or regionalizing and creating new sourcing strategies. This also has a huge impact on talent and technology, as they need to come up with new ways of doing things. When you bring in the talent that can address these challenges and drive change forward, it’s fascinating. You can have an impact on companies’ success.
Heidi Hoffman Answers the Big Questions 1 Any advice for supply chain professionals who want to move up? Stay curious and explore other
own your space. Figure out where you belong and be the best you possible. 3 What song lyrics describe your role? “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need,” from You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones. Our clients often have a picture of what they think they need, but when we put it out to the world, that’s not what they need. We educate them on what they really need. 4 Do you have a hidden talent? Growing up, I trained as a classical violinist. I didn’t become one but it gives me peace to listen to and play music. It’s a dierent way to release stress or use creativity.
functions. A procurement executive who also had a stint in sales has seen two sides of the same coin. It shows their curiosity. They know how to be adaptable and how to tie functions together. I love that. Also, embrace technology. 2 What career advice has had an impact on your career? Early on, someone told me, ‘Just because you don’t see someone who looks like you doesn’t mean you don’t belong.’ I took that to heart. When I got into this field, I often was the only woman in any room. I wore brightly colored suits because I wasn’t going to shrink into the background. I tried to make a place for other women. Also,
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March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 11
NOTED [ IN FOCUS ]
The Supply Chain in Brief
> M&A
> UP THE CHAIN
The Hupac Group appointed Britta Weber , the current vice president UPS Healthcare for Europe and Asia, as its new CEO. She succeeds Michail Stahlhut, who is retiring. SeaCube announced key senior appointments: Jakob Karstoft as chief commercial of cer, Ben Thomas as chief nancial of cer, James Armstrong as senior vice president of emerging business, and Matthew Salmi as vice president of marketing and commercial strategy.
U.S. terminal
and logistics company Enstructure
will continue and expand its long-term port services agreement with Sims, following Sims’ acquisition of select Tri Coastal Trading assets in Houston. Aptean, an enterprise software solutions provider, acquired OpsVeda, an AI-powered operations command center. Thoma Bravo entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WWEX Group, with brands including Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz, Unishippers, JEAR Logistics and BLX Logistics. Thoma Bravo will combine WWEX Group with its existing portfolio company Auctane. ShipTime Canada acquired an 80% ownership stake in Warehowz Inc. , a North American on-demand warehousing and fulfillment marketplace. LOGISTEC entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of IPA Terminal, a breakbulk and steel handling facility at the Port of Altamira, Mexico. IFS completed its acquisition of Softeon. Operating as IFS Softeon, the move brings together IFS’s industrial AI capabilities with Softeon’s warehouse management software expertise. Attabotics will restart operations as part of LaFayette Systems, a materials handling automation provider.
Kenco announced Pal Narayanan as its new chief digital & information of cer. He will continue the work of retiring Steve Hitchings to scale and strengthen the company’s technology ecosystem.
Magaya Corporation promoted Matthew Fotouhi to chief innovation of cer. Previously chief technology of cer for Magaya Customs Compliance, Fotouhi now leads enterprise-wide innovation initiatives.
Tim Lock was named chief product of cer for SpeedX, a tech-enabled last-mile delivery platform. His career spans leadership positions across Asia, Europe, and the United States.
HOPTEK named Marc Held as CEO. As a supply chain entrepreneur, his companies have spanned the full spectrum of global trade and supply chain technology.
> INVESTMENTS
GenLogs closed $60 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Battery Ventures with participation from IVP, Cathay Innovation, and 9Yards, as well as existing investors Venrock, Steel Atlas, HOF Capital, TitletownTech, and Autotech Ventures. The company will use the new funds to continue building out its core Truck Intelligence platform. Gather AI raised $40 million in Series B funding led by Smith Point Capital Management. To date, Gather AI has raised $74 million.
12 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
NOTED
> SEALED DEALS
> GOOD WORKS
• GEODIS announced an innovative multimodal rail-road link for skincare products specialist NAOS Group. Representing nearly 300 full truckloads per year, the shipments,
• DHL Group announced the ve-year extension of its global youth employability
program, GoTeach, marking the initiative’s 15th anniversary and reaf rming its partnerships with Teach For All and SOS Children’s Villages through 2030. Launched in 2010, GoTeach connects young people–particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds–with DHL employees who serve as mentors and role models.
previously handled exclusively by road now bene t from the decarbonizing effects of a multimodal solution. • DHL Supply Chain renewed its contract with Airbus to manage and orchestrate global transport ows for commercial aircraft activities. This lead transport
> RECOGNITION
partnership now encompasses air, sea, road, and parcel transport, as well as a dedicated 24/7 service for critical Aircraft on Ground operations.
• Worldwide Express Group (WWEX) named Dayton Freight its 2026 Midwest LTL Carrier of the Year. Carrier partners within WWEX Group’s network are selected based on customer service, collaboration, technological innovation, shipment/revenue growth and overall excellence. • PECO Pallet announced the winners of its 2025 Carrier of the Year awards. Cowan Systems was named National Carrier of the Year, while Day & Ross earned Regional Carrier of the Year honors. • The Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey will present its 2025 International Maritime Hall of Fame Lookout Awards to Robert P. Burke, partner and CEO, Ridgebury Tankers; James A. McNamara, chief of sta/ director of public relations, International Longshoremen ’ s Association; Captain John W. Murray, CEO, Canaveral Port Authority; and Ted Tregurtha, president and CEO, Moran Towing.
• In os expanded its long-term partnership with Dental City, deploying an advanced autonomous mobile robotics solution fully integrated with In os Warehouse Management.
• The New York Islanders and Delmar International renewed
their partnership. Delmar provides customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and supply chain services for the hockey team.
• Forest Lawn Memorial Parks & Mortuaries implemented comprehensive spend management across its organization through the Vroozi platform, integrating procurement operations with NetSuite and Shopify systems.
> GREEN SEEDS
CEVA Logistics is developing new low-carbon transport o erings, including wind- powered services, as part of its CEVA FORPLANET suite of low- carbon and circular economy solutions. These services are
• Ripple Foods PBC, a plant- based nutrition company, selected Rygen Technologies’ Corsair TMS to enhance its logistics operations through greater shipment visibility, advanced reporting, and automation.
designed to provide more sustainable shipping options for transatlantic routes, specifically to and from North America, South America, and the French West Indies.
March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 13
TAKEAWAYS Shaping the Future of the Global Supply Chain
OVERHEARD
WHAT’S DRIVING SC INNOVATION?
As companies continue to persevere through today’s complex supply chain operating environment, innovation plays a starring role. New innovations and technologies are key to helping companies thrive in the face of persistent economic and workforce pressures. Taking a deep dive into what’s fueling the quest for innovation, Kenco’s 2026 Innovation Report shows that inflation rises to the top. Nearly half of respondents (45%) cite inflation as their primary innovation driver, followed by labor shortages (28%), and sustainability priorities (27%). At the same time, organizations face significant hurdles in turning new ideas into reality. The report cites cost constraints (51%), workforce challenges (45%), and technology integration issues (29%) as the biggest barriers to innovation progress, underscoring the complexity of implementing new tools across existing operations. Despite financial constraints, companies are still devoting resources to innovation, with 35% of respondents even reporting increased innovation budgets. Nearly half of respondents cite a budget of at least $500,000, up from 40% the year prior. ( See chart below .) Which innovations generate the most buzz? The Kenco data shows the top supply chain innovations being added in 2026 are AI & machine learning (27%), computer vision (23%), supply chain digitization (18%), and generative AI (17%). The survey also reveals internal friction around innovation initiatives. Operations is cited as the most dicult department to collaborate with (40%), followed by IT (33%) and HR (23%), highlighting the organizational alignment challenges that often accompany transformation eorts.
“Two-person train crews, stronger and more frequent inspections, tougher penalties, and improved hazardous materials notification are essential to protecting railroad workers and the public. These reforms will happen only if Congress passes the Railway Safety Act of 2026.” —Mark Wallace National President, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, on the introduction in Congress of new bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing rail safety.
PORTS BEST STORMY SEAS North American port activity reached a new high in 2025, but not without fighting through one of the most volatile years in recent memory. Container volumes rose 1.6% to 62.3 million TEUs across the top 15 ports last year, surpassing the 2022 peak and setting a record, according to the Savills Ports Report , presented by Savills Industrial Services. The dramatic year included shippers front-loading cargo ahead of shifting tari deadlines, then endured sharply falling volumes when a 145% stacked tari on China in April 2025 eectively curtailed trade, before rebounding once that tari was lifted. Savills import volatility index reached 8.1% from May through July, double the 10-year average and a level last seen in 2020. Additional trends include: Continued dominance from Asia-Pacific hubs, where the five largest ports account for more than one-third of global container throughput. 11 of the 15 major ports posted year-over-year gains. Baltimore saw the largest percentage increase as it recovered from its 2024 bridge collapse, while the Port of Virginia experienced the steepest decline in volume. Rising strategic investment in port infrastructure worldwide, with upgrades aimed at improving capacity, resilience, and eciency. Ports remained relatively stable with no major labor strikes and improved hiring conditions, though future immigration policy may tighten the labor pool again. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2026, the report forecasts that port activity will flatten or ease slightly as the eects of tari front-loading fade and more sophisticated inventory analytics help smooth out import cycles.
Despite Caution, Budget Growth Continues Even with financial strain, most companies still find room in the budget for innovation, though they’re more cautious than they were heading into 2025.
While budget fluctuations exist, nearly half of companies surveyed report having larger innovation budgets than in 2025.
83%
have dedicated 2026 innovation budgets
35%
49%
20%
have a budget of at least $500K, up from 40% the year prior
saw budget increases (down from 39% last year)
saw budget increases (up from 12% last year)
Source: Kenco
14 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
TAKEAWAYS
WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION TRENDS 2025 was a tale of two halves for the warehouse automation market: thanks to tariff uncertainty in the beginning of the year, many companies postponed large capital expenditure projects. Toward the end of the year, however, uncertainty declined more quickly than anticipated, and warehouse automation order intake for 2025 ultimately grew by 7%, exceeding expectations, according to findings from Interact Analysis. Interact Analysis’ new research reveals other interesting warehouse automation trends to watch, including: Nominal Growth vs. Real Volume: Market order intake grew by 7% year- on-year, but this was heavily influenced by rising input costs. Higher steel and aluminum tariffs (25%) pushed up system prices, meaning revenue growth was partly due to inflation rather than just increased project volume. The “Great Divide” in Vendor Performance: Growth was extremely concentrated. Large vendors with ties to major “behemoths” saw massive gains, while those focused on SMEs struggled. High Performers: Toyota Industries (+65%), TGW (+55%), and Dematic (+50%) reported significant order intake growth through Q3 2025. Underperformers: AutoStore, typically associated with mid-sized projects, saw a 5% decline in order intake during the same period. Mobile Robot Resilience: Despite the wider market slowdown, mobile robot vendors like Geek+ outperformed the trend, reporting 30% growth in the first half of 2025. However, the segment remains volatile, with some vendors, including EK Robotics, facing financial stress and bankruptcy. 2026 Outlook Shows Broad-Based Recovery: Expect a more balanced market in 2026. As uncertainty eases and vacancy rates decline, a growing share of investment is expected to return from small and mid-sized enterprises.
GLOBALIZATION’S STAYING POWER
Despite escalating geopolitical tensions and ongoing uncertainty around U.S. tariffs and future trade policies, globalization remains at a historically high level. This is one of the key findings from the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 , newly released by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business. Global connectedness reached a record high in 2022 and has not changed appreciably through 2025, notes the report, which also indicates that trade ties between the United States and China—the world’s two largest economies—continue to weaken. This year’s index ranks the United States 39th out of 180 economies, having fallen nine places since 2019. The United States’ overall score, measuring its absolute level of connectedness, declined 0.9 points over the past five years (on a scale from 0 to 100). Since 2023, the United States’ rank rose one place and its score fell 0.3 points. Here are 10 key takeaways from the report: Global connectedness remains stable. The Index does not indicate a shift from international to domestic activity across trade, capital, information, and people flows. Goods trade grew faster in 2025 than in any year since 2017, excluding the pandemic period. Trade growth is forecast to continue over the 2026-2029 period at the same average pace as during the past decade. U.S.–China ties continue to diminish. Since 2016, the share of U.S. trade, capital, information, and people flows with China has dropped 42%, while China’s share with the United States is down 37%. The share of U.S. imports coming directly from China has fallen from a peak of 22% in 2017 to 13% in 2024, before plummeting farther to only 9% during the first three quarters of 2025. The world remains far from a split into disconnected geopolitical blocs. Only 4-6% of global goods trade, greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI), and cross-border M&A have shifted away from geopolitical rivals over the past decade. Most international business already occurs among friendly countries, limiting the threat de-risking strategies pose to globalization. Goods trade and greenfield FDI crossed their longest average distances on record in 2025, while the shares of these flows occurring within major geographic regions fell to new lows. Singapore is the world’s most globally connected country, followed by Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Singapore has the largest international flows relative to domestic activity, and the United Kingdom has the most broadly distributed flows around the world. Prominent narratives about deglobalization are driven more by politics and public policy than by actual shifts in cross-border flows.
Warehouse automation market order intake grew by 7% year-on-year in 2025.
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0 5
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Source: Interact Analysis
March 2026 • Inbound Logistics 15
KNOWLEDGE Base CONTENT PARTNERS
For manufacturers and operators, evaluating transportation providers begins with addressing key considerations to ascertain experience and innovative solutions. Asking the Right Questions When Selecting A Data Center Transportation Partner A s data center projects across North America continue to increase in number, the
standards when transporting freight. That experience helps reduce downtime risk and supports continuity throughout multi-phase builds. Experience also contributes to consistency. Familiarity with data center construction sites allows transportation teams to adapt quickly as project scope evolves, minimizing disruptions when timelines shift or volumes increase. Landstar has successfully supported data center builds for leading hyperscalers
frequency of transporting high-value and often over-dimensional equipment from manufacturers to bustling job sites has never been greater. With every new facility demanding meticulous coordination, proven experience and innovative solutions are required to keep these shipments on track. Components such as generators, cooling systems, battery storage systems, and server racks are often oversized, high value, and sensitive to handling conditions. Transportation decisions play a role in whether projects stay on schedule, within budget, and compliant with safety and regulatory requirements. For manufacturers and operators, evaluating transportation providers begins with asking a few pointed, practical questions. Why is experience with oversized and high-value data center equipment so important? Data center-related freight may exceed typical size or weight limits or may contain sensitive components which affect handling. Providers lacking direct experience with legal atbed and step-deck freight as well as oversized/ overweight loads may underestimate the needs related to trailing equipment, routing, site access, or securement, increasing the likelihood of delays or damage. Providers, like Landstar, with experience in these sectors are equipped with both the capacity and experience to help anticipate obstacles, coordinate delivery windows with construction schedules, and comply with all industry
Security measures—including controlled access, chain of custody documentation, and secure equipment— help deter theft and improve recovery outcomes if incidents occur. With a network of over 8,600 Landstar exclusive, hazmat-endorsed owner- operators, plus more than 70,000 carriers, Landstar can accommodate a wide range of transportation needs. We consistently achieve industry-leading safety and service rates, ensuring your critical infrastructure arrives intact and on schedule. We design our physical and digital infrastructure to ensure your cargo remains secure in transit. We use freight security devices, including high quality trailer locks, electronic logging devices (ELDs), and asset tracking technology to monitor your shipment in real time. The bottom line: By evaluating transportation providers, manufacturers can better safeguard equipment, maintain compliance, and support reliable deployment of critical infrastructure.
and major data center equipment suppliers. Our independent agents
provide turnkey project management for multimodal transport and on-site logistics. What role does specialized equipment and planning play in safe delivery? Oversized and over-dimensional freight requires more than dry van trailers. Trailing equipment often includes step deck, double drop, removable gooseneck, and perimeter trailers to manage weight distribution and clearance constraints. Access to the correct trailer con guration helps ensure both freight integrity and roadway safety. Landstar offers one of the largest heavy haul eets in North America with access to 2,700+ specialized trailers. How can manufacturers reduce risk when moving high-value data center components? Risk mitigation efforts for data center infrastructure and components may extend beyond cargo insurance. Effective risk mitigation strategies typically include carrier and owner-operator quali cation, shipment visibility, and proactive contingency planning.
–By Rob Simon Vice President, Heavy Haul Landstar www.landstar.com
16 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
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