GOODQUESTION
WITH THE WIDE RANGE of disruptions, crises, and changes that unfolded quickly and unexpectedly, relying on partners has become more important than ever and critical to helping companies weather the storm.
Have a great answer to a good question? Be sure to participate next month. We want to know: What is the secret to a successful shipper/3PL partnership? We’ll publish some answers. Tell us at editorial@inboundlogistics.comor tweet us @ILMAGAZINE #ILGOODQUESTION Supply chain collaborations have increased rapidly. System providers and operators need to find ways to appease customers and meet rising e-commerce demand, which is difficult to do alone. Hence, there will be a substantial growth in collaborations where companies provide unique solutions to the supply chain machine rather than one giant solution to cover all. Users can then consequently tailor their operations more efficiently and personally, leading to better results. Industry 4.0 is about compatibility and the Internet of Things. The pandemic has just accelerated it. —Aldus von der Burg Founder & CEO Meili Robots Fluctuating production and consumer demand, coupled with labor and transportation capacity issues, have required more planning and preparation for many companies. Dramatic shifts in any of those variables have led many supply chain leaders to ask for help. Collaborating with partners on ideas that solve supply chain problems has been crucial to mitigating risk and keeping supply chains flowing throughout the pandemic. —Christina Ryan Executive Vice President, Managed Services Redwood Logistics The pandemic demonstrated supply chain partners need to collaborate better and with greater transparency . We all were forced back to the drawing board. We found success leveraging technology to improve efficiency by eliminating cost and complexity. —Todd Pigeon Chief Commercial Officer Sealand Americas COLLABORATE OR STAGNATE The pandemic magnified the need for collaborative partnerships between service providers and customers. We have seen things happening in the market you almost couldn’t make up in Hollywood, and those that have remained transparent and collaborative in navigating these challenges have succeeded. —Matt Friedman Vice President, Sales, Warehousing Mainfreight
—Brad Wright CEO, Chunker
IN CONVERSATIONS with both consumer brands and external suppliers, we’ve seen an increased focus on collaboration over transactional conversations based on cost efficiency, as well as an acceleration of technological adoption in order to facilitate that heightened level of collaboration. —Jason Tham, CEO, Nulogy MANAGING CONSTANT CHANGE with suppliers through brute force no longer works. The pandemic exposed that most companies have neglected the first mile of their supply chains for decades. To stay competitive, procurement and supply chain teams must embrace technology and innovation to modernize their supply chain partnerships. —Tom Kieley CEO, SourceDay COMPANIES ARE FOCUSING on the points where collaboration really matters and find practical solutions. Thirty-page consulting decks have been replaced with pragmatic, focused solutions for well-defined problems in visibility and pricing.
—Brian Glick CEO and Founder, Chain.io
THE PANDEMIC reinforced the importance of having partners you trust to cope with volatility and uncertainty while leveraging innovative technology and data insights to remain agile.
—Scott Sureddin CEO, DHL Supply Chain North America
EVERYONE IS RE-EVALUATING their supply chains with a stronger focus on aligning with the consumer. Distribution partnerships need to evolve with that change or they will be left behind. —Dan Waters VP Sales, North America, Made4net
June 2021 • Inbound Logistics 9
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