CHECKINGIN
Vol. 45, No. 8 August 2025 THE MAGAZINE FOR DEMAND-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES www.inboundlogistics.com
Self-Healing Inventory?
STAFF
Keith G. Biondo publisher@inboundlogistics.com Felecia J. Stratton editor@inboundlogistics.com Katrina C. Arabe karabe@inboundlogistics.com
PUBLISHER
S elf-healing inventory is a phrase that is being used more and more these days. It’s a take-off on the concept of a self-healing supply chain, where inventory comes alive and knows where it has to be without you always lending a guiding hand. Inbound Logistics promotes the enterprise concepts that enable you to ef ciently and tightly match your inbound supplier ow and static inventory to your demand signals. The next iteration of that business
EDITOR
SENIOR EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CONTENT
Amy Roach amy.roach@thomasnet.com
Tom Gresham Karen M. Kroll Gary Wollenhaupt
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Keith Biondo, Publisher
philosophy is an inventory management strategy that autonomously detects where your inventory needs to be and where your inventory should be to match current and future demand. Amazingly, this is mostly accomplished without people quarterbacking the process. So when you experience inventory “injuries” your self-healing inventory system slaps on some antiseptic and a band-aid to heal the wound without you even knowing about it (unless you want to). A self-healing inventory system proactively identi es potential issues before they escalate, rather than simply reacting to problems such as stockouts. It achieves this by leveraging real-time data, advanced analytics, and arti cial intelligence/machine learning to anticipate disruptions. This involves continuously monitoring factors such as previous inventory data, demand patterns, supplier issues, shipping delays, weather interruptions and warehouse friction. It also anticipates potential issues through the power of real-time data, advanced analytics, and AI/ML not only to resolve upcoming issues should they arise, but also to predict demand even before it materializes. Here are some of the decisions a self-healing inventory system can make: • Increase supply orders to match a demand spike. • Switch to your alternate suppliers should one be unable to ll your orders. • Speed up or slow down your inbound orders based on need. • Move to expedited shipments to match inventory levels and business rules. • Rebalance your inventory between locations. • Learn from past events and the effectiveness of prior healing actions on a continuous feedback loop, making it smarter every day. Another bene t is the impact on growth. The right orders in the right place before the right time at the right price—at the lowest possible inventory investment cost—amplify customer satisfaction while focusing on ef ciency. This approach is very effective in fast-moving inventory environments, understandably making companies such as Walmart and Cardinal Health take the lead in a self-healing approach to supply chain. Cardinal Health? Of course. It is a self-healing operation, after all.
Jeof Vita jvita@inboundlogistics.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER PUBLICATION MANAGER CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
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Carolyn Smolin
SALES STAFF PUBLISHER: Keith Biondo
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Inbound Logistics supports sustainable best practices. Our mission is rooted in helping companies match demand to supply, eliminating waste from the supply chain. This magazine is printed on paper sourced from fast growth renewable timber.
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4 Inbound Logistics • August 2025
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