Supply Chain Now

On this episode of The Buzz, powered by Zebra Technologies, hosts Scott Luton and special guest co-host Amber Salley are joined by Rich Carey of MFG.inc to break down the biggest headlines shaping global supply chain. From the future of the USMCA and the health of U.S. manufacturing to separating AI hype from real-world value, this conversation delivers practical insights for supply chain leaders navigating constant change.

What does the latest manufacturing data really tell us? Is AI bringing meaningful transformation to supply chains or just creating more noise? And how can organizations build resilient operations while developing stronger leaders?

Scott, Amber, and Rich tackle these questions by exploring North American trade policy, manufacturing growth fueled by AI infrastructure investments, energy challenges, and the realities of autonomous supply chains. Rich also shares actionable leadership lessons from decades of operational excellence work, emphasizing servant leadership, trust, quick wins, and developing frontline leaders who can successfully lead change. If you're looking for practical strategies, not just buzzwords, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

Key Takeaways

Why the annual review of the USMCA matters for supply chain planning and business certainty.

What recent U.S. manufacturing data reveals about growth, hiring, and AI-driven demand.

The difference between real AI applications and the growing "AI noise" across the supply chain industry.

Why autonomous supply chains still face significant hurdles around data, governance, and decision-making.

How servant leadership, trust, and quick wins accelerate successful operational transformation.

Why investing in frontline leaders is one of the most effective ways to improve manufacturing performance.

Whether you're leading supply chain strategy, manufacturing operations, procurement, or digital transformation, this episode provides thoughtful perspectives on today's biggest industry trends while offering practical leadership advice you can apply immediately. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of where the industry is headed and how great leadership remains the competitive advantage that technology alone can't replace.

Additional Links & Resources:

Zebra: https://www.zebra.com/machinevision

With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-12-July-2026

USMCA: Retail, manufacturing and apparel groups call for preservation: https://bit.ly/USMCA-Annual-Review

US factory activity eases off four-year high; input prices remain elevated: https://reut.rs/3SNyfPv

Turning Supply Chain Volatility into Competitive Advantage with o9 Solutions: https://bit.ly/SCN-At-Gartner-2026

The Autonomous Supply Chain: Why We’re Not There Yet (And What It Will Actually Take): https://bit.ly/Amber-Salley-AutonomousEra

From Planning to Decision Making: https://bit.ly/From-Planning-to-Decision-Making

Mfg.inc: https://mfg.inc/

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richcary/

Connect with Amber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersalley/

Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/

Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now  

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join  

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk

WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc

WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv

WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA

WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4

WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Amber Salley, and produced by Trisha Cortes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-manufacturing-momentum-ai-reality-leadership-lasts-1610

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Supply chain benchmarking has been evolving rapidly, but the biggest shifts in driving true organizational value may still be unfolding.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Lora Cecere (Founder of Supply Chain Insights), are joined by Dave Winstone (Global Director, Supply Chain Excellence at Dow) and Wael Abdelmalek (CEO of Uthereal). Together, they explore what it truly means to define and measure supply chain excellence, moving from rigid historical spreadsheets to data-driven, dynamic benchmarking and human-AI partnership.

The panel highlights how 32 top-performing companies outperformed the market by focusing on metrics that correlate directly to market cap rather than a simple popularity contest. Dave draws on nearly four decades of global leadership to make the case for focusing on portfolio rationalization and network design while bypassing traditional distractions like massive ERP implementations. Meanwhile, Wael shares how agentic AI platforms can condense 15 years of industry-leading research into minutes, creating a powerful learning engine that works alongside humans to scale organizational insights.

The guests share the core operational pillars that separate top performers from the rest of the market: leadership alignment, clear strategic direction, customer focus, and balanced performance scorecards. By embracing data objectivity and the power of dynamic orbit charts, they demonstrate how leaders can have tough, uncomfortable conversations at the board level to navigate macroeconomic headwinds and unlock real, sustainable growth.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro 

(02:29) The journey behind Ask Lora 

(03:39) Dave Winstone's background at Dow 

(08:18) Divisional benchmarking and collaboration history 

(09:16) The data-driven origins of Supply Chains to Admire 

(11:59) Building relevant industry sectors and peer groups 

(13:30) Improvement vs. performance in maturity 

(14:26) Measuring what matters over popularity contests 

(15:58) Comparing Supply Chains to Admire with the Gartner Top 25 

(16:36) Looking at industry headwinds through orbit charts 

(19:45) Stripping out subjectivity in industry lists 

(20:36) Why small companies outperform large ones 

(21:42) Traditional best practices vs. historic pitfalls 

(23:27) Revealing the 2026 Supply Chains to Admire winners 

(26:05) Core pillars: What the top performers have in common 

(30:27) Ask Lora: Dynamic benchmarking through agentic AI 

(33:32) Wael Abdelmalek's deep tech and cloud architecture background 

(37:32) Leveraging proprietary algorithms and agentic behavior 

(41:45) Demonstration: How to use Ask Lora 

(47:36) Testing scalability and breaking the model 

(51:05) Shifting the cross-functional dialogue at the board level 

(54:22) Key lessons from the panel

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Lora Cecere: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loracecere/

Connect with Dave Winstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-winstone-79337a34/

Connect with Wael Abdelmalek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wwael/

Learn more about Supply Chain Insights: http://www.supplychaininsights.com

Learn more about Dow: https://www.dow.com/en-us.html

Learn more about Uthereal: https://www.uthereal.ai/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc

WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv

WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA

WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4

WEBINAR- From Disruption to Stability: Building Resilient Logistics Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Global Market: https://bit.ly/3TguZMt

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/supply-chains-admire-2026-winners-dynamic-benchmarking-opportunities-1609

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

E-commerce order volumes are climbing, but bottom-line profits aren’t keeping pace. 

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Tevon Taylor are joined by Lori Boyer, Head of Content Marketing at EasyPost and host of Unboxing Logistics. They explore how to protect margins by moving away from broad averages and toward customer precision and AI-driven routing strategies.  

Lori explains how unmanaged growth creates a hidden operational tax for businesses. She makes the case for focusing on order quality over pure volume, calculating the true contribution margin per order, and using technology to treat delivery as a customer retention tool rather than a standard cost center. She also shares a case study where an operator leveraged practical AI tools to save $2 million annually and drastically cut late deliveries without changing carriers or contracts.  

Tevon and Lori discuss core operating principles for winning organizations; breaking free from baseline defaults, segmenting customers by economic value, and building multi-carrier optionality to safeguard against rate spikes. They highlight how moving past standard averages helps operators stop losing money and ensure top customers receive the elite experience they deserve.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(06:50) The e-commerce growth vs. profit gap 

(08:41) How today's e-commerce complexity is different 

(12:12) Shifting from broad growth to order profitability 

(14:12) Rising customer acquisition costs and retention value 

(18:22) Dashboard lies and the death of averages 

(21:44) Breaking down the true cost of customer margin 

(23:57) Starting with a simple profitability spreadsheet 

(26:33) Segmenting customers by order economics 

(28:18) Automating logistics decisions with practical AI tools 

(37:18) Prioritizing reliability and visibility over delivery speed

(41:00) Redefining optionality as a bottom-line margin strategy

(44:34) Traits that separate winning operators from those struggling

(48:39) Leveraging Luma AI workflows to locate hidden shipping costs

(51:05) Prioritizing customer lifetime value over broad funnel acquisition

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Lori Boyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribboyer/

Connect with Tevon Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tevontaylor/

Learn more about EasyPost: https://www.easypost.com/

Learn more about Pegasus Logistics Group: https://www.pegasuslogisticsgroup.com

Learn more about Unboxing Logistics: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/

Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/

Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc

WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv

WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA

WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Tevon Taylor, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/more-orders-less-profit-whats-going-on-1608

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What should supply chain leaders be focused on as the second half of the year begins? This week's episode of The Buzz, powered by Zebra Technologies, delivers practical leadership advice, industry news, and expert insights to help organizations prepare for what's next.

Supply Chain Now hosts Scott Luton and Kim Reuter explore the supply chain stories making headlines, from July 4th supply chain facts and rising food costs to the growing impact of GLP-1 medications on cold chain logistics and healthcare distribution. They also discuss why now is the time for supply chain leaders to conduct a mid-year operational review and begin planning for peak season.

Later in the episode, Scott sits down with Todd Heimes, Vice President and General Manager of Amazon Business Worldwide, for an insightful conversation about AI, procurement transformation, automation, and Amazon Quick. Together, they discuss how organizations can reduce manual work, improve visibility, and use AI to build more agile procurement operations.

The episode wraps with predictions for the remainder of 2026, including rising transportation costs, ongoing geopolitical disruptions, cargo theft, and what leaders should do today to stay ahead.

Key Takeaways

Conduct a mid-year operational review to compare projections against actual performance.

Begin holiday and peak season planning now by partnering with marketing and merchandising teams.

AI is helping procurement teams shift from reactive operations to proactive decision-making.

GLP-1 medications are driving increased demand for sophisticated cold chain logistics.

Visibility, automation, and reducing manual processes remain critical priorities for supply chain leaders.

Organizations that embrace AI today will be better positioned to compete in the years ahead.

Whether you're leading procurement, transportation, operations, or supply chain strategy, this episode offers timely insights you can immediately apply. From practical leadership advice and emerging logistics trends to AI-powered procurement innovations, The Buzz delivers actionable conversations that help supply chain professionals stay informed and stay ahead.

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Todd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-heimes-854666/

Learn more about Amazon Business: https://business.amazon.com/

Prime Business Quick overview: https://business.amazon.com/en/blog/amazon-quick-prime-business-discount

Reshape 2026: https://business.amazon.com/en/events/reshape

Learn more about Zebra: https://www.zebra.com/machinevision

Check out Zebra's guide to Warehousing and Logistics Solutions: https://www.zebra.com/content/dam/zebra_dam/en/guide/portfolio/warehousing-and-logistics-solutions-guide-portfolio-en-us.pdf/?tactic_type=SPS&tactic_detail=TL_TheBuzzPodcast_Video_ENUS_NA

UPS to invest $48 million in temperature-controlled facilities amid healthcare boom: https://cnb.cx/4eDjwO1

The Sustainability Voice Missing From Most Boardrooms: https://bit.ly/Voice-Missing-on-Sustainability

U.S. watermelon production reached 3.7 billion pounds in 2024, with Florida leading output: https://www-tx.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/112972

Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/

Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now  

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join  

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk

WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc

WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv

WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA

WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Kim Reuter, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-amazon-business-glp-1-logistics-mid-year-supply-chain-leadership-pulse-check-1607

 

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The real problem isn't that organizations don't have resilience plans. It's that those plans sit on paper, never operationalized, never tested, until the next disruption forces their hand.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now's Never Normal series, Scott W. Luton is joined by regular Supply Chain Now hosts Karin Bursa, CEO of NIRAKIO, Scott DeGroot, Managing Director of the Global Supply Chain Institute at The University of Tennessee, and Jake Barr, CEO of BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting, for a candid, experience-driven conversation on what it actually takes to lead through continuous disruption.

Drawing from decades of collective experience across manufacturing, consulting, and academia, the panel unpacks why the pace and amplitude of today's disruption demands a fundamentally different leadership model, one built on adaptive intelligence, structured decision frameworks, and cultures that reward learning over blame. From separating reversible decisions from irreversible ones, to building teams with cognitive flexibility, to understanding why perfection is the enemy of progress, the discussion cuts through the noise on what separates organizations that thrive from those that stall.

Together, they explore why supply chain deserves a permanent strategic seat at the C-suite table, why resilience must be woven into culture rather than sprinkled on top, and why the leaders of the next decade won't win with the best plans, they'll win with the best ability to diagnose, pivot, and execute when the plan expires.

 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(03:41) Karin on trust, emotion, and the function of leadership

(05:41) Jake on developing people until they no longer need you

(07:33) Scott on self-improvement and not being self-righteous

(09:18) Is disruption truly permanent, or just faster and louder?

(14:12) Leading when you don't have all the answers: reversible vs. irreversible decisions

(14:12) Building confident decision frameworks under uncertainty

(17:20) Karin on confidence, clear frameworks, and trusting the process

(21:46) What separates organizations that adapt from those that stall

(22:34) Why perfection is the enemy of progress

(29:42) What resilience actually looks like inside a high-performing team

(33:01) You can't just sprinkle resilience on top, it has to be cultural

(35:19) What role does culture play in organizational resilience

(39:35) Geopolitical risk and its growing role in supply chain planning

(41:40) The new premium skills: cognitive flexibility, AI fluency, and storytelling

(48:39) What today's talent expects from their organizations and leaders

(51:25) One leadership trait that has never mattered more

Additional Links & Resources:

Connect with Karin Bursa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinbursa/

Connect with Jake Barr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-barr-3883501/

Connect with Scott DeGroot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-degroot-4600368/

Learn more about NIRAKIO: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nirakio/

Learn more about The University of Tennessee: https://haslam.utk.edu/

Learn more about BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting: https://www.blueworldscc.com/

Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about

Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com

Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join

Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/

WEBINAR- The Future of Supply Chains: Where Talent Meets Technology: https://bit.ly/4uUuxkc

WEBINAR- Peak Reality Check: What Shippers, Analysts, and AI Models Are Predicting for 2026: https://bit.ly/4aTlsRv

WEBINAR- From Volume to Resilience: How Automotive Supply Chains Are Adapting to a New Market Reality: https://bit.ly/4f6SUGA

WEBINAR- The Automotive Industry’s Next Digital Breakthrough: https://bit.ly/4vhUwT4

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/never-normal-successful-leadership-age-constant-disruption-1606

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.