Recent News:
Supply chain talent shortage - Alcott Global's recent survey has brought to light the challenges faced by senior executives in the supply chain industry. With 50% acknowledging a talent shortage, an even more significant concern is the deficiency in the right skill set, identified by 64% as a top hiring challenge. The intricate landscape of global supply chains, driven by technology, sustainability, and evolving market dynamics, compounds the hiring process for leaders in the field.
The survey highlights that 64% of respondents find sourcing candidates with the appropriate skills to be the most critical hurdle. Notably, 58% express a shortage of talent skilled in data analytics, optimization, and automation. To tackle these challenges, Alcott Global advises professionals to "future-proof" themselves by mastering essential hard skills, including end-to-end supply chain operations, data analytics, supply chain technologies, risk management, and inventory management. Moreover, the importance of nurturing soft skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, customer focus, and adaptability is underscored as vital for success in the ever-evolving supply chain landscape.
The expiration of expiry dates - The perplexing array of food package labels, often leading to confusion and unnecessary food waste, has spurred a global movement towards rectifying this issue. Diverse entities, including major corporations, researchers, and startups, are actively exploring alternative methods, such as inks, pH sensors, and hydrogels, to revolutionize the way food freshness is perceived. This critical drive stems from the collective determination to mitigate the alarming levels of discarded food due to misinterpretation of date labels.
However, while innovative ideas are aplenty, transitioning these concepts into mainstream application requires industry-wide acceptance and a period of adaptation. Manufacturers and food producers exhibit some reluctance in altering their packaging procedures to accommodate these emerging technologies. For instance, UK-based Mimica has developed a solution involving a temperature-sensitive hydrogel that transforms as the product ages. Placed within a beverage bottle cap, this technology causes a shift from a smooth to a textured surface, signaling spoilage. The road ahead will reveal the strategies manufacturers adopt as the sector moves towards a more streamlined and accurate approach to preserving food freshness.
Walmart drone delivery - Walmart is partnering with Wing, an Alphabet subsidiary, to bring drone delivery services to two Dallas-Fort Worth area stores by the end of the year. The program will begin at a Walmart Supercenter in Frisco, Texas, with a nearby Walmart store also launching the service by late 2023. Utilizing tether-equipped Wing drones, the service promises deliveries within 30 minutes, catering to household essentials and groceries for customers within a 6-mile radius. Wing is ambitiously working towards establishing a global delivery network capable of handling millions of deliveries by mid-2024.
Warehouse automation becoming mainstream - Around 75% of companies are planning to introduce robotic automation in their warehouses by 2027. Labor shortages, along with advancements in machine learning and AI, are driving the adoption of smart robots. Machine learning is set to reach mainstream adoption in the next five years, resulting in a higher demand for both mobile robots and drones. Companies are expected to implement diverse robot fleets for various tasks within warehouses, requiring standardized software for seamless integration and enhancing cost-effectiveness and productivity.
Vessel data sourced from: Marine Traffic - 29/08/23
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