Bruce Thompson

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now. On Monday we released a Supply Chain Now episode with special guest, VP of UPS Ocean Freight, Steve McMichael. During this episode, Steve gives some insightful information on how companies can manage more effectively so that their operations can run in a more timely manner. On This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner talks about the difficulties that came along with Laying the First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable across the Atlantic Ocean. On Monday we also re-released a classic Supply Chain Now en Español episode with Erique Alverez and special guest, Josue Vasquez. In this episode of Logistics With Purpose hosts Enriquez Alvarez and Kristi Porter have a conversation with MAP International Vice President of Global Giving, Jodi Allison. She talks about the global impact that the company has had when it comes to the necessary efforts needed for a crisis such as COVID-19. On Wednesday’s episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and Greg White welcome Walmart truck driver, April Coolidge, to the show. During this episode, she gives insight into her being a woman in a male-dominated field…

At MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, Scott Luton caught up with Mike Harris, VP of OMRS at Ocado Intelligent Automation, to explore how robotics, software, and evolving customer expectations are reshaping modern warehouse operations. While robots may grab the spotlight, Harris makes it clear: the real value lies beneath the surface, as in the intelligence that powers them.   Rising Expectations and the Cost-to-Serve Challenge Warehouse operators are under increasing pressure from both ends of the supply chain. Costs continue to climb, while customer expectations are rising just as quickly. “Cost to serve is continuing to increase and customers expect things faster and completely accurate” Harris explains. This dynamic creates a constant balancing act. Organizations must improve speed and accuracy while controlling costs, a challenge that requires more than incremental improvements. It demands smarter, more adaptive systems.   Flexibility and Long-Term Thinking Take Center Stage In today’s volatile environment, Harris sees a clear shift in how companies approach automation investments. “We’re finding that customers are looking to invest in technologies and partners that they want to stay with for a while,” he notes. Rather than chasing one-off solutions, organizations are prioritizing long-term partnerships and scalable platforms that can evolve with their…