The future of supply chain is accelerating, and on today’s episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Allison Giddens are unpacking the global trends, disruptions, and economic shifts shaping what’s next for leaders everywhere. From declining imports to AI’s growing pains, this episode cuts through the noise to bring clarity to fast-moving industry headlines. Welcome to The Buzz, powered by OMP! Scott and Allison dive into the biggest stories impacting supply chains today — and the ripple effects businesses need to prepare for. Together, they discuss: 📉 Why U.S. imports from China are falling sharply across electronics, furniture, toys, and more — and how tariffs and cooling consumer demand are reshaping sourcing strategies 🤖 The retail AI reality check: Why 95% of organizations see little ROI from AI investments, and how brittle workflows and lack of contextual intelligence are slowing progress 🔮 Top supply chain trends for 2026, including workforce and talent shortages, AI-driven transformation, and mounting geopolitical challenges 🛒 Thanksgiving meal costs drop 5%, but some items — like sweet potatoes and veggie trays — are bucking the trend with noticeable price increases 🌏 What all these signals mean for manufacturers, retailers, logistics providers, and consumers heading…

Why is it time to treat maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) as a first-class citizen? How can these processes be properly optimized? What makes business leaders hesitate to adopt new technologies? To discuss this, and a whole lot more, not one, but two experts from Verusen joined hosts Scott Luton and Mary Kate Love for this episode of the Supply Chain Now, with Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Paul Noble alongside Senior Manager of Product Management Danny Ramos in the hotseat. Paul has just returned from Las Vegas from the SAP Innovation Days for Supply Chain conference, and kicks things off by highlighting some of the key themes that he and other attendees discussed on the ground. Chief among them is the supply chain tech stack and the ways organizations are seeking to unify systems, and how MRO is being folded into these transformational strategies. This is important, the duo says, because MRO is essential to running businesses effectively. “You can’t produce a product if you’re uncertain of what’s happening,” Paul says succinctly, while also stating that the notion of supply chain being a competitive advantage has been overlooked for too long. Tune in to the full discussion to hear…