Global Trade Trends: Three Businesses Bringing Innovation to Supply Chain
Global trade practitioners face waves of uncertainty with the possibilities of slews of international tariffs and work stoppages at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. There are other weighty challenges as well, including conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East, increasingly dangerous storms, and seasonal capacity strains and congestion.
Technology plays an increasingly important role in overcoming the many challenges in the global supply chain.
“The evolution of supply chain technology has allowed the shipping industry to enhance its operational capabilities. Automation, real-time tracking, and improved throughput have helped manage the heavy volume growth experienced during the pandemic, but recent challenges have highlighted the need for even more robust strategies,” Karim Jumma, e2open’s vice president of product management, wrote in a contributed SupplyChainBrain article.
Jumma cited geopolitical conflicts, extreme weather events, and logistical bottlenecks as examples of challenges that have tested the industry and “increased the need for innovative solutions that prioritize flexibility and data-driven decision-making to mitigate against ongoing disruptions.”
Supply Chain Now is highlighting E2open, WCAworld, and DP World, three companies continually working on innovative solutions to global trade’s most pressing challenges.
DP World Takes Collaborative Approach to Global Challenges
DP World’s marketing material says the company is “always moving” as it helps trade flow globally with its end-to-end supply chain solutions.
DP World has grown from beginning in 1972 as a local port operator in Dubai to a global logistics provider with more than 103,000 employees in 75 countries. It now operates 60 ports and terminals worldwide and freight forwarding and contract logistics services.
In November, the company hosted its Global Freight Summit to address “how to steer global trade toward prosperity, what trade will look like in 2050, and unleashing the game-changing power of artificial intelligence (AI).” The powerhouse speakers included Jim Yong Kim, 12th president of the World Bank Group; Prince Michael von Lichtenstein, founder of Geopolitical Intelligence Services; Rumman Chowdhury, CEO of tech nonprofit Humane Intelligence; and Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia.
“The logistics landscape is transforming rapidly. Customers now expect solutions that are not only cost-effective but also meet heightened standards for efficiency, sustainability, and resilience in response to global challenges. It is essential that as an industry we collaborate to meet these demands using the latest, efficient, innovative, and sustainable methods,” Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman of DP World, said of the summit’s objective.
E2open Helps Industry Prepare for Disruptions
E2open says its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform anticipates disruptions and opportunities to help companies improve efficiency, reduce waste, and operate sustainably.
“In an increasingly unpredictable global market, the ability to adapt quickly and make informed decisions will be key to sustaining efficient operations and meeting growing consumer demand. By adopting these approaches, the shipping industry can better position itself to overcome and prepare for future disruptions, ensuring the continued flow of global trade,” e2open’s Jumma wrote in the SupplyChainBrain article.
To improve decision-making, e2open launched its Supply Network Discovery application in April to “help brand owners and their supply partners share the strategic information necessary to get components, raw materials, and products where they are needed most and avoid the risk of disruptions,” the announcement said. “These new capabilities give brand owners multi-tier supply relationship mapping and traceability, structured engagement to perform due diligence, and partner impact assessment capabilities to improve understanding and compliance across expansive supply networks.”
E2open says it has the broadest cloud-native global platform purpose-built for modern supply chains. It connects more than 480,000 manufacturing, logistics, channel, and distribution partners as one multi-enterprise network, tracking more than 15 billion transactions annually.
WCAworld Works with Members on Freight Forwarders’ Challenges
Founded in 1998, WCAworld is the world’s largest network of independent freight forwarders, with more than 12,400 member offices in 195 countries. Membership benefits include information technology, marketing and design, and accounting and legal advice.
“WCAworld remains the true innovator in the logistics networking industry,” its website says. “By listening to our members, we continue to develop industry-leading solutions to the challenges and opportunities faced by the world’s best independent freight forwarders.”
WCAworld hosts conferences worldwide throughout the year to bring members together. Conferences in 2025 will be held in Austria, Croatia, Dubai, Florida, Hungary, and Thailand.
It also operates the WCAworld Academy, an online portal that provides access to a wide range of educational and training courses designed to enhance freight forwarders’ businesses.
Supply Chain Now Spotlights Global Trade Trends
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