Bruce Welty

A British logistician is credited with coining the term “supply chain management” in the early 1980s, but it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that the world became familiar with such aspects of supply chain operations as logistics, inventory and supplier management, and procurement. The influence of supply chain leaders also has grown with the understanding of the importance of the supply chain in the global economy. Supply chain management is a complex field with many moving parts, and the need for accurate and reliable information is more crucial than ever. Industry leaders help facilitate discourse and spur innovation to shape the future of the supply chain. In this article, we highlight five of these supply chain leaders, showcasing their extensive expertise and experience in the industry and what they are planning for the future. Making Moves: Five Supply Chain Leaders on the State of the Industry 2024 has been an exciting year so far. The OSRA 2022 ruling went into effect to better regulate demurrage and detention charges; Chinese e-commerce businesses are heating up the airfreight industry; and in dire contrast, the U.S. trucking industry continues to struggle through a lengthened lean patch. In an increasingly volatile ecosystem, the industry…

Retail margins rarely disappear all at once, they leak out quietly across transportation, inventory, and returns. As ecommerce grows and return rates rise, retailers are facing higher logistics costs, volatile freight spend, and inventory positioned in the wrong places at the wrong time. Many organizations still operate without true end-to-end visibility, making it difficult to control cost or respond proactively to disruption. This playbook shows how leading retailers are addressing total cost of ownership (TCO) as a strategic priority, not just an operational metric. Instead of massive transformation programs, it outlines practical actions that can uncover measurable savings in as little as 90 days through better purchase order control, improved visibility, and smarter network design. Why download this white paper: Identify where margin is leaking across transportation, inventory, and returns Understand the three most effective levers for reducing supply chain cost Learn how to reduce premium freight, improve utilization, and avoid markdowns See how real-time visibility improves planning and service levels Get a step-by-step 90-day pilot roadmap to validate savings Build a finance-ready business case for scalable TCO improvement By the end, you’ll have a clear framework to evaluate your current operations, prioritize improvements, and turn hidden supply chain inefficiencies…