Dr. Karen Hannel

Special Guest Blog Post written by Jeff Eckel, Director of Product Marketing, e2open   “Dad, why are they out of my favorite cereal?” your 10-year-old asks you at the grocery store, noticing that their favorite breakfast food is missing. The answer is more complex than they could imagine – hurricanes don’t just bring bad weather; they create far-reaching supply chain disruptions that affect everything from food to toys. Each hurricane season often brings catastrophic floods and wind damage. While communities will rebuild after the devastation, supply chains – the force behind keeping stores stocked – also experience powerful shocks beyond the storms’ path. The ripple effect of hurricanes across global trade The impact extends well beyond the immediate devastation. Critical port hubs for global trade close as hurricanes batter coastal regions. Cargo ships carrying essential goods like food, medical supplies, and consumer products must reroute or anchor offshore, waiting for storms to pass. This creates massive supply chain delays. Ports with backlogs of ships trying to dock and unload. Over-the-road and rail transportation networks face fallen trees, flooded roads, and damaged infrastructure that make movement difficult. Inland distribution centers face pressure Inland distribution centers – strategically located hubs where goods…

Podcasting has become a crowded — and noisy — field. It seems these days everyone has a mic — and a platform. The supply chain really entered the international spotlight during COVID-19, when goods piled up at ports during stay-at-home mandates. The rapid rise in e-commerce kept the focus on the supply chain as consumers demanded to be kept up to date on when all their stuff was going to be delivered. Supply chain-focused podcasts emerged to shed light on shutdowns and disruptions as well as the advancements in moving goods from points A to B — and sometimes C, D, and E. But not all podcasts take a serious look at the supply chain. There was a rash of silly content when an Evergreen container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal, and whenever a critter steals an Uber Eats delivery, the doorbell camera footage airs everywhere. We love a funny squirrel video just as much as everyone else does, but to maximize your supply chain podcast’s reach and impact, you should treat your subject matter with the seriousness it deserves. At Supply Chain Now, we pride ourselves on giving the best and brightest in the industry a voice,…