Enrique Vizoso

At the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver, Scott Luton sat down with Caglar Ozdag, a supply chain leader at ZS. Known for its deep analytics and technology expertise across industries such as life sciences, airlines, consumer goods, and agriculture, ZS has become a trusted partner for organizations looking to elevate their planning and manufacturing performance. Ozdag leads the firm’s supply chain practice with a focus on planning from detailed forecasting through detailed scheduling. As a former practitioner himself—having led planning operations at large global enterprises—he brings a grounded, real-world perspective to the challenges facing today’s supply chain leaders.   Old Problems Persist—and New Ones Are Emerging When asked about classic and emerging challenges in planning, Ozdag didn’t hesitate: firefighting isn’t going away. From supply planning disruptions to last-minute schedule changes, firefighting remains a daily reality. “Life happens,” Ozdag noted. Plans rarely match reality, and organizations must constantly adjust. But today, a new layer has been added: AI uncertainty. Everywhere he goes, leaders are asking the same questions: “Is AI the right investment?” “Will the ROI materialize?” “Are we adopting the right tools, or just chasing hype?” This blend of enduring complexity and emerging skepticism has become a defining…

Zebra Robotics Automation is revitalizing AMR-assisted picking to optimize fulfillment efficiency and productivity with up to 30% fewer robots need in comparison to legacy systems. Their innovative approach can help significantly lower your cost per unit by combining workers and robots into a streamlined partnership that increases throughput without sacrificing performance rates, accuracy or reliability. Maximize AMR-assisted picking efficiency with Zebra’s three-fold strategy: Balanced Utilization: Use low-cost carts for buffering instead of extra robots or labor, reducing costs. Increased Capacity: Carts boost pick density and eliminate AMR wait times, handling 150-300% more items while cutting robot needs by up to 30%. Optimized Workflows: Seamless coordination ensures every picker and robot stays productive—no idle time, no wasted effort.   Download the “Unlocking Fulfillment Potential” eBook here to learn more