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supply chain war room strategy
February 26, 2026
Inside the Supply Chain War Room: Max Garland on Backup Plans, Delivery Costs & the Human Side of Innovation
At Manifest 2026, Scott Luton shared a cup of coffee with Max Garland, Senior Reporter at Supply Chain Dive, an Informa TechTarget publication, for a boots-on-the-ground perspective from one of the industry’s most plugged-in observers. Garland covers freight, logistics, retail fulfillment, and parcel delivery: the parts of the supply chain where strategy meets reality. And after a bruising 2025, he sees an industry that’s not just reacting anymore. It’s recalibrating. From Plan B to Plan D If 2025 had a theme, Garland says it was contingency planning. “Last year was when a lot of companies were putting together those Plan B’s, Plan C’s, and Plan D’s,” he explained, pointing to tariff upheaval and shifting trade policy that forced leaders into constant reaction mode. Companies prioritized flexibility: diversifying sourcing, adjusting procurement strategies, and preparing for fires wherever they might spark. In 2026, that flexibility remains. But the tone has shifted. Now companies are “firming up their plans, fine-tuning, making sure those back-up plans are cost-effective as well.” It’s no longer just about avoiding disruption; it’s about operating efficiently within it. In other words, supply chain leaders aren’t just jumping over candlesticks anymore (like Jack from the old nursery rhyme). They’re…
June 4, 2021
This Week In Supply Chain Now: May 31st – June 4th
Check out everything that’s been happening at Supply Chain Now! We’re looking back on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes right here. On Monday, we released a special Memorial Day episode of Veteran Voices, hosts Scott W. Luton and Kelly Barner share their own personal messages, including what Memorial Day means to them and a few examples of those incredible individuals that sacrificed it all for others. On Tuesday, we released 2 new episodes! On this TEKTOK Classic Episode, host Karin Bursa speaks with Lora Cecere, CEO of Supply Chain Insights and industry trailblazer, about her career journey. On TECHquila Sunrise, host Greg White continues his conversation with Jack Freeman of PeakSpan Capital, discussing the current investment environment for supply chain tech. On Wednesday, Dr. Marcell Vollmer with Boston Consulting Group and Jacob Gorm Larsen with Maersk Group joined hosts Kelly Barner and Scott Luton on Dial P for Procurement to discuss digital procurement transformation. On Thursday, we released this week’s episode of The Supply Chain Buzz, powered by OpenText. In this episode, Supply Chain Now Co-hosts Greg White and Scott Luton are joined by Kelly Barner (Host of Dial P for Procurement) to talk about the 2021 Supply…