Frank McGuigan

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…

The resiliency of the supply chain has been tested time and time again — strained by weather-related events like hurricanes, global crises such as COVID-19, disasters like the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, and security breaches from cyberattacks. Supply chain resilience will continue to be tested. In fact, a major supply chain crisis could be just days away as the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) could stage a strike at ports all along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States as soon as Oct. 1. Beyond the Buzz: What is Supply Chain Resilience? “Supply chain resilience refers to the ability of a supply chain to prepare for unexpected events, adapt to disruptions, and recover quickly to restore its normal service levels,” Inbound Logistics said. “It’s not merely about preventing disruptions but being able to turn challenges into opportunities for growth and improvement.” Supply Chain Dive said because of events like COVID-19, the Panama drought, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, supply chain disruptions have become “part of the public’s consciousness and everyday nomenclature.” “The risk in our global economy is that supply chain disruptions are guaranteed to continue, but no forecast exists to tell us when or how…