Kelly Barner

At the 2025 Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver, Scott Luton met with John Lash, who leads strategy and vision at e2open, a WiseTech Global Group company. E2open is a global platform powering the entire lifecycle of making, moving, and selling goods, with capabilities spanning planning, logistics, global trade, supply management, and procurement. The platform is designed not just for enterprise visibility but for true end-to-end coordination across extended supply chain ecosystems. Lash emphasized that disruptions rarely originate within a company’s four walls. “Your sub-tiers are where most of the risk lives,” he explained. “That’s where your day-to-day operations—and your long-term strategy—are truly shaped.” It’s a lesson sharply reinforced during the pandemic, which reminded leaders worldwide that no one does supply chain alone.   Old Challenges Intensified by New Realities When Luton asked about the biggest challenges facing planning teams today, Lash pointed immediately to constraints—supply constraints, manufacturing constraints, and now, the added layer of global trade volatility. Trade policies that once shifted every few years now change weekly, daily, or even hourly. Lash offered a striking example: Brazilian coffee duties jumped from 10% to 50% this summer—before returning to 0%. “How do you plan through that?” he asked.…

Special Guest Blog Post from Emo Trans The unpredictable economic landscape has produced unprecedented challenges within inbound logistics. Company leaders must navigate global disruptions and shifting consumer demands as they reshape their supply chains. Amidst the adversity, multisupplier sourcing has become a strategic advantage instead of a contingency plan. Follow this approach to equip business leaders with actionable insights. What Is Multisupplier Sourcing? Multisupplier sourcing involves purchasing products or services from two or more suppliers. This strategy differs from organizations using just one supplier. Diversifying the base requires establishing and managing relationships with multiple vendors. A robust network lets you be more agile as the market changes. Multisupplier sourcing has gained traction in the last five years. A 2022 McKinsey survey said 81% of companies implemented dual-sourcing strategies — an increase of 26 percentage points since 2020. Sixty-nine percent of respondents said this approach will continue to be relevant through the decade. The survey noted changes in inventory, sourcing and regionalization to boost resilience. Why Businesses Use Multisupplier Sourcing Increasingly complex supply chains have made businesses reevaluate traditional sourcing models. Multisupplier sourcing has emerged as a popular strategy to improve operational efficiency and resilience. Here are three key benefits that…