The Future of Supply Chains: Next-Generation Technology and Beyond

This is an excerpt of the original article. It was written for the December 2023 edition of Supply Chain Management Review. The full article is available to current subscribers.

December 2023

It’s that time of year again. And that means looking ahead and backward. I’m going to do a bit of both this month. And I’m going to provide some insight into what we are doing in 2024 at Supply Chain Management Review. First, let’s look at what’s inside this December. As has become tradition at Supply Chain Management Review, we have included a collection of some of our favorite articles from the past year, covering topics on retail fulfillment, negotiations, artificial intelligence and supply chain transformation. Going back to the theme of looking ahead, I want to tell you about some changes we are making both online and in print.

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The e-commerce boom, persistent labor shortage, emerging geopolitical events and the fact that disruptions are lurking around every corner are placing new demands on the world’s supply chains. In response, organizations are investing in the technology, automation and robotics that help improve efficiency, reduce costs, increase visibility and support more agile, responsive supply chains.

As forward-thinking media outlets covering supply chain, logistics and materials handling, Peerless Media and Supply Chain Management Review welcomed more than 20 sponsors/exhibitors, 50 speakers, and 150 delegates to their 5th annual NextGen Supply Chain Conference.

The event took place Oct. 16–18, 2023, at the landmark Chicago Athletic Association hotel, where the group converged to learn, network, share best practices and get a close-up look at the latest in supply chain management technology. The premier educational and networking event also effectively answered the question: What’s next in supply chain management for senior-level SCM professionals?

A valuable resource for supply chain professionals who want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and innovations in the industry, the NextGen Supply Chain Conference also recognized nine industry leaders, leading solution providers, startups, and supply chain visionaries leading the way in the adoption of NextGen technologies.

The event featured a selection of keynote presentations on topics like Building Resiliency at Medline: Automation that is Transforming the Healthcare Supply Chain; Supply Chain’s Seat at the Portfolio Management Table; and a fireside chat featuring senior executives from EY and Procter & Gamble. Other presenters discussed case studies focused on real-world use of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics in supply chain management.

This year’s event was well received by attendees and sponsors alike. Eighty percent of attendees surveyed rated the event as either “excellent” or “very good” and 70% gave the same high marks to the value that they received from attending the event. “This was the best run event I attended this year. I love the focus on Next Generation supply chains, highlighting the exciting technology that’s out there,” said one attendee.

“NextGen really opened my eyes to what others are doing to stay competitive,” another professional stated.

• This year’s conference attracted more than 20 sponsors/exhibitors, 50 speakers and 150 delegates, all of whom enjoyed a full array of engaging keynotes and breakout sessions.
• The NextGen Supply Chain Conference’s exhibit hall served as the perfect backdrop for networking while also learning about “what’s coming next?” in supply chain technology

To recognize and celebrate leaders in the adoption of the technologies that are going to power the supply chains of the future, Peerless Media and Supply Chain Management Review presented nine different awards across four different categories (Solution Provider, Visionary, Startup and End User).

Understanding the dynamic nature of the modern supply chain and the stressors being placed on these critical networks, Peerless Media and Supply Chain Management Review are now planning for the 2024 NextGen Supply Chain Conference. Senior-level supply chain professionals will converge at the 6th annual event, which once again will be dedicated to helping companies leverage the transformative changes that are taking place in their supply chains.

• Fortna’s Chris Slover presents Kevin Kuntz of Gap, Inc., with the NextGen Supply Chain Conference End User award for robotics.
• Steven Keith Platt, director of analytics and lecturer of applied AI and statistics at Loyola University Chicago, discusses AI’s impact on supply chains.

• Drew Eubank (top left), Zion Solution Group’s executive vice president, and Brian Straight (right), editor of SCMR, lead a discussion with this year’s solution provider honorees: Dan Nattell, Covariant enterprise business development (left); Sankalp Arora, CEO and co-founder of Gather.AI (top center); and Satish Vadlamani, Kenco’s director of data science and business intelligence. The awards were sponsored by Zion Solutions Group.
• A representative from diamond sponsor Honeywell Integrated interacts with a pair of senior-level supply chain executives at the company’s booth in the NextGen Supply Chain Conference’s exhibit hall.
• Stephanie Cannon of Pitney-Bowes, Tony Gariety of Carhartt and Charan Lalwani of Gopuff participate in a panel discussion focused on Managing Growth, or How to Change the Tire When You’re Going 60 mph.
• Attendees participated in afternoon breakout sessions on topics like Transforming Procurement: Harnessing Cooperative Models and Digital Solutions to Enhance Supply Chain Resilience and Efficiency, presented by Brian Harmon, vice president of procurement at diamond sponsor SDI.

The NextGen Supply Chain Conference Awards recognize organizations that are shaping tomorrow’s supply chains today. These standout companies are helping organizations navigate the complexities of the modern supply chain while also preparing them for future success. Once a company is selected, a representative from that organization accepts the award live at the NextGen Supply Chain Conference.

This year, Peerless Media and Supply Chain Management Review presented nine awards across four different categories. The Startup category was added for 2023 and joins the Solution Provider, Visionary and End User categories that were all launched in 2019. This year’s award winners are:

And the awards go to…

NextGen Visionary Award

Kimberly-Clark - Scott DeGroot, VP Global Distribution and Planning

End User Awards

Robotics - Gap Inc.- Kevin Kuntz, Sr. VP Logistics & Operations

Digital Transformation - Carrier - Piyush Bhargava, VP Global Operations

Predictive Analytics - Macy’s - Sean Barbour, SVP Supply Chain

Solution Provider Awards

Robotics - Covariant - Dan Nattell, enterprise business development

Digital Transformation - ETQ - David Isaacson, VP Product Marketing

Artificial Intelligence - Gather AI - Sankalp Arora, CEO

Predictive Analytics - Kenco - Satish Vadlamani, Director of Data Science and BI

Start Up Award
LimeLoop -  Ashley Etling, CEO

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