Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Ken Ramoutar, Chief Marketing Officer at Lucas Systems.  As supply chains adjust to changing conditions, they will continue to need tools to increase flexibility, speed, and productivity. That’s where technology can come to the rescue. Our guest offers insights into how new technologies can help operators address the many challenges they face today.

Most economists are predicting that an unce...

Our guest on this week's episode is Will Eadie, chief strategy officer at WorkJam. As the United States works to ramp up its manufacturing base, one area remains a problem – and that is finding good workers to provide the needed manufacturing labor. What are the challenges in hiring for manufacturing and how do companies retain good workers? Our guest offers his insight and potential strategies.

Warehouses can often be dangerou...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Robert Sroufe, professor of sustainability at the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. Supply chains are among the largest users of our world’s energy. Yet our industry is one of the most advanced in advocating for sustainability. But as political winds shift dramatically in Washington, many environmental policies may be on the chopping blo...

Our guest on this week's episode is Danny Ramon, director of intelligence and response at Overhaul Risk Advisory Services. Cargo theft continues to be a problem for transportation companies. Sophisticated organized thieves target goods in transit – from high valued electronics to even a recent shipment of eggs. How can shipping companies prevent and discourage theft of their goods? Our guest discusses the growing incidents of ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Andrei Quinn-Barabanov, Supply Chain Industry Practice Lead and Senior Director with Moody’s. It was five years ago this month that our world was rocked with the Covid-19 virus. That is when businesses and schools closed and we were all stuck at home waiting for things to get better. All the while, supply chains kept us fed and happy at home, for the most part. Our supply chains had to adjus...

Our guest on this week's episode is Erin Mittlestaedt, the CEO of the FruitGuys. The world continues to react to the trade disruptions caused by the Trump administration’s new tariffs. Of course, tariffs don’t only mean that we pay more for imports, it also affects exports because of the retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries that we trade with. Farmers will be among those hit the hardest by retaliatory tariffs. They m...

Our guest on this week's episode is Rosemary Coates, executive director of the Reshoring Institute. We’ve seen a roller coaster week involving tariffs. First they are on, then exceptions, then some reprieve. It makes one dizzy. But one of the stated aims of the new administration for establishing all of these tariffs is to force more manufacturing to return to domestic shores. Is that a workable strategy? Our guest offers some...

Our guest on this week's episode is Brian Lynch, EY Americas Transportation Sector Leader and an Executive Director in the Transaction Strategy and Execution practice at EY-Parthenon. With the ratification earlier this week of the new 6-year agreement between dock workers and ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, it seems like we will have some labor peace that will last a while. Our guest discusses what that bit of certainty mea...

Our guest on this week's episode is Matt Wicks, senior director of robotics automation at Zebra Technologies. Robotics are rapidly gaining acceptance in distribution operations. They can work 24/7 with a high degree of uptime and accuracy. Our guest shares in which areas of warehouse operations robotics are proving to be the most useful, trends that are leading to their adoption, and what might be hindering robotic deployments...

Our guest on this week's episode is John (Jay) Rogers, CEO and co-founder of Haddy. There has been a push in the past few years to do more manufacturing here at home. One of the key technologies that is enabling more domestic production is digital manufacturing. That’s where Haddy comes in. Haddy is the world’s first 3D printing furniture manufacturer powered by AI and advanced robotic technology. Jay Rogers talks with us abou...

Our guest on this week's episode is Maggie Barnett, CEO of third party logistics company LVK. It has been a whirlwind week in Washington. First the administration announced shocking new tariffs. Then within hours those new tariffs for Canada and Mexico were called off and postponed for a month. New Chinese tariffs remain. With all of the back and forth and uncertainty, how are supply chains to plan for their future? Our guest ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, the executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). We have all seen the unprecedented damage caused by the wildfires near Los Angeles. It is at times like this that the supply chain industry can mobilize resources to make sure supplies get to those who need help. Kathy Fulton shares what the emergency needs are, what is being done, and what more can be done. S...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kristen Purvis, product manager at ePost Global. Retailers have just completed a very successful holiday shopping season. But now those same retailers are dealing with many unwanted gifts in the form of returns. Are there ways they can successfully managing them? Our guest has some insights into ways to cut costs, be more sustainable in reverse logistics operations, and incorporate artificia...

Our guest on this week's episode is Zac Rogers, associate professor of operations and supply chain management, Colorado State University. 2025 is just two weeks old and most of us have barely settled into the new year.  Considering the unknown economic outlook, politics, possible tariffs, and ongoing turmoil around the world, it could be another interesting and a possibly volatile year for supply chains. Our guest shares his i...

Our guest on this week's episode is Ian Wilson, Senior Analyst with Intelligence Solutions at Everstream Analytics. At what seems like the 11th hour, dockworkers and ports on the East and Gulf Coasts agreed to a new contract. What will labor peace mean for shippers using those ports? Our guest has some insights. He also talks about whether there will be possible impacts for shippers on the West Coast due to the out-of-control ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jason Schenker, president of Prestige Economics. Schenker is one of the world's leading economists and he shares his insights into what happened in 2024 with the U.S. economy as well as predictions for 2025. Our discussion includes the economic outlook for supply chains and the material handling industry in particular, inflation, consumer prices, interest rates, employment, and looming ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Lee Ambrose, vice president at Remote Security Solutions. We hear regularly about securing our supply chains from threats, such as products being stolen while they are in transit. But security is more than just theft - it is also securing and protecting facilities and the people who work in them. Our guest discusses the possible threats that face our supply chains and how to keep both worker...

Our guest on this week's episode is Dwight Klappich, research vice president and Gartner Fellow at consultancy Gartner, Inc. There is tremendous interest in the growth of robotics and drone applications now being deployed in distribution operations. Is the hype and attention they have received warranted?  Klappich defines the "hype cycle" and how it can be a useful tool for determining when is the right time to adopt...

Our guest on this week's episode is Paul Caron, a cyber Intelligence expert whose title is Head of Cyber Security, Americas at global intelligence and cybersecurity consultancy S-RM. Last week we learned of a major ransomware attack at Blue Yonder that put many supply chains in a somewhat perilous situation just as we went into Black Friday. So, how secure are our supply chains and should this latest attack be something of a w...