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April 2023
Supply Chain News to Know

 
 
APRIL 2023

News To Know

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Four months into 2023 and supply chain leaders are still struggling to know what to expect this year. What is certain, though, is that their jobs aren't getting any easier. Let's dive in.
 
 
 

  The Lead: Wait and See
 
 
 
 
 

"Transport companies from truckers to container shipping lines have pointed to an anticipated rebound in the second half of this year, saying they expected companies to return to more typical, prepandemic ordering patterns after working through excess inventories. That prospect has looked more questionable as retail sales have declined and more retailers and their suppliers display caution as they remain focused on keeping inventories in check.”
That’s according to Liz Young and Paul Berger at The Wall Street Journal. Similarly, feelings of uncertainty were shared by respondents in a FourKites survey of 350+ supply chain professionals, with many still concerned about labor challenges and high shipping costs.

Read the report to learn more about these challenges and how shippers will navigate them.
 
 

  In View
 
 
 
 
 
Giving supply chain leaders a seat at the table is, according to Bain & Company, the best way for retail executive teams to discover the ways supply chain can aid growth. They argue that, rather than limit supply chain ambitions to optimizing truck routes and keeping a lid on cost per case per mile, the right investment in supply chains can solve problems.

Stubborn inflation and rising rates have business leaders worried about profitability and cash flow, which means conversations between CSCOs and CFOs might get uncomfortable. FourKites’ CEO discusses the compelling case for supply chain investment.

It’s been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, and it’s become evident that the supply chain disruption caused by the conflict has created a significant void that will take decades to rebuild. Port Technology shares the latest data and insight from FourKites.

Pressure to improve supply chain sustainability — from investors, top executives and customers — has increased over the past three years. But Yossi Sheffi observes that the degree to which this pressure translates into supply chain changes on the ground is less clear. How is your organization tackling sustainability?
 
 
Tell us what you think in this short, 5-question survey.
 
 

  Numbers to Know
 
 
 
 
 
Retail ships in North America down YoY across all subcategories for most of early 2023
 
 
After two years of wild swings, shipments across all retail categories seem to be finding more stable footing in 2023.
 
 

Words of Wisdom
 
 
“During the past two years, not only were shippers worried about getting products to customers and missing sales cycles, but they were being charged astronomical demurrage and detention charges. Even under normal circumstances, it’s frustrating to receive a bill for something you felt you have little control over. Now, shippers are investing in technology to ensure that they can combat fees and incur minimal added costs.”

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PRIYA RAJAGOPALAN
CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER, FOURKITES
 
 

  ICYMI
 
 
 
 
 
  • Attention FourKites Customers: Join us on Wednesday, May 17, for an exclusive virtual customer event where you will get a firsthand look at how FourKites’ recent innovations are addressing some of the biggest challenges in supply chain today. Register Register for Demo Day now!
  • In FourKites’ No Fluff ROI: The Top 5 ROI Drivers for Supply Chain Visibility, you’ll hear from supply chain experts on the biggest value drivers of visibility and real-world customer use cases.
  • FourKites customers recently came together for an in-person event hosted by Bridgestone, where we spent the day learning about the ways they are getting the most out of the FourKites platform. Check out the blog post recapping the event.
  • Watch our latest webinar to hear how Bayer has operationalized supply chain visibility data to drive business growth and create a better employee experience.
 
 
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