The first quarter of 2020 ended with great uncertainty as businesses, schools, travel, and trade were all closed or curtailed due to the spread of Covid-19. 

The first quarter of 2021 ended with a mega cargo ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal and then getting unstuck six days later.

I call that progress.

Of course, we’re not fully out of the Covid-19 woods yet. Thanks to the rollout of vaccines, we’re in a better position today to battle its spread. But the battle remains, with gains in some places offset by setbacks in others (see Brazil, France, Italy).

Nonetheless, the economic outlook for this year is optimistic. For example, the volume of world merchandise trade is expected to increase by 8.0% in 2021 after having fallen 5.3% in 2020, according to the World Trade Organization. But with port delays and congestion, container shortages, trucking constraints, and other challenges, getting products from source to final destination won’t be smooth or easy. 

Of course, for seasoned supply chain professionals, dealing with constraints and exceptions is just another day at the office. Except maybe the office is still at home.

Simply put, keep your seatbelts tightly fastened. This rollercoaster ride is still in motion.

The Quarter in Review

In case you missed them the first time around or want to read/view them again, check out the top posts and new episodes from the first quarter of 2021. After reading/watching them, share this post with your colleagues and social media followers, then post a comment and share your perspective on these topics!

Top Talking Logistics Posts in Q1 2021

1. Supply Chain and Logistics Conferences to Attend in 2021
2. Four Questions to Determine the Ideal Supply Chain Technology Provider
3. VF Corporation: Supply Chain Mapping
4. Technology Trends in 2021 and Beyond
5. The Reality of Last Mile Delivery Challenges
6. A New Approach to Contract Freight: How Shippers Can Refocus Their Transportation Strategy in 2021
7. The Promised Land of Synchronized Supply Chain Planning and Execution
8. When Parcel Demand Exceeds Capacity: What Should Shippers Do?
9. The More Things Change in Supply Chain, The More They Stay the Same
10. Looking at Transportation in a Different Way

New Talking Logistics Episodes

• The Way Forward In Transportation Management
• When Parcel Demand Exceeds Capacity: What Should Shippers Do?
• Taking A Targeted Approach To Contract Capacity Procurement
• The Reality of Last Mile Delivery Challenges
• Taking a Fresh Look at Compliance Screening
• Spot Market Automation in TMS
• How Small Freight Brokers Can Level the Playing Field

Indago Research Reports

This quarter we completed eight research surveys and donated a total of $725 to JDRF, American Logistics Aid Network, American Cancer Society, Feeding America, and Make-A-Wish. 

• If GPS Goes Down (March 2021): If GPS was disabled for a prolonged period of time, how disruptive would it be to your supply chains? How confident are you that your logistics technology and service partners have an effective back-up plan in place?
• Screening Suppliers for Human Rights/Environmental Abuses (March 2021): What are the main challenges in screening suppliers across your end-to-end  supply chain for human rights abuses and environmental violations?
• Supply Chain Resilience (March 2021): How resilient are your supply chains? What are the main constraints in making your supply chains more resilient?
• Last Mile Delivery (February 2021): Is last mile delivery becoming a competitive differentiator? What factors are driving innovation in last-mile delivery?
• Social Media in Supply Chain (February 2021): Which social media sites, if any, do you use for work-related purposes as a supply chain professional? What are the main reasons you use social media sites as a supply chain professional?
• CyberSecurity Across Supply Chain (January 2021): Is ensuring cybersecurity across your supply chain a priority? Where are the biggest unknowns?
• Minimum Wage in Warehousing (January 2021): How does your current starting pay for frontline warehouse workers compare to minimum wage? If the federal minimum wage were to increase from $7.25/hr to $15/hr, what would be your primary course of action in response to increased warehouse labor costs?
• Digital Transformation Investments (January 2021): Has the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated your digital transformation investments? Which areas will you be investing in the most in 2021?

If you’re a supply chain or logistics practitioner from a manufacturing, retail, or distribution company, I encourage you to learn more about Indago and join our research community. It is confidential, there is no cost to join and the time commitment is minimal (2-5 minutes per week) — plus your participation will help support charitable causes that need our help today more than ever.

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