I attended ProMat in Chicago this week. If you’ve never been to ProMat, it’s like Disney World for supply chain and logistics professionals. Crowds of people, more than 1,000 rides (I mean, exhibitors) spread out across two enormous halls, some vendor booths as big as skyscrapers, and the loud, nonstop sounds of conversations, robots, presentations, conveyor belts, forklifts, and other machinery in the air.
It was sensory overload, with 20,000+ steps of walking added in. If we weren’t all adults at this industrial amusement park, we would be like children at Disney World after lunch: exhausted and ready for a nap, or tantruming.
That said, those sights and sounds were the sights and sounds of innovation in our industry, and there was plenty of it on display at ProMat. I’m still digesting what I saw and learned there, so I will share my takeaways in a future post.
In the meantime, here’s the supply chain and logistics news that caught my attention this week (including some from ProMat):
- Knight-Swift Transportation Agrees to Acquire U.S. Xpress Enterprises for $6.15 Per Share
- US Dockworker Talks Show Rare Signs of Turning Sour (Bloomberg)
- Freight Rebound Hopes Are Fading Under an Inventory Glut (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- ATA Truck Tonnage Index Increased 1.2% in February
- Kaleris Launches Enterprise Visibility Suite, Driver Pre-Check-In App and Kiosk for its Yard Management System
- Locus Robotics Introduces LocusONE, The Warehouse Orchestration Platform Powering Centrally Managed Multi-Bot AMR Automation
- Agility Robotics Launches Next Generation of Digit: World’s First Human-Centric, Multi-Purpose Robot made for Logistics Work
- Packsize and Walmart Collaborate to Set New Standard for E-Commerce Fulfillment
- Locus Unveils ‘ShipFlex’ To Equip Businesses With Flexible & Intelligent Third-Party Delivery
- FourKites and Anytrek Partner to Provide Granular Trailer Visibility and Insights to Increase Operational Efficiency
- Walmart’s Spark Driver platform ramps up delivery coverage (Supply Chain Dive)
- Countries Compete to Lure Manufacturers From China (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- Manufacturers Move Back to China as Renewal of U.S. Trade Deal Is Delayed (WSJ – sub. req’d)
- ATA Expresses Concerns About Potential Granting of Waiver for California Truck Rules
- EU Reaches Deal for FuelEU Maritime Rules on GHG Emissions (Maritime Executive)
- ‘Greenwashing’ Targeted in Latest European Regulatory Push (WSJ – sub. req’d)
I’m still catching up from my time away from the office, so I’ll share my commentary next week.
Have a happy weekend!
Song of the Week: “Pepper” by Death Cab for Cutie
