Podcasts about warehousing

Hundreds of detained people launched a hunger and labor strike at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, over Memorial Day weekend to protest inhumane conditions at the immigration detention facility run by the for-profit company GEO Group. Protesters flocked to the scene to echo detainees' pleas for release and better conditions — and were met with brutal tactics from federal, local, and state law enforcement officials, who beat, tear-gassed, and arrested protesters.“Detainees are raising that they have no access to quality medical care, that they're not getting needed medications,” Andrea Sáenz, a former federal appellate immigration judge who was fired by the Trump administration last year, tells The Intercept Briefing. “They don't have enough food to eat. The food that they are getting is spoiled. They're facing hostility and harassment and violence from the guards.” This week on the podcast, host Jessica Washington speaks to Sáenz and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior policy fellow at the American Immigration Council, about the conditions at the 1,000-bed jail and other detention centers across the country. The Trump administration has restricted members of Congress and state officials from oversight of federal immigration detention centers. “ICE doesn't want people to see the way that they're treating human beings in these facilities,” says Sáenz. Intercept reporter Noah Hurowitz, who covers federal law enforcement and immigration, was on the scene at Delaney Hall on Monday. He describes the violence that erupted outside of the facility between protesters and law enforcement officers.“The ICE agents on the scene were quite willing to use violence at times against protesters,” says Hurowitz. “But from everything I saw, the Newark and New Jersey police were much more indiscriminate with their violence and much more willing to attack outright and fire tear gas and really put people in danger.”Reichlin-Melnick says that the Trump administration's war on immigrants should concern everyone. “We're seeing every government database being turned into a tool of the mass deportation state, and that is something that impacts all Americans,” he adds, “because you cannot carry out a mass deportation of 4 percent of the U.S. population without fundamentally transforming the United States into more of a police state.” For more, listen to the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.Keep our investigations free and fearless at theintercept.com/join. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest on this week's episode is Jim Mozer, Senior Vice President at Crown Equipment Corporation. He is representing the Industrial Truck Association, the industry association for the lift truck industry. This coming Tuesday, the supply chain industry hosts National Forklift Safety Day. Now in its 13th year, this day is set aside annually to remind us of the importance of safe practices when working on and around forklifts. National Forklift Safety Day is sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association. Our guest and DC Velocity Group Editorial Director David Maloney discuss what will take place at Tuesday's National Forklift Safety Day event in Washington, D.C.The logistics sector has seen a tremendous impact in recent years from venture capital and other investment firms, through mergers and acquisitions, taking private companies public on the stock market, and other strategies. This week Senior News Editor Ben Ames wrote a story about more big money making changes in the industry, but it wasn't in a sexy area like robotics or drones, it was in good old fashioned warehouses.Earlier this week, German logistics giant DHL Group announced the launch of its DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics (DAHL). Senior Editor Victoria Kickham reports on this global training initiative designed to give humanitarian organizations and local responders practical logistics knowledge and skills—ultimately allowing them to better prepare for and respond to crises.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Industrial Truck Association (ITA)BKM and Kayne Anderson acquire $1.81 billion of industrial real estateDHL Group launches DHL Academy of Humanitarian LogisticsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I'm Marty and today I want to talk about something a listener brought up recently. They asked me, “Why don't you just stick to explaining warehouse positions instead of all the other stuff that doesn't make us more money?” Well, I guess that is a fair question.  As We've discussed many times, and I believe this is more than just my opinion. Here's the thing about warehousing, transportation, distribution, manufacturing, and the whole supply chain.  Nothing stands alone. Every movement touches another movement. Every position affects another position. Every delay or error cost somebody time. And in my experience, every shortcut creates a problem somewhere else. And, not only do I believe, but I think I can show that the people who grow the farthest in this industry are usually the people who understand more than just their own task. That's why we talk about everything, and why I try and get as many questions answered as possible. We can all learn something from all the experiences shared.   On another note, kind of keeping with the theme of the day, I had a long time mentor, just this week say that the associate who learns the language of the operation becomes more valuable to the operation.  So today, I thought we'd have some fun with that idea by talking about something every warehouse, dispatcher, inventory clerk, transportation coordinator, recruiter, manager, and forklift operator and a couple of hundred other positions hear every day.  Acronyms. Being honest. The supply chain world LOVES acronyms. Sometimes it feels like people are speaking another language. A dispatcher says I Need POD on that LTL before DET hits, or customer's asking for an ETA, and OS&D says there's one QTR short. And the new employee standing there is thinking What in the world just happened? But once you understand the language, you start understanding the business. And understanding the business creates opportunity. So let's break a few of them down today.  POD. This one's huge. POD simply means Proof of Delivery. It's the signature, paperwork, photo, or electronic confirmation showing freight arrived where it was supposed to arrive. Without a POD, customers may refuse payment. Billing can stop. Claims can happen. That little signature? That's money. It's like a check. One missing POD can turn into hours of emails, phone calls, and frustration.  The BOL or Bill of Laden. The BOL is basically the birth certificate of the shipment. It tells us what the freight is, where it's going , who shipped it, who receives it , and how many pallets or cartons there are. Drivers carry it. Receivers check it. And dispatch tracks it. If the BOL is wrong, everything downstream can become wrong too. Again, everything touches everything.  On to the ETA or the estimated time of arrival.  Everybody wants the ETA. An inaccurate ETA affects staffing, dock schedules, unloaders, production planning, and customer satisfaction. One late truck can ripple through an entire building.  PU and DEL. PU means Pickup. DEL means Delivery. Simple terms, but they move the entire transportation world. You'll hear the PU is at 1400.  And maybe read or hear DEL scheduled for tomorrow.  And you don't want to read or hear Missed PU. Or Late DEL. Those two tiny acronyms control millions of dollars in freight every single day.  Oh, these are common ones. FTL, TL and LTL. Now we're getting into freight classifications. FTL or TL means Full Truckload or Truckload. That means one shipment basically fills the trailer. LTL means Less Than Truckload. That means multiple customers share trailer space. Why does this matter? Because of the freight handling changes. LTL freight gets touched more. More touches means more chances for damages. More planning, terminals being crossed and more scheduling. Understanding freight flow helps associates understand WHY all those processes we have to follow exist.  STL or Spot Trailer Load. Now depending on the company, STL can mean different things, but many operations use it to describe a spotted trailer load or staged trailer movement. Spotters, yard dogs, dispatch, and shipping clerks all coordinate trailer movement to keep freight flowing. One missed trailer move can shut down a shipping lane.  Then OS&D. This acronym can ruin everybody's day. OS&D means, over, short, and damaged. To a receiver that’ll mean too much product. Missing product. Or Broken product! This affects inventory, customer service, claims, transportation, receivers, selectors and loaders. One crushed pallet may not seem important on the dock floor until you realize it can cost thousands of dollars.  Lets see, TONU or Truck Ordered Not Used. Transportation people cringe hearing this one. TONU means a truck was scheduled, showed up, and wasn't needed. But the carrier is still going to expect his or her payment. Why? Remember all we've learned about transportation. A truck sitting parked still costs money.  One we're all getting used to is FSC, the fuel surcharge. Fuel affects everything. When diesel prices rise, FSC charges often rise too. That means transportation costs increase. And when transportation costs increase, product prices eventually increase. Again, everything touches everything.  Two more biggies, DET and D&H. DET means Detention. D&H means Detention and Handling. This happens when drivers sit too long waiting to load or unload. And let me tell you, drivers will charge you and they remember facilities that waste their time. A poorly managed dock damages relationships fast. And we as warehouse people probably know these next two. APPT and FCFS. APPT means Appointment. FCFS means First Come, First Serve. Many warehouses, especially the larger ones run by appointments. Others unload trailers in the order in which they arrive. Understanding which system a facility uses affects scheduling, staffing, and transportation planning.  And here are 3 system ones. TMS, WMS, and YMS. Now we're talking technology. TMS is the Transportation Management System, and I'm sure us warehouse folks know WMS, the Warehouse Management System, and a little lesser known system is the YMS, Yard Management System. You'll see these in high traffic operations. These three systems track freight, our inventory, trailer locations, our productivity, shipping schedules, receiving , even our labor hours and cost. Really pretty much what ever information we feed into them! Years ago, many warehouses used clipboards and paper. Today? Data drives our operations. And the associate willing to learn systems becomes extremely valuable. A forklift operator that understands WMS screens and RF scanners may eventually move into inventory control or leadership. Knowledge adds up.  ASN and EDI. ASN means Advanced Shipping Notice. That's electronic information sent before freight arrives and EDI means Electronic Data Interchange. Computers talking to computers. Purchase orders, invoices, shipment notifications, receiving confirmations, all moving electronically behind the scenes. Most associates never see it. But it's happening constantly.  OK, this one most of us know. A PO or Purchase Order. A PO is permission to buy product. Without a PO, many companies won't even receive the freight or their order. That one document controls inventory flow, accounting, receiving, and purchasing.  Here's another on us production people know. KPI or Key Performance Indicator. KPIs are measurements. Cases per hour. Pallets per hour. On-time shipping. Inventory accuracy. Dock turn times. You've heard me say What gets measured gets managed. Warehouses or operations survive on measurements. And associates that understand KPIs understand how and why businesses make decisions.  Next we have RDC, DC, and MC. These are facility types. RDC is for Regional Distribution Center. DC is Distribution Center. MC is Manufacturing Center. Different responsibilities. Different workflows. But all connected together in the supply chain.  Now here's a few for the transportation folks. ELD, GPS, DOT, and HOS. As we know, transportation runs on compliance. The ELD is an Electronic Logging Device. Remember keeping our paper logs? GPS, Global Positioning System. DOT or Department of Transportation, and HOS stands for Hours of Service. These systems and regulations track Driver hours. Safety, Speed, Routes, and Compliance. Transportation isn't just driving a truck anymore. It's technology, planning, regulation, and accountability.  Keeping things on the road. We have NMFC and SCAC.  Now we're getting deep into freight language. NMFC means National Motor Freight Classification. SCAC means Standard Carrier Alpha Code. These help identify carriers and classify freight for shipping and pricing purposes. Again, Stuff most people never think about. But somebody in the operation has to understand it.  And BCO, FOB, and CFR. BCO often means Beneficial Cargo Owner. FOB means Free On Board. CFR means Cost and Freight. These terms matter heavily in international and large-scale shipping. They determine responsibility. Who pays for freight. Who owns the risk and where liability transfers. And one misunderstanding here can become extremely expensive.  Now some people may hear all these acronyms and think “Well, I don't need to know all that. I just drive a forklift.” Maybe today you do. But tomorrow? You might have an opportunity train new hires. Lead a shift. Help coordinate the outbound shift. Move into the inventory side of op's, maybe even become a dispatcher, or running transportation or supervise operations. Remember how we're always talking about learning and growing? The people who grow in this industry usually become students of the industry. Not just students of their task. And, that's why we talk about “all this other stuff.” I believe every term, every process, every department, every movement is another piece of understanding as to how the machine works. And once you understand the machine, you become more valuable to the machine.  Warehousing and transportation are not simple jobs anymore. They've grown. Technology. People. Safety. Metrics. Compliance. Movement. Communication. And that growth is a good thing. Every one of us touches another part of the process. And I feel, that's why knowledge matters. Not because every acronym instantly puts money in your pocket. But because understanding creates opportunities that eventually do. The more of the language you understand the more rooms you can walk into confidently. And confidence backed by knowledge? That's where careers begin separating themselves. The people who understand the whole operation eventually outgrow the people who only understand one task. And that, my friends is why we talk about all of it.  Well, there’s two more cents worth of my opinions. We do talk about a lot more than warehouse positions, but, I feel, and can pretty much attest that, if we learn it all, hang out with those from other departments, learn that task before ours and after ours, we will earn more and in many different ways.   Thanks for stopping in again today, and above all, remember safety is our number 1 priority. We want to be doing this a long time!

How do you top the tallest robot in the industry? Chris Coote, Director of Product at Dexory, caught up with The New Warehouse live from MODEX 2026 to explain how the company is doing just that with its new Dexory View Adapt platform.The conversation also explores how AI-driven insights can reduce firefighting, improve visibility, and help warehouse teams shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive operational management.Learn more about our sponsor Dexory's Storage Health here. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

Our guest on this week's episode is Hannah Hurckes, Founder and CEO, Boss Lady Logistics. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on a case that could end up changing the freight industry as we know it, especially the brokerage part of freight movement. Hurckes shares the details and the impacts of this landmark ruling with DC Velocity Senior Editor Victoria Kickham.The buzzword of the season in supply chain software right now is agentic AI. But that technology, and artificial intelligence overall really, is still so new that there are probably more questions than answers about how it will affect each user's own business processes. This week Senior News Editor Ben Ames traveled to Las Vegas to attend the Manhattan Associates Momentum conference, where much of the discussion focused on some new tools to help users implement agentic AI into their workflows and deal with the “blackbox” problem.Warehouse robotics and automation company Locus Robotics said this week it has acquired Nexera Robotics. Nexera is a Vancouver-based developer of advanced robotic grasping technology. This is a big deal because it will help advance Locus' newest offering—its Locus Array system--which it released at the MODEX show in April. Victoria Kickham reports.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Boss Lady LogisticsManhattan Associates launches marketplace of AI AgentsManhattan tool explains the why behind agentic AI decisionsBlue Yonder launches AI agent testing systemLocus Robotics acquires Nexera RoboticsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

In this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin Lawton catches up with Robby Moss of Vuzix. The conversation explores how Vuzix is bringing smart glasses and guided workflows into warehouse operations through hands-free technology and lightweight user experiences. The discussion covers everything from pick-and-pack validation to workflow analytics, remote maintenance support, and the role of smart glasses in helping warehouse teams reduce friction and improve visibility across operations.Learn more about our sponsor Dexory's Storage Health here. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

Our guest on this week's episode is Omar Qari, CEO of Logicbroker. Every industry has had to adjust to the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty – the Iran war, high fuel prices, volatile tariff policy – the list goes on. So, how are retailers and brands making the needed adjustments to deal with these shifting trade conditions and uncertain supply availability? Our guest offers his insights with Senior News Editor Ben Ames.Most warehouses have packages of some kind that they need to sort - either inbound cases that have to go to storage or processing areas or goods in outbound packages that have to be sorted to dock doors. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham wrote for this month's DC Velocity about how the wide diversity of these cartons is driving changes in automated sortation system design.Ben Ames reports that it's no surprise  that robotics technology is taking on a larger role in how supply chains operate. We've also seen for some years now that many of the Asia-Pacific nations are leaders in that category, both in building robots and in using them for applications like manufacturing. But we saw a report this week about exactly how China sees that sector developing in coming years. This comes from China's latest Five-Year Plan, which is China's blueprint for operating its economy. And sure enough, the country said it will continue to place robotics at the heart of its industrial system, along with artificial intelligence. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:LogicbrokerSortation Report: Pushing the limitsChina places AI-powered robots at the center of its five-year planVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I'm Marty and I've received a couple of different questions about forklift attachments over the last couple of months, so I thought we'd find a few answers for them. So today let's talk about a few different tools we can see in warehousing, manufacturing, food distribution, and the paper, beverage, chemical, recycling, and even import/export operations. We are talking about the clamp, the barrel clamp, the roll clamp, and the slip sheet or push-pull attachment. I think it's important to state that a forklift by itself is already a powerful piece of equipment. Add an attachment to it, and we have changed the whole game. We have changed what that forklift can do, the way the load moves, and the operator's responsibilities. And we have changed the risks. Some facilities love attachments, while other facilities discourage their use or only allow a very small group of trained operators to use them. They can certainly, in the right environments, increase productivity, however, in the wrong environment you'll find it's easy to damage product, slow down the productivity, and even present safety concerns as well. Forklift attachments came about because freight does not always come to us on a perfect 48 by 40 pallet. Warehousing, Manufacturing and Shipping had to evolve. Companies wanted to move more product, reduce damage, save money, use less packaging, and handle odd-shaped freight more efficiently. Companies have been building forklift attachments for decades, tracing their beginnings back to the late 1940's as a way to let a conventional lift truck push, pull, clamp, lift, and rotate different types of loads for a host of reasons. They were created to solve problems. A clamp attachment allows us to handle loads without forks going under a pallet. You may see carton clamps in appliance warehouses, paper goods, electronics, wine, packaged food, chemicals, and plastics. Think about big boxes of paper towels, refrigerators, washers, dryers, or cartons that are stacked and shipped without pallets. The clamp applies pressure from both sides and allows the operator to lift and move the product. My first experience with a clamp was unloading, stacking and storing washers and dryers. A unique experience to say the least. A paper roll clamp is common in paper mills, printing operations, and packaging plants. These clamps are made to handle large rolls of paper without damaging them. That takes skill. Too much pressure can crush or deform the roll. Too little pressure and the roll can slip. That operator has to understand the equipment, the product, the weight, the diameter, and the clamp pressure. One of my accounts used these, although I've never picked up one of those big, heavy rolls, I enjoyed watching them. The skill and focus were mesmerizing to me! A barrel clamp or drum clamp is used where drums, barrels, or round containers are moved. You may see these in chemical operations, food ingredient facilities, beverage plants, oil and lubricant operations, recycling, waste handling, and manufacturing. The goal is simple, safely grab and move a round container that does not sit on our forks the same way a pallet does. This is an amazing tool. Then we have the slip sheet attachment, often called a push-pull attachment. This one is interesting. This is a pretty common tool in distribution and storage environments. A lot of times product will be shipped on slip sheats. Instead of using a wooden pallet, the product sits on a thin sheet, often cardboard, fiberboard or plastic. The attachment grips the lip of that sheet, pulls the load onto wide platens, and then pushes it off at the destination. Manufacturers describe slip sheet handling as a way to ship, receive, and warehouse on inexpensive slip sheets rather than pallets, especially for bagged products, canned products and bottled items. I've seen all kinds of product shipped on slip sheets. So, why would a company use the slip sheet or push pull? Money, space, weight, sanitation, less pallet cost, less room needed for pallet storage, and overall, less wood in the facility. In some operations, especially export, grocery, beverage, and manufacturing, slip sheets can make sense. But, and this is an important point. Just because an attachment can do something does not mean every operator should be using it. Our training makes it clear that attachments change the forklift. The capacity, its operation, and maintenance plates or decals must be changed when a forklift is equipped with an attachment, and an unloaded forklift with an attachment must be treated as partially loaded. And we need to remember that modifications or additions affecting capacity or safe operation require prior written approval from the forklift manufacturer. That is a big deal. When we hang a clamp, push-pull, rotator, or barrel clamp on the front of a forklift, we are adding weight. We are changing the load center. We are changing visibility. We may be changing the way the forklift turns, stops, tilts, and reacts. And we are definitely changing the responsibility of the operator. A standard forklift operator already needs to know their data plate, load capacity, load center, travel speed, dock safety programs, pedestrians, horn use, ramps, trailers, and stability triangle. Add an attachment, and now that operator also needs to know clamp pressure, product damage points, hydraulic functions, attachment inspections, load shape, grip points, and how that attachment affects the capacity. Ok, the question of pay comes up. Having these experiences may bring more pay to the table. Not always, but it can. In many operations, an operator who can run a sit-down forklift is valuable. An operator who can run a sit-down forklift with a clamp, a slip sheet attachment, a roll clamp, or a drum clamp may be even more valuable. Why? Because fewer people can do it well. It requires more training, more patience, and more judgment. But more pay should also mean more accountability. We cannot say, I want the extra wages, but then not accept the extra responsibility. Attachments are specialty tools. Specialty tools require specialty habits. Let's talk about some of the dangers. With a carton clamp, the big risks are product damage, dropped loads, crushing, poor visibility, and over-clamping. If the operator clamps too hard, they can crush the freight. If they do not clamp hard enough, the load can slide out. If the load is not square, stable, or properly positioned, it can shift during travel. With a paper roll clamp, the risks include roll damage, dropped rolls, unstable travel, and poor positioning. A paper roll can be heavy, round, and unforgiving. Once it starts moving, it can keep moving. That means the operator must think ahead. With a barrel or drum clamp, we add the risk of round containers, liquid movement, chemical exposure, spills, and environmental concerns. A dropped drum is not just damaged freight. It may be a hazmat situation. It may become a slip hazard. It may require evacuation, cleanup, reporting, and investigation. With a slip sheet attachment, the danger is often in the technique. Push-pull work is not the same as sliding forks under a pallet. The operator has to grab the lip of the sheet, pull the load correctly, keep the product stable, and push it off without tipping, tearing, or shifting the load. Industry sources note that push-pull attachments require specific training, as do all attachments, and can reduce forklift capacity because of the attachment weight, and add complexity compared with normal pallet handling.  And that is why some companies discourage their use. It may not be because the attachment is a bad thing. It may be because the facility does not have enough properly trained operators or maybe because the product damage is too high. It may be because the loads are just so inconsistent. To be honest, these tools, especially the slip sheet, just don't make sense in all situations. I know of a lot of produce houses that discourage their use because of so much product damage. They don't save a lot of unloading time if you spend any saved time picking up damaged product! And in our world, as we've learned speed can get us in trouble. A clamp operator cannot be rushed, a slip sheet operator cannot be careless, and a barrel clamp operator cannot assume every drum is stable. These jobs require focus. So where do we see these attachments? You may see clamps in receiving, shipping, production staging, appliance warehouses, paper product warehouses, grocery distribution, consumer goods, and retail distribution. I've seen roll clamps in paper mills, printing plants, packaging plants, and ports. You may see barrel clamps in chemical plants, food manufacturing, beverage, oil, recycling, and sanitation-related operations. And you may find slip sheet attachments in export loading, food and beverage distribution, manufacturing, agricultural products, electronics, cosmetics, and operations trying to reduce pallet cost. If you are an associate, forklift attachments can be an opportunity. They can make you more marketable and make you more useful to your facility. They can help you move from basic forklift operation into a specialty equipment role. But do not just jump on one. And we all know never to get on or even touch a machine or piece of powered industrial equipment that we have not been trained on and certified to operate right. Ask our managers for training. Ask to have the data plate explained to us. Ask how the attachment changes the machine's capacity. Ask what the inspection checklist looks like. Ask what products are approved to be handled. Ask what clamp pressure should be used. Ask what damage has happened before. Ask what near misses have occurred. Another words, communicate, ask questions, and learn. Be a professional. Be THAT employee. And if you are a lead, supervisor, or manager, do not assume a certified forklift operator is automatically qualified to use every attachment in the building. That operator needs equipment specific and workplace specific training. And the attachment needs to be part of the inspection program. The data plate needs to match the truck and attachment. The operator needs to know the limitations. OSHA's or your countries powered industrial truck guidance reminds us that the data plate gives the operator critical information such as forklift weight and capacity, and operators should read it to understand the truck's capabilities and limits. I think it's important to note here that a forklift attachment is not just an add-on. It is a new responsibility bolted to the front of the truck. Yes, it can help us move freight better and it can reduce pallet use, and it can protect product, and in certain environments It can improve efficiency, even open doors for operators who want to learn more and earn more. But it can also reduce capacity, block visibility, damage freight, create spills, drop loads, and hurt people when used incorrectly. So the message for today is simple. You don't need to fear forklift attachments, but we have to respect them, learn them, and inspect them, and understand what they change. And never forget that the more specialized the tool, the more professional that we, the operator needs to be. Well, I hope I answered a few of the questions on attachments.  Until next time, keep learning, keep asking questions, and keep building your career one safe move at a time. And please keep in mind that the safety of ourselves and our team is our first responsibility.

In this episode, Josh interviews Nathan Resnick, founder of Y-Combinator a sourcing platform. Nathan shares expert advice on negotiating with manufacturers, building strong supplier relationships, and managing payment terms. He discusses the importance of understanding your value to factories, balancing primary and backup suppliers, and regularly re-evaluating product costs. Nathan also offers practical tips on warehousing outside the U.S. to save on tariffs and improve cash flow. The episode wraps up with actionable takeaways for business owners looking to optimize their supply chain and sourcing strategies.Chapters:Introduction to Nathan Resnick and Sourcing (00:00:00)Josh introduces Nathan Resnick, his background, and the Sourcing platform's mission and achievements.Negotiation Tactics and Understanding Factory Value (00:01:00)Nathan explains how to assess your business's value to a factory and leverage it for better payment terms.Factory Cash Flow and Forecasting (00:02:01)Discussion on factory cash flow challenges, importance of forecasting, and mutual understanding in negotiations.Choosing the Right Factory and Negotiation Leverage (00:02:58)Advice on evaluating if you're the right customer for a factory and when to consider switching.How to Find Out Your Importance to a Factory (00:03:55)Nathan shares practical ways to determine your share of a factory's business and the value of building relationships.Building Relationships and Guanxi (00:05:27)The importance of personal, transparent relationships with manufacturers, especially in Chinese business culture.Balancing Primary and Backup Suppliers (00:06:19)Strategies for maintaining a primary manufacturer while having backup options and when switching is worthwhile.Re-evaluating Product Costs and Sourcing Quotes (00:08:31)How to revisit product pricing, get competitive quotes, and the realities of sourcing platforms like Alibaba.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:10:42)Josh summarizes key takeaways: building relationships, revisiting unit costs, and warehousing outside the US.Warehousing and Tariff Strategies (00:13:43)Advice on warehousing in Mexico to save on tariffs and improve cash flow, including 3PL recommendations.Closing and Contact Information (00:14:30)Nathan shares how listeners can connect with him and learn more about Sourcing.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  "Sourcify": "00:08:47"  "Alibaba": "00:10:23"  "Global Sources": "00:10:23"  Key Concepts  "Guanxi": "00:05:35"  Actionable Takeaways  "Build a Relationship with Your Manufacturer": "00:11:29"  "Revisit Product Unit Costs Regularly": "00:12:33"  "Start Warehousing Products Outside the U.S.": "00:13:43"  Contact Information  "Nathan Resnick" on LinkedIn: "00:14:44"Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am super excited to introduce you all to Nathan Resnick. Nathan is the founder of Sourcify, the fastest growing sourcing platform backed by Y Combinator that helps hundreds of companies manufacture products around the world. In the past, Nathan has brought dozens of products to market, ran three e-commerce companies. He's even sold one of them and has been part of projects on Kickstarter, raising over seven figures. He writes for media outlets like entrepreneur, The Next Web Business. Com, and can frequently be seen on CNBC. Nathan also used to live in China and he speaks Mandarin fluently. So with that introduction, welcome to the show, Nathan.Nathan 00:00:41  Josh, thanks so much for having me on.Josh 00:00:43  I'm sure with your experience you have probably some good negotiation tactics. you've probably have a few case studies of people that you've helped, navigate getting better payment terms with their manufacturer. So would you mind just kind of diving in and sharing more there?Nathan 00:01:00  Yeah, totally. I mean, I think first off, you got to understand how valuable your business is to your factory.Nathan 00:01:06  Right. So I would do that by really trying to understand, you know, you make up most of their production output, you know, of all the factories, production volume that you work with, what percentage are you? Is it 30%, 10%, 50%, 80%. You know what? What is it? And then you kind of understand where you're at from a negotiation position, right? Because if you're a brand that makes up the majority of a factory's output, obviously you have a much stronger lever to pull if you're a kind of minority customer for them or a smaller customer for them, then, you know, maybe that's not even the right factory for you to be working with because you don't have a strong lever to pull. So I think, you know, number one, you've got to see eye to eye to eye with them in terms of forecasting and helping them better understand. Well, hey, you know, this year, this is how many units I'm planning to produce. And I think there's a big disconnect between supply chain teams and factories when it comes to forecasting, because a lot of supply chain team members don't understand.Nathan 00:02:01  There are a lot of brand owners don't understand. You know, that factory has to go purchase raw materials to produce your products as well, so they have their own cash flow challenges when it comes to, you know, making sure they have enough factory workers to produce your product, making sure they have the raw materials to produce your product, and then they aren't getting paid, you know, for 30 or 60 days to produce your product if you're negotiating your terms. Well. And so you've got to understand it from their standpoint as well of, you know, hey, how is this going to help their factory grow? Because it can also put them in a cash flow position, which is challenging. And so that's something you need to be aware of when you go into your negotiations. So I think number one, I would just make sure you're seeing eye to eye with that factory that you're working with to understand, you know, how big of a customer am I for them? You know, what does their cash flow look like? And have I done a good job making sure they understand my forecast? And that's when I would go into the negotiation of saying, hey, you know, we're trying to grow and to grow.Nathan 00:02:58  We need more, you know, cash flow to scale up our ads, to get more customers right. And so that's how I would approach it. I think if you're a brand that is, you know, a smaller customer like sub 10% of a factory's output, it's going to be really hard for you to negotiate that. And honestly, in that position, I might actually, you know, kind of take my option to of, you know, trying to ask yourself, am I the best customer for this factory? And can I find a factory where I'm, you know, a much larger customer that I can grow with more? so that's that's another kind of question that I would ask of, trying to understand, like if you already know your small customer for this factory, are they even the right factory for you? and then, you know, it's just.Josh 00:03:41  Real quick, before you continue on that, my question would be on that. How do you have that conversation to say, hey, by the way, how much of your business do I make up, right? Like, that could be an awkward conversat...

Recorded live at Viva Fresh Expo 2026, this episode of The Fresh CrEd features Emily Shaw, Senior Director of Produce Procurement at H-E-B. Emily shares her path from warehouse operations and supply chain leadership into the world of fresh produce procurement, offering a grounded look at what it takes to navigate one of the most volatile periods the produce industry has seen in years. We discuss: the transition from warehousing into produce procurement leadership and team development process-building in a fast-moving environment contingency planning and supply security how H-E-B approaches cross-functional collaboration navigating market volatility and shifting consumer behavior This episode also dives into the operational realities behind keeping fresh produce moving during freezes, supply disruptions, and changing market conditions.

What does Agentic AI actually look like in warehousing today? In this episode of MHI Cast, industry leaders John Paxton, Bharath Krishnamurthy, and Lee Rector explore how AI is already driving real results, from smarter slotting and drone inventory checks to real-time reporting, data auditing, and faster operational decisions. They also discuss why humans remain essential, how leaders should get started, and what the future of AI-powered operations may look like.

Our guest on this week's episode is Lisa Dyer, Executive Director of the GPS Innovation Alliance. Many of us rely on GPS satellite technology every day. But what we may not realize is that these important systems are vulnerable to criminals, hackers, and a range of other bad actors. Between jamming GPS signals and mimicking real signals, the potential for harm is real—unless we do something about it. Lisa Dyer of the GPS Innovation Alliance shares about these potential threats to our GPS systems and what can be done to secure them.Just about every company on the globe is trying to figure out what to do about artificial intelligence and other digitalization efforts, especially where they can be deployed in their operations and whether it is worth the huge investments.  Yet, Senior Editor Victoria Kickham reports on some new research that shows there is a considerable gap between these digital ambitions and actual execution.Cargo theft is a topic that we've been covering more and more in recent months. Every now and then, a high profile example makes the news, like those thieves that recently stole an entire truckload of lobsters or the ones who stole a truck of Kit-Kat bars. But on a day to day basis, it happens far more often, and one reason is that the thieves are constantly becoming better at being criminals. Senior News Editor Ben Ames reported that during the first quarter of 2026, thieves in the U.S. and Canada committed fewer heists but they targeted more valuable goods. He shares what types of goods are stolen the most and the clever ways thieves are pulling off these capers.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:GPS Innovation AllianceReport: Tech challenges persist across operations and supply chainsCargo thieves narrow their focus on high-value targetsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

This Inbound Logistics/IFS Softeon video podcast explores the role of WMS enablement tools and how they help organizations unlock more flexibility, scalability, and efficiency within their warehouse operations. Mark Fralick, CTO of IFS Softeon takes a broader look at the challenges operations teams face when configuring, deploying, and maintaining a WMS in dynamic environments. From onboarding new customers and launching new facilities to managing ongoing system changes, we discuss why enablement tools have become critical to reducing complexity and accelerating time to value. FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.softeon.com/ WANT TO RESPOND TO THIS EPISODE? Call our Dialog Line: 888-878-3247 DOWNLOAD THE NEW INBOUND LOGISTICS APP featuring the updated and expanded Logistics Planner! Available on iTunes and the Google Play Store: bit.ly/ILMagApp  bit.ly/ILMagAppGoogle Are you a #logistics Thought Leader that would like to be featured on the Inbound Logistics Podcast?  Connect with me on X:  @ILMagPodcast Email me: podcast@inboundlogistics.com   Connect with Inbound Logistics Magazine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inbound-logistics Follow us on X: www.twitter.com/ILMagazine Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/InboundLogistics Catch our latest videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/inboundlogistics   Visit us at www.inboundlogistics.com

Send us Fan MailJoin Boozy and the certified legal layman, Alkali, for a discussion of the law of Eminent Domain,  views, jury trials, and when having the meats isn't the same as having the evidence with this discussion of a highway, a warehouse, and the Arby's Exception to the law in the case of Commonwealth of Kentucky v. PTL Warehousing, LLC, et. al. (Ky. App. 2021)Also:  Time Traveling Lawyers and Facebook puts its foot down!Case Materials Here.Legal Funhouse Theme by Status Ferret. Check out his stuff here!Support the showSupport Boozy and the show over on Patreon, Kofi, or maybe watch him at Twitch.  You can read his writings and get updates about performances, releases, bonus material, and case materials at Lawyers & Liquor, his website. If you want to support Alkali, you can do that at his Twitch channel or on their Patreon!

Our guest on this week's episode is Helaine Rich, Vice President of Strategic Sales and Administration at ePost Global. As the war against Iran is in its seventh week, fuel prices continue to rise. And it is getting to the point where carriers can no longer just simply absorb those costs. So, how have those unexpected costs affected supply chain companies? Senior News Editor Ben Ames discusses with our guest how companies are coping and trying to adjust to these latest uncertainties. Each year, the number of women taking the wheel is rising. Right now, women make up about 9 1/2 percent of truck drivers, according to the Women in Trucking organization. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham reports that as women continue to impact the industry, truck stops are looking to make life on the road better for these women drivers. She shares the top three truck stops nationwide that are tops for best accommodating women truckers.Shoppers can sometimes be fickle. Just a few years ago, most retailers were losing traction with in-store shopping, forcing malls nationwide to close. Now we see a new trend where younger shoppers are returning to store shopping. Ben Ames reposts on a consumer survey he saw this week that found that only 12% of Gen Z and 9% of Millennials this summer plan to shop entirely online this summer, while the rest of shoppers are omnichannel, meaning that 69% of Americans are planning to shop both in-store and online. What does this mean for how companies manage their inventories?Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:ePost GlobalIndustry identifies the top three women-friendly truck stopsYounger consumers stay omnichannel, shun fully digital shoppingVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Our guest on this week's episode is Disney Petit – founder and CEO of LiquiDonate, a company that provides software for companies to donate unwanted returned items. As any retailer can tell you, returns can be the most difficult part of their work. Each return has to be evaluated to decide what to do with it. But what if there is a better idea for handling returns? With Earth Day approaching, we present a great way to find homes for returned items that cannot be resold. Rather than disposing of these items in landfills, LiquiDonate connects retailers and others who process returns with schools and non-profits that can use the items.Our team just returned from the MODEX conference this week in Atlanta where we saw all sorts of material handling systems and automation that will probably be coming to a warehouse nearby soon. Ben Ames reports on getting lots of these systems from a variety of vendors to work together: Walk into any distribution center and you'll see products from several different vendors running at the same time on the warehouse floor, not to mention all the different brands of software controlling them that you can't even see. So how do you make them all behave well together and work toward a single goal?Many things also caught the eye of Victoria Kickham at MODEX 2026 this week. She chose a couple of things to highlight. The first was the launch of an autonomous warehouse fulfillment system from Locus Robotics. The company debuted its Locus Array system, which is an autonomous, in-aisle picking solution that combines mobile robotics, an integrated robotic picking arm, and AI-powered perception to complete picking and fulfilment tasks without manual intervention. She also talked with robotics company Boston Dynamics about the long-term potential of humanoid robots in the warehouse.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:LiquiDonateLocus Robotics launches fully autonomous fulfillment systemRoboteon tool simulates impact of robotics automation on specific DCSFanuc robot arms combine AI and computer vision to adopt flexible workflowsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Let me ask you something, how many times have you walked into your facility, heard the safety message, maybe even repeated Safety is our number one priority, and then went right back to doing the job the same way you always have? Not wrong,  just familiar or normal. Because that's where most of us operate, in the familiar and routine. Just this week, at different facilities, I've heard about several incidents that remind us how dangerous familiar or routine can be. A loader slips inside a trailer and breaks his leg. An associate missteps stepping onto a dock plate and twists their ankle. Someone overextends and strains a muscle, and another hurts their back lifting. And even a safety trainer, someone who teaches safety, cuts their finger with a razor knife. Now think about that. That's not a bad week. That's a pattern in the industry. And patterns tell us something. The Truth is that Injuries Aren't Rare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are millions of workplace injuries reported every year in the United States. In fact, over 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses are reported annually. Warehousing and transportation consistently rank among the highest injury rates. Sprains, strains, and tears make up the largest percentage of injuries. Let that sink in. The exact types of incidents we're talking about today, slips, missteps, overreaching, lifting injuries, those aren't uncommon. They're the majority. Let's take it a step further. According to the National Safety Council, the average cost of a medically consulted injury can be over $40,000. Lost workdays, productivity, and indirect costs can multiply that number significantly. Back injuries alone are one of the leading causes of missed workdays. And I want us to realize that cost isn't just on the company. It's on us too. Because that injury affects our income, which in turn affects our family, and can affect our quality of life. And sometimes, it doesn't go away. I'm not certain these are training failures, I'm concerned that their behavior gaps. I want to think that most facilities today are doing the right things, orientation programs, strong startup safety meetings, enforcing PPE use, near miss reporting, and safety signage everywhere. So why are people still getting hurt? I believe safety doesn't fail in training. It hurts a little to say this but I think it fails in our behavior.  It fails in the moment when we decide to rush, when we reach instead of step and when we just go ahead and lift instead of asking for help. And that my friends are where incidents are born. I know, and I hate to know it, but safety isn't always the only voice in our head. It competes with production numbers, someone always saying hurry up, fatigue, maybe even bad habits, and sometimes even pride. We tell ourselves I've got this. It'll only take a second. I've done this a hundred times. And all those small decisions? Well, that's why we're talking today right! Remember a few weeks ago when we were talking about complacency? Repetition builds skill. But it also builds comfort. And comfort leads to complacency. According to safety studies across multiple industries, a large percentage of workplace injuries occur among experienced employees, not new hires. Why? Because we stop checking conditions, we stop thinking about our movement or our ergonomic training and we trust the environment too much. And that's when we act all surprised that something happens. Lets talk about a few of those scenarios I mentioned earlier. First up, Slipping in a Trailer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that slips, trips, and falls account for a significant portion of workplace injuries, especially in environments like warehousing. Trailer floors are unpredictable. condensation, debris, uneven surfaces. every step has to be intentional. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly fell sliding in the cooler area on the condensation, or nearly twisting my ankle on a piece of broken pallet. And then those pesky dock plates and the transition points, the dock to the trailer. A misaligned plate or a rushed step can turn into twisted ankles, maybe a fall or even long term injuries. Our next concern is overextending and reaching, things we're coached on all the time! Ergonomic studies show that lifting outside your power zone significantly increases the risk of injury. Remember our power zone? Between your shoulders and your knees. Anything outside of that reduces strength and is going to increase strain, raising the risk of injury. And I mentioned the back injuries earlier. Back injuries are one of the top causes of lost time incidents in the workplace. And they often don't come from one big lift. They can come from repetition, poor form, and a lot of small mistakes over time. And the razor cut or knife injury? Hand injuries are among the most common workplace incidents. And they often come down to us just rushing and getting in a hurry or improper use of the tool,  and as with the safety trainers incident, a flat out loss of focus and not paying attention. Maybe he got comfortable or what did we say earlier, oh, complacent. His incident showed us that  even experienced individuals are at risk. When we get our first light industrial position we start hearing about ergonomics. It's been explained to me as the career saver. I'm always talking about the long game in this industry, and ergonomics, when engineered, observed, worked, and practiced can keep us in that game for a long long time. Ergonomics isn't about comfort. To me it's about longevity. It's about being able to work today, work tomorrow, and still feel good doing it years from now. We have to remember that one bad habit repeated over time, can become one big problem. So whats missing or what are we doing wrong? Even with all the right systems in place, things still happen. I feel there's a combination of opportunities going on here. First, I want to say ownership. Safety isn't the company's responsibility alone. It's ours. No one else feels your injury but you. And then engagement. Do you feel we're listening to, or just attending all those meetings and shift startup get togethers? Because safety only works if it sticks, if we apply what we've learned. I have to say that speaking up is another big one for me. A real safety culture is going to sound something like hold up there a minute, that's not safe, and let's reset that machine, and hey, get some help lifting that. Our silence doesn't prevent injuries. Action does, our actions do. And in my humble opinion leaders set the tone. If safety is optional, people will treat it that way. If safety is enforced, people will respect it. It should be just that simple. But its not I guess, so how do we make it better? If everything is in place at our facility, well, I think it's on us. I think we need to slow down, but do it strategically. Not moving necessarily slower, but moving smarter and constantly focused is what I'm getting at I guess. A few seconds of awareness can prevent months of recovery. We need to think before we move. As equipment operators we've always heard look before moving the first inch. We'll, as people we need to think before we move. Every step and every lift matters, every movement matters. I think we need to make it personal. This isn't about policy. This is about our life and livelihood. Oh, and here's another pet peeve of mine. Why does everyone not use our companies near miss program? Doesn't most everywhere have one? That's a good question, please send me an email if your organization doesn't have one or share why you do or don't use it if so. I'll pick a few answers and share them with our group.  I know of a couple of facilities that have a weekly drawing for a free lunch card. You're entered every time you fill out a quick electronic form and hit submit. Not as many associates participate as you'd think. I've heard things like I don't want to rat out anybody, or that there business not mine. I hope that comes from the 1% and most of us realize we're helping our peers not telling on them. We're being paid, this isn't school or on the streets. We're protecting our friends and family.  Anyway, near misses are warnings. Ignoring them is a choice. And it is so important that companies recognize safe behavior. People repeat what gets noticed. It doesn't cost much if anything to pat someone on the back and say good job! Even for a lead or supervisor or manager to speak up at the start up and recognize a job done well goes a long way. At the end of the day, nobody remembers your case count, your productivity, and nobody is going to talk about how fast you moved. But you will remember an injury, a limitation going forward or a moment you wish you could redo. Safety isn't complicated. But it does require something from all of us. Awareness. Discipline. And ownership. Because safety? It's not a poster. It's not a meeting. It's not even a program. It's a decision. One you make every step. Every lift. Every single shift. I'm Marty with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I enjoyed talking a little safety culture with you today. Let's all do our part, be safe at work and at home, take care of ourselves and the family! Y'all be safe out there.

Live from the ARC Leadership forum in Orlando, Jeremy Hudson from OpenSky Group shares his journey from a golf cart delivery job to a leadership role in logistics. He discusses the future of warehouse management systems, AI, robotics, sustainability, and strategies to attract and retain warehouse employees.Follow us  on LinkedIn: Logistics Viewpoints Read more here: https://logisticsviewpoints.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------Would you like to be a guest on our growing podcast? If you have an intriguing, thought provoking topic you'd like to discuss on our podcast, please contact our host Jim Frazer or Our Producer Tom CabotView all the episodes here: https://thesustainabilitypodcast.buzzsprout.com

Our guest on this week's episode is Christelle Keefer, director of training and certifications at The Association for Advancing Automation (A3).  As labor becomes harder to find for our distribution and manufacturing facilities, companies are turning more and more to automation. This is National Robotics Week  - when the industry celebrates the impacts that these mechanical workers are making on our operations. Our guest speaks with Senior Editor Ben Ames about gaps that still remain when deploying robots to work with human workers.New information from the International Federation of Robotics, or IFR, illustrates just how prevalent robots are becoming in factories and industrial settings around the world. The group released its World Robotics 2025 report this week, which outlines the number of factory robots being used in various regions as compared to the local manufacturing workforce. TD Cowen, a banking and investment analysis firm, shared the results of their quarterly “1Q26 TD Cowen Carrier Survey” this week. It showed that a lot of the companies that operate trucking fleets are looking increasingly to technology for answers, and specifically AI. The survey found that 26% of trucking carriers would be willing to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools entirely instead of relying on human freight brokers. What might this mean for the freight broker industry?Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:The Association for Advancing Automation (A3)Report: robot density surges in Europe, Asia, and the AmericasTD Cowen: 26% of carriers would use AI instead of freight brokers?Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Stefan Heck, CEO and Founder of Nauto. We have turned the calendar to April and many of our listeners may not be aware that April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. From phones to radios to navigation systems, there are many things that can distract drivers as they move down our nation's roadways. Even professional drivers can be distracted, putting themselves, their loads, and of course other drivers at risk. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham discusses with our guest how extensive the problem of distracted driving is and what can be done to assure greater safety on our roads.Among the impacts of the war against Iran is the rising cost of oil, with a good bit of the oil the world relies upon stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. That has created uncertainty to energy markets and higher prices per barrel. And in turn, that leads to rising prices at the pump for both gasoline and diesel for drivers on American roads. Senior News Editor Ben Ames takes a look at the impacts of higher diesel prices on America's trucking fleets.Rising e-grocery sales and growing investment in domestic food production are fueling demand for cold-storage warehouse space nationwide, and companies are responding in a variety of ways—from building state-of-the-art automated facilities to adding technology that can make existing refrigerated and frozen space easier to manage. Victoria Kickham looked into this trend for a story in our April issue and found a couple of examples that illustrate how quickly—and technologically—the cold storage landscape is changing.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:NautoIran war diesel price surge forces change in U.S. freight marketsCold storage goes high techVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I'm Marty and It’s great to have you back this week. As I travel around to different facilities, and different regions, I'm hearing the phrase, no, not a phrase, I'm going with words, I hear the words, work life balance. Now, I'm going to tell you right up front, I believe in it. I believe in family, and I believe in taking time for the things that matter to us. Stick with me here for a moment, I'm not being negative, so bear with me for a few minutes. I believe in family and enjoying things that are important to us. But I also believe in something else, responsibility. Because before we can talk about balancing work and life, we've got to make sure we're handling and understanding the work part of it don't we. And in our world, light industrial, warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, this isn't a conversation about convenience. I think it’s a conversation about commitment.  We hear the phrase, no not phrase, I mean the words work-life balance everywhere. But sometimes, I think it gets misunderstood. To me, balance doesn't mean showing up when it's convenient or leaving when things get tough or skipping out when something better comes along. To me that’s not balance. That could be construed as choosing life over responsibility, without planning for either. And here's the old school thought. If we don't protect our job, there's nothing left to balance.   Let's talk about what we do. Warehousing isn't like retail and restaurants. There's no one standing by waiting to jump in if someone calls out. When someone doesn't show up. Freight still has to move, orders still have to be picked, trucks still have to be loaded, and customers are still expecting their delivery. And what really happens? The team absorbs it. Someone else works harder, someone stays later, and we all pick up the slack. And that's where things get real. Because our decisions don't just affect us, they affect everyone around us.  Here's a quick example of what I'm talking about. We were putting together an out-of-state rollout. A big project with a tight timeline. We had about 25 people lined up, ready to go into a facility during a transition. Schedules were built. Travel was arranged. The plan was solid. I had been working with a supervisor for about three weeks getting everything ready, written out. So, three days before departure he came to me and said his brother was coming into town. He hadn't seen him in a few years, and he decided to stay back and party that weekend. Now think about that. Not a family emergency. Not something unexpected. A decision. That one decision could have cost us the account, let down his entire team and cost them income and damaged our reputation. All that for two days. To me, that's not work-life balance. Isn't that walking away from responsibility?  Let's talk about something we see all the time. An associate calls in and says I just need one more day, I had a long weekend. A small thing right? But here's what happens. The shift starts short handed, productivity drops, the team has to adjust, and overtime increases for others. And here's the kicker, we've all seen it, how It becomes after every holiday, after every late night, and after every weekend. And before long? That one day becomes our reputation.  Oh, and here's a regular one. You're scheduled for overtime. It's been on the board for days. Maybe something like an inventory. Then something comes up, a cookout, a get-together, maybe just relaxing at home. And the decision is made, we call and state I'm not coming in. Now again, life happens. But this isn't life happening. This is choosing convenience over commitment right? And what does that mean? Someone else stays late, they miss their plans and picks up our workload. Again, I don't think that’s balance. Isn’t that passing responsibility to our teammate?  Ok, I hope we all say it. Family comes first. And I agree. But there's a right way and a wrong way to handle it. Let's say there's a school event, a game, or a family gathering. We know about it in advance, but we don't request the time off. Instead, the day of the shift we call and state I can't make it today, I've got something to do with my family. Of course, the event matters. But the lack of planning? That's what creates the problem. Because again, now there's no coverage, no adjustment time, and no preparation. Responsible balance plans ahead. Irresponsible balance reacts last minute.  Alright, one more and for me this one hits us kind of hard. The lead or supervisor decides to step away during an important time, something like inventory or maybe new hire orientation. Maybe they leave early or they don't show up at all. Maybe they're just unavailable. And the mindset is the team will figure it out. But leadership isn't about showing up when it's easy. It's about showing up when it matters most. When leadership is missing direction is lost, morale drops, and productivity suffers. And what about trust? Trust has to take a hit.   So, what does real work-life balance look like? I think it looks like planning ahead, communicating early, honoring commitments, understanding our role, and respecting your team. It's not about doing less work. It's about doing your work right, so you can enjoy your life without consequences.  I think instead of asking how do I balance work and life? Ask yourself, how do I manage my responsibilities so I can keep both? Because our job pays the bills, supports our family, and builds our future. And every decision we make either strengthens that or weakens it. So where did this mindset or concern come from, or how'd it come about. It didn't just show up overnight.  I think at some point, somewhere along the way, the idea of work-life balance shifted from something healthy to something that can sometimes be misunderstood. Work-life balance didn't start as a bad concept. In fact, I believe it came from a very real place. Years ago, especially in corporate environments, you had long hours, salary roles with no real cutoff time, people missing family events, holidays, even important life moments. And the push became we need balance. Meaning, take your vacation, spend some time with your family, and don't let work consume your entire life. And that's a good message, a necessary message.  Somewhere along the way, especially over the last 8 to 10 years, the meaning started to change. Instead of balance your responsibilities, it slowly became work should adjust to your life, whenever you want it to. And that's where things started to get all blurry, for me at least. Because now we see thinking like, if I don't feel like coming in, I shouldn't have to. And my personal plans outweigh my work commitments. Or I'll work when it fits my schedule. And in some industries, maybe there's flexibility for that. But in operations? That mindset just doesn't translate.  But being fair, we also have to look at how different industries shaped this thinking. Think about remote work environments, flexible schedules, oh and Gig work and contract roles. In those spaces you can log in later, you can shift your hours, and you can make up time. But in a warehouse? You can't log in later to load a truck that already left. And you can't circle back to pick an order that missed its delivery window. Time is tied directly to the operation. And I think sometimes we try to apply flexible-work thinking, to a non-flexible work environment.  And there’s probably a generational perspective at play to. I'm just talking and not pointing fingers. But I think different generations were raised with different messages about work. Many of us were taught to show up early, stay until the job is done, and that your word is your bond. And today, there's more emphasis on mental health, personal time, and setting boundaries. Again, none of that is wrong. In fact, some of it is long overdue. But here's my thought. Boundaries without accountability can become excuses. And accountability without boundaries can lead to burnout. I don't think the answer is choosing one, It's understanding both.  And we can't ignore this part either. Social media, workplace culture shifts, and even corporate messaging have reinforced ideas like don't let your job control your life, take time for yourself, no matter what, and you don't owe your employer anything. Now, some of that comes from real experiences, people feeling overworked or undervalued. But when taken too far? I think it creates a mindset of my responsibility is optional. And, in my opinion, that's dangerous in our team driven environment.  And this isn't just on us employees. Employers played a role too. There have been times where companies overworked teams, understaffed there operations and didn't properly recognize or reward effort. And when that happens? People pull back. They start thinking why should I give more if it's not appreciated? So, part of this shift is a reaction. A correction. But like many corrections, sometimes it swings too far the other way.  So, where does all that leave us, and how do we take the good from work-life balance without losing the responsibility that keeps everything moving? Because in our world the freight still has to move, the customer still expects their delivery, and the team still depends on each other. And no amount of mindset change will alter that reality.  Maybe the answer isn't “work-life balance” as a phrase. Maybe it's Work-life responsibility. Where you plan your time off, you communicate your needs, you honor your commitments and you still make room for your life. Because both matter. But one supports the other.  And this brings us full circle. Remember that supervisor I mentioned earlier? His decision wasn't about balance. It was about priority. And priorities show up in our actions, not our words. I think if we really want balance we have to ask ourselves, am I balancing my life, or am I avoiding my responsibilities? Because there's a difference. That sounded harsh.  But in our industry that difference shows up quickly.  So to close I want to say, absolutely work life balance matters and it is important. But in our industry, our positions, responsibility is important too. So take care of your family, enjoy your life, and be present for the moments that matter. But do it the right way. Plan it, communicate it, and respect the job that makes it all possible. Because at the end of the day balance isn't about choosing one over the other. It's about handling both.   Well, there’s my 2 cents on a difficult topic. I appreciate you stopping in again today and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Send us your thoughts to host@warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com. We love getting mail. Until next week, please stay focused on the job and stay safe in all you do. 

Our guest on this week's episode is Ian Massey, Head of Corporate Intelligence, EMEA, S-RM. As the war against Iran continues, supply chains feel the effects – whether that is oil tankers stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, disruptions to air cargo flying through the Middle East, or many other impacts that conflicts of this time bring. Victoria Kickham talks with this week's guest about these effects and potential risk scenarios.  For years upon years, importers have rented warehouse space near ports, because of course, ships would bring freight to US shores, and they needed a convenient space to store those goods. However, as Ben Ames reports, that conventional wisdom now seems to be shifting. The industrial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield says that for the year of 2025,  “port-proximate” industrial markets captured that segment's lowest market share in the past 15 years. We explain where these distributors are going instead and what is driving those shifts in location.Pharmaceutical companies are racing to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) across their supply chains, but the technology is not yet making a widespread impact., Victoria Kickham reports. This is according to industry research released this week from WBR Insights. The researchers surveyed 100 heads of supply chain from across Europe to identify key challenges and emerging solutions facing the industry. And they found that pharmaceutical supply chains are “performing but not yet optimized”—and that there is work to be done when it comes to making the most of AI investments.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:S-RMWarehouse leasers seek cheaper properties away from portsReport: 65% of pharmaceutical supply chain leaders lack confidence in AIVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage SolutionsOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

In this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin chats with Dave Gutierrez, Vice President of Sales at OLIMP Warehousing. OLIMP operates a digital marketplace that connects available warehouse capacity with companies that need fast logistics support. The conversation explores the growing demand for on-demand warehousing and why it is becoming an essential tool for brokers, carriers, and warehouse operators. Gutierrez explains how OLIMP helps solve urgent freight problems, particularly when shipments are rejected, damaged, or delayed. By connecting warehouses with immediate service opportunities, OLIMP enables businesses to recover disrupted shipments while helping warehouses monetize unused labor and space.Learn more about sponsors here: EPG, iAutomate, Big Joe Forklifts, Surgere, Ocado Intelligent Automation Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

Our guest on this week's episode is Mark Becker, CEO of G10 Fulfillment. We have all heard the stories about the fire risks of lithium-ion batteries – for instance, you can't put them in your checked luggage on a flight or use portable power-bank batteries inside an airplane cabin. Of course, larger industrial batteries used in forklifts and mobile robotic systems are built to much better specifications than many consumer batteries, but how can we assure they are safe? Ben Ames talks with this week's guest about best practices for shipping, storing, and fulfillment of lithium-ion batteries.The modern workplace is changing amid widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and ongoing economic uncertainty—issues we've been talking about quite frequently on the podcast. New information on this topic from staffing and recruitment agency Randstad USA emphasizes the “AI anxiety” piece and is in line with other recent research that raises some pretty big questions about where we're headed. Victoria Kickham shares the details.There is a lot of logistics effort  required to build the physical machinery that makes AI work. We're talking about buildings and pipes and wires and chips and servers. The companies that build these data centers — called hyperscalers — are spending a ton of money in a race for market share. The latest Goldman Sachs report upgraded the estimate for 2026 spending on those projects from $465 billion $527 billion. This week DHL announced a “significant expansion” of its North America data center logistics (DCL) infrastructure with 10 dedicated warehouse sites totaling more than seven million square feet of capacity set to go live in 2026.  Ben Ames has this report.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:G10 FulfillmentAutomation/AI reshape the workforceDHL expands white glove logistics for construction of AI data centersGoldman Sachs: Why AI companies may invest more than $500 billion in 2026Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage SolutionsOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Host Gary J. Ross talks with Daniel DeWolf, Co-chair of the VC/EC practice at Mintz Levin and adjunct professor at NYU School of Law, about the practice of venture capital funds warehousing investments. Among the topics Gary and Daniel cover are the reasons fund managers warehouse investments; various structures used for warehousing; disclosure considerations; conflicts of interest; valuation issues; SEC guidance on warehousing and maintaining the venture capital fund adviser exemption for ERAs; and the impact of warehousing on eligibility for the qualified small business stock (QSBS) tax exemption.

AI is “not optional anymore” in large-scale warehouses and omnichannel operations, as it's becoming foundational to how they function at scale. In this episode, we explore key findings from the State of AI in Warehousing Report and the 2026 State of Omnichannel Supply Chain Report, examining how companies are moving beyond pilots to real-world deployment. From inventory optimization and automated picking to real-time decision-making, AI is transforming operations as pressure grows for faster, more precise, and more flexible fulfillment. Joining the discussion are Dr. Matthias Winkenbach, Director of the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab, Dr. Eva Ponce, Director of the MIT Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, and Alejandro Gonzalez, Software Business Unit Director at Mecalux. They break down what's driving widespread AI adoption, where companies are seeing the fastest return on investment, and how omnichannel growth is increasing complexity across supply chains. The conversation also explores the rise of autonomous mobile robots, shifting workforce roles, and what's next, from generative AI to agentic systems capable of real-time decision-making.

Our guest on this week's episode is Mike Van Bree, director of product safety and engineering at Louisville Ladder Inc. and current president of the American Ladder Institute (ALI). This is Friday the 13th, and you have probably heard that old adage not to walk under ladders. That warning is probably not so much because it might bring you bad luck, but because it is an unsafe thing to do. And that brings us to our guest today: March is National Ladder Safety Month in the United States – a reminder to follow proper safety procedures while working at heights in warehouse and distribution centers, among other places.  Mike Van Bree brings some safe practices when working with ladders to our discussion.This week we saw the launch of a new plan by businesses in Europe to cooperate on joining together to set standards and practices for cybersecurity, specifically for software used in industrial automation and manufacturing. Ben Ames tells you what their plans are to defend themselves against cyber criminals.Global demand for sensors in logistics is set to double between 2024 and 2033, according to recent industry reports. Victoria Kickham shares about a feature she wrote for DC Velocity's March issue that examines how sensor technology is helping companies improve the efficiency, accuracy, and security of their supply chains. Specifically, she looked into an inventory project by Walmart and a recent market expansion by a transportation industry security startup that shows just how powerful sensors are in logistics.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The latest series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:American Ladder InstituteNational Ladder Safety Month websiteLadder Safety Training resourcesEuropean groups form cybersecurity initiative for industrial automationSensing your way to a smoother supply chainVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage SolutionsOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Whitney Johnson Cowell is the kind of supply chain leader who makes people feel seen. In this episode of Supply Chain Decoded, Jenni sits down with the Revenue Marketing Manager at Knight-Swift Warehousing and Fulfillment, founder of Mediocre Marketing, and TMSA board member to talk about the evolving relationship between sales and marketing, the real impact of AI on how teams work together, and why empathy is still one of the most powerful leadership skills in logistics. But this conversation goes deeper than strategy. Whitney opens up about building community in an industry that can sometimes feel overwhelming, advocating for neurodivergent professionals, and creating more inclusive spaces where people do not have to hide who they are to belong. She also shares the heart behind Dry Conversations, her platform for honest discussions around sobriety, mental health, and connection. This is a conversation about marketing, yes, but also about humanity. About asking better questions. About making room for people to breathe. And about the kind of leadership that leaves people better than it found them. To hear episodes of Dry Conversations, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2EKJrc7fGOBQE2Pv13QiTR?si=2b36de382ac74d1a To learn more about TMSA, visit: https://www.tmsatoday.org/ To follow Whitney on LinkedIn, click here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneyhjohnson/ To learn more about Mediocre Marketing, click here: https://itsmediocremarketing.com/ -- Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Transfix, Inc. or any parent companies or affiliates or the companies with which the participants are affiliated, and may have been previously disseminated by them. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are based upon information considered reliable, but neither Transfix, Inc. nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. All such views and opinions are subject to change.

Our guest on this week's episode is Jackson Wood, director of industry strategy, global trade intelligence at Descartes. The United States is now at war with Iran in military actions that have now spread throughout the Middle East. With that part of the world being in major disruption, what are the implications for global transportation, ships moving oil and gas, and just supply chains in general? In an interview with Ben Ames, our guest offers some insights.  Having agility within our supply chains is a crucial way to prepare for unexpected events, whether that is a pandemic or now with the new war in the Middle East. Yet, Victoria Kickham reports on some new research that shows agility is something that many warehouses still struggle to achieve.There are some signs that the long-term freight recession in the trucking sector may be coming to an end. Ben Ames reports on some new statistics that point to some light at the end of the tunnel for carriers.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The latest series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:DecartesWarehouses lack agility and are paying the priceFTR: Strong February truck orders suggest freight sector recoveryVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage SolutionsOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Hour 2

So, I sat down at the mic and I don't have a clue what I'm going to talk about today! I've had a lot of questions come across over the last few weeks, let me look at those I guess. Oh, and I'm Marty and I appreciate you joining us here at Warehouse and Operations as a Career this week. Ok, where's my bullet points. I've made a few notes on several of them, so let's talk about a couple of those. Ok, a listener wrote that I mention retirement quite a bit. That's an important topic so let's start there. Now I know, if you’re 20 years old unloading trucks, running a pallet jack, selecting cases at 180 cases per hour, or learning how to operate a stand-up reach forklift retirement does not enter your mind, you're thinking about the paycheck because you've got bills to pay! Retirement is not something you reach, it's something you build. And whether you realize it or not, you are already working toward it every single shift. When you start your career in the light industrial arena, you're focused on making it through the probation period, learning the WMS, hitting your productivity numbers, maybe getting cross-trained or learning that next position and the next promotion. Retirement is nowhere on the radar. But the truth is, the day you receive your first paycheck from a company that reports your earnings, you begin building your retirement record. Every time you punch in and your employer withholds taxes, you're contributing to the system. And that system keeps score. So Let's talk about Social Security for just a minute. No politics. No noise. It probably should be said that I am no authority on the social security system or tax system and by no means a retirement advisor so take nothing I say today as gospel and if you have serious questions reach out to someone other than an operations guy! So some notes I took from a quick internet search tells me that you earn work credits by working and paying into the system. You can earn up to 4 credits per year. Most people need 40 credits, about 10 years of work, to qualify for retirement benefits. If you work “under the table” and your earnings aren't reported, you are not earning credits. You might feel like you're ahead today, but you're stealing from your future self, and your future self will live with that decision. Our earnings can matter more than we think. I understand that Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of earnings. That means that promotions matter, our raises matter. Those certifications will matter. Moving from general labor to equipment operator can matter. When I talk about building a career instead of just working a job, this is part of what I mean. Higher reported earnings over time can mean hundreds of dollars more per month in retirement. And that difference lasts for the rest of your life. Here's something most young workers may not understand. Presently, you can begin drawing Social Security as early as age 62. But if you do, your monthly benefit is reduced. For many younger workers today, full retirement age is 67. If you wait beyond that, up to age 70, your monthly benefit increases even more. Here's how someone explained it to me. If you clock out early every shift, your paycheck is smaller. If you stay the full shift, sometimes even staying for the overtime, the paycheck grows and is larger. Retirement works the same way. And once you choose when to start collecting or drawing your social security, that decision follows you for life. Here's something else that we need to understand. Social Security was designed as a foundation, not the whole house! If your facility offers a 401(k), an employer match, a Roth option, make sure we ask questions understand those things. If your employer matches contributions, that is free money. I've seen young associates pass on it because they “need every dollar right now.” I understand that. I really do. But even $25 or $50 a week, invested consistently over 30 or 40 years, can grow into something meaningful because of compound growth. Time is your greatest asset when you're young. Not your strength and not speed or productivity. In this instance time is our greatest financial asset! We all know Warehousing is demanding. Loading trucks, Selecting cases, operating equipment and working 10-hour shifts on concrete floors is rough. Your body is strong in your 20s, even in your 30s, you still bounce back. Then In your 40s, you start noticing things. By your 50s and 60s? You respect recovery time a lot more. Planning for retirement isn't about quitting work. It's about having options. And planning can get us there. You've heard me mention Career planning vs. Paycheck planning. A paycheck mindset says “I just need this week covered.” Whereas our career mindset says “I'm building something that lasts.” When you show up on time every shift, protect your attendance record, willingly accept cross-training, maybe learn inventory control and learn dispatch, or learn how the operation works. You are increasing your lifetime earnings potential. And our lifetime earnings impact our retirement. Everything is connected. I want to mention the forty credits. That's the minimum many workers need to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Ten years of documented, reported work. That's not a long time. But if you spend years bouncing in and out of undocumented work, quitting without records, or not paying attention to your earnings history, you can delay or reduce your benefits. It's important to review your earnings record periodically, make sure it's accurate. This is your future income. If you're 20-something listening to this start early, build skills, increase earnings, and think long term. Don't sacrifice tomorrow for temporary comfort today. I think retirement is about having the choice to mentor part-time, consult, volunteer, travel, spend time with family and friends, or simply rest. But choice only comes with planning. You are already working toward retirement. Forty credits. Thirty-five years of earnings. Small weekly investments. Consistent growth and career decisions that increase long-term value. This is the long game. And in warehousing, just like in life, the long game is what matters most. Ok, enough of all that. Here's one more bullet point I wanted to mention. I jotted this down a couple of weeks ago, I don't remember who asked about it, but I'm asked the question almost monthly. How am I going to get a job as a forklift driver if no company is willing to train me? A fair question, but honestly, most all companies train people to operate their forklifts.  There are no shortcuts to becoming an equipment operator. I urge associates interested in being equipment operators to target a company within a distance from the house that you can commit to the commute for every shift. Make sure they are using the kind and type of equipment you're wanting to drive and take any utility position to get your foot in the door with them. Show up every day with a great attitude and be willing to learn every task they offer you. After about 3 to 6 months of being that employee, approach your manager and share your goal of being an operator. Companies train their associates. An employee knows the warehouse, they know every item, they know how the warehouse flows and works. Yes, you can take a short course and pay for a license. That's a whole story on its own, that I won't climb up on my soap box about right now, anyway, what you're likely to find is that the first question a hiring agent is going to ask is, how much experience do you have? When we get our foot in the door as an unloader, loader, maybe even a sanitation associate, or almost any general labor job, our management team is more apt to work with us. They already have an investment in us, and we've shown them, and now told them, that we have a goal, and a plan. We're going to be the safest and most productive equipment operator they've ever trained. Companies do train operators, they have to train them because it can take many months, even years to be a productive operator. So to answer the question. Companies do train. In my opinion, we have to work ourselves into the position. Theres no class that can teach us everything. We develop those skills over time, through experience. And that's my 2 cents on that! Theres my own personal thoughts on two points today. I hope I mentioned something that helped you or got you to thinking about a plan. Until next week, please be safe at work and at home, stay focused on the task at hand. We all want to do it again tomorrow!

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why retail is now a demand chain, not a supply chain How AMRs deliver 6–12 month ROI in high-variability e-commerce Why robotics-as-a-service changes peak capacity planning The real bottleneck in AI adoption: structured WMS data Why dashboards are dying and exception-based orchestration is rising How consolidation will reshape 3PL economics Why operational excellence remains the ultimate differentiator HIGHLIGHTS 00:01–00:12 | Consumer expectations and the “fast + free + cheap” reality 00:12–00:15 | AMRs, ASRS, RaaS, and 6–12 month automation ROI 00:15–00:16 | Buy vs build: what's commodity vs “secret sauce” 00:16–00:19 | Agentic AI in warehouse ops: labor planning + execution 00:19–00:22 | AI proof, case studies, and demand planning as the next frontier 00:22–00:24 | Dashboards vs operators: turning analytics into actions 00:24–00:28 | Operator advice: efficiency, mechanization, and competition shifts 00:29–00:31 | Manifest trends: retail channels evolving + tech-driven 3PL future QUOTES  [00:04:10] “One of the biggest changes is you used to have a choice. You could either have it fast, you could have it free, or you could have it cheap. The consumer today wants all three.” – Jeff Wolpov [00:05:10] “We as logistics supply chain companies need to lean in and figure out how to do more with less. Today it's a necessity.” – Jeff Wolpov [00:07:30] “You need automation... We need to be faster and more flexible. Peaks have gotten much higher.” – Jeff Wolpov [00:16:00] "The hard part isn't building AI or using AI. It's what do you do with the results?" - Gary Allen [00:16:50] “Operators shouldn't hunt dashboards, they should get alerts, exception-based triggers. AI takes analytics to the next level.” – Gary Allen [00:23:00] "Reporting is the death of analytics." - Gary Allen  ABOUT THE GUESTS Jeff Wolpov Jeff Wolpov is Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Ryder Last Mile at Ryder System, Inc., where he leads the vision and strategy for omnichannel fulfillment and big & bulky home delivery. Previously, he served as CEO of Whiplash (formerly Port Logistics Group), achieving nearly 30% year-over-year revenue growth before its acquisition by Ryder in 2022. Earlier in his career, Jeff founded Distribution Solutions, scaling it from a startup into a $50 million regional logistics firm that became the foundation of Whiplash's national network. He holds a degree from the University of Michigan. Gary Allen Gary Allen is Vice President of Supply Chain Excellence at Ryder, overseeing Solution Design, Continuous Improvement, Data Analytics, and Automation across the supply chain organization. With more than 32 years of experience, he previously led EY's logistics consulting practice and held leadership roles at DHL and FedEx in product innovation, solution design, sustainability, and operations. Gary helped launch and co-author the “Annual Third Party Logistics Study” with Dr. John Langley of Penn State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Materials and Logistics Management from Michigan State University. LINKS MENTIONED Ryder report: https://www.ryder.com/en-us/insights/white-papers/e-comm/2025-ryder-e-commerce-consumer-study Ryder website: https://www.ryder.com/en-us Subscribe and Keep Learning!If you're a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don't miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

In this talk, Juan, Analytics Engineer and author of Fundamentals of Analytics Engineering share his professional journey from studying psychological research in Colombia to becoming one of the first analytics engineers in the Netherlands. We explore the evolution of the role, the shift toward engineering rigor in data modeling, and how the landscape of tools like dbt and Databricks is changing the way teams work.You'll learn about:- The fundamental differences between traditional BI engineering and modern analytics engineering.- How to bridge the gap between business stakeholders and technical data infrastructure.- The technical "glue" that connects Python and SQL for robust data pipelines.- The importance of automated testing (generic vs. singular tests) to prevent "silent" data failures.- Strategies for modeling messy, fragmented source data into a unified "business reality."- The current state of the "Lakehouse" paradigm and how it impacts storage and compute costs.- Expert advice on navigating the dbt ecosystem and its emerging competitors.Links:- DE Course: https://github.com/DataTalksClub/data-engineering-zoomcamp- Luma: https://luma.com/0uf7mmupTIMECODES:0:00 Juan's psychological research and transition to data4:36 Riding the wave: The early days of analytics engineering7:56 Breaking down the gap between analysts and engineers11:03 The art of turning business reality into clean data16:25 Why data engineering is about safety, not just speed20:53 Reimagining data modeling in the modern era26:53 To split or not to split: Finding the right team roles30:35 Python, SQL, and the technical toolkit for success38:41 How to stop manually testing your data dashboards46:34 Bringing software engineering rigor to data workflows49:50 Must-read books and resources for mastering the craft55:42 The future of dbt and the shifting tool landscape1:00:29 Deciphering the lakehouse: Warehousing in the cloud1:11:16 Pro-tips for starting your data engineering journey1:14:40 The big debate: Databricks vs. Snowflake1:18:28 Why every data professional needs a local communityThis talk is designed for data analysts looking to level up their engineering skills, data engineers interested in the business-logic layer, and data leaders trying to structure their teams more effectively. It is particularly valuable for those preparing for the Data Engineering Zoomcamp or anyone looking to transition into an Analytics Engineering role.Connect with Juan- Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmperafan/ - Website - https://juanalytics.com/Connect with DataTalks.Club:- Join the community - https://datatalks.club/slack.html- Subscribe to our Google calendar to have all our events in your calendar - https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r?cid=ZjhxaWRqbnEwamhzY3A4ODA5azFlZ2hzNjBAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ- Check other upcoming events - https://lu.ma/dtc-events- GitHub: https://github.com/DataTalksClub- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/datatalks-club/ - Twitter - https://twitter.com/DataTalksClub - Website - https://datatalks.club/

India's warehousing growth has crossed 533 million sq ft — and it's still rising. Behind this surge lies a deeper transformation of India's logistics sector, supply chain infrastructure, e-commerce ecosystem, industrial real estate market, and manufacturing ambitions.In this episode of Eye On Retail By The Core Report, an initiative supported by Flipkart, Financial Journalist Govindraj Ethiraj in conversation with Yogesh Shevade, Head of Logistics & Industrial in India, JLL and Balbirsingh Khalsa, Executive Director – Industrial Capital Markets, National Director, Knight Frank, decode the forces reshaping India's logistics and warehousing landscape.As India aims to move from a $4 trillion economy toward a $30 trillion vision, logistics is no longer a backend function — it is a strategic growth engine. Post-GST reforms, institutional investment inflows, multimodal logistics parks (MMLPs), rail freight corridors, quick commerce, Tier 2 and Tier 3 city expansion, and automation are redefining how goods move across the country.For India-based professionals tracking infrastructure development, supply chain optimization, economic reforms, manufacturing growth, private equity investment, real estate capital markets, and e-commerce logistics, this episode offers deep strategic insight.⏱ Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction: Highlights on India's Logistics Transformation(02:17) The Boom in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Warehousing Ecosystem(06:00) Post-GST Evolution: How Reform Triggered Institutional Investment(09:45) Share of E-commerce in India's Logistics Sector(11:01) Optimizing the Pie: Transportation Costs, Labour Economics & Efficiency Gaps(17:30) Investment Realities: Land Prices, IRR Expectations, Vacancy Trends & Capital Flows(27:45) Future Infrastructure: The Shift from Road to Rail & Multimodal Logistics Parks(29:50) Path Ahead: Core Challenges and Growth Opportunities in Indian Logistics(33:12) Role of Government in Logistics & Infrastructure Development(35:05) Closing: Policy Synergy, Gati Shakti & India's Supply Chain FutureThis discussion explores:• How GST transformed India's supply chain and warehouse strategy• Why transportation contributes nearly 50% of logistics costs• The rapid growth of Tier 2 & Tier 3 warehousing hubs• The rise of quick commerce and 10–15 minute delivery ecosystems• Automation vs labour economics in Indian industrial real estate• Rail vs road freight efficiency and multimodal infrastructure• Land price escalation, IRR expectations, and investment risks• Why manufacturing, exports, and policy reform are critical to India's next growth phaseThe bigger question:Can India reduce logistics costs from 12–14% of GDP toward global benchmarks?Will rail freight and multimodal parks unlock long-term efficiency?Is Tier 2 India the next supply chain frontier?And how sustainable is the quick commerce model?If you follow the India growth story, economic policy, infrastructure investment, industrial corridors, supply chain strategy, or the future of e-commerce, this episode connects macroeconomic ambition with on-ground execution.Watch till the end for a sharp assessment of the opportunities — and the structural challenges — shaping India's logistics future.

Our guest on this week's episode is Lisa DeNight, managing director and head of North American Industrial Research for Newmark. Before a company can manufacture and distribute a product, they need the proper building designed to house their operations. That is where the industrial real estate market comes in. Like the home real estate market there are ebbs and flows depending on the economy and other factors. But there are signs for hope in the industrial real estate market in 2026, as our guest shares the latest industry trends and research.This week The National Association of Manufacturers shared new research that shows that the lack of spending on our nation's infrastructure is affecting manufacturing across the country. NAM says that highway congestion and delays in freight carrying finished goods are having big impacts on our economy and that there is a need to invest further in our crumbling infrastructure. They suggest where to focus attention this year.Research released this week tracks a turning point in supply chain strategy as organizations start to prioritize speed of execution as their main source of competitive advantage these days. That's according to research from supply chain software provider Infios. The company surveyed 100 U.S.-based supply chain leaders and found that nearly 80% said fast, dynamic execution—rather than planning or visibility alone—is their best competitive weapon in today's volatile marketplace.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:NewmarkNAM asks Congress for greater infrastructure spending Supply chain trade groups cheer congressional progress on infrastructure billReport: Speed and connection create supply chain advantageVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Jake Heldenberg, director of sales engineering, Warehouse Solutions, North America at Vanderlande. We are only a bit more than a month into 2026 and it is hoped that automation companies will see a glimmer of hope after a somewhat uneven 2025. Our guest today offers insight into the automation market and he shares trends and predictions for the remainder of the year.Finding and retaining warehouse talent is a challenge these days. However, this week, Gartner released research about what companies are doing to address that challenge—and they found that warehouse and distribution center leaders are focused on developing better employee engagement strategies. And “gamification” is at the top of the list. Victoria Kickham reports.This week, Ben Ames took a deep dive this week into retail logistics when he attended the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) annual Link trade show, held in Orlando. That's a show where you have a lot of the nation's biggest shippers and biggest carriers, all packed into the same convention center to talk about the retail industry. And with all those interests side by side, you get some really interesting conversations. Ben shares about some of the more interesting things he heard affecting the retail industry.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:VanderlandeReport: 40% of large warehouses and DCs to adopt gamification tools by 2028Tractor Supply finds more speed with less automationVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

What is the best way to invest in warehouse real estate and flex space?In this episode of the Alternative Investing Advantage Podcast, Alex Perny welcomes Jens Nielsen, Founder and Operating Partner of Open Doors Capital, to discuss why investors are shifting from multifamily into warehousing and flex industrial properties.Jens explains how rising interest rates and compressed multifamily cap rates pushed his firm to explore warehouse real estate, where higher cap rates, simpler operations, and strong small-business demand create compelling opportunities. The conversation covers warehouse property classes, tenant profiles, lease structures, triple-net vs modified gross leases, market selection, value-add strategies, and key risks investors must understand.If you are exploring commercial real estate beyond apartments, this episode provides a practical framework for evaluating warehouse and flex space investments.00:00 Welcome & Episode Overview01:19 Jens Nielsen Background03:21 Why He Started in Commercial Real Estate04:30 Why Multifamily Stopped Penciling07:32 Why Shift to Warehousing & Flex Space09:43 Class A, B, C Warehouse Explained13:03 Market Selection & Demand Drivers16:50 Urban Warehouses vs Industrial Parks18:10 Value-Add in Warehouse Real Estate20:51 Triple-Net vs Modified Gross Leases23:27 Lease Lengths & Rent Escalators28:08 Self-Managing Warehouses vs Apartments30:39 Tenant Screening & Business Risk37:24 Insurance Considerations42:17 Biggest Risks in Warehouse Investing44:50 Buying Vacant vs Stabilized Warehouses47:25 Due Diligence Tips for LP Investors50:08 How to Contact Jens NielsenSubscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week.If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about our guest, Jens Nielsen:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jens-nielsen-multi-family-real-estate-coach/Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-irahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/#WarehouseInvesting #CommercialRealEstate #IndustrialRealEstate #FlexSpace #PassiveIncome #RealEstateInvesting #AlternativeInvesting #CashFlowInvesting #TripleNetLease #SelfDirectedIRAAdvanta IRA does not offer investment, tax, or legal advice nor do we endorse any products, investments, or companies that offer such advice and/or investments. This includes any investments promoted or discussed during the podcast as neither Advanta IRA nor its employees, have reviewed or vetted any investments, persons, or companies that may discuss their services during this podcast.  All parties are strongly encouraged to perform their own due diligence and consult with the appropriate professional(s) before entering into any type of investment.

Today's House Votes to Fund the Government With Only 2 Weeks of Funding For DHS During Which Democrats Will Work to Reign in ICE | We are Funding the Warehousing of Immigrants in a Form of Torture To Make Them So Miserable They'll Waive Their Rights and be Deported | The Victimhood Behind Trump's Backlash Presidency backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Our guest on this week's episode is Suketu Gandhi, a partner and global chair in the Strategic Operations practice at management and consulting firm Kearney. The annual World Economic Forum was held last week in Davos, Switzerland. This year it was more politicized than normal, especially with more than 60 heads of state making appearances and lots of international intrigue. But while the politicians stole the spotlight, the primary purpose of the meeting each year is to bring business leaders together to talk about how to improve business operations.  This week's podcast guest was one of the attendees and speakers at the conference and shares his impressions and takeaways from the week in Davos. Artificial intelligence is being applied to all sorts of supply chain operations. This week we learned about some practical applications for the tech in the less-than-truckload space, as CH Robinson has some nifty new tools to avoid missed LRL freight pickups.The annual SMC3 JumpStart meeting was held this week in Atlanta. The conference deals with the major issues and challenges facing the trucking industry. Key themes across the three days were the state of the freight economy (which remains marked by uncertainty), rise of artificial intelligence (which is being applied pretty broadly in LTL), and accelerating levels of fraud across the industry (which pose risks from both a safety and economic perspective).Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:KearneyCH Robinson uses AI agents to avoid missed LTL freight pickups.LTL industry meets in AtlantaVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Stephanie McClintock received a public hearing as lawmakers reviewed House Bill 2207, which would modernize Washington's beer warehousing laws to align with existing rules for wine and spirits while supporting breweries and locally owned businesses. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/rep-stephanie-mcclintocks-bill-to-modernize-beer-warehousing-laws-receives-a-public-hearing/ #ClarkCounty #WashingtonState #HB2207 #CraftBreweries #SmallBusiness #StateLegislature

Our guest on this week's episode is Ronak Amin - global product marketing lead for fleet, mobility, and transport solutions at Here Technologies. Bridges and trucks are two elements that do not mix well. Many would be surprised to learn that an over-the-road truck strikes a bridge or an underpass every 36 minutes. Of course these accidents risk lives besides disrupting traffic flow. What can be done to prevent bridge strikes? Our guest offers some insights.One major container ship line recently decided to resume sailings in the Red Sea but has now backed out of those plans and will instead continue sailing around Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal. In recent years the canal has been nearly empty of commercial traffic, due to violence and missiles from forces in Yemen, who were targeting Israeli and other western hemisphere ships due to the bloodshed in Israel's war with Hamas. What does this change mean for shippers looking for some certainty in an ever-changing environment?We've talked a lot about advances in humanoid robots recently, and there was more news this week. New Gartner research released on Tuesday found that the hype around humanoids is outpacing the technology's readiness for large-scale deployment in logistics—and that means that we will probably see a lot of pilot projects over the next few years, but it's going to be a while before these human-looking robots become commonplace on the warehouse floor.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:HERE TechnologiesCMA-CGM flip flop on Suez Canal transits could spook global shippersReport: Humanoid robots to stall at pilot scaleVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

Welcome to the Durable Value Podcast! Host Joe interviews Matt LeDucq, CEO of Forum Mobility, about the electrification of trucking, the evolving power grid, and the impact on real estate and logistics. Dive into technology, policy, and the future of industrial development in the Western US.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction & Matt's background02:00 – The intersection of real estate, power, and logistics06:40 – How utilities work and why it matters12:00 – The economics of electrified trucking17:30 – Global trends: Electric trucks and battery costs22:00 – Warehousing, population movement, and affordability27:00 – Automation, autonomous vehicles, and the future of work33:00 – Urban mobility and the future of car ownership38:00 – Regional winners and losers in the Western US44:00 – Analyst perspectives: Real estate vs. power costs49:00 – The future of logistics and location strategy52:00 – Final thoughts & takeaways

Our guest on this week's episode is Tony Bradley, president and CEO of the Arizona Trucking Association and the executive director of the Arizona Trucking Association Foundation. We have seen huge changes within the trucking industry during the past year based on two big issues – the licensing of non-domiciled drivers and the huge surges we see in freight fraud. Victoria Kickham finds out more about what is being done to address these issues in this week's guest interview.  One of the technology topics that has gotten a lot of buzz lately has been humanoid robots, which of course are that family of robots that have heads and bodies and torsos, and either walk on two legs or roll on a moving base like an AMR. This technology is very new of course, and has been seen only in research labs until recently. Ben Ames reports on an example of how one of these critters might fit into a real world workflow.A recent survey of North American transportation, logistics, and supply chain executives reveals a disconnect between what those leaders see as the promise of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and their readiness to implement them. Victoria Kickham reports on a new survey that examines the effects of adopting AI and machine learning (ML) in logistics, and it revealed some interesting information about Agentic AI and its role in the industry.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Arizona Trucking Associationtruckingresurgence.comSiemens completes pilot test of humanoid robot42% of logistics leaders are holding back on Agentic AI, survey showsVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

In this **Jeep Talk Show** interview episode, host Tony sits down with Ryan, the passionate founder of **Combat Off-Road**, for an inspiring deep dive into his lifelong love for building, fixing, and flipping vehicles—from living in a tent and trailer behind his parents' garden center as a teen, selling hundreds of Volvos in high school, to running multiple off-road shops, and now creating top-tier aftermarket parts for the Jeep community.  @Combat.Offroad  Ryan shares wild stories from his early days (including custom sidecars, crazy customer requests, and building cars while playing college hockey), his transition from shop owner to manufacturer, and why he launched Combat Off-Road as a true enthusiast project focused on **durability, quality, and lifetime warranties**. Highlights include: - Why Combat Off-Road uses **stamped aluminum** (not plastic) for armored tail lights that can take a beating off-road - The modular design that lets you replace individual lenses easily - Popular billet hood latches, tube doors for that open-air feel with extra protection, aluminum fenders, and more - Ryan's take on EVs, keeping the ICE culture alive, open trails, and passing the gearhead passion to the next generation (including his 10-year-old daughter who already drives and knows her cars!) If you're into real off-road builds, self-reliance, or just love hearing how passion turns into a business, this conversation is packed with motivation, laughs, and practical insights. Check out Combat Off-Road's durable, enthusiast-designed products today at: **https://combat-offroad.com** Follow Combat Off-Road: Instagram: @combatoffroad Facebook: Combat Off-Road YouTube: Combat Off-Road Thanks for watching! Drop a like, subscribe to Jeep Talk Show for more interviews with the off-road community, and let us know in the comments: What's your favorite Combat Off-Road product? Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and here's to an awesome 2026 full of trails and builds!

Our guest on this week's episode is Amy Dean, VP of Operations at SC Codeworks. The shipping world is still waiting on the Supreme Court's ruling on whether the administration can lawfully collect the tariffs that have been assessed on nearly every trading nation. In the meantime, there may be a strategy to mitigate some of those tariff impacts – and that is by using Foreign Trade Zones. While employment trends show few new jobs, a new survey from resume platform company Resume.org found that most companies are planning to add more staff this year, and that a majority of those will do so quickly—by adding new hires in the first quarter. We look at what skills employers are looking for from new employees.One of the emerging supply chain technologies that's been getting the most buzz in recent months is humanoid robots; these are two-legged, walking robots. However, this technology is new — and there are certain shortcomings. Humanoids collapse and fall down when power is cut. So that creates safety risk in the event of a fall. But according to a report from Interact Analysis, the industry is working on this problem.Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:SC CodeworksHiring is on tap for 2026 but so are layoffsReport: Automation sector sets safety standards for humanoid robotsVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comThis podcast episode is sponsored by: WernerOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

In this episode of the Depth Work podcast, I speak with clinical psychologist, professor, and author, Phil Yanos about his powerful new book "Exiles in New York City" an exploration of how institutionalization creates barriers of exclusion and banishment in urban landscapes.Phil shares his unique journey growing up on Ward's Island near Manhattan Psychiatric Center, where his father worked as a psychiatrist. Through his research and interviews with current residents, Phil reveals how Ward's Island has become a site of profound contradiction – simultaneously rebranded as a recreational space for privileged New Yorkers while functioning as a place of exile for those deemed too "mad" to belong in mainstream society.In our conversation we explore concrete solutions for transforming Ward's Island into a more just and integrated community, a vision that seems more possible with the recent election of Zohran Mamdani who has emphasized housing justice. We also discuss the wins and losses in mental health advocacy in recent years, what we've learned from working with those labeled with “psychosis” or “schizophrenia”, and what clinicians can do better.Bio:Philip T. Yanos is professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, City University of New York and Director of Clinical Training for the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at John Jay College. He is the author of "Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island" (2025) and Written Off: Mental Health Stigma and the Loss of Human Potential (2018). During his childhood in the 1970s, Yanos lived on the grounds of Manhattan State Hospital on Ward's Island, where his father was a psychiatrist.Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island https://cup.columbia.edu/book/exiles-in-new-york-city/9780231212373/ Exiles in the City Podcast https://rss.com/podcasts/exiles-in-the-city/Resources:Find videos and bonus episodes: ⁠⁠DEPTHWORK.SUBSTACK.COM⁠⁠Get the book: ⁠⁠⁠Mad Studies Reader: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Mental Health⁠⁠Become a member: ⁠⁠The Institute for the Development of Human Arts⁠⁠Train with us: ⁠⁠Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum

David Greek, Managing Partner at Greek Real Estate Partners, joins The New Warehouse to unpack industrial real estate trends. Greek Real Estate Partners is a third-generation, New Jersey–based firm managing more than 22 million square feet across the region. Their latest project, the 4-million-square-foot Linden Logistics Center, offers a firsthand look at how construction challenges, economic cycles, public sentiment, and logistics demand all collide.In this episode, David walks through the evolution of this site and how market forces have changed since 2017. He shares why industrial development now sits at the center of economic and community conversations. His insights offer a grounded look at where warehouse real estate is heading—and why operators should pay attention.Learn more about The Brecham Group here. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

Kevin chats with attorneys Faith Miros and Mark Wendaur of Offit Kurman to break down the legal realities shaping warehouse and logistics operations today. Offit Kurman is a national full-service law firm with more than 300 attorneys advising business owners across the full lifecycle of their organizations. In the warehouse sector, Faith focuses on real estate, zoning, environmental compliance, and industrial leasing. Meanwhile, Mark concentrates on transactional work, contracts, financing, and governance. Together, they unpack how operators can protect themselves from legal risks in warehousing. Their insights reveal how legal strategy increasingly influences location decisions, customer relationships, and the long-term stability of warehousing operations.Learn more about Brecham Group here. Learn more about Endpoint and give Gary a break here. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.Support the show

Martin Forde is the co-founder and partner at Highline Brands, a retail brokerage built for modern CPG and emerging brands. As the first sales hire at Dr. Squatch, he helped lead the brand's Walmart launch—which did over $50M in year one and set the foundation for a $1.5B exit to Unilever.In this episode of DTC Pod, Martin shares the full playbook for making the leap from DTC to retail. He breaks down how to evaluate which channels make sense, what buyers actually care about (hint: it's not your brand), how to pitch them, and how to choose the right brokerage partner. He also gets into the operational side: how deals are structured, why retail timelines take longer than most founders expect, and what actually drives velocity on shelf.Episode brought to you by StordInteract with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. When to consider retail (and when you're not ready)2. Independent retail vs. major retailers: where to start3. The old DTC-first playbook vs. the new hybrid approach4. Understanding your consumer and choosing the right retailer5. What buyers actually care about (hint: category growth, not your brand)6. Three ways to reach buyers: cold outreach, inbound, or through a broker7. Why and when to say no to a retailer8. How brokers work: deal structures, retainers vs. commission, red flags9. The 9-12 month timeline from first conversation to shelf10. Merchandising and digital tactics that drive velocity on shelfTimestamps00:00 Martin Forde's background and experience in CPG03:14 Launching and scaling brands into retail04:20 Key lessons from Dr. Squatch retail rollout07:30 Dr. Squatch's early days and pent-up retail demand09:39 Defining “why retail” and evaluating retail opportunities10:38 Understanding independent retail channels and platforms15:14 Retail supply chain basics: MOQs, case packs, and 3PLs17:46 Testing and iterating supply chain through small-scale channels18:56 Leveraging online marketplaces (Faire, Thrive, Bubble)23:33 Deciding when to break into retail; timing and strategy24:44 Comparing DTC-first and direct-to-retail playbooks29:28 Raising capital, prepping for retail, and first retail sale process30:57 How to approach retail buyers and pitch34:03 Different ways to reach retail buyers: direct outreach, inbound, brokerages39:51 Working with brokers: models, deal structures, and choosing a partner50:29 Preparing retail pitch materials and buyer presentations51:39 Identifying category white space and incremental value54:53 Merchandising and digital tactics for retail success57:06 Where to connect with Martin Forde and closing thoughtsShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokMartin Forde - Co-Founder of Highline BrandsBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> The [DS]/[CB] are still pushing the climate hoax, they will not stop, they believe they are still in control. Layoffs surge because of DOGE, this is to be expected as we transition. Oil prices are dropping and food prices are dropping. The [DS]/[CB] are trying to stop Trump using tariffs, this will fail. The [DS] is being brought down a path of destruction, they are now replacing the old D's with far left candidates. Never interfere with an enemy while they are in the process of destroying themselves. Trump is going to use Mamdani to win the midterms. This will also lead into making the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist organization. Trump sees the [DS] trying to divide the movement, he sent a message that the fight is not over.   Economy https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1986458865743855736 October Layoffs Surge Most Since 2003 Amid Cost-Cutting, AI Adoption, Challenger Data Shows    companies slashing 153,000 jobs, nearly triple last year's total and the highest for that month since 2003, according to a new report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Technology and warehousing jobs led the layoffs, mostly because companies are slashing folks who were hired during the pandemic-era overhiring period.  "This is the highest total for October in over 20 years, and the highest total for a single month in the fourth quarter since 2008. Like in 2003, a disruptive technology is changing the landscape." " Source: Bloomberg  Which industries cut the most in October? Technology: 33,281 cuts in October (up from 5,639 in September); 141,159 YTD (+17% y/y). Warehousing: 47,878 cuts (up from 984); 90,418 YTD (+378% y/y) — signaling automation and excess capacity post-pandemic.   Reasons for the cuts: "DOGE Impact" remains the leading reason for job cut announcements in 2025, cited in 293,753 planned layoffs so far this year. This includes direct reductions to the Federal workforce and its contractors. An additional 20,976 cuts have been attributed to DOGE Downstream Impact, which reflects the loss of federal funding to private and non-profit entities. In October alone, Cost-Cutting was the top reason employers cited for job reductions, responsible for 50,437 announced layoffs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the second-most cited factor, leading to 31,039 job cuts as companies continue to restructure and automate. AI has been cited for 48,414 job cuts this year.   Source: zerohedge.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");  https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1986155277478187495 https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/1986239717172560316  matter what. The answer is, these judges are going to side with Donald Trump.” **Section 232** refers to a provision in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (specifically, 19 U.S.C. § 1862), which grants the U.S. President broad authority to impose tariffs, quotas, or other trade restrictions on imports deemed a threat to national security.  It empowers the President to act unilaterally if imports could impair U.S. national security, such as by weakening domestic industries critical to defense (e.g., steel or aluminum production). - The Department of Commerce conducts an investigation (typically 270 days) to assess the im...