Breaking Bad (But Doing Good)

“If you don't know who I am, then maybe your best course is to tread lightly." --- Walter Hartwell White Sr, aka Heisenberg, as portrayed by the actor Bryan Cranston (born in Los Angeles, CA in 1956)

Good Sunday afternoon all and welcome to this edition, No. 93, of "With That Said" (WTS), an almost-weekly newsletter powered by your friends here at Supply Chain Now . Before we dive into the news, let's spotlight one of our upcoming events this week.

Do you have a shortlist of movies or TV shows that you can watch again...over and over?

"If I had to make a shortlist of our go-to shows or series: The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, The Office, Godfather of Harlem, and Breaking Bad all would be at or near the top. And if I had to go real old school: The Andy Griffith Show was something I watched every day as a kid, and still do," says Scott Luton .

For you fellow fans of Breaking Bad, do you remember the episode entitled "Dead Freight", where Walt, Jesse & their gang coordinate a successful train heist? The target of their efforts was a tank car full of methylamine, which was a tremendous supply chain score, as it was a key raw material that powered their illicit drug manufacturing operation. "Dead Freight" was a fascinating episode, with some interesting parallels to the real world.

DYK: according to some analysts, cargo theft is up over 45% in 2024 over last year. As reported by Claire Wilkinson at Business Insurance : "The average stolen shipment value per event more than doubled to $281,757 in the first quarter of this year, up from $102,000 in the year-earlier period, as estimated cargo theft losses in the United States jumped to $76 million."

This coming Thursday at 12 noon ET, we invite you to join Scott & Karin Bursa as they host Richie Daigle from Tive Inc . They'll be diving into the dirty truth about cargo theft, identifying a variety of associated risks, and will be sharing what supply chain leaders need to know & do about this growing problem. Register here (and if you can't make it live, no worries - we'll send the on-demand replay to all registrants).

Now let's dive in to some news and a few views:

--- The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) continues to up the ante in its standoff with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), as it laid out a strike mobilization plan last week in case the sides cannot come to an agreement by September 30th. As reported by Alejandra Carranza via Supply Chain Dive : "The looming threat of a strike on the East Coast and Gulf Coast is driving shippers to move cargo ahead of potential disruption. Ports in Long Beach , California, and Los Angeles have seen an uptick in cargo volumes processed, with the ports citing those strike concerns as a driver of early cargo movements, along with tariff concerns and peak season activity." Read the story in full here .

--- What type of impact would an ILA strike cause? Lori Ann LaRocco reports via CNBC : "A strike by the ILA would have significant economic implications for the U.S. Analysts at Sea-Intelligence have estimated East Coast ports in the U.S. would handle 2.3 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) in October. That translates to 74,000 shipping containers per day. The value of that daily freight is upwards of $3.7 billion based on an MDS Transmodal estimate of $50,000 per container. Sea-Intelligence has estimated a one-day strike by the ILA would take five days to clear. A one-week strike in October could cause slowdowns until mid-November." Read the rest of the story in full here .

--- Modern agriculture continues to find new ways to innovate by using automation, AI & other technologies. Fascinating share on LinkedIn by Helen Yu that focuses specifically on chicken farming, where farmers are using new tech to make a wide range of improvements, including keeping barns cleaner and improve bird litter conditions with advanced scarifiers. They are also leveraging AI monitoring & advanced sensors to closely monitor bird health. You gotta check out the video shared as well: read Helen's update in full here .

--- U.S. manufacturing appeared to continue its contraction in August 2024, according to recently-released data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). As reported by Reuters , the data showed: a decline in new orders, a rise in inventory, a rise in manufacturers' input costs, and a decline in manufacturing employment, amongst other things. Read the rest of the story in full here .

--- As we reported in a recent SCN blog article: "According to an analysis from Gartner , the global TMS industry is expected to reach $2.11B by the end of 2024, a 60% increase from the industry’s value in 2019." Check out three reasons why shippers require effective transportation management here , which is fueling the TMS sector & plenty of other things as well. As Scott shared the blog earlier this week, Guy Courtin made a few sharp observations: "I think the key part mentioned - changing customer expectations. This has transformed TMS into a much more sophisticated digital solution. Throw the potential for adding reverse and returns logistics into the equation, and the complexity will only continue to grow. Supply chain execution solutions - WMS and TMS - will only address a wider array of needs. Much of which is driven by consumer expectations." Well said Guy!

--- The late Charlie Munger once said that Costco Wholesale is the "a perfect damn company". And according to the Wall Street Journal, many of the company's members might agree with him, as membership renewal rates hit 93% in North America in 2023 and 90% globally. But the WSJ is a bit skittish when it comes to Costco stock, as it states: "the retailer has an enviable business model; that doesn't necessarily make it a good investment ." However, if you are part of the Costco global ecosystem, then you are well aware of the $1.50 hot dog & drink deal that the company has refused to part from. It's not a big money maker, but like its 5 dollar rotisserie chicken, it keeps customers coming back. To that end, check out this intriguing share by the one & only Vin Vashishta , who says "You need a Costco hotdog to have a successful career or scale a business. " Learn more here.

--- Speaking of sales & marketing brilliance, Scott hosted an incredible conversation last week that featured supply chain marketing expertise, tips & observations by a trio of subject matter experts: Elaine Benfield , Gale Daikoku & Adam Robinson . If you are planning your marketing strategy for 2025, check out this webinar discussion on-demand: click here .

--- In Scott's weekly "Good News" message, he came across a family picture that prompted a few thoughts: "A picture is worth a thousand words. And this one reminds me of a simple truth in life (and of course in global supply chain): we all need a trusted guide to lead us forward, especially through new challenges or environments that we haven't yet experienced or haven't yet developed expertise for. Or in a different sense: being able to turn to trusted sources of information is equally as critical, especially in this day & age where BID (business, innovation & disruption) velocity is moving at the speed of sound - - and soon to be the speed of light. Pressure on decision-making, both tactical & strategic, is immense. The Good News? (And, just so you know: there is always Good News if you go looking for it.) There are many trusted guides & resources out there to help you and your organization along the way; to help you find the keys to unlock new chapters of growth." Read more here, as Scott shares opportunities with AME, Manifest & TFEST24 .

--- We'd like to congratulate our WTS Trivia winner from last week: Penelope Register. She nailed a question about famed director Tim Burton (and confirmed that the Counting Crows are still part of her musical listening playlists!) Today's trivia question, related to Breaking Bad: What's the name of the restaurant chain run by drug kingpin Gus Fring as a front? First reader to share the correct answer in the comments will win a Starbucks gift card.

--- Want to learn more about Supply Chain Now programming? Check it out: https://linktr.ee/Supplychainnow

BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE: Learn how distributors increase revenue by $2.5M, improve operations, and negotiate better deals using Enable 's rebate management platform. Download the independent study: https://www.enable.com/canalys-report

FREIGHT MARKET INSIGHTS: The U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index for Q2 2024 was released last month, offering up actionable insights and valuable data from across the freight market, like this nugget: "For the first time since the second quarter of 2022, three of the five regions reported increases in quarterly shipment volumes, which might indicate that the freight market may be nearing its bottom." Download a free copy: https://bit.ly/scn-us-bank

Check out these resources, tools & perspectives from across the SCN ecosystem:

--- A couple of weeks ago, Scott enjoyed lunch in Atlanta with Harshida Acharya and Ninaad Acharya . In one of the many topics that their wide-ranging conversation covered, Harshida shared about an initiative she is helping to lead: Ladies Who Logistic . In a recent message on LinkedIn, Harshida shared: "Did you know that one of the top reasons women aren’t advancing in the corporate world is due to a perceived lack of confidence? According to a Harvard Business Review study, this perception can be a major barrier.But here’s the thing—it’s not about whether we have the confidence, the work ethic, or the skills to excel. It’s often about how we present ourselves and interact with others." Check out the most recent LWL session, which featured executive coach Hillary Wicht, who debunked the myths around confidence and dove into what she calls the "outer game of confidence." And that's just the tip of the iceberg: tune in and learn more here .

--- Are you at ASCM Connect in Austin this week? Be sure to check out our Chief of Staff and host Mary Kate Love , who will be a panelist on a session entitled "The Impact of Effective Mentorship on Career Development". It'll be conducted on Monday afternoon. You don't want to miss MK's perspective, insights & expertise. Learn more here .

--- A couple of recent SCN webinar guests have collaborated on a thought-provoking article recently. John DeSarbo and Bharathi K Shankar with ZS share: "Anti-fragile supply chain managers are obsessed with market and supply chain data and insights. Data is the lifeblood of a resilient and agile supply chain. Supply chain managers who can sense deviations from supply and demand plans due to unexpected disruptions and who can do this faster than competitors can react more quickly." Read the full article entitled "Beyond Supply Chain Resilience: Thrive Amid Storms with 3 Sources of Competitive Advantage" here .

--- SCN co-host & manufacturing executive Allison Giddens has teamed up with a few fellow manufacturers to build an interactive forum for the industry on Discord. It's a free resource and community to exchange ideas and resources. If interested, check it out here .

--- SCN co-host Marty Parker recently spoke about a critical topic that needs to get more attention across industry: mental health. He shares: "As leaders, it's our responsibility to support not only the professional growth of our teams but also their mental well-being. I recently shared my own journey with anxiety, utilizing tools like meditation with Headspace to maintain stability—not just for my sake but for my team's as well. Check out my latest video for insights on managing anxiety effectively within leadership roles. Leaders - we must cultivate an environment where mental health is prioritized and supported. Share your strategies, and let's normalize this crucial conversation." Learn more from Marty here AND be sure to wish him a very happy birthday!

--- From Enrique Alvarez and the team over at Vector Global Logistics : "In a world facing constant challenges, logistics remains the thread that connects us all. At Vector Global Logistics, we believe that logistics can be a powerful force for positive change. Our 2023 Impact Report showcases the incredible work our team, clients, and partners have done to make a difference. From donations for every shipment to our efforts in Ukraine, we're proud of the impact we've made. Explore our 2023 Impact Report and see how we're using logistics to create a better world. Let's continue to work together to make a positive impact in 2024 and beyond." Check out the 2023 Impact Report here .

--- In Spring 2024, Appalachian State University and SPARQ360 teamed up to gauge the perspective of supply chain managers in a wide ranging set of topics related to supply chain and sustainability. The results of this research resulted in more than 100 pages of statistical analysis. Their teams have combed through the data and have published some of the key takeaways here: Download the Summary of “2024 Supply Chain Trends and Attitudes” . Also, check out the on-demand replay of a conversation that offers an interesting analysis of this research, where Scott hosts Dr. Dinesh Dave` and Evan Junker, MBA, PCM : click here

--- Scott & the SCN team will be attending and speaking at Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics in February 2025. In fact, one hundred and fifty of the most influential leaders across end-to-end supply chain and logistics, twenty percent of which are?CSCOs, COOs and CPOs from the largest shippers in the world, are all taking the stage at Manifest Vegas, being held at The Venetian, February 10th - February 12th, 2025. Register now to join us & save $200 on your All-Access Manifest Vegas attendee pass (that's $1000 off the on-site price)! Learn more about Manifest 2025 here .

--- From our friends at The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) : We invite you to join us in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 28 - October 31, 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the AME International Conference. Learn more about the Conference here . Veterans interested in the manufacturing industry: we have limited FREE registrations to offer you. This is an excellent opportunity for networking & professional development. Interested? Comment below & we'll reach out to you to make it happen.

--- Have you signed up for SCTECH 2024 yet? Hosted by Jorge A. Morales and our friends at ISCEA -International Supply Chain Education Alliance and taking place in October 2024, this year's theme is "Facing Supply Chain Challenges in the AI Age". We still have scholarships available for those in need, especially for Veterans, students & others. Learn more here OR check out the event site here: https://www.sctechshow.com/

--- Are you in the market looking for technology-focused courses, training & coaching that will take your career to the next level? SCN co-host Vin Vashishta and his team offer all sorts of expert instruction on a wide variety of topics, such as Data & AI Strategy, AI Product Management, Strategic Executive Leadership and much more. In fact, 3 of Vin's best-selling courses are currently being offered at almost half off (learn more here ). Check out why Koo Ping Shung says "Vin has one of the sharpest business instincts when it comes to using AI for business, including capabilities building. :)” Learn more about Vin & his team's offerings via their website here .

MONDAY AT NOON: Join us for a new episode of "The Buzz", where Scott & Kevin L. Jackson will share news & analysis from across global industry, especially on all things technology related. Every 2nd Tuesday, it's a Digital Transformers edition of "The Buzz". Join us and bring your thoughts & perspective: https://bit.ly/3XCv1hH

TUESDAY AT NOON: Scott W. Luton & Karin Bursa will host a LIVE webinar featuring Patrick Halley w/ OMNIA Partners and Daniel Craig w/ Opendoor for a conversation focused on "Optimizing Procurement Operations with Group Purchasing Organizations". Amongst other things, we'll be talking about how organizations can leverage a GPO to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and save time & money. We'll be sharing expertise on how to select the right GPO for your organization, as well as strategies for a successful partnership and the essential steps for effective change management & stakeholder engagement. Join us: https://bit.ly/47kAAo6

THURSDAY AT NOON: Scott & Karin are back for a LIVE discussion about a rising threat to global supply chains everywhere: cargo theft. They will be joined by Richie Daigle from Tive, who will be sharing helpful information for supply chain leaders to better understand cargo theft, associated risks, and what to do about it! Join us: https://streamyard.com/watch/hXqTaT9NFByy

Finally, via YouTube, check out a few of our favorite episodes from across the SCN ecosystem this year:

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