Three Takeaways from Manifest Day 2

Turn Out the Lights

Warehouse automation continues to develop at a rapid pace.? After the initial hype about dark warehouses several years ago, the bloom was off the rose as the realities of making that happen arose.? We’re getting past that (like we always do).? Unilever’s ice cream business has 270 warehouses.? 10% are dark today, and every warehouse going forward will be.

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Supply Chains are Getting Longer, Not Shorter

As companies pursue China+1 and other strategies to increase the resilience of their supply chain, they’re adding miles.? For example, a widget that used to be produced in China is now being produced in Vietnam and Mexico, with many parts and components still originating in China.? Add the increasing uncertainty, and it is no surprise that supply chains are becoming more complex, not less.

Note:? Uncertainty is NOT risk.? Uncertainty is what’s left over after all the risks (regulations, geo-political, climate change, labor availability, etc.) have been quantified.

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“AI, Read My Email.”

The advancements in AI systems that can read the hundreds of shipment-related emails that stack up in your inbox daily and take or suggest appropriate actions are exploding.? This ability to turn unstructured data into structured is a game-changer.? I can’t tell you at this point how much is hype and how much is real, but I heard enough buzz about this to learn more.? You should, too.

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I’ll end with a personal takeaway.? I love this industry.?? Like many in the supply chain, I didn’t grow up dreaming of a career focusing on moving stuff.? A lot has changed in the industry and my attitude since UPS hired my entire small college football team to wash package cars and load trucks during the holidays in 1982.? Over my first 1.5 days at Manifest, I’ve been reminded of the increasing complexity of supply chains as well as the diverse community of problem-solvers providing no-BS tangible solutions (yes, I did hear some BS as well).

More importantly, I am grateful for the wonderful people.? Reconnecting with colleagues and partners over my 27-year UPS career, new partners since joining the University of Tennessee, and amazing innovators and VCs powering the next generation of solutions was energizing.? To get up excited about what you do every day is a fortunate thing.