Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Guest: Stefan Heck of Nauto on distracted driving; Coping with surging diesel prices; Cold storage goes high tech

Our guest on this week's episode is Dr. Stefan Heck, CEO and Founder of Nauto [ https://www.nauto.com/]. 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 [https://www.thescxchange.com/]. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: * Nauto [https://www.nauto.com/] * Iran war diesel price surge forces change in U.S. freight markets [https://www.dcvelocity.com/transportation/trucking/iran-war-diesel-price-surge-forces-change-in-u-s-freight-markets] * Cold storage goes high tech [https://www.dcvelocity.com/material-handling/cold-storage-goes-high-tech] * Visit DC Velocity [https://www.dcvelocity.com/] * Visit Supply Chain Xchange [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/] * Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/podcasts] * Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com [podcast@agilebme.com] This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner [https://www.werner.com/freight-quote/] Other links * About DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/about] * Subscribe to DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/subscribe] * Sign up for our FREE newsletters [https://www.dcvelocity.com/user/new] * Advertise with DC VELOCITY [https://agilebusinessmedia.com/dcv]

Guest: Ian Massey of S-RM on the ongoing supply chain impacts from the war against Iran; What is “port proximate” and why is it changing?; Work remains to optimize pharmaceutical supply chains.

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 [https://logipharmaeu.wbresearch.com/downloads/logipharma-2026-playbook-report] 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 [https://www.thescxchange.com/]. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: * S-RM [https://www.s-rminform.com] * Warehouse leasers seek cheaper properties away from ports [https://www.dcvelocity.com/logistics/warehousing/warehouse-leasers-seek-cheaper-properties-away-from-ports] * Report: 65% of pharmaceutical supply chain leaders lack confidence in AI [https://www.thescxchange.com/editorial/featured/report-65-of-pharma-supply-chain-leaders-lack-confidence-in-ai] * Visit DC Velocity [https://www.dcvelocity.com/] * Visit Supply Chain Xchange [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/] * Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/podcasts] * Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com [podcast@agilebme.com] This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions [https://storage-solutions.com/] Other links * About DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/about] * Subscribe to DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/subscribe] * Sign up for our FREE newsletters [https://www.dcvelocity.com/user/new] * Advertise with DC VELOCITY [https://agilebusinessmedia.com/dcv]

Guest: Mark Becker of G10 Fulfillment on safe handling and shipping of lithium-ion batteries; Workers experience AI anxiety; The logistics behind hyperscaling data centers.

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 [https://www.thescxchange.com/]. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: * G10 Fulfillment [https://g10fulfillment.com/] * Automation/AI reshape the workforce [https://www.dcvelocity.com/editorial/featured/automation-ai-reshape-the-workforce] * DHL expands white glove logistics for construction of AI data centers [https://www.dcvelocity.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/dhl-expands-white-glove-logistics-for-construction-of-ai-data-centers] * Goldman Sachs: Why AI companies may invest more than $500 billion in 2026 [https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/why-ai-companies-may-invest-more-than-500-billion-in-2026] * Visit DC Velocity [https://www.dcvelocity.com/] * Visit Supply Chain Xchange [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/] * Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/podcasts] * Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com [podcast@agilebme.com] This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions [https://storage-solutions.com/] Other links * About DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/about] * Subscribe to DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/subscribe] * Sign up for our FREE newsletters [https://www.dcvelocity.com/user/new] * Advertise with DC VELOCITY [https://agilebusinessmedia.com/dcv]

Guest: Mike Van Bree of the American Ladder Institute on safety when working at heights; A cybersecurity collaboration; Sensing your way to a smoother supply chain

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 [https://www.thescxchange.com/]. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: * American Ladder Institute [https://www.americanladderinstitute.org/default.aspx] * National Ladder Safety Month website [https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/] * Ladder Safety Training resources [https://laddersafetytraining.org/] * European groups form cybersecurity initiative for industrial automation [https://www.dcvelocity.com/technology/supply-chain-it/european-groups-form-cybersecurity-initiative-for-industrial-automation] * Sensing your way to a smoother supply chain [https://www.dcvelocity.com/material-handling/sensing-your-way-to-a-smoother-supply-chain] * Visit DC Velocity [https://www.dcvelocity.com/] * Visit Supply Chain Xchange [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/] * Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/podcasts] * Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com [podcast@agilebme.com] This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions [https://storage-solutions.com/] Other links * About DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/about] * Subscribe to DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/subscribe] * Sign up for our FREE newsletters [https://www.dcvelocity.com/user/new] * Advertise with DC VELOCITY [https://agilebusinessmedia.com/dcv]

Guest: Jackson Wood of Descartes on what war in the Middle East means for supply chains; Most warehouses lack needed agility; Is trucking ready for a recovery?

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 [https://www.thescxchange.com/]. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: * Decartes [https://www.descartes.com/home] * Warehouses lack agility and are paying the price [https://www.dcvelocity.com/editorial/featured/warehouses-lack-agility-and-are-paying-the-price] * FTR: Strong February truck orders suggest freight sector recovery [https://www.dcvelocity.com/transportation/trucking/ftr-strong-february-truck-orders-suggest-freight-sector-recovery] * Visit DC Velocity [https://www.dcvelocity.com/] * Visit Supply Chain Xchange [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/] * Listen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcast [https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/podcasts] * Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com [podcast@agilebme.com] This podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions [https://storage-solutions.com/] Other links * About DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/about] * Subscribe to DC VELOCITY [https://www.dcvelocity.com/subscribe] * Sign up for our FREE newsletters [https://www.dcvelocity.com/user/new] * Advertise with DC VELOCITY [https://agilebusinessmedia.com/dcv]