Dave Flies

I have been asked at least three dozen times over the past month what the impact of the tariffs may be on the supply chain market. I'm not presumptuous enough to believe I have the crystal ball here. I could put ten economists in a room and get ten different answers as to what the short and long term impact may be. What we know is that exports from China will slow. Prices will increase. Requests for Bonded space will increase. The unknowns... Clients "may" ask for rate relief in the short term. Buying patterns of consumers "may" slow. The duration of this posturing "may" drag out for quite some time. When you have this many variables in a complex equation, the reality is NOBODY knows what the true impact will be. However your relationships with your clients needs to evolve rapidly. With tariffs on the rise and the overall uncertainty in the market, the partnership between 3PLs (Third Party Logistics providers) and their clients needs to evolve from a transactional to a strategic and collaborative partnership. Here are some suggestions to help you arrive there. 1. Transparent, Proactive Communication Regular strategy sessions to review the impact of tariffs on supply chains. Joint scenario planning and risk assessments. Early warnings and real-time updates on trade policy changes. 2. Agile Supply Chain Design Flexible routing and mode options to adapt quickly to tariff shifts. Support for nearshoring or reshoring strategies when applicable. Help in establishing multi-country sourcing to avoid overdependence on tariff-heavy regions. 3. Data-Driven Decision Making Leverage analytics to identify cost-saving opportunities (e.g., optimal port selection, consolidated shipping). Use tariff simulation tools to forecast landed cost impacts and adjust procurement strategies. 4. Customs Expertise and Trade Compliance Support 3PLs should act as a trusted advisor on classification, country-of-origin strategies, and FTAs (Free Trade Agreements). Assistance with duty drawback programs, bonded warehousing, and de minimis strategies. 5. Shared Investment in Technology Integration of systems to provide real-time visibility into inventory, shipments, and costs. Use of AI/ML tools for predictive planning and disruption management. 6. Value-Based Pricing Models Move beyond cost-per-transaction. Consider shared savings models, volume-based discounts, or strategic partnership agreements that align incentives. 7. Focus on End-to-End Solutions Expand the 3PL’s role to include freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution, reverse logistics, etc. Offer support in inventory optimization and demand planning to reduce excess duties paid on slow-moving stock. #3PL #collaboration #tariffs #partnerships #sekologistics

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While C&S and SpartanNash are both grocery wholesalers and retailers, they mostly operate in different states — unlike Kroger and Albertsons, whose overlapping operations in many markets served as a lightning rod for critics. C&S and SpartanNash overlap in Texas and Florida, where they both have distribution centers, and Wisconsin, where they operate grocery stores. In addition, neither company has the kind of dominant presence in the grocery industry that is likely to cause the kind of uproar that ultimately squashed the Kroger-Albertsons bid.  In announcing their merger, C&S and SpartanNash said their merger would create a bigger food distribution network that would be better able to compete with what they described as “various extremely large global grocers in the U.S. food-at-home space.” Interestingly, however, both companies have concentrated recently on expanding their retail operations. C&S even disclosed in May that it would close a Florida distribution center, without saying why it elected to do so. SpartanNash’s sales have been tilting away from wholesale SpartanNash’s sales mix has gradually shifted toward its retail operations, although the company is still mostly dependent on its wholesale business. The company’s wholesale segment accounted for just over 67% of its revenue during its latest quarter, down from more than 71% a year ago. In addition, the company’s overall sales barely budged year over year, held back by a decline in its wholesale business.

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New Giordano's CEO Nick Scarpino is ready to put his stamp on the Chicago deep-dish pizza chain as he begins his first year at the helm. Scarpino, who spoke with Crain’s in an exclusive interview, laid out his vision for the more than 50-year-old pizza company, which includes opening new locations, improving its digital capabilities and adding a new pizza co-star to the menu. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gchgCT-h

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What happens if production drops 15% to "plan", and sales is 20% greater than forecast? You guessed it.....late shipments, extended lead times, frustrated customers. The inverse of the example can be painful too. That's why having an inventory strategy is critical and must always evolve. *Understand variation of production & demand *What practices will reduce that variation (think SIOP) *What working capital can we free up, while improving service levels #inventorystrategy #SIOP #SOP #Demandplanning

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📦 Inventory Manager vs. Inventory Control Manager (they are not the same) These two titles get blurred far too often. Both are essential, but the responsibilities are very different. And if you’re scanning job descriptions or essential duties, it’s worth knowing the distinction so you understand exactly what the role is asking for. 🔷 Inventory Manager (Strategic) - Operates at the strategic level - Partners with finance and demand planning - Decides how much inventory should exist within budget and service constraints - Balances customer availability against working capital 🔷 Inventory Control Manager (Operational) - Operates at the execution level - Ensures system records match physical stock - Leads cycle counts and root-cause analysis on discrepancies - Works with finance and engineering to correct BOMs and standard costs ⚖️ The difference is clear: - Inventory Managers manage levels (money). - Inventory Control Managers manage accuracy. Both roles matter. One prevents overspending and stockouts. The other preserves trust in your ERP and financials. Confuse the two, and you’ll pay for it either in cash flow or in credibility. #SupplyChain #InventoryManagement #InventoryControl #DemandPlanning #WorkingCapital #OperationsLeadership #ERP #SupplyChainExcellence #StrategicExecution

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Arvist, a supply chain tech startup, has raised $4M in a seed round led by Rackhouse Venture Capital to scale Arvist QC, its plug-and-play AI vision solution for warehouse quality control. 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗦 👉 https://lnkd.in/dfYpjB-F J.P. Keating Marco Hendriks Nilay Parikh Jesse Onyekwelu Aaron Hatfield Eitan Hefetz Roy Augustine Jr Bazyl Horsey Alan Amling Alec Groff Andy Lozano #Startups #SupplyChain #Warehouses #Founders #FundingNews #QualityControl

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Kroger Rolls Out Inventory Robots in 70 Stores Across Cincinnati and Indianapolis. In what has been hailed as the “Year of the Robot,” Kroger, America’s largest pure grocery retailer, is officially venturing into robotics. Read more from Omni Talk Retail

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We lost money and time until we saw the full circle, not just the parts. It started with a packaging complaint. Then rising returns. Then a supply chain delay. Each issue felt disconnected. But when we dug into the data, the truth hit us: We were wasting materials, time, and money. Not because anyone was doing something wrong. But because we were only seeing part of the picture. That realization was a turning point. We shifted our thinking from reducing waste to reimagining every stage of the process. → Product design → Manufacturing → Usage → End-of-life Everything had to fit together smartly. This mindset is called the circular economy. It’s not just about cutting down waste, it’s about designing systems where nothing is wasted in the first place. The impact? → Streamlined processes → Reduced costs → A more sustainable future Seeing the full circle changed everything. Have you explored how circular thinking could transform your work?

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I've seen many posts today regarding tariffs and how many believe they are insulated. No matter your business, you will be impacted. Companies are claiming everything is sourced from the US so they are not impacted. Well, that might be true for the very very short term but in the mid/long term you will be affected if the tariffs continue for a few reasons. 1. Raw demand could change and with that change will be a change in availability and pricing. Vendors will charge more due to the "scarcity". Sunflower oil at the start of the Ukraine war was a good example. You will be impacted. 2. Input costs for those parts, machinery, ingredients, supplies, etc may be sourced outside the US out of necessity. The Supply Chain is strategically global. These additional input costs will flow through the supply chain. You will be impacted. Take a minute and look outside your bubble. To say you will not be impacted is naive.

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📢 The latest episode of She Supply Chains is out now, featuring the brilliant Dana Craven! 🎧 Dana drops some serious knowledge about the world of demand planning, sharing her insights on everything from forecasting techniques to navigating market volatility. 📈 Whether you're a seasoned supply chain pro or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Tune in now and discover how to optimize your demand planning strategies for success! 🚀

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The best Supply Chain leaders think in loops, not lines. They don’t just see sourcing → production → delivery. They see how every decision affects cost, service, safety, and morale. They can sit with Ace Hardware in the morning and a resin supplier in the afternoon because true end-to-end means connecting dots others don’t even see. That mindset is what turns “managers” into strategic operators. If your supply chain team isn’t thinking cross-functionally, you don’t need more headcount, you need a mindset reset.

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