Supply Chain

Uber Freight Puts a Number on Trucking's Empty-Mile Problem

Uber Freight estimated in 2023 that 20% to 35% of U.S. truck miles run empty, and says its AI-based routing can cut that rate to 10%-15%.

Amazon is selling its logistics network to companies outside Amazon, changing 3PL bids

Amazon Supply Chain Services is courting brands beyond Amazon.com, with named early users and a U.S. asset base that forces new RFP questions on carriers and 3P

Warehouse control systems are becoming the hard dependency for autonomy, and fleet uptime is the limiting factor

Two August 2026 signals, a warehouse software push and a trucking uptime playbook, point to the same operational constraint: execution, not algorithms.

AI email agents are becoming the new front door for freight, and warehouse control systems are next in line

C.H. Robinson’s AI agents replying to quote emails in seconds is colliding with a separate push in warehouses: making control software the orchestration layer f

Warehouse robot orders rose 2% in early 2026, and that’s forcing operators to treat WCS as the automation contract’s control plane

Robot purchases are still climbing, but the bigger enterprise shift is where control lives: in the warehouse control system that must orchestrate AMRs, shuttles

North American robot orders hit nearly 18,000 units in H1 2026, and the next bottleneck is warehouse control software

A WSJ-cited robotics surge is colliding with a quieter shift: WCS is becoming the operations layer that decides whether AMRs, shuttles and AI pilots actually sc

‘Always-on’ supply chains are becoming a procurement spec, not a maturity badge

A July 2026 outlook event and Supply Chain Digital’s reporting converge on the same operational shift: continuous visibility is moving from pilot to baseline ex

U.S. freight markets are repricing around two simultaneous shocks: the Iran conflict and tariff deadlines

Saudi crude flows to the U.S. have hit zero, Brent is at $82.55, and a 50% Canadian tariff deadline lands Aug. 19. Here's what supply chain teams need to act on

Saudi crude shipments to the U.S. hit zero as Hormuz disruption reshapes global freight costs

The U.S.-Iran conflict has pushed Saudi crude exports to the U.S. to zero and sent Brent crude up 3.9% to $82.55, squeezing fleet operators and procurement team

AI infrastructure demand and tariff volatility are reshaping U.S. freight, warehouse, and customs operations simultaneously

From warehouse construction to airfreight to customs AI, the data-center build-out and trade policy shifts are hitting supply chains on multiple fronts at once.

Global supply chains face a three-front stress test: Hormuz, European waterways, and a US robot import ban

Hormuz tolls, record-low Rhine levels, and a US ban on imported robots are hitting supply chain operators with simultaneous disruptions in mid-2026.

CMA CGM's acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain signals a new era of vertically integrated global logistics

CMA CGM's purchase of FedEx Supply Chain, Iran's Hormuz toll threat, and Kuehne+Nagel's Apex review are reshaping global logistics for enterprise operators in 2

56% of chief supply chain officers call AI integration a major hurdle, and Starbucks' scrapped tool shows why

Supply chain AI is stumbling at scale. Here's what separates the teams making it work from those wasting the budget.

Geopolitics and AI hardware are reshaping air cargo demand through 2026's second half

Iran war volatility, easing fuel costs, and surging AI-related freight on the Transpacific lane are the three forces operators must plan around now.

Always-on supply chains are no longer optional for enterprise operators

Real-time visibility, AI planning, and outsourcing are converging to redefine what supply chain resilience looks like in 2026.

FedEx and Dexterity expand autonomous trailer loading as only 4% of operators have piloted robotic loading

FedEx expands physical AI with Dexterity at its Hagerstown hub, as research cited by SupplyChain247 finds 55% of supply chain leaders are unclear on their AI investment returns.

Global supply chains face a triple threat: Hormuz tolls, record-low Rhine levels, and a robot import ban

Iran's potential Hormuz transit fees, record-low Rhine and Danube water levels, and a new U.S. ban on imported robots are converging to stress enterprise supply

Early digital movers are pulling ahead as 'always-on' supply chains become an enterprise baseline

Manufacturers that moved early on automation and digital transformation are already reaping measurable advantages as real-time, connected supply chains shift fr

Warehouse construction is up 18% and only US-made robots can be imported: the supply chain signals operators can't ignore this quarter

From a US robot-import ban to a warehouse construction rebound and a major materials-handling merger, supply chain leaders face a dense set of operational decis

FAT vs SAT, worker well-being, and EV supply chains: five operational shifts shaping supply chain leadership in mid-2026

From equipment acceptance testing to passive candidate hiring, supply chain leaders face five converging operational challenges in mid-2026.

Warehouse construction is rebounding, robot imports are restricted, and freight costs keep climbing: the operational signals shaping mid-2026

Three converging pressures, rising truck costs, tighter robot sourcing rules, and a nascent warehouse building recovery, are forcing supply chain leaders to recal

Nvidia's China AI chip share is forecast to collapse from 40% to 8% as Huawei scales

Bernstein projects Nvidia's China AI chip share will fall from 40% to 8% in 2026, even as Siemens taps NVIDIA for agentic AI in supply chains.

AI acquisitions, drone networks, and a warehouse construction surge are reshaping North American logistics in 2026

From Altana's customs AI deal to DoorDash's drone push, logistics operators face a wave of technology and infrastructure shifts with direct procurement implicat

USMCA non-renewal and new 50% Section 338 tariffs put North American supply chains in uncharted territory

New 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods take effect August 19, while USMCA non-renewal sets a decade-long countdown for North American trade.

Freight demand is recovering, but rising oil prices and new tariffs are already pressuring the rebound

Rail carriers post stronger Q2 results as freight demand firms, while $100 oil and Section 301 tariff shifts create new cost headwinds for logistics operators.

Canadian National Railway raises its 2026 volume outlook as freight demand firms

CN Rail lifted its full-year volume forecast after posting higher Q2 profit and revenue, signaling a broader freight recovery that matters to every supply chain

Trucking costs hit a record $2.336 per mile as logistics volatility becomes a permanent operating condition

ATRI pegs 2025 truck operating costs at a record $2.336/mile, while CSCMP's 2026 State of Logistics Report frames relentless disruption as the new baseline.

FedEx CEO calls current supply chain upheaval the biggest shift in 35 years as trade routes redraw globally

FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam says tariffs and geopolitics are forcing a full rewiring of global trade, while South Africa's logistics sector signals its own struct

Supply chain roundup: AI playbooks, new distribution facilities, and fresh logistics partnerships signal a busy July for operators

From a $83M Virginia distribution center to DHL-STRAUSS going live in Ohio, supply chain operators have several concrete developments to track this week.

US logistics costs drop to 7.8% of GDP as talent demand reshapes supply chain workforce strategy

US logistics costs fell to 7.8% of GDP in 2026, while workforce pipelines for supply chain roles are tightening, here's what ops leaders need to know.