What a show of force! - Collis Williams, Eagle
Our Eagles are just back from MODEX 2018 in Atlanta. Dubbed "the greatest supply chain show on earth," it certainly possessed the attributes. It was a show of magnificent proportions with an exhibitor list in excess of 925 logistics and supply chain practitioners and an official attendance of 30,944 persons from across the globe. To say the least, the energy at MODEX was infectious and awe-inspiring.
What became abundantly clear from very early on in the show was the world's use of technology as a critical component of increasing productivity to both accommodate and match the ever-evolving 24-hour global marketplace. Admittedly, coming from the small Caribbean island of Barbados, we were not fully prepared for the aggression with which progressive-minded market leaders are pursuing technology as the solution to "futureproof" their operations. This "futureproofing", so to speak, is not fuelled by the need to be fanciful but instead by the need to transform business processes to facilitate more productive and in turn more competitive outputs. This is of critical importance in today's commercial jungle.
Another eye-opener was the way Amazon has and continues to shape the world of logistics and supply chain management. Amazon is quickly becoming the gold standard and as such, nearly every aspect of how the world perceives supply chains is filtered through the lens of the "Amazon Effect" and this market mogul's understanding of on-demand supply chains. Therefore, it is not surprising that an Amazon-infected marketplace has forced supply chain practitioners to embrace technology, robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT). The amount of robotics and software solutions exhibited at MODEX told this tale.
All in all, the take-home point was this - we must look internally and critically assess our business processes to determine how we can incorporate technology to increase productivity and make us more competitive. Therein lies the opportunity. Let us soar.
Learn more about MODEX 2018 and watch the MODEX educational seminars.