Industry Challenges

whitePaper | May 9, 2022

This report explores the impacts of autonomous (also called self-driving, driverless or robotic) vehicles, and their implications for transportation planning. It investigates how quickly such vehicles are likely to develop and be deployed based on experience with previous vehicle technologies

whitePaper | April 1, 2022

The demands of running global supply chains are more challenging than ever. Cargo transportation and logistics have always been complex, but now the industry must also manage key market trends: Global transport disruptions caused by pandemics, earthquakes and other natural disasters, accidents, geopolitics, cyberattacks, and demand peaks create severe supply chain congestions at global and local level.

whitePaper | February 15, 2022

Before COVID-19, global supply chains ticked a lot of boxes: lower labor and operating costs, wider product ranges and greater reach to new markets. But the vulnerabilities and visible failures of global supply chains during COVID-19 were there for all to see. Lead times expanded exponentially. Manufacturing capacity stalled. Ports became congested. Transportation ground to a halt. Excessive reliance on one location or one supplier caused a domino effect of expensive downtime along the line.

whitePaper | August 15, 2022

No organization’s global supply chain has been untouched by the many unforeseen events that have ravaged the ability to move products from the point of manufacturing to the point of consumption. Public health threats and geopolitical events are just a few challenges to global supply chains—and they all appear to be happening concurrently. Whether you’re talking about business-to-consumer or business-to-business supply chains, the impact of these events has been undeniable. When evaluating their own supply chain risks, organizations should expect the unexpected, and plan their systems accordingly. And organizations need new ways to use data to promote efficiency, visibility, and resiliency in their global supply chains.

whitePaper | October 11, 2022

Outsourcing has traditionally been viewed in the medical space as a potential risk, with many companies preferring to control every aspect of the critical product build themselves. But today, supply chain resilience – a built-in benefit to partnering strategically with a leader in global manufacturing – may actually be the safer, more reliable, approach. A powerful example of this new perspective on outsourcing can be found in Flex’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

whitePaper | November 10, 2022

Following the 2015 adoption of the Paris Agreement, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the shipping industry. The IMO is aiming for a minimum 50% reduction in total annual GHG emissions by 2050, as compared to 2008 levels. Many shipping industry bodies and IMO members, however, are advocating for a net zero target for 2050. This would require much more ambitious interim objectives for 2030 and 2040 to stay on track to meet the Paris Agreement.