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Blockchain – The Unwavering Strength of Supply Chain Management
In this blog, we discuss the role of blockchain technology in the supply chain management system and how it is efficiently creating transparency for consumers.
The need for efficient supply chain management is growing. Integration of blockchain technology is playing a critical role in improving supply chain management systems to simplify the entire process. According to research, 80 technology businesses are adopting blockchain technology to streamline the process of tracking and tracing items in supply chain management.
As a result, manufacturers are using blockchain, which allows product traceability, to provide end-to-end insight to consumers. With technological improvements, the use of blockchain is assuring the safe delivery of products and assisting producers in detecting problems at an early stage. As businesses use blockchain to expand their consumer base and generate revenue, blockchain integration is expected to emerge as an efficient solution for product tracking and tracing.
A report by Future Market Insights states that the blockchain technology market is expected to register a staggering double-digit CAGR of 43.5% by accumulating a market value of US$ 59.5 Bn by the end of 2030. As blockchain technology is heavily data-driven, the integration of the same is assisting manufacturers of food, textile, and automotive manufacturers along with consumers to maintain transparency from the production to delivery process.
In this blog, we discuss the role of blockchain technology in the supply chain management system and how it is efficiently creating transparency for consumers.
Blockchain Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Textile Industry
The level of carbon emissions has significantly heightened in the textile industry. According to climate science, making one kg of fabric releases 20 to 23 kg of greenhouse emissions. Thus, textile manufacturers are using blockchain technology that provides insights and visibility into the production of clothes and the percentage of carbon emissions. This, in turn, is gaining the trust of consumers as transparency is maintained throughout the supply chain of the product.
For instance, Covalent, a fashion brand is using IBM’s blockchain technology solution on IBMLinuxONE so that consumers can track carbon footprint in the supply chain of the Aircarbon-based accessories that range from handbags to eyewear. Covalent uses biomaterials made by microorganisms. This is an alternative to fiber, leather, and plastic. The growing environmental awareness of consumers has led to the company using a unique twelve-digit blockchain-based number for each product.
This number can be used to trace information regarding the date of the production of the product and who verified the carbon footprint of the same. IBM’s blockchain technology offers better visibility in not only detecting the carbon footprint but also in analyzing the effect of the products on the environment.
How Automotive Industry is Ensuring Customer Safety through Blockchain?
Because many parts are utilized in the production of automobiles, assuring consumer safety becomes essential. The majority of parts are not made expressly for the car industry. As a result, arranging for various parts and maintaining essential standards for car manufacture can be a time-consuming operation. In the event of broken or inadequately performing parts, locating the source is critical for ensuring customer safety. As a result, the automobile sector is working on adopting blockchain technology to improve supply chain transparency.
For instance, the BMW Group is using blockchain technology named Partchain to optimize its supply chain management processes. Through the integration of blockchain, the company ensures traceability of components and raw materials in multi-stage international supply chains. As Partchain uses cloud technologies such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, the origin of components can be easily tracked between all partners without any risk of manipulation.
Thus, the growing focus of automotive companies to unite multiple partners on a single platform is increasing the integration of blockchain in the automotive industry.
Conclusion: Blockchain – Ensuring Transparency at Every Stage
Blockchain technology promises to rectify errors, working to resolve any gaps in the entire supply chain, if any. As blockchain technology collects data at every stage, communicating and controlling errors has become easier. Thus, manufacturers of end-user industries have shown a growing inclination towards integrating blockchain technology for a centralized experience.
Integration of blockchain technology is making complex shipments and deliveries easy by connecting everyone present in the supply chain management system. This, in turn, is providing an added advantage to retailers and consumers to trace the well-being of products and their origin. As end-user industries are focusing on offering quality products, the integration of blockchain technology is expected to get stronger in the upcoming years.
Moving ahead, the integration of blockchain technology in the pharma industry will make it easier and more efficient to track medicines. This, in turn, will inform healthcare manufacturers regarding the availability of medicines. In case of non-availability of medicines in a particular region, blockchain can quickly trace medicines and the same can be provided to patients in need. In the upcoming years, blockchain technology will make communication and management more convenient. This is expected to attract different sectors to integrate blockchain technology into their supply chain management system.
Des Plaines, Illinois – Loren Swakow, Managing Director of NOBLELIFT North America, has announced his retirement effective January 31st, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of unprecedented growth, innovation, and strong relationships built over nearly a decade at the helm of the company.
Swakow joined NOBLELIFT in October 2016, tasked with the challenge of bringing an unknown brand into the highly competitive American market. At the time, NOBLELIFT had no dealer network and minimal brand recognition. Over the course of eight years, Swakow's strategic leadership and expertise have led to remarkable success, driving average annual growth of 43%. Today, NOBLELIFT is supported by a professional dealer network spanning the entire country, with sales growth consistently outpacing the industry, a true testament to Swakow’s vision and determination.
Swakow’s leadership also played a key role in expanding NOBLELIFT's footprint into Canada by helping to establish NOBLELIFT Canada. His unwavering belief in the brand and dedication to fostering partnerships were critical to this growth.
Reflecting on his tenure, Swakow remarked, “It takes a great team to do what we did in eight years, and that’s what we have—A Great Team! I have always believed in fostering open communication, creating a culture of trust, empowering individuals, leveraging diverse perspectives, and prioritizing collaboration. We have all worked very hard, and I am proud of them all.”
Swakow’s career in the material handling industry began long before his time at NOBLELIFT. He co-founded a lift truck dealership with his brother, representing brands like Komatsu, Mitsubishi, Tailift, and TCM. After decades of success, they sold the dealership and related businesses in 2012. Swakow also played a key role in the wider industry, serving as a founding member and Presidentof the Chicago Industrial Truck Dealers Association and as President of MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association) in 2004. His strong belief in the power of networking was critical to the formation of NOBLELIFT North America.
"MHEDA has always been the optimal association for networking," Swakow stated. "The connections and insights I gained through MHEDA were invaluable as we built NOBLELIFT North America from the ground up."
The succession plan for Swakow's role has been set, with the announcement of his successor scheduled for January 7th, 2025. Through January, Swakow will collaborate closely with his successor to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and to share his insights and guidance.
“We are grateful for Loren’s remarkable contributions to NOBLELIFT North America,” stated Wendy Mao, CEO at Noblelift Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. “His vision and passion have been instrumental in shaping our success. We are committed to building on the strong foundation he has established.”
Swakow’s dedication to excellence, his ability to inspire trust, and his relentless pursuit of success will leave a lasting impact on the material handling industry. While the company expresses enormous gratitude for his leadership, it is clear that his legacy will continue to guide NOBLELIFT on its upward trajectory.
About NOBLELIFT North America
NOBLELIFT® North America (www.nobleliftna.com) is a global leader in Lithium-iron technology. We manufacture a comprehensive range of high-performance, low-maintenance manual, electric, and internal combustion equipment with more than 200 categories and around 30 series of each product. Our products are designed to meet different application demands and are well accepted by our customers in more than 100 countries and regions in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and more. Products include: sit-down forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, narrow aisle forklifts, walkie-stackers, order pickers, electric pallet trucks, scissor lifts, tuggers/tow tractors, scrubbers, sweepers, automated guided vehicles (AGV’s), lift tables, manual pallet jacks and more. Noblelift® North America builds tough, durable products that deliver high productivity, low total cost of ownership, easy serviceability, and advanced ergonomic features; accompanied by outstanding parts, service, and training support.
For more information about our company and our products, visit www.nobleliftna.com or follow us on social media.
BELTON, MO (December 10, 2024) – KPI Solutions (KPI), a leading supply chain consulting, software, systems integration, and warehouse automation supplier today announced the retirement of Larry Strayhorn and appointment of Michael Cavanaugh as Chief Executive Officer.
Larry serves the material handling industry with a position on the MHI Board of Governors and was a key figure in the 2021 formation of KPI Solutions. His 40+ year career includes executive roles at leading supply chain and enabling technology companies, including WEPCO, Paragon Technologies, TGW, Diamond Phoenix, and Dematic. Going forward, he will join KPI’s Board of Directors and act in an advisory role for the new CEO.
With his unique expertise in operations, finance, and business transformations, Michael will be responsible for enabling a culture of excellence that drives client success, boosting company growth and performance, establishing long-range goals, and strengthening capabilities in engineering and advanced software.
“I am excited to welcome an experienced and accomplished leader who brings a fresh perspective to KPI Solutions and will continue our growth trajectory through a focus on data-driven designs, intelligent software, and best-of-breed automation,” stated Larry Strayhorn, retiring CEO. “Michael thrives on enhancing operational strategy by empowering teams, creating shared vision, and encouraging innovative approaches to problem-solving, ultimately enhancing client success and company value.”
“I look forward to working alongside the talented associates at KPI Solutions to deliver successful projects for our clients, enabling them to meet the challenging needs of the fast-evolving market,” stated Michael Cavanaugh. “As businesses increasingly demand improved throughput and faster fulfillment, KPI is in a unique position to serve clients with innovative engineered designs combined with proven automation and robotic technology, intelligent warehouse execution software, and lifetime services.”
Michael brings over twenty years of executive leadership experience in high-growth companies including Indicor, Honeywell, Smiths Group, Safran, General Electric, and United Airlines. He holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a Bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College.
About KPI Solutions™:
KPI Solutions provides end-to-end supply chain services and automation to transform our clients’ distribution operations. We analyze, design, implement, and support flexible and scalable engineered solutions that optimize order fulfillment, build capacity, and reduce reliance on labor. Our data-driven operations strategy delivers resilient designs and our technology-neutral approach allows a blend of automated technologies for a customized solution. Our comprehensive offerings include consulting, network strategy, engineered facility design, material handling systems integration, robotics, intelligent warehouse software, and lifetime services.
Roboteon, provider of a powerful software platform for warehouse robot enablement, announces breakthrough simulation capabilities in its platform for robotics and other warehouse automation. The new tool help companies make better decisions across multiple time horizons, from initial automation planning through real time execution on the floor.
Interest in Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and other robotics is high, but there remains much uncertainty about use cases, the number of AMRs and humans needed across different time horizons, expected operational improvements, and cost savings from the robotics investment.
Companies also lack tools to optimally balance and release work to the DC floor based on demand and available human and robotic resources.
The good news: Roboteon’s Warehouse Robotics Fulfillment platform addresses all these challenges and more in a way unique in the market , adding a new dimension to the Roboteon platform’s powerful capabilities to integrate, manage, orchestrate, and optimize robot-enabled warehouse processes.
Key features and capabilities of the new simulation tool include:
• The ability to assess the number of robots and humans that will be needed for a potential robotics initiative.
• After the initial deployment, the ability to test different operating plans, such as what is required for peak season success.
• “Digital twin” functionality that enables real-time optimization of resource assignment and order release.
• Native support for multi-client environments, as required by many 3PLs.
• Ability to run simulation using actual past order history or generate synthetic demand based on profiling order patterns without the need to gather all that data.
• Highly flexible configuration parameters for running the simulation, including the facility layout, speed of the robots, speed of human workers, time to complete picks and other work, use of other automation such as goods to person systems, and more.
• More than two dozen metrics generated by the simulation, including cost per pick, lines or unit per hour, robot and human dwell times, and many more.
• Extensive use of machine learning to improve the optimization results over time.
The combination of Roboteon’s simulation capabilities, ease of use, and robot vendor agnostic orchestration provides a breakthrough in the warehouse robotics sector.
Companies would typically work with Roboteon early in a robotics initiative to understand automation options, ROI, costs, as part of the solution design. Once robots have been deployed, the simulator supports short to mid-term planning for placement of robots and humans on the DC floor.
Benefits of Roboteon’s simulation tool include:
• Support for testing and building the business case for automation
• Improved visibility over flexible time-horizons
• Enhanced decision-making based on real-time data
• More consistent ability to meet service-level commitments and client scorecards
• Higher productivity and throughput
“With the release of this simulation tool as part of our Robotics Fulfillment Platform , Roboteon has further enhanced our sector-leading capabilities for successful robotic enablement in the short and long term” said Dan Gilmore, chief marketing officer.
About Roboteon
Roboteon Inc.™ is a unique market innovator whose vision is to enable rapid deployment and efficient operation of robotics in distribution. Our software platform enables interoperability across robotic technologies and vendors. It also optimizes order planning, picking and other process execution while automatically considering dynamic conditions such as robot and human resource capacities on the floor. Combined with deep domain expertise, our technology speeds time-to-value and supports agile change. You can learn more at www.roboteon.com.
Media Contact Dan Gilmore Roboteon dgilmore@roboteon.com
International law firm Reed Smith today published From A2B: Decoding the Global Supply Chain, an in-depth exploration of the rapidly evolving supply chain landscape. The report examines the worldwide forces shaping global logistics today and into the future, offering businesses strategic insights to navigate the challenges and opportunities arising in this increasingly complex field.
Spearheaded by Reed Smith’s global Transportation Industry Group and drawing from the perspectives of the firm’s global network of 30+ offices, the report addresses critical themes that include climate change, regulatory shifts and technological advancements. The guide serves as a roadmap for businesses to stay agile and resilient in the face of global disruptions.
Key themes
Regulatory and compliance challenges. Businesses are navigating a complex web of compliance issues, including the U.S. semiconductor ban, sanctions, antitrust risks, and the EU’s AI Act. National security screenings and money laundering threats further heighten the need for robust risk mitigation strategies.
Technological innovations and future trends. From 3D printing and autonomous ships to augmented reality and digital product passports, cutting-edge technologies are reshaping supply chains. Reed Smith emphasizes balancing innovation with legal and operational considerations.
Environment and sustainability. Sustainability is now central to supply chains, with a focus on green methanol, LNG transitions and deep-sea mining. EU laws and global plastics treaty negotiations are driving ESG integration while green innovation offers new investment avenues.
Financial and investment considerations. Financing innovations, insurance solutions and evolving investment opportunities in shipping and freight are key to managing supply-chain disruptions effectively.
Operational and logistical challenges. From negotiating logistics agreements to addressing HR impacts and managing international employee mobility, businesses must tackle operational hurdles to ensure efficiency.
Jurisdiction-specific supply-chain challenges. Regional nuances, from U.S. state laws and China’s export controls to Middle Eastern drone opportunities and UK trade policies, reflect the global nature of supply chain challenges.
Transportation Industry Group Global Chair Richard Hakes reflects on the unique challenges of this fast-changing field: “The pace of change in the supply chain is relentless. Helping clients through the legal side of it requires a strong understanding of law, but you also need to keep up with all the latest trends, industry developments, technologies and regulations.
“Logistics is going through a massive transformation right now. New technologies are coming in, and customer expectations are changing just as fast. ‘From A2B’ digs into these shifts and gives our clients tools to stay flexible and thrive amid constant change,” Hakes says.
Remarking on how the global supply chain impacts everyday life, Hakes says, “The supply chain isn’t some far-off, industrial concept anymore – it’s something that’s touching us all, right where we live. Every day, the things we buy and use make their way to us through a massive network that spans the globe. It’s something that matters to everyone, whether you’re a consumer, a worker or a business – it’s just part of how we live now.”
As a global law firm, Reed Smith provides strategic advice to transportation and logistics clients in complex regulatory matters, high-stakes litigation and major transactions. By addressing critical topics such as sustainability, digital transformation and compliance, From A2B: Decoding the Global Supply Chain reflects Reed Smith’s commitment to helping clients thrive in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic world.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
Reading, Pa. – Nov. 18, 2024 - Penske Truck Leasing is lighting up a new solar-powered initiative seeking to boost efficiency, minimize energy costs, and reduce emissions initially at select truck leasing,truck rental, and truck maintenance locations in the U.S. with the installation and activation of its first-ever rooftop solar-powered systems.
The company’s new state-of-the-art facility in Channahon, Illinois, is now fully operational, and is predominantly powered by an onsite photovoltaic (PV) solar system, expected to generate roughly 80% of the building’s energy needs at 200 KW capacity. Any remaining required energy will be supplied by the local utility provider.
A Grand Rapids, Michigan, location will be active in the coming months and Penske’s Linden, New Jersey, location is expected to go online in 2025. These facilities are also new state-of-the-art locations.
The new facilities incorporating solar systems in Channahon, Illinois, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Linden, New Jersey, are part of the company’s LEED building program.
Under a power purchase agreement with Sunrock Distributed Generation, seven additional Penske facilities in California are expected to be retrofitted with new PV solar systems in the next year, which are expected to yield roughly 600 KW of renewable energy across all locations. These facilities are located in Fresno, Hayward, La Mirada, National City, Riverside, San Diego and San Leandro.
Penske is collaborating with San Francisco-based ForeFront Power as its lead project consultant on this solar initiative.
“Our solar program is an important piece of our renewable energy strategy and ForeFront Power continues to be an outstanding partner in helping us bring these projects to fruition,” said Drew Cullen, senior vice president of fuels and facility services at Penske. “These investments will allow us to directly generate our own renewable energy to power our locations and continue to support our customers with sustainable solutions.”
On average, four solar panel-powered Penske Truck Leasing facilities will generate an estimated 1-million-kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy annually and will result in an emissions avoidance of 442 metric tons (MT) CO2e, which is equal to powering nearly 90 homes for one year.
“The initiative to install solar systems at our locations is a part of our company’s LEED-certified facilities process,” explained Ivet Taneva, Penske vice president of environmental affairs. “Investing in solar has considerable economic impacts for our operations as well as the environmental benefits of further reducing emissions related to electricity use.”
Penske Truck Leasing is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. A leading provider of innovative transportation solutions, Penske operates and maintains more than 437,000 vehicles and serves its customers from nearly 1,000 maintenance facilities and more than 2,500 truck rental locations across North America. Solutions from Penske include full-service truck leasing, fleet maintenance, truck rentals, used trucks, and a comprehensive array of technologies to keep the world moving forward. Visit pensketruckleasing.com for more information.