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Lisa Anderson, Manufacturing & SIOP Expert Gets Real About Supply Chain
Lisa Anderson, Manufacturing, SIOP Expert and President of
LMA Consulting Gets Real About Supply Chains and World Events
Lisa Anderson, Manufacturing, SIOP Expert and President of
LMA Consulting Gets Real About Supply Chains and World Events
CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA – April 22, 2022 – Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., sees the effects and consequences of supply chain disruption every day. Despite a slight rebound from the supply chain chaos during the pandemic, world events will continue to threaten the supply chain—the answer: using the S&OP process, leveraging technology investments and reshoring/nearshoring. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.
“You must get in front of supply chain disruptions. If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that supply chains are volatile, and they must become resilient. It is critical to have contingencies and better control the moving parts within the supply chain,” Ms. Anderson commented.
The supply chain spans from a manufacturer’s supplier’s supplier to the end-user and every link in between. “There is no doubt that the Ukraine crisis has created and will continue to create supply chain disruptions. The effects will be felt in many industries, from natural resources to foodstuffs,” she said.
While the cost of labor may initially look good outside the U.S., the risk to the supply chain is great. “Many of our clients have re-evaluated their suppliers and manufacturing processes and brought them closer to the customer. Some are bringing operations back to the U.S., and Mexico is, once again, a viable alternative. Manufacturers that have invested in technology are now leveraging it for greater control and flexibility. The U.S. must move manufacturing, agriculture, and critical materials, supplies and related components closer to home in a big way. Smart manufacturers and food processors are constantly evaluating their supply chains, are looking at options and focused on staying in front of supply chain disruptions,” she said.
Ms. Anderson recently released a Special Report: Thriving in 2022: Learning from Supply Chain Chaos – Insights from 22 Trusted Advisors. This special report includes supply chain insights and perspectives from Ms. Anderson and 22 advisor experts who have supported clients through the supply chain upheavals of 2020 and 2021. The report is available at no charge from the LMA Consulting Website.
About LMA Consulting Group – Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD
Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., specializing in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation. She focuses on maximizing the customer experience and enabling profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. Ms. Anderson is a recognized Supply Chain thought leader by SelectHub, named a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by arketi group, a Top 50 ERP Influencer by Washington-Frank, one of the most influential in Supply Chain by SAP and a woman leader in Supply Chain by RateLinx. She was recently interviewed on Fox News, has published special reports with a supply chain focus: Thriving in 2022: Learning from Supply Chain Chaos – Insights from 22 Trusted Advisors and the eBook, Future-Proofing Manufacturing & the Supply Chain Post COVID-19, as well as her primer, I’ve Been Thinking, strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits. A contributor on topics including a superior customer experience with SIOP, advancing innovation, and making the supply chain resilient, Ms. Anderson is regularly interviewed and quoted by publications such as Industry Week, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal. For information, sign up for her Profit Through People® Newsletter
or for a copy of her book, visit LMA-ConsultingGroup.com.
On the anniversary on 6 February, the parties and a large number of invited stakeholders gathered for an open seminar in Turku, Finland. Results, experiences, challenges and opportunities were discussed based on the common goal of establishing a green maritime corridor between Stockholm and Turku by 2035.
"We are very pleased with the cooperation and the work done during the first year," says Magdalena Bosson, CEO Ports of Stockholm. "We have been investing in onshore power supply infrastructure for ships for many years and Viking Line is one of the pioneers. Now we are further sharpening our goals together with the other parties to establish a fossil-free shipping corridor between Stockholm and Turku."
"We are proud to be part of this important co-operation project for a cleaner Baltic Sea. Our most significant investment so far is to offer all our passengers and freight customers biofuel for transport between Stockholm and Turku, reducing emissions for their journeys by 90%. In addition, a possible battery installation and Elogrids*, which reduces energy consumption, are important elements of our work in the coming years," says Jan Hanses, CEO Viking Line.
"A green shipping corridor gives us the opportunity to promote sustainable development and reduce the environmental impact of shipping. During the past year, we have started more detailed planning of measures related to the green shipping corridor, such as updating our carbon footprint calculation and preparing for the development of charging stations for heavy traffic," says Erik Söderholm, CEO Port of Turku.
During the first year, the parties have identified and prioritised the most important goals and measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in shipping. A clear project plan with activities has been developed, including:
Viking Line
- Pre-study of battery installation on Viking Grace and Viking Glory
- Installing Elogrids* on the vessels
- Increase sales of biogas supplements for transport between Stockholm and Turku
Port of Turku
- Study and pilot project for onshore power supply at the quay
- Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at berth
- Guidelines and incentives for port operators for zero emissions
- In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
- Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker sustainable fuels
Ports of Stockholm
- Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at the quayside
- In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
- Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker fossil-free fuels
*Elogrids is a grid system installed on the ship's hull to reduce resistance and improve fuel efficiency. It optimizes water flow and reduces turbulence, resulting in lower energy consumption.
Johanna Boijer, Vice President Corporate Communications Viking Line
Johanna.boijer@vikingline.com, +358 18 27 000
Eleonora Hansi, Communications Manager Viking Line Scandinavia
eleonora.hansi@vikingline.com, +46 70 452 41 41
Port of Turku:
Erik Söderholm, Managing Director of Port of Turku
erik.soderholm@portofturku.fi, +358 50 553 3100
Ports of Stockholm is one of the world´s largest passenger ports and one of Sweden´s largest freight port. Ports of Stockholm has ports located in Stockholm, Kapellskär and Nynäshamn. www.portsofstockholm.com – twitter.com/stockholmshamn
PORTS OF STOCKHOLM
MAGASIN 2, FRIHAMNEN, BOX 27314, SE-102 54 STOCKHOLM
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, February 6, 2025 – TrusTrace, a market-leading platform for supply chain traceability and compliance in the fashion and textile industry, is proud to announce its participation in Textile Exchange’s test pilot project, to evaluate a multiparty Trackit™ system.
The pilot is set to run throughout 2025, marking a significant step forward in advancing traceability and transparency within the textile and apparel supply chain. The project aims to test the performance of an interoperable traceability framework that functions across diverse technology platforms. It is designed to minimize the burden on supply chain operators while maintaining a strong and credible standards system to adapt to an evolving legislative landscape.
Contributing to theTrackit™ pilot project
The TrusTrace platform is built to improve interoperabilityand works with multiple enterprise systems and data formats. In 2024 the platform gathered primary data on more than 12.9 million global transactions for more than 1.2 billion units, from more than 60,000 suppliers.
TrusTrace’s ability to aggregate, validate, and standardize supply chain data across various ecosystems ensures that brands have access to up-to-date, high-quality data — a critical enabler for making informed decisions to manage supply chain and brand risk, ensure compliance, and drive more sustainable practices. The test pilot aligns with TrusTrace’s vision of empowering brands to know, prove and improve the impact of their supply chain.
Unlocking the Benefits of Digitized Supply Chains
The Trackit™ test pilot aims to not only analyze interoperability of a multiparty system; but also to provide a foundation for supply chain innovation by enabling:
Efficient data sharing: Streamlining collaboration across diverse stakeholders, from suppliers to brands.
Informed decision-making: Providing brands with real-time visibility into their supply chains to address environmental and social risks effectively.
Credible sustainability reporting: Ensuring brands can meet emerging legislative and regulatory requirements with robust and verified data.
“Interoperability is key to a future where supply chains are traceable, circular and fair. The Trackit™ test pilot brings the industry closer to a shared ecosystem where technology providers complement rather than compete, ensuring better outcomes for brands, suppliers, and the planet. TrusTrace is honored to contribute to this exciting project, and contribute with our vast experience in interoperability at scale,” said Shameek Ghosh, CEO and Co-founder of TrusTrace.
A Step Toward Systemic Change
The Trackit™ test pilot project is an integral step toward a more collaborative system for traceability. By reducing redundancies and aligning technology systems, this initiative aims to empower brands and supply chain partners to meet ambitious sustainability goals and manage supply chain risk and compliance.
About TrusTrace
TrusTrace offers a market-leading platform for supply chain traceability and compliance that enables brands and suppliers around the world to standardize how supply chain and material traceability data is captured, digitized and shared.
Through its AI-enhanced platform, TrusTrace empowers brands to gather and validate primary data from their supply chains, so they can know, prove and improve their impact. The data can be used for risk management, compliance, product claims, footprint calculations, the ability to confidently and easily share data about product origin and impact, and much more.
TrusTrace is leading global-scale traceability programs for many of the world’s largest and most ambitious brands and is called out as a Top Innovator for supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the World Economic Forum. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with offices in India, France, Germany and the US. Please visit www.trustrace.com to learn more.
Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Warp, a tech-powered network of cross-docks and carriers offering various vehicle sizes, announced that 2025 it will extend its solutions and services to the U.S. government. Warp aims to modernize government freight logistics with machine-learning-driven planning, optimized network strategies, and flexible solutions to create efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable supply chain transportation.
Focused on optimizing every load, every time, Warp employs machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and groundbreaking consolidation techniques to blur the traditional lines of freight shipping by combining the best elements of LTL, FTL, and parcel delivery. Using its homogenous fleet including cargo vans, sedans, box trucks, and 53-foot trailers, Warp facilitates carrier injections, inbound vendor consolidation, pool point distribution, zone-skipping, store replenishment, and national retail distribution for some of the world’s largest shippers.
Unlike traditional FTL carriers, Warp offers per-pallet rates, ensuring customers pay only for what they use. Similarly, unlike traditional LTL carriers, Warp eliminates challenges such as unpredictable pricing, freight class adjustments, reweighs, and rebills. In the process of becoming an official government contractor, Warp will strategically align its technology, teams, and network to meet government needs while identifying opportunities for collaboration.
Many shippers that Warp has helped were previously paying for full truckloads without fully utilizing the space. Additionally, shippers relying on LTL services before switching to Warp often faced hidden fees, surprise surcharges, and unexpected rate adjustments. Our research indicates that these challenges are even more widespread in U.S. government transportation contracts.
“Partnering with Warp will save the government millions of dollars through reduced empty miles, shipment consolidation, route optimization, and scalable logistics—all without requiring government-owned infrastructure,” said Warp Co-founder and CEO Daniel Sokolovsky. “This is something we’ve been working on for quite some time, and we’re thrilled to showcase Warp’s capabilities and innovative logistics solutions on a national scale,” said Warp Co-founder and CRO Troy Lester.
About Warp Warp is a technology-enabled leader in middle-mile logistics, focused on creating efficient, scalable solutions for high-density, high-demand supply chains. By connecting shippers, carriers, and warehouses through an integrated platform, Warp delivers innovative freight technology solutions that prioritize efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. With a suite of tech-driven offerings, including real-time tracking, cross-docking, and route optimization, Warp provides unmatched reliability, visibility, and transformative impact in logistics and supply chain management.
For more information on how Warp can enhance your logistics network, visitwww.weareWarp.com.
With a free signup, businesses gain access to over 1,000 vetted partners across 4,000+ locations, helping users to access container availability and pricing insights on 10,000+ routes at no cost.
This exposure helps businesses access real-time trusted information and insights to help make informed operating decisions and trusted container transactions, thereby gaining more control over the negotiation process.
Survey: Trust and transparency, cornerstones of resilience for container logistics
Container xChange conducted a survey in January 2025, with participation from 800 representatives of container trading businesses from around the globe. The results revealed that 78% of container trading companies are facing challenges in establishing trusted partnerships due to ongoing geopolitical and trade challenges.
“My first purchase of containers was a fraud, and I lost $11000 in one transaction when I started my journey in container trading. We believe that the biggest challenge in this industry is trust. xChange helps us establish trusted relationships without having the risk of fraud, that gives the buyer a real sense of security.” shared Denise chavez, Container Chiq, a shipping container supplier based in California, United States, in a fireside session conducted in December 2024 by Container xChange.
Additionally, 81% of respondents confirm that they are focusing on two key operational strategies this year: finding trustworthy partners to face these geopolitical uncertainties and enhancing transparencyin container pricing and availability data.
These strategies are crucial as businesses grapple with pressing challenges in 2025, including:
Tariff wars.: The implications of tariffs (and resulting counter tariffs) continue to create uncertainty in international trade.
Ongoing trade and military conflicts: These conflicts exacerbate the difficulties in forming reliable partnerships.
Chokepoints at critical locations: Issues at key transit points such as the Panama Canal and the Red Sea, often influenced by climate conditions and geopolitical tensions, further complicate logistics, thereby creating a need for diversions and alternate routes.
This survey presents the urgency for solutions that promote transparency and foster trust in the container trading market. Container xChange's initiative to launch a free One-Way leasing network directly addresses these challenges by providing businesses with access to a vast network of vetted partners and real-time data on container availability and pricing.
“We're on xChange daily. When we see better offers or new partners, we accept them immediately online instead of searching through random chat groups.” said Gulnur Maksutova from Railship Global (UK).
“The current global geopolitical landscape has introduced significant complexities for container trading and leasing businesses. In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in interest towards new sourcing locations and alternative trade routes, resulting in heightened activity on our platform. By offering free access to our platform, we’re addressing the industry’s biggest challenge—building trust and connecting with reliable partners. This initiative democratizes access to key tools and insights, empowering businesses to face uncertainties with transparency, efficiency, and confidence, a vital step in advancing our mission to simplify global trade logistics," shared Christian Roeloffs, co-founder and CEO of Container xChange.
This initiative aims to improve transparency and accessibility in the shipper-owned container (SOC) leasing market. SOC containers provide businesses with greater flexibility and control over their logistics, especially in a volatile market like now. “With our free access initiative, we’re enabling companies to adopt SOC leasing strategies with ease, backed by real-time data and a trusted partner network.” shared Roeloffs.
“With this effort, our objective is to create trust in a market that is inherently risky. ” added Roeloffs.
●Market Price Visibility: Access transparent price ranges for one-way leasing to make informed decisions.
●Global Partner Network: Connect with over 1,700 vetted suppliers across 2,500 locations based on routes and business needs.
"Whenever we explore a new route, xChange connects us with multiple suppliers instantly. It saves us days of effort," shared Teresa Tang from Dele International Logistics (China).
Container xChange is a leading neutral online marketplace for container trading, leasing, and management. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, xChange connects over 1,700 trusted partners across 2,500 locations worldwide, simplifying logistics for businesses in the shipping and container industry. With innovative tools that enhance transparency, efficiency, and trust, xChange empowers companies to optimize costs, reduce risks, and access real-time insights on container availability and pricing.
PITTSBURGH, PA / CINCINNATI, OH –January 23, 2025 – Freespace Robotics, an innovator in autonomous robotics for material handling and logistics, today announced a strategic partnership and investment from the Automation Solutions business of Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ:MATW), a leading provider of warehouse automation software, controls, and order fulfillment systems. This partnership combines Freespace Robotics’ groundbreaking high-density, dynamic storage cube with Matthews’ industry-leading software, unlocking transformative capabilities for warehouse and last-mile operations.
Freespace Robotics’ pioneering solution leverages advanced robotics to deliver high-turnover, small-footprint, high-rise AS/RS (Automate Storage and Retrieval System) technologies. These innovations incorporate traditionally external conveyor functions – such as sortation, sequencing, each-picking, order buffering and pre-staging – into a seamless end to end operation. Combined with Matthews robust software suite and dashboard, which unify product information and inbound and outbound material flows, the Freespace solution offers unmatched versatility across diverse industries and specialized workflows. Together the companies are poised to strengthen core processes and improve KPIs for efficiency, scalability, throughput and cost-effectiveness.
“This partnership bridges the gap between cutting-edge hardware and proven software,” said Gary Cash, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Matthews Automation. “Freespace Robotics brings next-generation automated hardware advancements that complement and extend our software’s capabilities to achieve unprecedented order management and task efficiency in warehouse operations. Over the last decade, customers have experimented with automating some or all their logistics and warehouse operations, to varying degrees. Today they are more discerning in their choices and investments. We see Freespace as delivering on the promise of greater versatility and performance with a smart systems approach and the higher ROI customers expect.”
The collaboration will emphasize software interoperability and multi-system integration driven by customer need. Together, the companies aim to address the unique challenges of fragmented cross-docking operations and meet the specialized needs and workflows in sectors like 3PL, e-commerce, food, beverage, manufacturing and industrials.
“Software innovation has outpaced hardware advancements in warehouse automation,” said Robert J. Szczerba, CEO of Freespace Robotics. “Our system closes that gap by delivering unparalleled performance, flexibility and scalability in a more sustainable solution. Matthews’ expertise and proven software enhance our system, enabling us to supercharge automation for the most demanding industries while offering a more attractive total cost of ownership.”
Key benefits of Matthews Automation’s turn-key software suite paired with Freespace Robotics’ AS/RS:
End-to-End Task Management: Seamlessly integrates with industry-standard WMS platforms like Manhattan, Oracle, and SAP to handle inventory management, order picking, and replenishment.
Scalable, Modular Design: Adapts to diverse facility configurations, uneven floors, and unconventional layouts with high-rise options up to 70 feet. The modular rack design enables vertical and horizontal expansion to meet future business requirements, unknown demands and changing product characteristics without demolition, retrofitting, or new builds.
Cost-Effective Maintenance: Robotics and components are positioned outside the cube for easy servicing, while domestically sourced parts ensure reliability, availability and resilience.
Versatile Inventory Handling: Supports standard and large trays, full cases, and individual each-picks, accommodating loads up to 100 pounds.
Sustainable Operation: Powered by rail systems, eliminating costly and fire-prone battery dependencies while reducing environmental costs, fire risk and insurance outlays.
Shipping Buffers: Optimizes operations with seamless sorting, buffering and sequencing in a single process inside the cube for timed delivery to docks
Cross-Docking Operations: Reduces labor, equipment needs, and operational footprints while improving safety on the floor.
Last-Mile Delivery Potential: A mobile version brings goods directly to drivers in dolly order, eliminating the need to enter the trucks. This offers breakthrough performance for multi-stop delivery operations, minimizing shift time, labor and fuel costs and mid-route rescheduling.
Matthews Automation Solutions joins United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X)(“U.S. Steel”) and 3PL leader NFI Industries as corporate investors in Freespace Robotics. Matthews’ decades of expertise and 24×7 system support, paired with Freespace Robotics’ groundbreaking technology, positions this partnership to transform logistics and warehousing operations while setting new standards of efficiency, adaptability, performance and reliability.
Freespace Robotics will also showcase its solutions at the prestigious Startup Pavilion, in booth E11200SP, during ProMat 2025, North America’s largest conference and expo for material handling and logistics professionals. The event is being held March 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
ProMat attendees can find Matthews Automation’s latest advances in Warehouse Execution System software, picking systems, and print-and-apply labeling automation at booth S4355, found in Hall A of McCormick’s South Building. Matthews’ exhibit will feature these integrated technologies – including the Freespace solution – working together to provide scalable, end-to-end applications for dynamic supply chains.
About Freespace Robotics
Freespace Robotics, a spin-out company of venture studio Carnegie Foundry, is a leading innovator in autonomous robotics solutions for the logistics and warehousing industry. By combining advanced robotics, modular design, and unmatched versatility, Freespace Robotics delivers breakthrough advances that redefine how businesses approach storage, retrieval, order fulfillment and the movement of goods. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Freespace Robotics thrives at the intersection of industrial innovation and artificial intelligence. To learn more about Freespace Robotics, please visit www.freespacerobotics.com.