e2net

Like death and taxes, the two immutable truths of supply chains are disruptions and collaboration. Volatility and disruptions are a given, and modern supply chains don’t operate within one company’s four walls. They live across tiers of suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics partners, distributors, and channels.

As I was returning home to the United States from the Connect Europe 2024 customer event a few weeks ago, I reflected on the significance of “staying connected” and the importance of transparency across the globally distributed supply chains I heard about from our customers and integration partners who presented at the event.

At the turn of the millennium, the supply chain sector experienced a massive sea change. The industrial revolution gave way to the technological revolution, and within a decade or two, there were more ways to make, move, deliver, and buy products and services than ever before. The result was more vast and complex supply chain infrastructures that allowed brands to reach a broader audience and identify more growth opportunities, but also required more oversight.

For decades, supply chains have operated the same way — and it worked just fine. The industry made minor changes to their internal business processes to reflect market and industry shifts. But bringing goods to market has become more complex.