http://srmtoday.makes.news/SRM Today Latest RSS feedhttp://www.rssboard.org/rss-specificationenThu, 16 Apr 2026 11:32:14 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/wiliot-partners-with-databricks-to-accelerate-physical-ai-and-supply-chain-automation<p>Wiliot has announced a strategic partnership with Databricks to enhance its Physical AI platform, enabling enterprises to process real-time sensor data for smarter inventory and logistics management across industries.</p><p>Wiliot has deepened its push into so-called Physical AI by striking a strategic partnership with Databricks, in a move the company says will help enterprises turn streams of data from connected products and assets into faster operational decisions.</p> <p>Under the agreement, Wiliot will run its Physical AI platform and supply chain automation tools on Databricks’ infrastructure, allowing customers to ingest, manage and analyse real-time signals generated by Wiliot’s battery-free IoT Pixels. Those postage-stamp-sized devices are designed to produce continuous item-level data across warehouses, retail floors and transport networks, giving companies visibility into the movement and condition of goods that has traditionally been difficult to capture at scale.</p> <p>The companies say the combination of Wiliot’s sensing technology and Databricks’ lakehouse architecture will let customers combine physical-world data with existing enterprise systems in a single governed environment. In practical terms, that could support more automated inventory management, earlier detection of supply chain disruption, and better control over cold chain logistics, where temperature sensitivity can make or break product quality.</p> <p>Wiliot’s platform already supports a set of supply chain applications covering inventory visibility, automated receiving, shipment verification, reusable asset tracking and temperature monitoring. The Databricks tie-up is intended to strengthen those tools by giving them the compute, storage and data-handling backbone needed to process larger volumes of live data more efficiently.</p> <p>Adi Applebaum, Wiliot’s vice-president of product, said in a statement that running the platform on Databricks would help customers put physical-world data to work at scale. He said the partnership gives Wiliot a more robust foundation for turning large quantities of sensor data into immediate business decisions.</p> <p>Databricks’ Roberto Robles, who leads go-to-market efforts for consumer goods and retail, described Physical AI as a next phase of data intelligence and said the collaboration is meant to bring together physical and enterprise data sources to support sharper decision-making. He added that the technology could help retailers build more connected store experiences by combining signals on product location, freshness, temperature and inventory, with the aim of reducing stockouts and shrink.</p> <p>The partnership also extends Wiliot’s wider partner ecosystem as the company seeks to position its technology as a layer of intelligence across retail, consumer packaged goods and logistics. Industry reports have said some major enterprises, including Walmart and Royal Mail, are already using Wiliot’s platform, underlining the commercial interest in item-level visibility as supply chains become more automated and more data-driven.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de17878271b85e21fbf0d1Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:47:50 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/spotlight/2026/04/14/imf-and-world-bank-warn-of-worsening-global-economic-fallout-from-iran-conflict-and-energy-disruptions<p>At the Washington meetings, policymakers express concern over the combined effects of Iran conflict, rising energy costs, and market volatility on vulnerable economies, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated support.</p><p>The IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington have been dominated by the fallout from the war in Iran, with policymakers treating the conflict less as a distant geopolitical shock than as an immediate economic threat. According to a joint statement released on 13 April by the heads of the International Energy Agency, the IMF and the World Bank Group, disruption in oil, gas and fertiliser markets is already raising concerns about food security, inflation and job losses, especially in poorer countries that depend heavily on imported energy.</p> <p>The sharpest anxiety centres on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large share of global energy supplies move. The institutions said uncertainty over the normalisation of shipping routes is adding to market volatility, while higher fuel and fertiliser costs are feeding through to food prices and worsening conditions for energy-importing low-income economies. That is particularly painful for countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where external financing pressures and heavy debt burdens have left governments with little room to absorb another terms-of-trade shock, according to reports from the meetings.</p> <p>For the World Bank, the crisis has also sharpened its argument that energy access is not just a climate issue but a development one. At a spring meetings event focused on growth and jobs through energy, the bank said reliable and affordable power is essential for business activity, productivity and employment. It has been promoting projects to modernise grids and diversify energy systems, including its Mission 300 effort to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.</p> <p>Yet the conflict has complicated the climate debate rather than settled it. Higher fossil-fuel prices can make renewable energy look more competitive, but they also make investment conditions more uncertain and raise the cost of capital across emerging markets. Semafor reported that some discussions in Washington turned to whether financial institutions should soften restrictions around fossil-fuel lending, reflecting pressure from the United States to rethink how climate risk is weighed in debt sustainability and fiscal policy.</p> <p>For the IMF and World Bank, the immediate task is to keep countries afloat while the shock works its way through global markets. In their joint statement, the three institutions said they will monitor developments closely and coordinate responses to support a resilient recovery. For now, the mood in Washington is one of caution: energy security, inflation and debt distress are no longer separate files, but part of the same crisis.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69ddbd725321b6a81bf850a2Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:44:23 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/spotlight/2026/04/14/strait-of-hormuz-conflict-triggers-global-ripple-effects-on-trade-and-energy-prices<p>Escalating tensions at the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting shipping, inflating fuel costs, and weakening economic growth prospects worldwide, as businesses and officials brace for prolonged instability.</p><p>The escalation around the Strait of Hormuz is rippling far beyond the Middle East, with economists, shippers and energy officials warning that the fallout is already feeding through to prices, trade flows and business planning.</p> <p>At a briefing at the Port of Los Angeles, Jerrold D. Green, a senior fellow on the Middle East and South Asia, said the conflict had altered the strategic environment in ways that would not be easily reversed. He described the situation as global rather than regional, arguing that businesses were being forced to make decisions in an atmosphere of deep uncertainty. Port chief executive Gene Seroka said the disruption was already affecting shipping costs and cargo movements, even if freight arriving at the West Coast port had so far held near seasonal norms.</p> <p>The main pressure point remains the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Before the war, roughly 100 to 110 vessels passed through the waterway each day, carrying a significant share of global oil trade. Since the fighting began, thousands of ships have been unable to move east or west through the route, and Seroka said the price of fuel for cargo vessels had doubled in six weeks. Consumers are also feeling the effect through higher petrol prices, with AAA reporting that the US national average had risen sharply from pre-war levels.</p> <p>The wider impact is now showing up in official forecasts. The International Monetary Fund has cut its global growth outlook for 2026, warning that the conflict has disrupted economic momentum and revived inflationary pressures. The fund said its forecast assumes the fighting remains relatively contained and oil prices stabilise, but it also cautioned that the recovery could prove more difficult than after the 2022 energy shock.</p> <p>Energy demand is also being revised lower. The International Energy Agency now expects global oil demand to fall in 2026, the first such decline since the pandemic, as higher prices curb consumption and supply disruptions continue to bite. The agency said shipments through Hormuz have fallen dramatically from pre-war levels, and it has not ruled out further releases from strategic reserves.</p> <p>Retailers in the United States are not direct buyers of much Middle Eastern merchandise, but supply chain groups say the region still matters because global logistics are tightly interconnected. Jonathan Gold of the National Retail Federation said rerouted vessels, displaced equipment, higher fuel bills and rising pump prices all feed into the same system, leaving consumers with less spending power.</p> <p>Green warned that the disruption could last well beyond the fighting itself. Rebuilding damaged infrastructure, he said, would be more expensive because future projects would need stronger protection. He also pointed to knock-on effects for pharmaceutical production, remittance flows from Gulf workers and energy supplies in Asia, where countries such as Vietnam rely heavily on fuel moving through the strait.</p> <p>For now, Port of Los Angeles officials say trans-Pacific trade continues to move without major interruption, helped by shipping terminals in the Middle East keeping cargo segmented and flowing. But with the diplomatic track stalled, military tensions unresolved and energy markets still on edge, businesses are bracing for a longer period of instability.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69ddbd725321b6a81bf85084Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:44:17 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/beyond-kpis/2026/04/14/blockchain-transforms-manufacturing-traceability-amid-rising-supply-chain-demands<p>As supply chains grow more complex and regulators tighten standards, blockchain technology is emerging as a critical tool for enhancing product traceability, accountability, and authenticity across industries from pharmaceuticals to textiles.</p><p>Manufacturers have spent decades trying to keep control of products through paper files, disconnected systems and supplier reports that rarely line up neatly. That approach is under increasing strain. As supply chains stretch across continents and regulators demand better proof of safety, provenance and compliance, traceability has become a boardroom issue rather than a clerical one.</p> <p>This is the space in which blockchain has gained traction. Better known for its role in cryptocurrencies, the technology is more relevant in manufacturing as a shared record that can be updated by approved participants and is difficult to alter without detection. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has argued that blockchain and related tools can support tamper-evident information sharing across manufacturing supply chains, while earlier NIST work suggested that it can strengthen the digital thread running through smart manufacturing systems.</p> <p>In practice, the appeal is straightforward. Manufacturers need a clearer picture of where materials came from, how they were handled, who certified them and where they ended up. That matters for recalls, quality control, anti-counterfeit measures, sustainability claims and regulatory defence. When a defect appears, or a customer questions a provenance claim, a ledger that links each step in the product journey can make the difference between a swift response and a costly scramble.</p> <p>Traceability itself is not new. Automotive, pharmaceutical, food and aerospace firms have long relied on batch codes, serial numbers and chain-of-custody records. But those systems often break down when production becomes multi-tiered and geographically dispersed. Information can be delayed, duplicated or lost between suppliers, freight operators, factories and warehouses. Data may sit in incompatible software, while paper records and email attachments leave room for error or manipulation.</p> <p>Blockchain offers a different logic. Rather than relying on one company’s internal database, it distributes approved records across a network of participants. Each event is time-stamped and linked to the previous one, creating a sequence that is much harder to tamper with after the fact. That makes it easier to establish a shared version of what happened, when it happened and who handled it.</p> <p>The manufacturing uses are broad. In consumer electronics, blockchain can help trace batteries, circuit boards, casings and final assembly back through multiple supplier layers. If a battery batch is later found to overheat, the company can identify which products are affected and which shipments share the same risk profile. In automotive production, it can track components, software updates and critical materials. In pharmaceuticals, it can help prove that ingredients stayed within the correct temperature range. In food processing, it can support provenance and cold-chain integrity. In aerospace and heavy industry, it can verify certification and the origin of specialist parts.</p> <p>The technology is also gaining attention because it can support accountability in multi-party production networks. Modern manufacturing is rarely confined to one firm. A finished product may pass through design houses, component suppliers, logistics providers, inspectors and contract manufacturers before reaching the customer. When something fails, the question of responsibility can become blurred. A shared ledger does not eliminate disputes, but it does narrow the evidential gap by making each handover visible.</p> <p>That is particularly useful in industries where compliance is non-negotiable. Pharmaceuticals, food, defence, aerospace and automotive sectors all depend on precise records. Blockchain can make those records harder to manipulate and easier to verify, especially when combined with sensors, barcodes, RFID tags and digital signatures that tie the physical item to its digital identity. United Barcode Systems has argued that reliable coding and labelling remain essential to making blockchain-based traceability work in practice, rather than in theory.</p> <p>Counterfeit prevention is another major draw. Fake parts and unauthorised goods can cause safety incidents, machine failure and reputational damage. A blockchain-backed record can make it harder for counterfeit items to enter the chain unnoticed, particularly when physical identifiers are linked to the ledger. If a product appears in the wrong place, or without the right transaction history, the discrepancy becomes easier to spot.</p> <p>Recalls may be the clearest commercial case for adoption. When a fault is discovered, manufacturers need to know exactly which units are affected, where they were shipped and how far the problem spread. Weak traceability tends to widen recalls unnecessarily, increasing costs and disruption. Stronger traceability can support narrower, more targeted withdrawals and faster root-cause analysis, which matters both financially and reputationally.</p> <p>Sustainability is pushing the same logic into sharper focus. Companies are under pressure to prove claims about recycled content, emissions, labour standards and ethical sourcing. That is difficult when inputs come from opaque supplier networks. Blockchain can help record certificates, energy readings, material transformations and recycling events, giving sustainability claims a firmer evidential base. It will not make a product greener by itself, but it can make green claims more credible.</p> <p>Some of the most ambitious applications are emerging in textiles and apparel, where digital product passport initiatives are bringing new attention to fibre origin, manufacturing steps and end-of-life recovery. EcoFabric Trace, a blockchain-based platform aimed at the sector, describes a model in which data from farmers, mills and manufacturers is linked into a single verified record from fibre to finished garment. The broader point is that traceability is no longer only about compliance. It is becoming part of how brands present trust to buyers.</p> <p>Even so, blockchain is not a cure-all. A ledger can preserve records, but it cannot guarantee that the information entered was true in the first place. If bad data goes in, the system may faithfully protect the bad data. That means blockchain has to sit alongside inspections, governance, sensors and certification checks. It strengthens trust, but does not replace it.</p> <p>There are also practical obstacles. Many manufacturers still depend on legacy ERP, MES and supply-chain systems that were never designed to talk to a distributed ledger. Integrating those tools can be expensive and technically awkward. Data standards may not match. Smaller suppliers may lack the resources to participate. Networks can also become slow or cumbersome if they try to record too much information at once.</p> <p>That is why the more successful deployments tend to be targeted. Rather than attempting to digitise every interaction in the factory, companies often start with a high-risk material, a sensitive product line or a compliance-heavy process. Once the value is proven, the network can expand. Industry observers say this phased approach is usually more effective than trying to build a complete system on day one.</p> <p>The deeper challenge is organisational rather than technical. Blockchain traceability only works if suppliers, auditors, logistics partners, regulators and manufacturers are willing to align on data rules and governance. If participants do not see a benefit for themselves, adoption stalls. For that reason, the strongest business cases tend to be in sectors where the cost of failure is high and the value of proof is obvious.</p> <p>The direction of travel, however, is clear. As rules tighten and customers become more sceptical, manufacturers are being asked not just to say what their products are, but to show it. Blockchain is one of the tools now being used to make that possible. Its long-term significance may lie less in the technology itself than in the discipline it imposes: shared records, visible handovers and a more auditable chain of responsibility.</p> <p>In manufacturing, that shift could prove consequential. The industry has always depended on control, but it is increasingly being judged on verifiable control. Blockchain will not solve every supply-chain problem, yet it offers a stronger basis for proving where things came from, how they were handled and who was accountable along the way.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69dc737bee790bed748b5208Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:44:13 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/ericssons-digital-assessment-paves-the-way-for-smarter-safer-oil-fields-with-private-5g<p>Ericsson’s Smart Oil Field Maturity Assessment offers oil operators a strategic roadmap to enhance digitalisation, optimise operations, and ensure the resilience of industrial networks amid the push for smarter, safer oil fields driven by private 4G and 5G technologies.</p><p>As the energy industry pushes deeper into digital operations, the case for smart oil fields is becoming harder to ignore. Real-time data, automation and advanced analytics can lift efficiency and improve safety, but only if they sit on a resilient industrial network. Without that foundation, digital tools can be underused, delayed or simply unable to support mission-critical work.</p> <p>Ericsson is positioning its Smart Oil Field Maturity Assessment as a way for operators to judge how far along that journey they really are. The tool reviews existing systems and workflows, then maps strengths, weaknesses and priority gaps into a practical roadmap for investment and change. According to Ericsson, the aim is to help companies move from ambition to execution without outpacing the underlying infrastructure.</p> <p>The logic is straightforward. Smart oil fields depend on connected systems that can monitor operations continuously, support remote control and diagnostics, and automate tasks across dispersed sites. In practice, that can mean better visibility, faster responses and fewer manual interventions. It can also reduce exposure to hazardous environments, while early risk detection and stronger cyber and physical safeguards improve safety. Predictive maintenance, meanwhile, can help cut downtime and extend the life of equipment.</p> <p>But these gains are only realistic if connectivity is robust, secure and responsive enough to handle industrial workloads. Ericsson says that is why operators need to assess whether current networks can support real-time monitoring, predictive alerts and automation in demanding environments before committing to large-scale digital projects.</p> <p>The assessment is designed to examine four areas: organisational maturity, technical capability, production optimisation and workforce readiness. It then produces a tailored report with a digital maturity score, recommended next steps and an action plan intended to support business cases and investment decisions.</p> <p>That kind of benchmarking can matter as much as the technology itself. If teams do not share a common view of where the business stands, digital projects can become fragmented or compete for budget. A clearer baseline can also sharpen conversations with suppliers, especially when companies are evaluating whether private network investments should come before, or alongside, analytics and automation programmes.</p> <p>Ericsson has been making a broader case for private 4G and 5G networks as the connectivity layer that can link IT and operational technology in the oilfield. In recent blog posts, the company has argued that legacy networks often struggle to meet the speed and reliability required by AI, automation and remote operations. It has also said private 5G can provide the consistent performance needed across challenging industrial sites.</p> <p>The company says it has deployed mission-critical networks for oil and gas operators in markets including Malaysia, Qatar and the UAE, and argues that this experience gives it an edge in helping customers modernise safely. For operators, the more immediate question is less about technology slogans than sequencing: what should be upgraded first, what can wait, and which investments will unlock the greatest operational return.</p> <p>In that sense, the maturity assessment is as much a planning tool as a diagnostic one. Its promise is not only to identify where an organisation stands, but to show what needs to happen next in order to build a smarter, safer and more scalable digital oil field.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9bad94a98b9725b68d34Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:45 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/beyond-kpis/2026/04/14/specialist-suppliers-emerge-as-crucial-partners-for-scaling-businesses-seeking-resilience-and-quality<p>As companies grow, partnering with specialised suppliers offers critical advantages in quality, agility, and resilience, transforming sourcing strategies for competitive advantage.</p><p>For many growing firms, the weak point is not demand but supply. As businesses scale, the ability to source the right materials, products or services can shape everything from margins to customer satisfaction. In that setting, specialist suppliers often matter more than generic ones because they bring expertise, flexibility and a closer fit with the needs of a particular market.</p> <p>Unlike broadline vendors that prioritise volume and standardisation, speciality suppliers tend to understand the technical demands of a niche. That can make them valuable partners when a business is trying to improve product quality, develop new offerings or differentiate itself from rivals. In some sectors, that might mean access to higher-grade components, unique ingredients or tailored packaging. In others, it could mean expert support in sourcing hard-to-find talent, managing industrial consumables or handling complex inventory needs.</p> <p>Their value is not limited to product knowledge. Speciality suppliers often respond faster to change, which is especially important when market conditions shift or customer expectations become more specific. A smaller, more focused supplier base can sometimes adapt more readily to bespoke requests, tighter deadlines or altered specifications than larger, more rigid operations. For growing companies, that agility can be a commercial advantage in its own right.</p> <p>They can also strengthen resilience. Relying on a narrow group of vendors may keep purchasing simple, but it can leave a business exposed if one link in the chain fails. A diversified supplier strategy can reduce that risk and make it easier to absorb disruption. That matters in retail, where steady access to stock helps prevent lost sales, and in industrial settings, where even short interruptions can create costly downtime.</p> <p>There is also a quality argument. When suppliers specialise in one area, they are often better placed to maintain standards, monitor consistency and spot issues before they become expensive problems. That can protect a brand’s reputation as well as its bottom line. In some cases, the benefit is visible to customers through better finished products; in others, it appears further upstream through fewer defects, lower rejection rates and more reliable fulfilment.</p> <p>Sustainability is another reason more businesses are looking closely at specialist partnerships. Suppliers with deeper knowledge of a category may be better positioned to help firms meet environmental, social and governance targets, whether that means better labour practices, lower waste or more efficient use of resources. For companies under pressure to demonstrate responsible operations, that expertise can be useful rather than optional.</p> <p>The most effective relationships, however, go beyond simply placing orders. The greatest gains usually come when suppliers are treated as collaborators rather than interchangeable contractors. Regular communication, shared planning and product development can unlock value that a price-only approach misses. Businesses that think in terms of total supply cost, rather than just the cheapest unit price, are often better placed to spot those wider benefits.</p> <p>Technology can support that shift. Digital tools make it easier to exchange data in real time, monitor performance and coordinate across the supply chain. In practice, that can improve visibility, speed up decision-making and help both sides respond more quickly to problems or opportunities. Training and knowledge-sharing can deepen the relationship further, particularly when smaller suppliers need support to meet more demanding requirements.</p> <p>A clear supplier strategy is therefore essential. Not every vendor will deserve the same level of attention, and segmenting suppliers by strategic value can help businesses focus effort where it matters most. Key performance indicators such as on-time, in-full delivery and quality rejection rates can provide a simple way to track whether partnerships are improving over time.</p> <p>For businesses in retail, manufacturing, facilities management or even recruitment, the message is similar: growth is not only about selling more, but about building the right network behind the scenes. Speciality suppliers can help companies do that more efficiently, more creatively and with greater resilience.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de6fcc3c11ab0dad3d70dbTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:43 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/14/last-mile-logistics-now-key-to-e-commerce-success-in-india<p>As online retail in India accelerates, delivery performance has shifted from a back-office concern to a vital component of brand reputation and customer loyalty, redefining the role of logistics in modern e-commerce.</p><p>In Indian e-commerce, the sale no longer ends at checkout. For many brands, the real test begins when the parcel leaves the warehouse.</p> <p>That is the central argument made by Logistics Insider in its discussion of why logistics has become a marketing function rather than a back-office expense. In a market where online retail is expanding quickly and customer expectations are rising just as fast, delivery performance now shapes how buyers judge a brand. A smooth arrival, intact packaging, accurate tracking and an uncomplicated return can turn a first-time purchaser into a repeat customer. A late, damaged or confusing delivery can do the opposite in a matter of minutes.</p> <p>The shift matters because the physical touchpoints in e-commerce are limited. Unlike a shop, where staff, displays and ambience help shape a brand’s image, many direct-to-consumer businesses have only the package and the delivery experience to influence perception. That makes the last mile unusually powerful. ASCM says last-mile delivery is the final stage of the supply chain, and it is also the point at which customers most directly decide whether a company has delivered on its promise. In a separate piece, the association noted that most consumers view that stage as a test of how much a company values them.</p> <p>The commercial stakes are growing. Logistics Insider points to forecasts that India’s e-commerce market could reach about $250bn by 2030, alongside a vast and still-expanding internet population. As more shoppers move online, expectations around speed and reliability are becoming more demanding. TechTarget has reported that many consumers now prioritise fast delivery over loyalty to a particular brand, while Forbes has noted that if retailers miss modern delivery expectations, a meaningful share of shoppers will look elsewhere.</p> <p>That pressure has changed the role of speed. Same-day and next-day fulfilment are no longer treated as premium extras in many categories; they are increasingly seen as proof that a brand is trustworthy. Logistics Insider argues that delivery windows now function as a promise, and promises are part of marketing. If a company advertises convenience but cannot meet the expected timeline, the gap is felt immediately by the customer.</p> <p>The consequences are especially sharp for digital-native and direct-to-consumer brands. Their strongest advertising campaign can be undermined by a poor arrival experience. Conversely, a dependable delivery and clear communication can reinforce all the messaging that preceded the purchase. In that sense, logistics becomes a brand-building tool: not glamorous, but decisive.</p> <p>The literature backs up that view. A study published by MDPI found that logistics service quality has a positive effect on customer satisfaction and loyalty among Generation Z consumers in e-commerce. That matters because younger shoppers are often among the most active online buyers and are highly attuned to service quality. The research also linked satisfaction with repeat purchasing, suggesting that operational reliability is not just about avoiding complaints; it is about building habit.</p> <p>This is why the post-purchase phase has become such a valuable, if underused, loyalty channel. Customers want visibility after they have paid. They want accurate tracking, proactive updates if a delay occurs and a simple path to return an item if needed. When that experience is handled well, the brand feels organised and trustworthy. When it is handled badly, the damage reaches beyond one shipment.</p> <p>Cost is another reason companies are paying closer attention. Last-mile delivery is notoriously expensive to execute, and it is also where inefficiency becomes visible to the buyer. That means brands cannot rely on manual processes and static spreadsheets if they want to scale. Logistics Insider argues that businesses need technology-led fulfilment systems that can select couriers automatically, compare cost with speed and reliability, and use zone-level performance data to improve decisions. The aim is not only better service, but fewer returns to origin, lower shipping waste and healthier margins.</p> <p>There is also a broader infrastructure story. Government-backed digital platforms such as the Unified Logistics Interface Platform, or ULIP, are intended to make logistics more transparent and integrated across India. That kind of digital plumbing, together with wider policy support for modern supply chains, is helping lower friction for businesses that want to operate at scale. DHL has similarly pointed to the importance of infrastructure and alternative delivery methods in markets where congestion and uneven transport networks complicate last-mile execution.</p> <p>The larger lesson is that fulfilment is no longer separate from brand strategy. For e-commerce businesses, the delivery experience is part of the product. The shopper may have discovered the brand through an advert or social media campaign, but the memory that lasts is often the one created by the parcel at the door.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9f68dfe61cd3331814f2Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:39 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/14/middle-east-conflict-exposes-urgent-need-for-data-driven-pharma-supply-chain-resilience<p>Conflict disruptions in the Middle East are revealing the vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains, highlighting the urgent shift towards data-driven strategies to mitigate risks and ensure patient safety amidst increasing global volatility.</p><p>Pharmaceutical supply chains are being tested again by forces far beyond the control of procurement teams, as conflict in the Middle East disrupts air corridors, sea lanes and the movement of temperature-sensitive medicines.</p> <p>According to Xeneta, air cargo activity across the Gulf fell sharply in the early phase of the disruption, with some key routes seeing drops of as much as 70% to 80% and tens of thousands of flight cancellations across hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Reuters has previously reported similar knock-on effects across global freight markets, while trade publications say airlines and ocean carriers have been forced to reroute services around restricted airspace and high-risk waters.</p> <p>For drugmakers, the consequences go well beyond inconvenience. Pharmaceutical Commerce reported that rerouting through alternative airports and overland links has lengthened transit times and raised the danger of temperature excursions for cold-chain products. PharmExec said companies have been diverting critical consignments through hubs such as Jeddah, Riyadh, Istanbul and Oman, while building internal triage systems to prioritise patient-essential shipments.</p> <p>That matters because medicines cannot simply arrive late. Longer journeys increase dwell time, shrink usable shelf life and can render some products unusable altogether. Oncology treatments, biologics, vaccines and other refrigerated therapies are among the most exposed, especially when short-shelf-life products are caught in a network already under strain.</p> <p>The scale of the exposure is significant. Axios reported that 10% to 20% of global pharmaceutical trade passes through the Middle East, making the region a major artery for the international flow of medicines. When that route is interrupted, the impact is not localised. It spreads through freight networks, creates competition for scarce capacity and adds costs that can quickly ripple into production and distribution decisions.</p> <p>Ocean shipping has been hit as well. Industry advisories from DSV and other logistics providers have described pauses and diversions affecting services through the Strait of Hormuz, with carriers extending routes or suspending sailings altogether. Metro Global reported that some operators have introduced emergency surcharges to offset higher operating costs, fuel use and security risks, further increasing pressure on supply chains already dealing with volatility.</p> <p>The deeper issue for procurement teams is that these shocks expose a familiar weakness: many decisions are still being made on the basis of relationships rather than live market intelligence.</p> <p>Xeneta said a 2026 study found that 56% of organisations still rely mainly on relationship-led procurement, while 32% use a blended approach and only 12% are fully data- and tool-driven. Five years earlier, the relationship-led share stood at 79%, suggesting progress, but not enough to keep pace with a freight market now shaped by geopolitical risk, route instability and sudden capacity swings.</p> <p>In pharma, the reliance on trusted forwarders and long-standing partners is understandable. Compliance, quality control and consistency matter more than in many other sectors. But that same model can leave buyers reacting to events after pricing, space and routing options have already changed. By the time disruption is visible in day-to-day operations, the cost has often already been absorbed into the market.</p> <p>Xeneta’s findings suggest that this lag is now showing up in performance. The company said every pharmaceutical organisation surveyed experienced some form of financial or operational disruption in the past year. Half had raised contingency budgets, 42% had resorted to last-minute mode changes at higher cost, and 35% reported stockouts, production delays or missed delivery targets. The same share said relationships with suppliers or customers had been damaged.</p> <p>The visibility gap is central to the problem. Xeneta found that 47% of pharmaceutical organisations had limited insight into market rates, capacity or how contracted terms compared with prevailing conditions. Another 38% said they had missed opportunities because of that lack of visibility, while 47% pointed to rigid annual planning and tender cycles as a source of unnecessary cost.</p> <p>The lesson from the current Middle East disruption is that freight costs do not rise in one step. They build gradually, through fuel, insurance, capacity tightening, surcharges and then spot-rate increases. By the time procurement teams respond, the market has usually moved on. Recent airspace closures and maritime diversions have only sharpened that reality by removing options and lengthening journeys at the same time.</p> <p>There are signs that the sector knows change is needed. Xeneta said 48% of organisations already use market intelligence tools and 30% expect to adopt a more data-driven approach over the next five years. But 57% still expect to remain primarily relationship-led, underlining the gap between intent and execution. Legacy systems, the report said, remain difficult to integrate, while procurement teams are being asked to take on more risk management and scenario planning.</p> <p>The broader logistics market is also evolving. Investment in healthcare logistics continues to rise, with greater emphasis on real-time monitoring, cold-chain visibility and more flexible distribution models. That suggests the direction of travel is clear, even if many internal procurement structures have not caught up.</p> <p>What the current crisis shows is that volatility is no longer an exception to be managed occasionally. It is part of the operating environment. For pharmaceutical companies, the answer is not to abandon relationships, but to support them with up-to-date freight intelligence that reflects how the market is moving now, not how it behaved last quarter.</p> <p>In an industry where delays can affect production, inventory, commercial relationships and patient supply, that shift is becoming less optional and more essential.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9f68dfe61cd3331814d9Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:33 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/smxs-digital-material-passports-aim-to-revolutionise-supply-chain-resilience-and-sustainability<p>SMX advocates for material efficiency as a key to supply-chain resilience, leveraging digital passports to enhance traceability, reduce waste, and unlock new financial opportunities amid geopolitical pressures and sustainability demands.</p><p>SMX is pitching material efficiency as more than a sustainability measure, arguing that tighter tracking of plastics and other industrial inputs has become a matter of supply-chain resilience, trade security and manufacturing strength.</p> <p>In a statement, the company linked its latest push to broader pressures on industry, including geopolitical disruption, tariff uncertainty and growing demands for compliance and auditability. The argument is that verified records for materials can reduce waste, improve accountability and make it easier to reuse, resell or finance goods as they move through supply chains.</p> <p>That position builds on earlier work the company said began in 2024 with a recycling-focused proof of concept involving TradePro Inc., where the emphasis was on better traceability and less reliance on paperwork or self-reported claims. SMX has since broadened that pitch into a wider system centred on what it calls a digital material passport.</p> <p>According to the company’s announcement this month, the platform is designed to attach secure digital records to physical materials and products, capturing information such as origin, composition, chain of custody and lifecycle history. SMX says that could support compliance, authentication and tokenisation of real-world assets across supply chains.</p> <p>The company is also framing the system as a financial tool. By linking a physical material to a digital record, SMX says it can create new forms of tradable or financeable assets, including a token tied to verified plastic flows.</p> <p>The wider market case is clear enough: if manufacturers can trust the quality and provenance of inputs, they may be able to widen the pool of usable materials and reduce exposure to volatility in oil-linked resin markets. But the approach also reflects a broader industry trend, with companies under pressure to provide more evidence for environmental claims and to show that recycled content can be tracked reliably from source to reuse.</p> <p>Whether SMX’s model gains traction will depend on adoption, verification and whether customers see enough commercial value in the system to make it part of everyday operations rather than just another compliance layer.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de17868271b85e21fbf0c5Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:30 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/14/chinas-industrial-shift-accelerates-with-breakthrough-in-high-tech-manufacturing-and-global-expansion<p>China’s victory in the World Supersport category highlights a broader move towards advanced, resilient, and sophisticated manufacturing, signalling a new chapter in its industrial evolution with domestic innovation and international collaboration at the forefront.</p><p>A double victory by the little-known Chinese motorcycle maker ZXMOTO in Portugal at the end of March has become an unlikely symbol of a broader shift in China’s industrial story. The wins in the World Supersport category of the Superbike World Championship ended a long run of dominance by established international brands and drew attention to the depth of China’s manufacturing base and supply chains.</p> <p>That example comes as Beijing is trying to move the sector beyond size alone. China has remained the world’s largest manufacturing hub for 16 consecutive years, but policymakers are now placing fresh emphasis on advanced production, resilience and technological sophistication as the country enters the 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030.</p> <p>The plan calls for a stronger manufacturing share in the economy and for a modern industrial system led by higher-end production. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says the focus will be on closing weak links, building on areas of strength and developing early advantages in strategic sectors. Xin Yongfei, an expert at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said the sector already has both scale and an innovation base, and that the next phase is about moving from catching up to standing alongside, and in some areas leading, global rivals.</p> <p>Local governments are also pitching in. Hunan province is backing major projects to build an advanced manufacturing base, Shanghai is promoting the "Made in Shanghai" brand, and Chongqing is seeking to position itself as a major industrial centre.</p> <p>The change is visible in places such as Beijing’s Yizhuang district, where humanoid robots are being trained for a half-marathon and some can now reportedly run at speeds of up to six metres per second. The scene reflects a broader push towards smarter, greener and more sophisticated production.</p> <p>China has also unveiled domestically developed T1200-grade ultra-high-strength carbon fibre, which officials and researchers describe as the strongest industrially produced version of its kind in the world. Chen Qiufei, the lead researcher behind the material, said it would help make large aircraft lighter, extend the reach of deep-space missions and improve the range of electric vehicles.</p> <p>Companies are increasingly trying to earn more from services and integrated systems rather than just hardware. DJI, best known for drones, now provides agricultural plant-protection solutions, with related service revenue accounting for more than 30% of its total. Sunwoda, a battery maker, has built a six-dimensional maglev production line and a digital twin system to improve its own efficiency, and is now selling smart manufacturing solutions to other firms.</p> <p>The data suggest that the industrial upgrade is gathering pace. In the first two months of 2026, value-added output from high-tech manufacturers rose 13.1% from a year earlier, while equipment manufacturing increased 9.3%. More than 30% of major manufacturers have now adopted artificial intelligence technology, and the country has established more than 8,300 green factories.</p> <p>Openness is part of the same strategy. BASF’s huge Verbund complex in Zhanjiang, in Guangdong province, has begun production, marking what Chinese officials describe as the largest single investment by a wholly owned German enterprise in China. At the same time, Zoomlion has opened its first European smart factory in Tatabanya, Hungary, to provide faster delivery and more localised support for customers across the continent.</p> <p>China has removed all foreign investment restrictions in manufacturing, while exports of high-tech and high-value-added mechanical and electrical goods reached 2.89 trillion yuan in the first two months of the year, up 24.3% year on year. With global economic and political uncertainty still elevated, Beijing is presenting manufacturing not just as a pillar of domestic growth, but as a platform for deeper international cooperation.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9f68dfe61cd3331814e8Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:43:05 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/14/microsoft-highlights-the-hurdles-and-solutions-in-scaling-ai-for-manufacturing<p>While AI shows promise in manufacturing, many projects stall before full deployment, prompting Microsoft to emphasise integrated data architectures, interoperability, and strategic governance to turn pilot success into reliable production systems.</p><p>Manufacturers are finding that the promise of artificial intelligence is easier to demonstrate than to deploy. Pressure from labour shortages, higher costs, volatile supply chains and rising demand has pushed AI to the top of the agenda, but Microsoft argues that many projects still stall before they reach day-to-day operations.</p> <p>In a customer session on Microsoft Marketplace, the company said the central challenge is no longer whether AI can work in manufacturing, but how it can be embedded safely, economically and at scale. That difficulty is showing up across the sector: fragmented operational data, complicated links between factory systems and cloud platforms, and a gap between ambition and the maturity needed to industrialise new tools. Microsoft says more than half of manufacturers remain in pilot phase.</p> <p>The underlying problem, according to Microsoft’s manufacturing material, is not usually model quality. It is the architecture around the model. If data remains trapped in separate systems, even a successful proof of concept can stay isolated from the realities of production. Microsoft’s broader manufacturing strategy has therefore focused on interoperability, responsible AI and secure scaling, with the aim of turning data into a usable asset across engineering, operations and the supply chain.</p> <p>A recurring theme is that AI only becomes valuable when it is connected to a broad operational picture. That means bringing together ERP platforms, manufacturing execution systems, maintenance records, IoT sensors, historians, logs and frontline expertise. With that foundation in place, AI agents and analytics can move beyond reporting and start supporting decisions in context. Microsoft says this is the difference between producing insights and enabling action.</p> <p>The same logic applies to the divide between edge and cloud. In manufacturing, the two are not alternatives but partners. Edge computing is suited to low-latency inference near machines, where milliseconds matter. Cloud resources, by contrast, are better for heavier analytics, cross-site comparison, digital twins and larger-scale optimisation. Microsoft’s view is that a governed data layer linking the two can help manufacturers improve operations without disrupting production.</p> <p>The company points to several common use cases where AI is already proving its worth. Predictive maintenance is one, because it draws on telemetry, failure histories, work orders, inspection notes and the accumulated knowledge of experienced staff. When that information is combined, manufacturers can cut unplanned downtime without replacing existing maintenance systems. Production optimisation is another, using process data and AI reasoning to spot bottlenecks, yield loss and throughput constraints. Frontline enablement is a third, with agents and assistants helping workers access instructions and operational know-how at the point of need.</p> <p>Microsoft’s manufacturing materials also stress that there is no single route to adoption. Some companies will build their own systems to preserve differentiation. Others will buy ready-made solutions to move faster. Many will choose a blend, keeping proprietary logic in-house while using partner products for common capabilities. Microsoft says Marketplace is designed to support all three approaches by offering vetted applications, models, agents and connectors that can be deployed into Azure with governance and cost controls in place.</p> <p>That emphasis on procurement and governance reflects a wider message from Microsoft’s manufacturing guidance: pilots often fail not because the technology is unusable, but because the path to production is too cumbersome. According to the company, organisations should start with a high-value use case, ensure the data is connected and governed across IT and OT systems, and make an explicit decision about what to build, buy or blend.</p> <p>The message is consistent across Microsoft’s manufacturing content. AI is being presented less as a standalone tool than as part of a broader industrial operating model, one that links data, security, deployment discipline and partner ecosystems. For manufacturers under pressure to improve resilience and productivity, the winning edge may come not from launching more experiments, but from turning the right ones into reliable production systems.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69ddc404c08864238791d49fTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:47 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/14/microsofts-new-dynamics-365-sales-agents-shift-from-supportive-ai-to-active-workflow-partners<p>Microsoft enhances its Dynamics 365 Sales platform with new AI agents capable of autonomous research, qualification, and closing support, signalling a move towards more proactive sales automation.</p><p>Microsoft’s latest Dynamics 365 Sales agents mark a sharper move away from AI as a helpful side panel and towards AI as an active part of the sales process. Where Copilot features have mostly supported sellers by drafting emails, summarising accounts and suggesting next steps, the newer agents are designed to do more of the work inside the workflow itself.</p> <p>According to Microsoft’s documentation, the AI agents in Dynamics 365 Sales can autonomously research leads and opportunities, help qualify prospects and support closing activity. The company has positioned the product as part of a broader shift from systems that store information to systems that take action, with sales tools increasingly expected to analyse signals, recommend priorities and reduce the manual work that slows reps down.</p> <p>The most visible additions are the Sales Qualification Agent and the Sales Close Agent. Microsoft says the qualification tool can research prospects using CRM data and approved sources, assess fit and engagement, and draft outreach. The aim is to speed up first contact with promising leads while reducing time wasted on poor-fit accounts.</p> <p>The close-stage agent is built to help sellers manage live opportunities more effectively. Microsoft describes it as offering research, engagement and conversation support, including natural-language chat over sales data and customer history. The system is also designed to highlight changes since the last interaction, surface likely risks and suggest next actions across Dynamics 365 and Outlook.</p> <p>That matters because much of sales work is still lost to administration. Microsoft’s sales and marketing materials stress automated data capture, opportunity scoring and workflow integration as a way to let teams spend more time with buyers and less time hunting through records. In practice, the promise is not simply faster selling, but a more disciplined process: cleaner data, clearer priorities and fewer missed follow-ups.</p> <p>Other Microsoft materials point to a wider set of agents beyond qualification and closing, including research-focused tools and conversational interfaces inside Microsoft 365 Copilot. The company has also been expanding what it calls agentic AI across Dynamics 365, signalling that sales automation is likely to become more embedded rather than more visible.</p> <p>For Microsoft partners working around the platform, the technology is only part of the story. The success of these agents still depends on the quality of the underlying CRM setup, the reliability of the data and whether sellers trust the recommendations they receive. That means adoption, governance and process design remain central, even as the software becomes more autonomous.</p> <p>The result is a change in emphasis. Dynamics 365 Sales is no longer being presented only as a tool that helps reps work faster. Microsoft is now pitching it as a system that can help decide what deserves attention in the first place.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69ddc404c08864238791d48fTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:45 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/beyond-kpis/2026/04/14/project44-unveils-ai-driven-solutions-to-revolutionise-supply-chain-decision-making<p>At its Decision44 event in Chicago, Project44 announced new AI agents designed to accelerate decision-making and reduce costs in logistics, marking a new phase in supply chain technology.</p><p>Project44 used its Decision44 customer event in Chicago to argue that the supply chain sector has entered a new phase, one in which artificial intelligence should not just identify problems but help resolve them.</p> <p>Chief executive Jett McCandless opened the event with a sweeping account of logistics history, casting each major leap in trade and transport as a shift in how supply chains function. He said the industry has moved from fragmented, manual coordination towards a model in which systems are expected to act with far greater speed. In his view, the internet transformed retail and finance into real-time businesses years ago, while logistics remained tied to phones, email and legacy systems.</p> <p>Project44 said its response over the past decade has been to build the data infrastructure needed to connect those workflows. The company described a logistics graph that now processes more than a billion customer-generated events a day and ingests roughly 4 petabytes of data each month. McCandless said that effort was intended to give the supply chain sector the connective tissue it lacked, but also acknowledged that greater visibility alone had not solved the industry’s decision-making bottlenecks.</p> <p>That set up the company’s main announcement: a portfolio of AI agents designed to move users from insight to action more quickly. According to Project44, the agents are meant to reduce freight costs, speed up exception handling and improve on-time performance across procurement, planning, execution and settlement. The company said the strategy builds on a decade of data aggregation across what it described as the world’s largest real-time logistics network.</p> <p>Chief strategy officer and chief operating officer Jonathan Scherr said the company’s mission remained to remove friction from global trade, but that the delivery mechanism was changing. He argued that enterprise AI only becomes useful when it is layered with context, meaning the relationships, rules and operational knowledge that sit around raw model output. Project44 says that context, combined with its integrations into warehouse, transport and enterprise systems, is what gives its tools practical value.</p> <p>One of the first products to be highlighted was a freight procurement agent, which Project44 said can run carrier sourcing continuously rather than through slow bidding cycles. The company said early results showed a 4.1% reduction in freight costs, a 75% cut in sourcing cycle times and a 70% reduction in manual coordination. Other agents are aimed at cargo theft, last-mile disruption, stockout risk, yard management and freight recovery.</p> <p>The pitch is also being framed around control, not full autonomy. Project44 executives stressed that the systems are meant to remain explainable, auditable and human-governed, with approval points built in. The company said its goal is to let software handle repetitive work while people retain oversight of key decisions.</p> <p>Several product leaders outlined how that would work in practice. New tools are intended to detect theft risk more quickly, manage disruptions as they happen and help warehouses and yards reduce the time trucks spend waiting. Project44 said some of the capabilities are available now, while others will roll out in June and July. It also said its transcript and multi-agent workflow features are due later in the spring and summer.</p> <p>The event included a customer discussion with Abercrombie &amp; Fitch supply chain leader Kristen Kravitz, who said the retailer has had to adapt to a far more volatile operating environment. She described a shift towards digital-first working, but said the hardest problems were now often process and people issues rather than pure technology gaps. Project44 said that sort of feedback is central to how it is positioning the new tools.</p> <p>The company is also moving into the transport management system market with what it calls an intelligent TMS, designed to use AI-native workflows rather than bolt intelligence onto older software. Project44 said the product is modular and built to cover the shipment lifecycle from procurement and execution through to audit and payment.</p> <p>Decision44, which is being staged in Chicago and later in Amsterdam, is intended to showcase that broader shift: from visibility to execution, and from software that reports what is happening to software that helps decide what happens next.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d8036f6ec91c51d578c606Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:27 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/beyond-kpis/2026/04/14/motive-launches-ai-driven-analytics-platform-in-mexico-to-streamline-fleet-management-decision-making<p>Motive has introduced a new analytics product in Mexico aimed at transforming operational data into faster, more informed decisions for fleet operators, amidst accelerating telematics adoption and growing data complexity.</p><p>Motive has launched a new analytics product in Mexico that the company says is designed to help fleet operators turn operational data into faster decisions, as telematics adoption in the country accelerates and businesses face growing pressure to manage increasingly complex data sets.</p> <p>The AI platform for physical operations said Motive Analytics is built into its Dashboard and pulls together information from safety, fuel, maintenance, telematics and other sources into a single view. The company said the aim is to reduce reliance on spreadsheets and manual reporting, while giving safety, operations and finance teams quicker access to trends and performance issues.</p> <p>A key part of the offer is AI Answers, a conversational tool that allows users to type questions in plain language and receive responses drawn from the data held in the system. Motive said the feature can be used for queries such as driver idling time or vehicle downtime, with the results presented alongside visualisations.</p> <p>Omar Camacho, Motive’s general manager for Mexico, said the product was intended to help fleets make better use of data that already exists across their operations. He said the company was trying to make the information easier to interpret without requiring teams to spend hours reviewing spreadsheets.</p> <p>Industry coverage of the launch has placed it in the context of a broader push by Motive into Mexico, where the company has also been expanding safety, fleet management and theft-prevention tools. Fleet Owner reported earlier that the business had tailored its platform for Mexican customers as part of a wider regional expansion, while Work Truck Online said Motive had opened a Mexico City office to support that effort.</p> <p>The launch also follows a series of AI-focused additions to Motive’s product set. Fleet Maintenance has reported on the company’s efforts to introduce tools for instant fleet insights and fraud detection, reflecting a wider trend across the fleet technology sector towards natural-language analytics and automated reporting.</p> <p>For Motive, the bet appears to be that Mexican fleets increasingly want a single system capable of linking operational data to cost, safety and productivity outcomes. The company says its latest release is meant to address that demand by allowing teams to ask questions directly rather than waiting for separate analytics work.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d6597c50400ed7b4926bd6Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:26 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/interpack-2026-showcases-the-shift-towards-smarter-sustainable-packaging-technologies<p>Interpack 2026 highlights a transformation in packaging technology with a focus on hygiene, data connectivity, complex product handling, and sustainability, marking a new era for food and drink producers amid industry pressures.</p><p>Interpack 2026 is shaping up as a showcase for the packaging technologies that food and drink manufacturers are increasingly relying on to keep production lines compliant, efficient and commercially viable. The trade fair, due to bring together suppliers from across processing, filling, inspection, coding, automation and packaging, is reflecting an industry under pressure from labour shortages, tighter regulation, product variety and sustainability demands.</p> <p>The strongest message from the exhibitor line-up is that packaging machinery is no longer being judged only on speed. It is also being measured on hygiene, data connectivity, material efficiency and its ability to handle more complex products with less waste. That is especially visible in the aseptic and high-care segment, where Ampack is introducing a low-foam dosing system for sensitive liquid foods such as clinical nutrition, baby food and drinkable meals. The company says its piston-based approach helps product flow along the bottle wall, cutting foam and improving fill accuracy, with output reaching as many as 36,000 bottles an hour.</p> <p>Inspection and quality assurance are another focal point. Minebea Intec is taking a heavily customised approach, highlighting weighing, metal detection, X-ray and checkweighing systems built for unusual product geometries, strict hygiene areas and cramped production layouts. Bizerba, meanwhile, is presenting what it describes as a more integrated end-of-line ecosystem, combining weight control, labelling, case handling and palletising with AI-assisted X-ray inspection, leak detection for modified-atmosphere packs and software tools for traceability and OEE monitoring.</p> <p>Coding and traceability are also moving up the agenda as packaging becomes more complex and regulatory scrutiny intensifies. Linx Printing Technologies is launching a new continuous inkjet printer range and previewing a large-character system for corrugated packs, alongside laser and thermal transfer options aimed at improving code quality on recyclable materials. Esko and its partners are also placing emphasis on connected workflows, with a guided production-line experience designed to show how data can flow from artwork through to palletisation, helping brands reduce errors and speed up launches.</p> <p>Automation remains one of the clearest responses to ongoing labour pressure. Tekpak Automation is demonstrating a compact pick-and-place robot cell for trays, cartons, thermoformers and flow-wrappers, while Lantech is focusing on stretch wrapping and case handling systems intended to reduce film use, cut stoppages and stabilise pallet loads. Sidel is also putting robotics and complete-line integration at the centre of its message, with new equipment for collating and palletising, as well as aseptic filling developments for fast-changing, SKU-heavy production environments.</p> <p>Sustainability is no longer being presented as a long-term ambition; at interpack, it is appearing more as a compliance requirement. Innovia Films is unveiling mono-material BOPP structures intended to replace PET, foil and mixed laminates, while Greiner Packaging is showing packaging concepts that separate more easily for recycling and reduce component count. PakTech is pushing recycled HDPE handle solutions for multipacks, offering an alternative to cardboard carriers that it says is both durable and fully recyclable.</p> <p>There is also strong attention on pouching and confectionery processing. Bartelt is debuting a duplex version of its MAG-R horizontal form-fill-seal machine, which it says can double pouch output, and TNA Solutions is presenting developments for gummy, jelly and marshmallow lines, including changes aimed at reducing dust, improving weight control and speeding changeovers. In confectionery, Theegarten-Pactec has already signalled an industry-first double-lane continuous motion system for stock cubes, underlining the way interpack is becoming a launchpad not just for packaging innovation, but for upstream processing as well.</p> <p>Interpack itself says its start-up zone has expanded significantly, with 22 young companies from eight countries set to present ideas spanning recyclable materials, reusable systems, ESG software, serialisation and AI-supported operations management. The fair is also devoting large areas to confectionery, bakery and pharmaceuticals, reinforcing its role as a broad industrial platform rather than a single-sector event.</p> <p>Taken together, the developments on display point to a packaging sector in transition. Aseptic accuracy, modular automation, circular materials, smarter inspection and connected data systems are emerging as the technologies most likely to define the next phase of food and drink manufacturing. For producers, the challenge is no longer simply choosing equipment that runs faster. It is selecting systems that can handle more product variation, satisfy regulators, reduce waste and support a more traceable, recyclable supply chain.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de17878271b85e21fbf0cfTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:14 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/14/uk-procurement-faces-2026-challenges-as-cybercrime-and-theft-escalate-amidst-digitisation<p>UK procurement teams are under increasing pressure from cyber threats, cargo theft, and geopolitical disruptions, prompting a shift towards prioritising resilience, transparency, and strategic sourcing in 2026.</p><p>UK procurement teams are heading into 2026 under pressure from several directions at once. Tariff swings, cargo theft, and a sharp rise in cybercrime are pushing up the true cost of imported goods while exposing how dependent many supply chains remain on brittle, highly digitised processes. Industry voices say the result is a tougher operating environment in which buyers can no longer rely on price alone to secure supply.</p> <p>Simon Thompson, vice-president for Northern Europe at JAGGAER, told Procurement Pro that the combined strain of geopolitical, regulatory, technological and sustainability demands is redefining what makes a supplier competitive. His argument reflects a wider shift in procurement thinking: resilience, visibility and speed of response now matter as much as unit cost.</p> <p>The logistics risks are becoming more sophisticated. TIMOCOM said European road freight is facing heightened cyber threats and digital fraud in 2026, with phishing, identity theft and so-called "phantom hauliers" becoming more common in the UK market. The company linked the trend to the growth of digital freight matching and cross-border transport since Brexit, warning that criminals are increasingly using AI-generated messages and deepfake-style impersonation to trick operators.</p> <p>Cargo theft is adding to the strain. Whitepaper research from WWEX found theft incidents continued to rise into late 2025 and said the industry should expect elevated losses to persist through 2026, with full-truckload thefts and deceptive pickups among the tactics gaining ground. While the report focused on the United States, the broader message is relevant to British buyers as theft methods become more organised and more transnational.</p> <p>That pressure is helping to sharpen interest in suppliers and technology partners that can offer stronger traceability and better process control. JAGGAER has been expanding its UK footprint, including a recent appointment aimed at deepening public sector relationships. The company has also won business at London Luton Airport, where procurement teams are seeking to automate routine work and shift staff towards more strategic activity. Elsewhere, JAGGAER says customers such as IMKAN and Cosentino are using its tools to improve transparency, supplier performance and sustainability reporting.</p> <p>For UK firms, the lesson is clear: supply chain resilience is becoming a commercial requirement, not a nice-to-have. Hong Kong-based suppliers are being positioned as part of that answer because of their logistics experience, digital capabilities and emphasis on traceable sourcing. In a year likely to be defined by disruption, buyers are being pushed to look beyond the lowest quote and judge partners on their ability to deliver continuity, compliance and visibility.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9f68dfe61cd3331814dfTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:13 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/nulogy-introduces-supplier-compliance-management-to-streamline-vendor-oversight-in-regulated-industries<p>Nulogy has launched a new Supplier Compliance Management system within its manufacturing software suite, aimed at improving oversight and efficiency for procurement, supply chain, and quality teams in heavily regulated sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, and automotive.</p><p>Nulogy has expanded its manufacturing software suite with the launch of Supplier Compliance Management, a product aimed at giving procurement, supply chain and quality teams a more structured way to oversee vendor obligations across regulated industries.</p> <p>The company says the new system is designed for manufacturers in sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, automotive and other compliance-heavy environments, where supplier documentation, certifications and corrective actions can be difficult to track when handled through email chains and spreadsheets. Bill Ryan, Nulogy’s chief executive, said supplier risk often builds gradually before surfacing as an operational problem, and argued that the new tool gives companies a clearer view of their supplier networks.</p> <p>According to Nulogy, the platform sits within its Manufacturing Operating System, a wider software environment intended to connect production, quality, compliance and related workflows. The supplier compliance module brings onboarding, document control, assessments, audit trails, evidence collection and risk monitoring into a single workspace. The company says that approach should help users reduce manual administration, speed up audit preparation and make decisions faster using live dashboards.</p> <p>Nulogy is also positioning the product as a way to support supplier performance management, including claims handling and ongoing grading. Its materials describe dedicated supplier portals, automated approval flows and certification management as part of the offering.</p> <p>The launch builds on Nulogy’s broader push into quality and compliance software. In a separate announcement, the company recently introduced QMS and EHS modules, which it said were already helping customers such as Sysco digitise food safety, quality and supplier compliance across more than 180 sites. Nulogy said that deployment had driven a fourfold increase in audit efficiency.</p> <p>For the new supplier compliance product, the company cites customer results that it says include a 60% reduction in supplier onboarding time, a 50% cut in audit preparation and execution time, and a 35% improvement in supplier satisfaction. Customers named by Nulogy include Sysco, Autoliv, Henderson Group and McCloskey International.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9bad94a98b9725b68d36Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:42:07 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/home-depot-transforms-supply-chain-into-a-strategic-advantage-for-contractors<p>Home Depot’s CFO Richard McPhail highlights the company’s shift from viewing logistics as a cost to recognising it as a critical factor in winning business, especially for contractors. The retailer’s expansive distribution network now prioritises reliability, flexibility, and timing, establishing supply chain execution as a core competitive edge.</p><p>Two decades ago, a Home Depot executive dismissed the idea that logistics could become a source of competitive strength. At Modex 2026 in Atlanta, Richard McPhail, the retailer’s chief financial officer, said the opposite has since proved true: supply chain execution has become central to how the company wins business.</p> <p>That shift is especially relevant for contractors, because Home Depot’s network now reflects how work actually gets done on jobsites rather than how products once moved through retail. What began as an effort to improve store replenishment has evolved into a vast delivery system built around contractors, scheduled drops and direct-to-site fulfilment. The company says more than half of its sales now come from professional customers, making reliability and timing as important as assortment.</p> <p>The scale of that transformation is considerable. Home Depot has built out 17 flatbed distribution centres designed for contractor freight, each about 1 million square feet and able to stage dozens of trucks at once. It also operates direct fulfilment centres for its online business, market delivery operations for same-day bulky items and a network expanded by the acquisitions of SRS Distribution and GMS. Those deals added more than 1,250 customer delivery branches, strengthening the company’s reach into roofing, drywall and other specialist trades. A pending HVAC distribution agreement is set to add further locations.</p> <p>Industry coverage has tracked the same broader trend: delivery is no longer just about speed, but about fit. For interior trades and other project-based businesses, the value increasingly lies in scheduled arrival windows, bulk staging and shipments timed to installation phases. That reduces downtime, keeps crews moving and gives contractors more control over workflow.</p> <p>McPhail framed the lesson in practical terms. First, supply chain plans have to start with the customer problem, not the technology. Second, systems need flexibility because demand patterns can change abruptly, as they did during the pandemic. Third, companies should assume delivery expectations will keep tightening. What counted as fast a few years ago is now often too slow. Home Depot’s stores, once seen mainly as retail outlets, are now an important part of its last-mile network.</p> <p>The company’s sourcing strategy has also become more defensive. Home Depot has spent more than a decade diversifying suppliers, and tariff volatility has accelerated that work. McPhail said the company is working towards a position where no single country represents more than 10% of total purchases. With more than half of products already sourced in the United States, the remaining import exposure is still large enough to matter, especially for categories that depend on overseas supply chains.</p> <p>That is why Home Depot emphasises visibility down to the stock-keeping unit, tracking country of origin, product cost and logistics cost for individual items. In periods of disruption, the company says, that kind of data helps it react quickly and identify where risk sits before shortages or price increases cascade through the business. Strong relationships with carriers and suppliers also remain a critical buffer when supply tightens.</p> <p>Technology is supporting that effort, but not replacing it. McPhail described robotics as a way to reduce repetitive heavy lifting and improve safety in large fulfilment centres. Automation is helping the company use warehouse space more efficiently. Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, is being applied to fulfilment decisions and routing, helping determine where an order should ship from and how delivery windows can be narrowed without adding unnecessary cost.</p> <p>For contractors, the broader message is clear. The supply chain is no longer just a back-office function; it is becoming part of the service promise. The companies that can deliver the right materials to the right place at the right time will be better placed to protect margins, keep crews productive and manage volatility. Home Depot’s experience suggests that logistics, once treated as a cost centre, can become a strategic advantage when it is built around the needs of the customer.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de17878271b85e21fbf0dfTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:41:58 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/14/prudential-banks-supplier-conference-highlights-digitalisation-and-sustainability-for-improved-customer-service<p>Prudential Bank Limited underscores the strategic role of procurement in enhancing customer service, emphasising technology, responsible sourcing, and long-term supplier relationships at its annual Accra conference.</p><p>Prudential Bank Limited has used its third annual supplier conference in Accra to press home a message that procurement is now central to customer service, not merely a back-office function. The gathering brought together vendors, internal teams and other stakeholders as the bank sought to reset expectations around efficiency, sustainability and technology across its supply chain.</p> <p>The event, held under the theme "Partnering Our Suppliers to Deliver Excellent Customer Service", focused on practical issues including payment turnaround times, sourcing standards and operational responsiveness. It also gave the bank an opportunity to review performance with suppliers and to set priorities for the year ahead.</p> <p>Felix Apau Awuku, Prudential Bank's Executive Head of Operations, told the meeting that suppliers are essential to the institution's ability to serve customers consistently. He said the bank sees these relationships as strategic partnerships built for the long term, rather than one-off commercial arrangements, and urged vendors to treat the forum as a chance to deepen collaboration.</p> <p>Mr Awuku also pointed to technology as a key part of the bank's procurement plans. He said Prudential Bank is examining artificial intelligence tools that could improve demand forecasting and make supply operations more efficient, while internal process changes are being designed to cut delays and improve reliability. He also said the bank wants to strengthen responsible sourcing and adopt more environmentally sustainable practices.</p> <p>Head of Procurement Carlis Ebow Arko reinforced that message, saying the bank values its supplier network and expects high standards across pricing, quality, timeliness and ethical conduct. He cited research suggesting that businesses which integrate digitally with suppliers can lift performance by 25 per cent, while also cutting costs over time. He also drew a line against unethical practices such as child labour, arguing that sustainability must remain at the centre of procurement decisions.</p> <p>Trust emerged as a recurring theme throughout the conference. Mr Arko said the relationship depends on shared commitment and accountability, while Mr Awuku told suppliers: "Trust that we will honour our commitments. Trust that we will grow together. Trust that when challenges arise, we will treat them side by side."</p> <p>The conference reflects a broader shift in how financial institutions are approaching their supply chains, with greater emphasis on resilience, transparency and digital capability. For Prudential Bank, the aim is to build a supplier ecosystem that supports faster service delivery while remaining ethical, adaptable and ready for change.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69da253d48754b904fe5296cTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:41:26 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/14/healthcare-supply-chains-shift-towards-sustainability-and-resilience-with-ai-and-localised-models<p>As healthcare logistics evolve, supply chains are now judged by their support for patient care, environmental targets, and resilience. Industry experts highlight the move towards data-driven, sustainable, and autonomous models amid geopolitical and climate challenges.</p><p>Healthcare supply chains are no longer being judged simply on whether they keep shelves stocked. They are increasingly being measured by how well they support patient care, absorb shocks and reduce environmental harm. In a recent interview feature with the ISCEA/IMPA Healthcare Advisory Board, Dr Mohamed Tawfik argued that the sector is moving into a new phase in which sustainability, resilience and data-led decision-making sit at the centre of strategy.</p> <p>He described the familiar shift away from "just-in-time" inventory models towards "just-in-case" planning as only part of the story. The deeper change, he suggested, is the growing pressure on health systems to align procurement and logistics with green healthcare targets and net-zero commitments. That means supply chain leaders are no longer focused solely on price and availability. They are also expected to understand carbon impact, long-term value and the financial implications of sustainability.</p> <p>That view is broadly consistent with other recent industry commentary. A 2025 white paper on healthcare procurement said 70% of procurement leaders are moving away from pure cost-cutting and towards value-based approaches, with quality, resilience and patient care taking precedence over lowest price. The same report pointed to rising use of AI tools in sourcing, planning and supplier management, alongside a stronger emphasis on sustainability in purchasing decisions.</p> <p>Dr Tawfik also stressed that resilience depends on integration rather than isolation. In his view, healthcare systems become better prepared for disruption when data is synchronised across the supply chain, allowing organisations to move from reactive firefighting to predictive prevention. That argument echoes a growing body of academic and industry analysis, including a recent study on AI-driven supply chain technologies that found greater transparency can strengthen resilience during crises. Other sector forecasts for 2025 and 2026 similarly point to shared, trusted data becoming the operating backbone of more intelligent supply chains.</p> <p>Visibility, however, remains a persistent challenge. Dr Tawfik said data already exists in many systems but is often trapped in silos, limiting its usefulness. He argued that interoperability is now one of the sector's biggest obstacles. As more providers look to AI for forecasting, procurement support and risk management, the quality and accessibility of underlying data are becoming as important as the algorithms themselves.</p> <p>He also made a case for a broader rethink of procurement. Rather than acting as a narrow cost-control function, he said it should behave more like a clinical partner, weighing products and services against patient outcomes and lifecycle value. That shift is increasingly reflected across the market, with reports from procurement advisers and supply chain groups suggesting healthcare organisations are using digital tools not only to reduce waste, but also to improve strategic resilience and supply chain integrity.</p> <p>Looking further ahead, Dr Tawfik predicted the rise of what he called autonomous sovereign supply chains: more localised, AI-governed systems that reduce dependence on fragile global networks. In his account, these would combine regional production, advanced manufacturing such as 3D printing and circular supply models. The result would be a "glocal" model, globally connected but locally resilient, designed to support sustainability as well as national security.</p> <p>The role of organisations such as ISCEA and IMPA, he said, is to help standardise the language of healthcare logistics and close the gap between theory and practice. As healthcare systems confront geopolitical uncertainty, climate targets and persistent operational risk, that kind of common framework may become more valuable than ever.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69dbf3623af8c5cbc961b640Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:41:23 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/14/air-cargo-becomes-strategic-tool-for-us-importers-amid-tariff-volatility<p>US importers are turning to air cargo not just for speed but as a tactical response to fluctuating tariffs, reshaping global supply chain strategies amid policy uncertainty.</p><p>US importers are increasingly using air cargo as a tactical response to tariff volatility, treating faster transport not just as a service premium but as a way to blunt policy risk and protect margins.</p> <p>The shift is being driven by the changing arithmetic of trade. For many shippers, the extra cost of flying goods can be outweighed by the duty bill they avoid if cargo lands before higher tariffs take effect. That calculation is especially persuasive for high-value shipments such as servers, electronics and industrial machinery, where the value per kilo is high enough to make airfreight commercially defensible even in normal times.</p> <p>Transport Journal reported that this dynamic has pushed more firms towards air cargo charters, with Chapman Freeborn USA’s senior vice-president of cargo, Jack Burt, saying demand for expedited air services rose 5% in July. According to that reporting, the appeal lies in speed and flexibility at a moment when deadlines on U.S.-China tariffs have shifted repeatedly, forcing importers to move quickly when policy windows open.</p> <p>The effect is not limited to one lane or one industry. Air cargo has become part of a broader reshaping of supply chains as companies rework sourcing, diversify suppliers and reduce dependence on single-country procurement. Capital Economics said some U.S. importers have been switching to alternative Asian suppliers to limit exposure to China-related duties, while also noting that some Chinese goods may be being rerouted through third countries.</p> <p>That kind of reconfiguration makes logistics a more strategic function than it used to be. Firms are no longer choosing between sea and air solely on the basis of transit time and freight cost; they are weighing tariffs, inventory exposure, customs timing and the risk of sudden rule changes. In that environment, air cargo is being used as a bridge while supply chains are adjusted or as a deliberate front-loading tool when duties are expected to rise.</p> <p>The same logic is also encouraging some importers to use bonded warehouses, according to AInvest, which described them as a way to defer customs payments until goods are actually needed in the market. That approach does not eliminate tariffs, but it can buy time and preserve cash flow while companies decide when to clear cargo into the US.</p> <p>For the air freight market, the result has been uneven but meaningful demand. Reports from industry outlets suggest tariff-related shipments have created short-lived spikes in volume, followed by normalisation once new duties come into force. That pattern can support rates and tighten capacity in specific corridors, even when broader trade conditions remain subdued. JCTrans said global air cargo demand rose 5% year on year in July, with tariff avoidance a major factor.</p> <p>There are, however, practical limits. Capacity has generally been available in some markets because overall trade has been softer, but regions such as Southeast Asia have reportedly remained tight, making network reach and broker relationships more important. That has increased the value of forwarders and charter specialists that can secure lift at short notice and keep urgent cargo moving when policy changes abruptly.</p> <p>The broader message is that tariffs are influencing not only where goods are made, but how they move. Air cargo is increasingly part of that policy response, used as a tool to manage timing, protect profit and keep supply chains flexible in a more unsettled trade landscape.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69dcca7682c0ab262ce2b5ddTue, 14 Apr 2026 22:41:18 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/14/supply-chains-face-a-disruptive-shift-as-climate-risks-and-skills-gaps-reshape-resilience-strategies<p>Global supply networks are intensifying focus on climate resilience and sustainability skills amid widespread environmental and geopolitical pressures, transforming the way companies manage disruptions and emissions.</p><p>Supply chains are being reshaped by pressures that go well beyond the old priorities of cost control and delivery speed. Climate shocks, infrastructure failures, geopolitical strain and tougher emissions scrutiny are forcing companies to manage networks that are more exposed, more complex and harder to see.</p> <p>The World Economic Forum’s 2026 Global Risks Report says environmental risks remain among the most serious threats facing global operations, with climate-related disruption continuing to unsettle transport routes, production schedules and sourcing decisions. That warning fits a wider pattern described by business and academic sources: what used to be treated as occasional disruption is now increasingly viewed as a permanent operating condition.</p> <p>The implications are especially sharp for companies trying to measure and reduce emissions across their value chains. The GHG Protocol’s Scope 3 standard sets out 15 categories of upstream and downstream emissions and notes that for many businesses, the bulk of their footprint sits outside their own factories and offices. IBM has said Scope 3 emissions are often the largest part of a company’s total climate impact, yet also the hardest to track because they depend on third parties.</p> <p>That is why the discussion has shifted from supply chain efficiency to supply chain capability. Firms now need people who can identify climate exposure, interpret supplier data and work across tiers of vendors to improve performance. According to the article by the Centre for Sustainable Development and similar industry commentary, the most valuable skills cluster around risk visibility, reporting and supplier engagement.</p> <p>Those capabilities are not only about compliance. BCG has argued that integrating sustainability into operations can cut costs by 10% to 20%, while CDP’s supply chain research has repeatedly found that companies which actively engage suppliers on environmental performance tend to outperform peers. In practical terms, that means sustainability knowledge is becoming tied to resilience, purchasing discipline and operating margin as much as to reputational risk.</p> <p>The talent gap remains a major obstacle. LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report has pointed to demand for green skills rising faster than supply, leaving many organisations short of the expertise needed to turn climate ambition into day-to-day execution. That shortage matters because the challenge is no longer limited to setting targets; it now includes validating data, comparing suppliers, managing trade-offs and responding quickly when disruptions hit.</p> <p>The World Economic Forum has also warned that new forms of cooperation will be needed to stabilise materials supply chains, particularly as climate, nature and geopolitical pressures converge. In that context, sustainability skills are becoming less of a specialist add-on and more of a core business requirement. Companies that build them early are likely to be better placed to absorb shocks, satisfy regulators and keep their supply chains moving.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69de9bad94a98b9725b68d32Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:39:41 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/14/argon-co-drives-integrated-transformation-with-ai-to-meet-australian-business-pressures<p>Argon &amp; Co reshapes its consulting approach by embedding AI across business strategy, operations and technology to boost productivity and resilience in Australian firms facing mounting resource and market pressures.</p><p>Argon &amp; Co is reshaping how it delivers consulting work as Australian businesses come under pressure to lift productivity, strengthen resilience and improve operational performance with fewer resources.</p> <p>The global management consultancy, which focuses on operations strategy and transformation, says clients are no longer looking for standalone digital projects. Instead, they want broader change programmes that connect strategy, technology and day-to-day operations. According to the company, artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a fourth layer alongside people, processes and systems, helping organisations make better decisions and lift performance.</p> <p>Managing Partner Paul Eastwood said the market has moved decisively towards integrated transformation. Speaking in the company’s announcement, he said clients now expect measurable operational outcomes rather than separate technology or strategy initiatives. He added that AI is being used to augment existing operating models, rather than sit beside them as an isolated tool.</p> <p>That shift is being reflected in Argon &amp; Co’s own structure. The firm has promoted Oliver North, Warren Proctor, Evert Westerhof and Felix Kong to partner, recognising their roles in digitally enabled transformation work. Their appointments underline the consultancy’s push to deepen its capabilities in manufacturing, procurement and capital investment, while embedding digital and data-led tools more directly into its service model.</p> <p>One example is MODE, Argon &amp; Co’s manufacturing optimisation framework, which has been digitally enabled through RedZone’s connect workforce app. Led by Proctor, the approach combines operational excellence with front-line digital support to improve factory-floor performance in real time. The company says demand for the offering is growing and that it is being rolled out more widely across clients.</p> <p>Westerhof is focusing on linking operational performance with capital planning, an area that becomes more important as firms face tighter budgets and more complex production environments. Kong, meanwhile, is driving AI-enabled procurement work that goes beyond cost cutting, using analytics to refine spend, improve supplier strategy and build resilience.</p> <p>North is overseeing broader end-to-end transformation programmes aimed at joining up strategy, technology and operations across the value chain. Eastwood said the firm’s new leadership group represents a more connected model of delivery, one designed to help organisations navigate a rapidly changing operating environment and improve productivity in Australia.</p> <p>The move comes against a backdrop of rising cost pressure, workforce strain and accelerating technological change. In its Operations Outlook 2026 research, Argon &amp; Co said it surveyed more than 800 C-suite leaders globally and found that many are being tested by disruption across supply chains, labour markets and technology adoption. The firm says its expanded approach is intended to help clients respond to those pressures with more sustainable, measurable results.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69deabd46d21bb224bde1693Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:31:43 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/12/box-ceo-aaron-levie-advocates-embracing-high-ai-token-usage-as-a-sign-of-innovation<p>Box CEO Aaron Levie highlights the shift in Silicon Valley's attitude towards AI token consumption, viewing high usage as a marker of ambition and experimentation, amid industry discussions on infrastructure and governance challenges.</p><p>Box chief executive Aaron Levie is not losing sleep over how many AI tokens his engineers are burning through, arguing that a high bill can be a sign the company is pushing into new territory rather than wasting money.</p> <p>Speaking on a recent episode of the a16z Show, Levie said: "We should probably waste a lot of tokens because that means that we're trying new things." The comment reflects a broader mood in Silicon Valley, where some executives are increasingly treating heavy token usage as a proxy for ambition, experimentation and speed.</p> <p>That attitude is not universal, but it is gaining ground. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang recently said he would be "deeply alarmed" if an engineer on a $500,000 salary were not using the equivalent of $250,000 in tokens, while companies such as Meta and OpenAI have reportedly encouraged more aggressive usage by displaying internal leaderboards for heavy users.</p> <p>Levie's stance fits with how he has framed AI more generally over the past year. In a September 2025 interview, he said there is "no free lunch right now in AI", stressing that the value of agents depends heavily on access to the right context, especially when they are working across unstructured enterprise data. He has also argued that AI agents are more likely to sit on top of existing software systems than replace them outright.</p> <p>At Box, that means the debate is not just about engineering teams or model costs. Levie said the same questions are now spreading across the business, with legal, sales and other departments also drawing on AI tools and driving up usage. In his telling, the shift is forcing companies to rethink their spending assumptions as AI becomes embedded in everyday operations.</p> <p>That, in turn, raises operational problems that go well beyond the price of inference. Levie said companies are having to decide whether a task should run as a long prompt or as a longer-lived agent, whether work should be parallelised, and how much inefficiency they are willing to tolerate in exchange for discovery and automation.</p> <p>He also pointed to a more basic constraint: capacity. In his view, many of these questions will remain unresolved until the industry can build far more data centre infrastructure. Only then, he suggested, will AI providers be in a position to ease pricing pressure and stop treating tokens as such a scarce resource.</p> <p>The issue is becoming more urgent as agentic AI spreads through enterprise software. Box's own roadmap has increasingly centred on AI-enabled workflows, including a multi-year collaboration with Amazon Web Services announced in late 2025 to deepen its use of AI infrastructure and tools such as Bedrock and Anthropic's Claude. The company has said that work is aimed at automating workflows, creating FAQ-style assistance and improving content analysis inside its platform.</p> <p>For Levie, the bigger worry is not token consumption itself but the governance problems that come with agents acting at scale. He said finance chiefs and technology leaders are scrambling to determine whether their current IT and integration controls are fit for an environment in which systems may be hit thousands of times an hour by autonomous software.</p> <p>The practical concern, he suggested, is less about speed than about coordination: making sure one agent does not move a file while another is writing to it, or delete something while a third process is still depending on it. In that sense, the token debate may be a proxy for a larger transition. The question for companies is no longer simply how much AI they can afford, but how much autonomy they are willing to let it have.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69db1b05c09e034c872b3dfcSun, 12 Apr 2026 17:22:42 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/12/openreach-enhances-broadband-upgrades-with-proactive-ai-boosting-customer-satisfaction-and-operational-efficiency<p>Openreach utilises NiCE Cognigy’s proactive AI agents to transform its £15 billion Full Fibre programme, reducing missed appointments and increasing Trustpilot scores amid UK's largest broadband upgrade.</p><p>Openreach has turned to proactive AI agents from NiCE Cognigy as it seeks to streamline one of the UK's largest broadband upgrade programmes, using the technology across 15 million customer journeys.</p> <p>The BT Group-owned network operator said the system marks a shift away from the traditional reactive model, with automated messages now sent by text, email and voice to update customers, answer questions and carry out routine tasks before problems escalate. The aim is to make the upgrade process clearer and less disruptive for households while reducing the burden on contact-centre teams.</p> <p>According to Openreach, the results have been material. The company said missed appointments and inbound contact volumes have each fallen by around a third, while repeat calls have also dropped, freeing staff to deal with more complex issues. Openreach also said customer sentiment has improved sharply, pointing to a rise in its Trustpilot score from 2.0 to 4.7 out of 5 following the rollout.</p> <p>Chris Herbert, Openreach's director of customer service, said the deployment was delivering "tens of millions in financial benefits" for the company and its customers, adding that the move to proactive engagement had improved appointment success and given people more clarity during a major national upgrade.</p> <p>Jeff Comstock, president of CX Product and Technology at NiCE, said the project showed how agentic AI could be used to automate complex customer interactions while maintaining trust, inclusivity and control.</p> <p>The deployment comes as Openreach continues a £15 billion investment in its Full Fibre network, with a target of reaching 25 million UK premises by the end of 2026 and up to 30 million by 2030. The scale of that build-out has made customer communications a significant operational challenge, particularly where appointments, engineering visits and service changes need to be managed across millions of homes and businesses.</p> <p>Industry reports covering the rollout said the system is also intended to support Openreach's partners, including broadband providers such as Vodafone and Sky, by reducing friction in the upgrade process. For Openreach, the broader significance lies in showing how AI is being used not just to cut costs, but to handle high-volume customer engagement in a way that is more predictable and, if the company's figures are accurate, more effective.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69db1b05c09e034c872b3df8Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:22:32 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/12/ge-aerospace-advances-ai-integration-with-tangible-business-gains-and-indian-talent-hub-expansion<p>GE Aerospace is moving AI from experimental to essential, reporting significant efficiency improvements and expanding its Indian workforce to drive innovation in engine monitoring and software development.</p><p>GE Aerospace is pushing artificial intelligence deeper into day-to-day operations, with the company saying it is now seeing clear business benefits rather than just experimental promise.</p> <p>Dinakar Deshmukh, the firm’s executive director for data science and AI, said machine learning tools used to monitor engines have cut false positives by more than half and reduced lead times by over 60 per cent. He said the systems are able to identify unusual patterns that would be hard for people to spot, improving the way the company tracks commercial aircraft engines.</p> <p>Generative AI is also moving into use, though Deshmukh said the technology remains a work in progress. Even so, he said some applications are already in production and are delivering measurable gains, including productivity improvements of 20 to 25 per cent in software development.</p> <p>India is becoming increasingly central to that push. GE Aerospace has about 2,500 employees in India, and more than half of its AI team is based in Bengaluru. That reflects the company’s broader reliance on the country, where it has operated for more than four decades and runs major engineering and manufacturing capabilities, including its technology centre in Bengaluru and a facility in Pune that makes components for several engine platforms.</p> <p>The company is also building out its supplier network in India and has separately expanded its Next Engineers programme in Bengaluru to help develop future talent. Deshmukh said the group is being selective about where it applies AI, focusing on high-value operational areas rather than spreading the technology too broadly. He also said the hardest task is taking a tool from prototype to full-scale deployment, and that GE’s investment in AI has risen by 2.5 to 3 times over the past two and a half years.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69db89d8c09e034c872b491aSun, 12 Apr 2026 17:22:03 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/12/tata-consultancy-services-accelerates-ai-driven-staffing-and-talent-development<p>TCS shifts nearly half of its internal job allocations to an AI-powered platform, signalling a major disruption in how large firms manage talent and project staffing amidst a broad AI integration strategy.</p><p>Tata Consultancy Services has said that almost half of its internal job allocations are now being handled by an AI-powered talent marketplace, marking a sharp shift away from the traditional reliance on managers and staffing teams to move employees between projects.</p> <p>According to NDTV Profit, the system uses machine-generated recommendations to match staff with open assignments, helping the company align available skills with project demand more quickly. TCS has presented the change as part of a wider effort to embed artificial intelligence across its operations, including recruitment, learning and human resources support.</p> <p>The update comes as the company appears to be broadening its own AI capabilities. Job listings on The Ladders show TCS recruiting for a range of roles tied to AI engineering, solution architecture and agentic software development in locations including Minnesota, New York and Bengaluru. Those postings suggest the Indian IT giant is not only using AI to manage staffing internally but is also building the engineering capacity needed to deliver AI-led products and services for clients.</p> <p>Separately, a review by The AI Market Pulse found dozens of active AI and machine learning vacancies at TCS, with salaries advertised across a wide range and skills sought in areas such as Python, prompt engineering, AWS, LangChain, Azure, GCP, PyTorch, TensorFlow and Kubernetes. Taken together, the hiring push indicates that TCS is deepening its commitment to artificial intelligence at both the operational and delivery levels.</p> <p>For an industry long dependent on large-scale human resource planning, the move underlines how quickly AI is being folded into core management functions. At TCS, that now appears to include deciding where people go next.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69dbc303ecb84ee51cfe234cSun, 12 Apr 2026 17:21:46 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gen-ai/2026/04/12/why-most-enterprise-ai-initiatives-miss-out-on-boosting-profitability-and-how-to-fix-it<p>Despite widespread adoption, many organisations struggle to translate AI investments into real profit gains, highlighting a need for strategic shift towards margin-focused insights demonstrated by innovative solutions like Suppeco’s SuppEQ.</p><p>In the rapidly evolving landscape of enterprise AI, few leaders are brave enough to acknowledge when initiatives fall flat. Behind glossy dashboards, utilisation metrics, and impressive efficiency gains showcased in PowerPoint presentations, there often lies a troubling disconnect: the real impact on profitability remains elusive.</p> <p>Most organisational AI programmes are built on a foundation of what might be called "polite fiction." The technology works, and the business case appears credible, at least on paper. But the underlying premise? That’s usually a mile off the mark.</p> <p>In traditional business case development, ‘EBIT’ , earnings before interest and taxes , is rarely spelled out explicitly. Instead, executives pitch savings in cost and efficiency, FTE reductions, and faster processes as proxy metrics, all of which contribute ostensibly to increased margins. But these metrics are often just assumptions, sitting at the heart of the narrative without proper measurement or ownership. As a result, they tend to be overlooked or forgotten altogether , never translating into tangible EBITDA improvements.</p> <p>A revealing insight comes from McKinsey &amp; Company’s survey of 2,000 global executives across 105 countries. While 88% of these leaders are deploying AI, only 39% explicitly seek to impact EBIT, and a mere 6% are actually making a meaningful difference. These numbers suggest a stark reality: organisations are investing heavily in AI, yet most are missing the core opportunity to drive real profitability.</p> <p>Procurement, in particular, exemplifies this challenge. The function has spent years deliberating over commercial value, often investment-driven by tools designed around optimisation rather than direct margin enhancement. Over the last decade, procurement teams have adopted smarter sourcing workflows, automated approvals, and elaborate supplier portals , tools that are loaded with features, yet rarely tied cleanly to margin improvement.</p> <p>The issue is not capabilities; it’s strategic direction. Most procurement AI solutions answer a simple question: how can we do what we already do, but faster? This is a logical approach, but it’s fundamentally flawed when it comes to safeguarding margins. Because the true margin leakage isn’t occurring within process inefficiencies; it’s emanating from the very bedrock of commercial relationships , the static versus dynamic drift, slipping commitments, and supplier dynamics that quarterly scorecards cannot detect in real time.</p> <p>Enter the concept of Dynamic Margin Erosion: the invisible, relentless leak of value that demands a different approach. Waiting for a quarterly review or relying on hindsight won’t cut it anymore.</p> <p>Suppeco’s SuppEQ is built to address this challenge head-on, without detours or intermediate proxies. It integrates directly into contractual and operational signals that underpin supplier relationships, identifying the telltale signs before significant damage occurs. It reduces friction between strategic intelligence and its real-world financial impact, making margin protection immediate and actionable.</p> <p>The disparity between the 6% of organisations winning with AI and the overwhelming majority that are not ultimately boils down to a mindset shift. The winning leaders stop asking, “How fast can we do this?” and instead ask, “Where are the critical fault lines in our commercial relationships? Where is the value leaving, and why?”</p> <p>If you lead procurement and cannot confidently answer those questions today, then the chances are good that the answer is already embedded somewhere within your existing data , you’ve simply yet to uncover it.</p> <p>Visit Suppeco. Say hello. Discover how we’re redefining margin preservation and profit optimisation in the age of enterprise AI.</p>69dbd43ce1f6b5a3a65c3da2Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:20:32 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/12/osapiens-launches-easy-start-to-simplify-eu-compliance-for-smes-amid-growing-sustainability-pressures<p>Osapiens unveils EASY START, a targeted suite designed to ease small and medium-sized enterprises into the complex world of EU sustainability and supply-chain regulations, emphasising automation and practical tools to facilitate rapid adoption.</p><p>osapiens has launched EASY START, a new suite aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises that are being pulled deeper into Europe’s sustainability and supply-chain rules without having the compliance teams to match. The company says the product line is designed to make enterprise-style ESG and regulatory tools easier to adopt for firms facing pressure from customers, lenders and regulators alike.</p> <p>The move comes as EU requirements around sustainability reporting, deforestation risk, packaging and operational oversight continue to spread beyond large listed groups and into supplier networks. For many SMEs, the problem is less about the principle of compliance than the practical burden of collecting data, standardising records and producing evidence that can stand up to scrutiny.</p> <p>osapiens says EASY START is intended to address that gap with preconfigured workflows, guided processes and automated data collection. Rather than asking smaller firms to build complex internal systems, the package is built to centralise supplier information, reduce manual admin and improve audit readiness.</p> <p>The launch package includes Reporting Essentials, which is positioned as a hub for sustainability data and reporting. According to osapiens, it includes templates aligned with VSME, GRI and CSRD frameworks, as well as carbon-footprint calculation tools covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. The company also says the module supports automated report generation and XBRL tagging.</p> <p>Other modules target specific EU rules. The EUDR component is designed to help companies prove that products are deforestation-free, using traceability tools, supplier integration and risk analysis. The package also links into the EU TRACES system. A separate module addresses packaging compliance under the PPWR, while another supports maintenance workflows through digital asset and task management. osapiens has also included a fisheries compliance tool for traceability under the EU Fisheries Control Regulation.</p> <p>The company is pitching the suite not just as a compliance aid but as a commercial one. It argues that reliable sustainability data can affect access to finance, procurement opportunities and supply-chain relationships, while firms unable to produce structured information risk being left out of regulated markets.</p> <p>Julian Mayer, head of SME business global at osapiens, said the aim was to bridge the divide between demanding regulation and the day-to-day realities of smaller businesses. "Our goal is to package our powerful technology in a way that allows SMEs to get started right away without lengthy implementation phases or significant internal effort," he said.</p> <p>The launch also reflects a broader shift in ESG software, as vendors move further down the market to serve companies that need simpler, faster tools rather than heavy enterprise deployments. For larger corporates, the pressure is increasingly to bring suppliers into the same reporting and traceability systems. For SMEs, that could make ESG compliance less of a back-office burden and more of a condition for staying in the game.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d66e40b8c90d0f76a03e84Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:18:29 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/12/california-advances-scope-3-emissions-reporting-with-new-rules-and-phased-approach<p>The California Air Resources Board outlines a flexible, phased framework for corporate greenhouse gas disclosures, prioritising Scope 3 emissions amid industry feedback and compliance deadlines.</p><p>The California Air Resources Board has stepped up work on the state’s corporate emissions reporting regime, using a public workshop on 23 March to sketch out how it expects companies to measure and disclose Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions under California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act.</p> <p>The discussion marked the latest stage in CARB’s effort to turn Senate Bill 253 into a functioning reporting framework for large companies doing business in California. Under the law, US companies with annual revenue above $1bn and a California presence will have to report Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. CARB’s initial draft rules, approved in late February, defined key terms such as “doing business in California”, “revenue”, “parent” and “subsidiary”, and set 10 August 2026 as the first deadline for Scope 1 and Scope 2 reporting.</p> <p>At the workshop, CARB outlined a four-step approach to emissions disclosure. Companies would first define organisational boundaries to determine which entities, assets and operations fall within the report. They would then assign emissions to Scope 1, 2 or 3, calculate those emissions, and, from 2027, obtain limited assurance for Scope 1 and 2 data. The agency also said it plans to introduce a standard reporting template from 2027, an effort designed to reduce uncertainty over what companies must submit.</p> <p>Scope 3 reporting, which covers emissions across a company’s value chain and is widely viewed as the hardest to quantify, drew most of the attention. CARB said it is considering whether firms should be allowed to use either an equity-share method or a control-based approach when setting organisational boundaries. Under the equity-share model, emissions are reported in line with ownership interests, while a control approach would tie reporting to financial or operational control. Companies would need to document and explain whichever method they choose.</p> <p>For calculating Scope 3 emissions, CARB floated several accounting methods: spend-based, activity-based, supplier-specific and hybrid approaches. It also proposed allowing companies to draw on established emissions-factor databases, including resources used by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.</p> <p>The agency is also weighing three different ways to phase in Scope 3 obligations. One option would require all reporting entities to disclose all Scope 3 categories, while allowing them to omit de minimis items with an explanation. Another would begin with the transportation and industrial sectors, which CARB says account for a large share of statewide emissions. A third would phase in reporting by category, starting with the easiest-to-calculate items such as business travel, purchased goods and services, fuel and energy, employee commuting and waste, while leaving more complex categories, including transportation and use of sold products, voluntary at first.</p> <p>Law firms tracking the rulemaking said the workshop signalled that CARB wants flexibility, but that the final shape of the regime will depend heavily on industry feedback. Comments on the proposals are due by 13 April.</p> <p>With the first Scope 1 and 2 filing deadline only months away, companies subject to SB 253 are now facing a fast-moving compliance timetable, even as the most difficult questions about Scope 3 reporting remain unresolved.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d94659ada5ae39527aff83Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:17:58 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/12/gap-inc-enhances-supply-chain-management-with-new-ai-platform-rollout<p>Gap Inc. plans to expand its adoption of Inspectorio’s AI platform across its brands, aiming to improve supply chain visibility, product traceability, and supplier collaboration amidst ongoing automation initiatives.</p><p>Gap Inc. is expanding its use of artificial intelligence behind the scenes, with plans to roll out Inspectorio’s AI platform across Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta.</p> <p>According to Inspectorio, the system is intended to improve supply-chain visibility, strengthen quality management and make it easier for suppliers to work together across Gap’s global network. The company says the technology will support product traceability by combining data collection with automated task execution.</p> <p>Inspectorio chief executive Chirag Patel said in announcing the deal that the partnership would help turn transparency into a business advantage and allow Gap to make quicker decisions across a complex supplier base.</p> <p>The move adds to a broader automation push at Gap, which has been steadily adopting robotics and other digital tools in its logistics operations. Earlier in 2025, the retailer began using Boston Dynamics' Stretch robots to handle inbound box processing at distribution centres in Tennessee, Ohio, New York and California.</p> <p>Gap has also deployed hundreds of Kindred Sort picking robots in its US warehouses and has used Exotec's Skypod system to improve returns handling. In 2021, it acquired CB4, a New York- and Tel Aviv-based artificial intelligence and machine learning company focused on retail applications.</p> <p>Inspectorio itself has been building out its AI capabilities for some time. The company launched an AI-powered supply chain management platform in February 2024, bringing together multiple tools into a single system aimed at improving traceability, sustainability and production oversight. A year earlier, it unveiled a generative AI product designed to recommend corrective and preventive actions for supply-chain users.</p> <p>The latest agreement suggests Gap is betting that more advanced software, alongside warehouse robotics, can help it manage a sprawling sourcing and distribution operation with greater speed and precision.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d8a40135565f976cf799daSun, 12 Apr 2026 17:17:57 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/10/pairsoft-s-acquisition-of-nimbello-signals-rapid-ai-led-automation-consolidation-in-finance-sector<p>PairSoft's purchase of Nimbello enhances its AI-driven finance solutions, boosting integrations with major enterprise systems amid a fast-moving market consolidation.</p><p>PairSoft has bought Nimbello in a move that underscores how quickly the market for AI-led finance automation is consolidating around deeper ERP integrations and more sophisticated invoice matching.</p> <p>According to the companies, the deal brings together PairSoft’s procure-to-pay and financial automation platform with Nimbello’s accounts payable tools, which are designed around purchase-order-based invoices. That capability is intended to strengthen PairSoft’s native links with major enterprise systems including Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, Blackbaud, NetSuite, Oracle and Sage Intacct, while also extending its reach into environments such as Workday and Infor SyteLine.</p> <p>Nimbello, which began life in 2010 as Easy Access in Granger, Indiana, was founded by Milind Agtey to reduce the burden of invoice processing for finance teams in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing and higher education. The company says it now serves more than 60 customers and has handled over 20 million invoices. It also says its revenue grew by 300% between 2022 and 2025 after adding new leadership and support from Vita Mori Ventures.</p> <p>Milind Agtey said the original goal was to perfect purchase-order matching for high-volume industries, adding that the business had now reached a point where handing it to PairSoft made sense. PairSoft chief executive Matt Cotter said Nimbello’s line-level matching and reconciliation technology would complement PairSoft’s existing tools for large, multinational customers.</p> <p>The acquisition comes shortly after PairSoft disclosed a majority investment from TA Associates, signalling a broader push to expand its product set and reinforce its direct ERP functionality. PairSoft said Nimbello’s work on invoice processing and general ledger coding would also bolster its own AI capabilities.</p> <p>Financial terms were not disclosed.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69cc873d915d1be501c779eeFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:58:29 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/10/easyfairs-reports-significant-sustainability-progress-with-new-esg-platform-and-sector-wide-ambitions<p>Belgian events organiser Easyfairs reveals a 34% reduction in total carbon emissions since 2019, highlighting its commitment to embedding sustainability into everyday operations and sector advancements through its 'Act for the Future' strategy.</p><p>Easyfairs is presenting its latest sustainability update as proof that environmental performance in the events sector can be measured, improved and embedded into day-to-day operations rather than treated as an optional extra.</p> <p>The Belgian-headquartered organiser, which runs 110 titles in 16 countries, says in its second annual sustainability report that it has cut total carbon emissions by 34% since its 2019 baseline. It also reports a 64% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 27% fall in carbon intensity per event, helped by the introduction of a new ESG platform designed to track annual impact more closely.</p> <p>The company’s broader strategy, branded "Act for the Future", is built around three strands: action for the planet, for society and for its people. Its environmental targets include halving emissions from energy consumption by 2030, while venues in Sweden and the Netherlands already run on green electricity. Easyfairs has also installed solar panels at sites including Gorinchem, Antwerp Expo and Flanders Expo, and says Malmömässan uses geothermal heating.</p> <p>Food and materials are another focus. The company is phasing out red meat across its venues by 2025, wants to halve food waste by 2030 and plans to ensure that recyclable or reusable packaging and cutlery are available at all in-house catering points by 2025.</p> <p>Beyond operations, Easyfairs is trying to make its events part of the sustainability conversation itself. It says 75% of its events now include sustainability themes in their content programmes, while 76% work with charities. Earlier company figures showed 67% of events carried sustainability content in 2023 and that those shows delivered 1,200 hours of educational programming on the topic.</p> <p>The organiser also points to internal workforce measures as part of the same agenda. It reports an employee Net Promoter Score of 34 and says women hold 49% of senior leadership positions. ESG objectives are now tied into variable pay, and the company has launched an ESG Academy Award to recognise teams making notable progress.</p> <p>In a sector under growing pressure from clients, attendees and regulators to prove its environmental claims, Easyfairs is pitching transparency as much as progress. The report does not suggest the work is finished; rather, it frames sustainability as an ongoing operational shift, with the company arguing that growth in events should not come at the expense of environmental resources.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d399da52f1bebc377d8196Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:58:04 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/10/modern-procurement-shifts-from-spreadsheets-to-integrated-platforms-for-strategic-advantage<p>As legacy systems give way to unified procurement platforms, organisations are gaining real-time visibility, automation, and improved supplier management, marking a significant evolution in purchasing strategies.</p><p>Modern procurement has outgrown the spreadsheets, email chains and manual approvals that still govern purchasing in many organisations. According to several industry explainers, the old model leaves firms with poor spend visibility, duplicated data entry and approval bottlenecks that consume time better spent on strategy. The result is not just inefficiency but a weakened ability to control costs, enforce policy and manage supplier relationships.</p> <p>The case for change is strongest where procurement remains isolated from broader finance and planning systems. Amazon Business, in a recent blog on ERP and procurement, said traditional ERP tools often do not provide the visibility or automation needed for contemporary purchasing demands, while Ivalua has argued that a unified procurement layer can sit above multiple ERP environments to give companies a clearer view of suppliers, sourcing activity and spend. That approach reflects a wider shift: procurement software is increasingly seen not as a replacement for ERP, but as the tool that extends it.</p> <p>The practical gains are easy to see. Procurement platforms typically automate requisitioning, approval routing, purchase order creation, contract handling and invoice matching, reducing the amount of repetitive work done by staff. The Enterprise Institute and Fraxion have both highlighted how standardised workflows and real-time data access can shorten cycle times, improve spend control and lower operating costs. When purchasing data flows cleanly into finance and inventory systems, organisations also reduce reconciliation work and the errors that come with manual rekeying.</p> <p>Vendor management is another area where modern software changes the equation. Instead of treating suppliers as little more than names on a list, integrated platforms can centralise master data, track performance and support collaboration through supplier portals. That can improve communication, speed up payment processes and make contract terms easier to enforce. Tyasuite has argued that this stronger visibility also supports compliance, particularly where companies need to monitor certifications, purchasing rules and approval thresholds.</p> <p>The appeal extends beyond efficiency. Better procurement systems can improve decision-making by giving leaders a more reliable view of category spend, concentration risk and savings opportunities. Embedded analytics, which Ivalua has promoted as part of a unified platform model, allow procurement teams to identify trends rather than react to them. In that sense, the function moves from processing transactions to shaping business outcomes.</p> <p>Implementation still matters. Industry guidance consistently points to the same success factors: executive sponsorship, careful process redesign, phased rollouts and strong change management. Software alone will not fix a broken purchasing model if the underlying workflow remains unclear. But when the process is mapped properly and the technology is configured around it, organisations can expect faster approvals, tighter controls and better use of working capital.</p> <p>For companies still relying on legacy procurement tools, the larger question is no longer whether digitisation helps. It is whether they can afford to delay it.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d50e3c7eeff949e5c35ba0Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:57:35 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/procurement-mandate/2026/04/10/transforming-procurement-how-collective-buying-and-data-driven-strategies-are-reshaping-supply-chain-resilience<p>As supply chain pressures intensify, industrial firms are unlocking new margins by embracing collective purchasing, digital tools, and tighter supplier management to drive efficiency and resilience.</p><p>Procurement has become one of the clearest pressure points in a strained supply chain, and for many industrial businesses it remains one of the largest untapped opportunities to improve margins. As inflation, supply volatility and service expectations continue to squeeze budgets, companies are looking more closely at how they buy, who they buy from, and how much hidden waste sits inside everyday purchasing processes.</p> <p>The case for change is straightforward. Procurement often accounts for a major share of total business spend, yet it is still too often treated as an administrative function rather than a source of commercial advantage. Industry guidance from IBM and others points to a similar conclusion: organisations can lower costs not just by pushing suppliers harder, but by combining contract discipline, better data and technology that makes purchasing decisions more deliberate.</p> <p>One of the most effective routes is collective buying. Group purchasing organisations can give companies access to stronger pricing, more standardised terms and pre-vetted supplier networks, while also easing the burden of sourcing and contract management. For businesses with multiple sites or fragmented buying patterns, that kind of pooled leverage can be especially valuable, because it improves consistency as well as cost control.</p> <p>Data is the other half of the equation. Buying in bulk still has a role, but only when it is backed by a clear view of demand, inventory levels and consumption trends. Without that visibility, what looks like a saving can quickly become excess stock, higher carrying costs or wasted materials. More sophisticated procurement teams are therefore using spend analysis and historical purchasing data to decide when volume discounts are genuinely worthwhile and when they merely shift costs elsewhere.</p> <p>Supplier management also needs regular attention. Long-term relationships can create stability, but they should not be allowed to drift unchecked. Procurement leaders are increasingly using quarterly reviews, pricing benchmarks and performance dashboards to test whether suppliers are still competitive, resilient and aligned with business needs. That discipline matters at a time when financial stress, geopolitical risk and logistics disruption can all affect supplier performance.</p> <p>The biggest internal savings often come from removing friction from the buying process itself. Manual approvals, email chains and spreadsheet tracking slow everything down and increase the chance of errors. Digital procurement tools can automate purchase orders, improve tracking and strengthen budget controls, giving teams faster visibility over commitments and reducing the administrative drag that often hides in plain sight.</p> <p>Another recurring mistake is keeping procurement isolated from the rest of the business. Purchasing decisions affect operations, finance, planning and logistics, so the most effective programmes are usually cross-functional. When procurement teams work more closely with other departments, they can buy against real demand, avoid unnecessary stock and reduce the risk of both shortages and oversupply.</p> <p>The broader lesson is that procurement savings are rarely achieved through blunt cuts alone. The most durable gains come from better information, better coordination and better discipline across the full buying cycle. In a market where every percentage point matters, that can make procurement one of the most powerful levers a business has.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d6a7e7da7219bf2fe2173eFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:56:54 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/iran-conflict-exposes-fragile-global-supply-chains-and-dependency-on-gulf-corridor<p>The ongoing Iran conflict has disrupted key industrial inputs via the Gulf, highlighting the global economy’s vulnerability and prompting calls for supply chain resilience.</p><p>The ceasefire between the United States and Iran may have eased immediate fears of a wider confrontation, but the shock to global trade is likely to linger. According to Al Jazeera’s Counting the Cost, the conflict has already disrupted the movement of key industrial inputs through the Gulf, exposing how heavily modern manufacturing depends on a narrow and vulnerable corridor.</p> <p>The near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has interrupted shipments well beyond crude oil and gas. Petrochemicals, helium and aluminium have all been caught up in the disruption, with knock-on effects for industries ranging from aviation and electronics to packaging and healthcare. That matters because these materials sit much lower down the supply chain than finished goods, yet they are often essential to making everything from plastics and fertilisers to semiconductors and medical equipment.</p> <p>Axios reported that the pharmaceutical sector is also bracing for trouble. It said the conflict has interfered with air freight and sea routes across the Middle East, with roughly a tenth to a fifth of global pharmaceutical trade passing through the region. While no major drug shortages have yet been reported in the United States, health systems are preparing for higher costs and possible delays, especially for generics and clinical-trial supplies that depend on precise, time-sensitive deliveries.</p> <p>Helium has emerged as one of the most sensitive pressure points. Another Axios report said the war removed around a third of global production, after disruption hit QatarEnergy-linked facilities. Because helium is difficult to replace and widely used in cooling, chipmaking and medical imaging, suppliers have begun rationing it. The most visible shortages may be in consumer goods such as balloons, but the deeper concern is over industrial and scientific uses that are far harder to substitute.</p> <p>The IMF has also warned that the fallout may not fade quickly. Kristalina Georgieva, the fund’s managing director, said there was "no painless exit" from the energy shock, despite the ceasefire. Ahead of the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, she said oil, gas and other essential commodities from the Persian Gulf remained under severe strain and could stay that way if tensions return or if new tolls are imposed.</p> <p>AP has noted that the episode has revived attention on petrochemicals, which are often overlooked in energy debates despite their central role in agriculture, packaging and healthcare. The conflict has shown that a disruption in the Gulf can ripple through almost every part of the industrial economy, from fertiliser production to the plastics used in everyday consumer goods.</p> <p>The broader lesson is one of concentration risk. Global supply chains were already under pressure from pandemic-era disruption, shipping bottlenecks and geopolitical fragmentation. The Iran war has added another reminder that the system’s efficiency has often come at the expense of resilience. The question now is not simply how quickly trade can restart, but whether governments and companies will treat this as another temporary shock or as evidence that the world’s supply network needs a more durable redesign.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d77d0f6ec91c51d578a9a9Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:56:39 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/growing-importance-of-strategic-partnerships-in-the-expanding-fourth-party-logistics-sector<p>As the fourth-party logistics market approaches $149 billion by 2035, providers are shifting from basic freight services to strategic partners that enhance supply chain agility, transparency and resilience amid rising complexity.</p><p>As the fourth-party logistics market expands, shippers are being forced to think beyond simple freight outsourcing and towards broader supply chain orchestration. Future Market Insights estimates that the sector could grow to $148.6 billion by 2035, reflecting rising demand for providers that can coordinate multiple carriers, platforms and functions under one operating model. The growth is being driven by increasing supply chain complexity, tighter visibility requirements and the wider use of digital tools such as cloud-based transportation management systems and real-time analytics.</p> <p>That backdrop helps explain why the best 4PL providers are no longer judged only on execution. Their value lies in how well they align with a client’s business strategy, rather than merely handling daily transport tasks. A strong 4PL partner needs to understand a shipper’s operating model, customer expectations and growth plans, then turn that into a transport strategy that can adapt as conditions change. In practice, that means offering insight, not just reporting, and being willing to challenge old assumptions when better options emerge.</p> <p>Transparency is another essential trait. A 4PL is not simply a subcontractor; it becomes responsible for critical parts of the logistics function and must be trusted to manage them clearly and consistently. The most effective providers combine operational credibility with financial discipline, technological capability and a commitment to continuous improvement. Those qualities matter because the role is not limited to arranging loads; it also involves maintaining accurate data, helping internal teams stay aligned and keeping performance visible across the network.</p> <p>Industry commentary from logistics specialists suggests that the strongest partners also excel at responsiveness, scalability and visibility. Real-time tracking, strong communication and the ability to adjust quickly when demand shifts are increasingly seen as standard expectations rather than added extras. That is especially relevant in segments such as less-than-truckload shipping, where market growth is being propelled by e-commerce, omni-channel retail and the need for flexible, cost-efficient movement of smaller freight volumes.</p> <p>A mature 4PL relationship therefore depends on more than technology alone. It requires strategic judgment, end-to-end oversight and enough neutrality to recommend the right solution, regardless of carrier relationships. For shippers, the real test is whether a provider can reduce complexity while also improving resilience, agility and long-term value.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d7d27331e58ae3412292fcFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:56:31 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/lithium-prices-surge-again-amid-persistent-supply-chain-disruptions-and-strategic-stockpiling<p>Lithium prices have risen sharply in 2026 as ongoing supply uncertainties, geopolitical factors, and increased strategic investments create a volatile market, challenging the clean-energy transition.</p><p>Lithium has once again moved to the centre of the clean-energy conversation, with prices firming sharply as electric vehicle makers, battery groups and miners wrestle with a market that still cannot seem to settle into balance. According to industry commentary published in January 2026, lithium carbonate prices had risen by about 45% over the turn of the year, supported by low inventories, steady battery output and tight supply from brines, hard-rock mines and newer extraction methods.</p> <p>That rebound comes after a highly erratic few years. S&amp;P Global Commodity Insights warned in late 2022 that prices were likely to stay elevated because supply lagged demand from EV makers. Yet by March 2023, Bank of America Securities was calling for a surplus as output growth overtook a slowing pace of EV expansion, particularly in China. Bloomberg later reported in November 2023 that lithium prices had fallen sharply that year as supply flooded the market and demand cooled, underlining how quickly sentiment can swing.</p> <p>Even so, the strategic problem has never disappeared. The most profitable parts of the value chain remain concentrated in a small number of countries, and China continues to dominate refining. That leaves automakers and battery producers exposed when mine output is delayed, processing capacity is stretched or policy changes disrupt flows. In August 2025, reports from Axios and Le Monde said a mine shutdown in Yichun, linked to licence renewal issues, briefly tightened the market again and sent prices higher.</p> <p>For manufacturers, the response has been to lock in supply earlier and for longer. Offtake deals, once largely routine commercial arrangements, are increasingly being used as strategic insurance, even when they come at a premium. Some groups are also pushing further upstream by investing in mines and processing plants, while governments in Europe and North America are encouraging domestic capacity through incentives and stockpiling schemes.</p> <p>The latest price strength suggests the lithium market is still being shaped less by a simple shortage or surplus than by a deeper mismatch between where the material is mined, where it is refined and how fast battery demand is evolving. For now, that imbalance continues to reward companies with secured supply and punish those still reliant on the spot market.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d88fbeb53c6d999f41110aFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:56:24 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/syscos-proposed-acquisition-of-restaurant-depot-signals-a-strategic-move-to-deepen-market-dominance-in-us-foodservice-supply-chain<p>Sysco plans to acquire Restaurant Depot in a $29.1 billion deal, aiming to strengthen its position in the US foodservice supply chain amidst increasing industry consolidation and shifting customer demands.</p><p>Sysco’s position in the US foodservice supply chain remains anchored in scale, logistics and an ability to serve a wide range of customers from restaurants to hospitals and hotels. The company sits at the centre of a market that industry research puts at more than $350 billion, with broadline distributors such as Sysco, US Foods and Performance Food Group accounting for a significant share of the sector. Morningstar says Sysco is the largest player in the field, with about 17% of the market, helped by its capacity to deliver a broad basket of goods on schedule and from a single source.</p> <p>That model has become more valuable as foodservice demand continues to shift. Away-from-home consumption has remained resilient, even as performance varies across segments. Quick-service dining has generally held up better than casual dining, while restaurants, healthcare facilities and schools all continue to rely on distributors that can balance inventory, freshness and cost. Sysco’s core appeal lies in that operational mix: it combines central procurement with regional distribution, giving it the reach to manage different customer needs while keeping delivery reliable.</p> <p>The company’s product mix has also evolved alongside those demand patterns. Market.us data shows fresh and frozen meats rising from 18% of Sysco’s mix in 2023 to 19% in 2025, reflecting steady protein demand. Canned and dry goods have eased slightly, suggesting demand has normalised after earlier spikes in shelf-stable buying. Other categories have remained relatively stable, including dairy, poultry and fresh produce, while beverage sales have edged higher. Seafood has slipped modestly, which the data links to sourcing pressures and shifting cost dynamics. That pattern points to a distributor adapting its portfolio rather than relying on any one category.</p> <p>Sysco has also been highlighting the way it reads customer trends. Its Foodie platform has been used to showcase menu ideas, seasonal products and the role of authenticity in branded offerings, while its Market Corner reports commodity outlooks intended to help operators manage purchasing decisions. The message is that food distribution is no longer just about transport and warehousing; it is also about helping customers respond to changing tastes, prices and supply conditions.</p> <p>The latest strategic development is Sysco’s proposed $29.1 billion acquisition of Restaurant Depot, reported by the Associated Press. If approved by regulators, the deal would push Sysco deeper into the cash-and-carry wholesale segment, an area that serves restaurants looking for immediate or supplemental supplies. Restaurant Depot, founded in Brooklyn in 1976, has long been a key resource for smaller food businesses through its membership-based warehouse model. Analysts say combining that business with Sysco’s broadline reach could give the company a stronger grip on independent restaurant purchasing, particularly for operators that use multiple suppliers.</p> <p>For Sysco, the attraction is clear: greater proximity to restaurants, more touchpoints across the supply chain and a broader base from which to defend its market lead. For the sector, the deal would underline a wider trend towards consolidation in foodservice distribution, where scale, service and sourcing capability are becoming even more important.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d7fbe7b53c6d999f40f6f1Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:56:05 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/manufacturers-highlight-execution-gaps-as-supply-chain-disruptions-persist-despite-forecast-investments<p>A new study reveals that operational execution issues, rather than forecasting failures, are the primary cause of supply chain disruptions in manufacturing, signalling a shift towards real-time visibility and AI-driven solutions.</p><p>Manufacturers have spent heavily on forecasting software and planning systems, but new research suggests many of the delays that disrupt production are being caused elsewhere: on the factory floor, in supplier coordination and in the execution of plans that looked sound on paper.</p> <p>According to a study commissioned by LeanDNA and conducted by Wakefield Research among 150 senior decision-makers at global discrete manufacturers, 74% said they had invested in demand forecasting tools. Yet 75% said supply plan failures are most likely to happen during factory-level execution rather than in the forecast itself. The findings point to a familiar but often underestimated problem in industrial operations: the plan may be right, but the system that turns it into action is not.</p> <p>The disruption is showing up in day-to-day operations. LeanDNA said 83% of manufacturers reported supplier changes causing multiple production interruptions each quarter, while 56% said this happened at least monthly. Nearly three-quarters said they only discovered a material shortage after delays had already become unavoidable, suggesting the warning signs were present long before the damage was visible.</p> <p>Reaction times are also slowing the response. More than half of those surveyed said it takes a week or longer to work out corrective action once a disruption is identified, a delay that can be costly in environments where schedules are measured in hours rather than days.</p> <p>A central weakness, the study argues, lies in enterprise resource planning systems. While 73% of manufacturers said their ERP platforms can show which materials are required, they cannot prevent execution failures, and 93% said they struggle to get visibility into what actually happens in manufacturing execution. That gap leaves planning teams with a picture of what should happen, but not enough insight into whether suppliers, materials and shop-floor priorities are aligned well enough to make it happen.</p> <p>The broader theme is echoed in industry commentary from other manufacturing software providers, which argue that excess inventory, late production changes and missed shipments are often symptoms of execution breakdowns rather than pure forecasting errors. Others say real-time visibility and faster decision-making are increasingly important as factories face volatile supplier conditions, more product variation and tighter delivery expectations.</p> <p>LeanDNA said artificial intelligence could help bridge that gap by turning supply planning into a live monitoring process rather than a static forecasting exercise. Andy Ellenthal, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement that supply planning should be seen as "the first act of execution", not just the output of demand planning. He argued that firms that grasp that distinction can reduce inventory, improve delivery performance and make supply chains a competitive advantage rather than a constant firefight.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d821cb31e58ae34122a426Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:55:57 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/power-shift/2026/04/10/supply-chain-orchestration-reshapes-resilience-strategy-for-2026<p>As volatility becomes a permanent feature of global trade, supply chain leaders are shifting focus from isolated fixes to real-time orchestration, leveraging connected data and systems to turn disruptions into competitive advantages in 2026.</p><p>After a turbulent 2025, supply chain leaders are heading into 2026 with a different mindset, according to Mahesh Rajasekharan, chief executive of Cleo. Speaking to Supply Chain Brain, he said volatility is no longer being treated as a temporary shock but as a lasting feature of global trade, with geopolitics increasingly shaping how companies think about resilience.</p> <p>That shift is forcing a broader rethink of what supply chains are for. Rather than being managed mainly as engines of cost efficiency, they are being recast as strategic networks that must help companies absorb uncertainty, respond faster and protect service levels. Rajasekharan argued that this is driving a move away from narrow, tactical fixes and towards end-to-end coordination across procurement, logistics, manufacturing and distribution.</p> <p>The difficulty, however, is that many organisations still do not have a clear line of sight across those moving parts. Industry commentary from Trackonomy and SDCExec points to persistent data silos, incompatible systems and a patchwork of point solutions that can leave companies with only partial visibility, even at the supplier level. In some cases, executives still struggle to see beyond Tier 1 partners, creating blind spots precisely when disruptions demand faster intervention.</p> <p>Rajasekharan said that this fragmented approach has created friction for both businesses and customers. As companies automate more of their operations, he said, they can no longer confine those efforts within their own walls. Instead, they need to capture signals from across the wider network and turn them into decisions that move with the flow of goods.</p> <p>That is where supply chain orchestration comes in. The concept, as described by Forbes and other industry analysts, is about synchronising data, systems and actions in real time so that planning and execution are linked more closely. In practical terms, that can mean a control-tower-style view of orders, shipments, inventory and partner activity, allowing companies to spot risks earlier and respond before service deteriorates.</p> <p>For suppliers, the stakes are not only operational but financial. Rajasekharan noted that missing delivery windows or failing to meet retailer requirements can trigger chargebacks that amount to between 1% and 3% of revenue. Performance in those areas also affects a supplier’s chances of expanding shelf space or winning greater retail presence, making visibility and coordination commercial as well as logistical priorities.</p> <p>The case for better transparency is reinforced by industry research suggesting that firms with real-time visibility outperform those with limited insight, while companies in sectors such as pharmaceuticals face added pressure because delays can directly affect patient supply. Yet the barriers remain familiar: integration complexity, resistance to change and cybersecurity concerns continue to slow progress.</p> <p>For supply chain leaders entering 2026, the message is increasingly clear. Visibility on its own is not enough. The competitive advantage now lies in orchestration: connecting planning with execution well enough to turn disruption from a liability into something businesses can manage, and in some cases, monetise.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d89663da7219bf2fe26cffFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:55:31 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/10/the-shift-from-ai-adoption-to-systemic-reorganisation-in-finance-automation<p>While AI tools for finance have advanced, many organisations are realising that achieving true automation requires a fundamental redesign of workflows, data structures, and processes to enable end-to-end, autonomous finance operations.</p><p>For years, finance software makers sold chief financial officers a seductive idea: add smarter automation and the back office would begin to run itself. In practice, many companies have discovered that better models do not automatically produce better outcomes. The problem, increasingly, is not whether artificial intelligence can read invoices, spot anomalies or classify transactions, but whether the wider finance operation is organised in a way that lets those tools work across the whole process.</p> <p>That shift in thinking is now at the centre of a broader push toward what some vendors and consultants call touchless finance or autonomous finance. Deloitte has described the concept as “Lights Out Finance”, a model in which AI and machine learning handle routine work end-to-end, leaving people to focus on exceptions, strategy and relationships. Oracle has likewise argued that CFOs are moving toward a more automated operating model, while Workday has pointed to rising use of AI for invoice processing, account reconciliation and data entry.</p> <p>But the reality inside many enterprises remains messier. PYMNTS reported that while invoice capture accuracy and data extraction have improved, many finance teams have simply bolted AI on top of older, fragmented workflows. The result is a process that may begin more efficiently, yet still breaks down when documents move between systems, teams and approval chains that do not share consistent data or rules.</p> <p>Michael Younkie, vice president of product management at Billtrust, told PYMNTS that finance teams continue to wrestle with “inconsistent and incomplete data structures, bad data, dirty data” as well as legacy ERP systems with limited accounts receivable API capabilities. That matters because even strong AI performance at the front end cannot fix what happens downstream if the underlying architecture is disjointed.</p> <p>Research cited by PYMNTS Intelligence suggests many executives now understand this distinction. In its Enterprise AI Benchmark Report, 71% of leaders at companies with annual revenue of $1 billion or more said organisational readiness, rather than AI itself, was the main constraint on performance. Only 11% pointed to the technology as the key barrier. PYMNTS Intelligence also found in December that 66% of accounts payable teams had seen manual workloads increase over the previous year, underlining how stubborn the operational burden remains.</p> <p>The implication is that the next phase of finance automation is less about adding more intelligence at isolated points and more about redesigning the workflow itself. Instead of treating invoice capture, validation, approval and payment as separate events, the emerging model sees them as connected states within a single system. In accounts receivable, the same logic applies to cash application, collections and dispute resolution.</p> <p>That is why the most ambitious finance leaders are now asking a different question: not whether a tool has AI features, but whether the entire invoice or cash cycle can run autonomously from start to finish. The answer, for many organisations, still depends on standardising data, simplifying hand-offs and rethinking processes that were built for a manual era.</p> <p>The destination, at least in theory, is touchless finance. In that model, machines handle the routine work while humans step in only where judgement, negotiation or oversight is needed. The promise is not merely faster processing, but a finance function that is less reactive, less fragmented and more strategic. What is changing now is not the aspiration, but the recognition that reaching it will require rewiring the system, not just upgrading the software.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d877d6da7219bf2fe261cfFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:55:15 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/10/visa-s-new-ai-commerce-platform-aims-to-build-trust-in-agent-led-shopping<p>Visa introduces Intelligent Commerce Connect, a unified platform designed to facilitate AI-initiated transactions and surface product info within AI shopping agents, as consumer trust and technological readiness remain key challenges for mainstream adoption.</p><p>Visa’s latest move into AI-powered shopping suggests that agentic commerce is moving from concept to infrastructure. The payments company has unveiled Intelligent Commerce Connect, a single integration designed to let businesses accept transactions initiated by AI agents, surface product catalogues inside AI platforms and handle payment, tokenisation, spend controls and authentication without forcing merchants to build separate connections for each channel.</p> <p>According to Visa’s announcement, the service is intended to work across Visa and non-Visa card networks and to support major agent protocols. It is currently in pilot with partners including Aldar, AWS, Diddo, Highnote, Mesh, Payabli and Sumvin. Visa has framed the offer as a network-, protocol- and token-vault-agnostic on-ramp for companies preparing for a future in which AI agents do more of the work normally done by human shoppers.</p> <p>The company is not starting from zero. In earlier announcements, Visa said it had already completed hundreds of secure, agent-initiated transactions with partners and was working with more than 100 collaborators globally on the plumbing required for AI commerce. It has also positioned its broader Intelligent Commerce push alongside partnerships with major technology firms including Anthropic, IBM, Microsoft, Mistral AI, OpenAI, Perplexity, Samsung and Stripe.</p> <p>That technical readiness, however, is only part of the story. The harder problem may be consumer trust. Research cited by CXM World suggests that while AI usage is rising, willingness to let it complete purchases still lags. Bain found that 72% of consumers have used AI tools in some form, but only 24% currently feel comfortable letting AI finish a purchase, and just 10% have actually done so, mostly for low-cost, routine goods. Forrester’s Consumer Pulse data found that 54% of US online adults are not comfortable sharing personal information with generative AI tools, while a Radial survey showed 19% of consumers saying they would never share payment details with an AI agent.</p> <p>Visa’s own B2AI research points to a more nuanced picture. It found that 36% of respondents trust bank-backed AI systems and 35% trust payment-network-enabled AI, compared with 28% for independent AI agents. Confidence is notably stronger among younger shoppers, with 48% of Gen Z respondents saying they trust payment-network-enabled AI, versus 20% of Boomers.</p> <p>That split matters for customer experience leaders. If agentic commerce becomes a mainstream buying route, brands will need more than functional integration; they will need clear proof that AI-led purchasing is secure, explainable and well governed. The risk, as the CXM World analysis argues, is not that the technology arrives too soon, but that companies fail to build the trust architecture required to make it usable at scale.</p> <p>Visa’s pitch is that it can help solve that gap by using the trust associated with its payment network to make AI transactions feel safer. Whether consumers accept that proposition will determine how quickly agentic commerce moves from pilot projects to everyday retail behaviour. For now, the industry appears to be laying tracks ahead of demand, even as many shoppers remain hesitant to hand the checkout over to an algorithm.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d877d6da7219bf2fe261d3Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:55:13 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/10/openais-enterprise-revenue-surpasses-40-as-ai-agents-become-integral-to-business-workflows<p>OpenAI reports its enterprise products now account for over 40% of its revenue, signalling a rapid shift towards AI-enabled business operations and multi-agent systems, with the company aiming for substantial growth and potential public listing.</p><p>OpenAI says enterprise products now account for more than 40% of its revenue, a sign that the company’s push into business software is gathering pace as it leans harder into AI agents and automated workflows.</p> <p>Denise Dresser, OpenAI’s chief revenue officer, said in a company note on Wednesday that the shift has been striking. She said the firms moving fastest have gone far beyond using AI for routine tasks such as drafting emails or condensing documents and are instead deploying coordinated groups of agents that can preserve context, work across sessions and act inside business systems with limited human supervision.</p> <p>OpenAI said its annualised revenue reached $25 billion in February, up from $20 billion at the end of 2025, and it expects enterprise revenue to draw level with consumer revenue by the end of 2026. That trajectory suggests the company sees business adoption, rather than mass-market subscriptions alone, as central to its next phase of growth.</p> <p>The strategy is increasingly built around agents as a default interface for companies. OpenAI has launched tools aimed at helping businesses create and manage these systems, including Frontier, a platform for building and governing enterprise agents. The company also rolled out ChatGPT Agent, which it says can handle tasks such as trip planning, hotel bookings, competitor research, slide creation and online purchasing without direct intervention.</p> <p>Dresser argued that many organisations are still missing a simple way to deploy agents as effective teammates without having to redesign their operations from scratch. OpenAI’s pitch is that its platform can bridge that gap.</p> <p>The company’s internal figures underline how quickly the market is developing. Dresser said Codex, OpenAI’s coding agent, has passed 3 million users, having been close to zero at the start of the quarter. Paying business users reached 9 million in February, up from 5 million in August, while weekly active users across OpenAI’s products climbed to 910 million.</p> <p>OpenAI’s own guidance on agents suggests the company is still encouraging businesses to start small. In a practical guide published on its website, it recommends first maximising what a single agent can do before splitting work across several systems. It describes two common designs: a central manager agent coordinating specialist agents, and a decentralised setup in which agents operate as peers and hand work off according to their strengths.</p> <p>That technical framing fits a broader industry move towards multi-agent systems. Analysts and executives have increasingly portrayed them as the next stage of enterprise AI, with specialised systems breaking complex work into smaller tasks. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has positioned such architectures at the heart of the company’s future product roadmap.</p> <p>The company’s hiring also points in the same direction. It recently brought in Peter Steinberger, founder of the open-source agent platform OpenClaw, to help lead its efforts in personal AI agents, indicating that OpenAI’s ambitions extend beyond corporate customers.</p> <p>The business momentum comes as OpenAI is also preparing for a possible public listing. Chief financial officer Sarah Friar confirmed this week that retail investors will be included in the share allocation. OpenAI has said it is targeting $85 billion in revenue by 2030, a scale that would depend heavily on agents becoming embedded in everyday business operations rather than remaining an experimental add-on to chat-based tools.</p> <p>For now, the message from OpenAI is clear: the company believes the enterprise market is moving from curiosity to infrastructure, and that the real test is no longer whether businesses will use AI, but how deeply they will wire agents into the way they work.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d877d6da7219bf2fe261c7Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:55:00 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/10/oracle-introduces-ai-powered-agentic-applications-to-transform-customer-experience-management<p>Oracle launches five Fusion Agentic Applications to automate routine tasks, enhance decision-making, and embed AI-driven agents within its customer experience platform, signalling a significant shift in enterprise AI adoption.</p><p>Oracle has added a new layer of automation to its customer experience software, unveiling five Fusion Agentic Applications designed to let AI agents carry out routine work, flag exceptions and support decisions across sales, service and marketing.</p> <p>The launch, announced on 9 April at Oracle’s AI World Tour in New York, extends Oracle’s Fusion Cloud Applications with what the company describes as coordinated teams of specialised agents operating on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and large language models. According to Oracle, the applications can work with unified enterprise data, workflows, policy rules, approval chains and transactional context, all while remaining inside the platform’s existing security controls.</p> <p>The five applications cover a broad stretch of customer operations. Oracle says the Contract Compliance Workspace is intended to scan agreements for policy deviations and recommend next steps, while the Cross-Sell Program Workspace is aimed at spotting expansion opportunities. The Marketing Command Center is designed to help teams identify revenue opportunities from connected enterprise signals, the Sales Command Center focuses on pipeline progression and churn reduction, and the Service Manager Workspace is built to surface escalations and service risks before they appear in standard dashboards.</p> <p>Oracle is also pairing the CX release with an Agentic Applications Builder inside Oracle AI Agent Studio. That tool is meant to let organisations create and run automation using reusable Oracle, partner and external agents without conventional software development. In practice, that positions Oracle as one of the latest major enterprise vendors trying to make agentic AI a built-in part of everyday business software rather than a separate add-on.</p> <p>Chris Leone, Oracle’s executive vice president of Applications Development, said in the company’s announcement that customer expectations and operational complexity had moved beyond traditional systems, creating demand for software that does more than assist staff. Oracle also says the new applications include observability, return-on-investment measurement and safety controls, a sign that governance is being pitched as a core feature rather than an afterthought.</p> <p>The CX announcement follows a wider push by Oracle to embed agentic capabilities across its cloud portfolio. The company’s AI World Tour in New York showcased developments across applications, infrastructure and database technology, while Oracle has separately unveiled agentic applications for finance, supply chain and HR at other recent events. That broader rollout suggests the company is not treating customer experience as a standalone experiment, but as part of a wider enterprise strategy.</p> <p>Oracle did not disclose pricing or release timing for the CX applications. Even so, the announcement underscores how quickly the market for agentic AI in customer-facing software is maturing, with vendors now competing not just on model access, but on whether AI can safely execute work inside complex enterprise processes.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d877d6da7219bf2fe261cbFri, 10 Apr 2026 06:54:58 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/gen-ai/2026/04/10/project44-s-acquisition-of-lunapath-ai-signals-a-move-towards-autonomous-logistics-automation<p>Chicago-based project44 deepens its AI ambitions with the acquisition of LunaPath.ai, aiming to develop a self-executing supply chain platform that acts on operational issues rather than just monitoring freight.</p><p>project44 is deepening its push into artificial intelligence with the acquisition of LunaPath.ai, a move that underlines chief executive Jett McCandless’s ambition to build a supply chain platform that can do more than monitor freight. The Chicago-based company said on 9 April that it had bought the logistics orchestration start-up in an all-cash deal, adding a layer of agentic AI designed to act on operational problems rather than simply flag them.</p> <p>The deal fits neatly into project44’s broader strategy. Over the past decade, the company has built what it describes as a vast real-time logistics data graph, tying together information from ERP, TMS, yard management and visibility systems to create a live picture of freight movement. That foundation has become central to its AI plans, because the company argues that intelligent automation only works properly when it is grounded in accurate operational context.</p> <p>LunaPath’s software is built for exactly that environment. Its AI agents are designed to handle repetitive logistics work such as status checks, proof-of-delivery requests, appointment confirmation, claims initiation and carrier follow-up. Rather than operating as isolated tools, they are meant to coordinate across systems and workflows, helping teams resolve exceptions faster and with less manual intervention.</p> <p>McCandless has been vocal about his preference for AI built into the core of the product rather than layered on top afterwards. He said project44 has spent years testing different platforms and concluded that LunaPath performed best for logistics execution, in part because it was trained specifically for those workflows. The company also says its scale gives it an advantage: project44 now processes 4.6 million shipments a day, a volume it believes improves the quality of automation as more transactions flow through the platform.</p> <p>The acquisition follows a series of AI-related product moves. On 8 April, project44 unveiled an AI agent portfolio at its decision44 event, covering use cases such as freight procurement, disruption response and carrier onboarding. In October 2025, it introduced Multi-Agent Orchestration for its Decision Intelligence Platform, a framework intended to coordinate specialised agents and move operations from reactive problem-solving towards more autonomous execution.</p> <p>project44 has also been building through acquisitions before. Its purchase of Ocean Insights in 2021 expanded its ocean freight intelligence business and helped strengthen its end-to-end visibility offering. The LunaPath deal suggests the company now wants to extend that model from seeing what is happening in the supply chain to actively deciding and doing something about it.</p> <p>For McCandless, the underlying bet is that logistics AI must be native to the workflow if it is to matter at scale. In that sense, the acquisition is less a bolt-on and more a sign of where project44 thinks the market is heading: from data and alerts to systems that can carry out the work themselves.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d877d6da7219bf2fe261b9Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:54:04 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/08/latin-american-smes-shift-focus-to-digital-transformation-for-survival-and-growth<p>Small and medium-sized enterprises in Latin America are increasingly relying on integrated digital systems, AI, and cloud platforms to remain competitive amid persistent structural challenges, with strategic technology adoption now essential for survival and growth.</p><p>The fate of small and medium-sized enterprises in Latin America increasingly hinges on technology choices rather than solely on finance or location. Firms that embrace integrated digital systems are positioning themselves to scale; those that cling to analogue workflows risk exiting the market far sooner.</p> <p>Regional statistics paint a stark picture: CEPAL data indicate that a large share of micro, small and medium firms fail within their first 24 months. Structural constraints such as limited credit, weak infrastructure and regulatory burden remain relevant, but failing to modernise operational and customer-facing systems has emerged as a decisive, and often overlooked, factor in early business failure.</p> <p>Moving core processes to cloud-hosted, unified platforms removes dependence on on‑site hardware and bespoke maintenance, and shortens the distance between strategy and execution. Industry analysis shows that properly integrated customer-relationship management systems can materially boost revenue and deepen customer loyalty when they reshape the entire customer journey rather than only the point of sale. McKinsey’s research on IT-enabled productivity underscores that CRM and related digital tools can lift sales performance but also warns that realising those gains requires planning, skills and upfront investment.</p> <p>Artificial intelligence is amplifying those returns by automating routine decisions, surfacing anomalies in real time and improving forecasting. Consultancies have documented how machine learning layered into operational systems can compress decision cycles from days to seconds, while specialised vendors assert double‑digit uplifts in business-unit revenue after AI deployments. Such claims should be weighed alongside independent analysis and the practical limits of staff capability and data quality.</p> <p>The Software as a Service model widens access to advanced functionality by converting capital outlay into predictable operating expense, enabling firms to scale capacity in line with demand without crippling cashflow. Yet piecemeal adoption, multiple single‑function apps from different suppliers, creates information silos, hidden costs and managerial friction. Executives who can consolidate platforms and simplify vendor landscapes free leadership time to focus on growth instead of firefighting technical complexity.</p> <p>Practical initiatives across the region illustrate the value of targeted support. Fiserv’s ProgramATHON in Costa Rica, for example, mobilised hundreds of developers to build tools that help SMEs capture customer preferences and convert insight into action, demonstrating how skill development and applied digital tools can improve market responsiveness. Similarly, firms offering AI transformation services present roadmaps for readiness assessments, custom models and ongoing support; their materials often reference broader consulting findings but should be treated as supplier statements rather than independent verification.</p> <p>Public policy has a role to play. According to the OECD’s SME Policy Index for Latin America and the Caribbean, micro and small firms make up the vast majority of businesses and provide a majority of formal employment, so improving connectivity, digital skills and access to finance for technology adoption would produce outsized economic benefits. Governments and development partners that design targeted programmes, combining subsidies, training and regulatory simplification, can lower the barriers that currently prevent many entrepreneurs from investing in essential digital tools.</p> <p>For managers of small and medium enterprises the calculus is now strategic rather than elective. Technology needs to be treated as an investment in competitive positioning, not merely an operational expense. When adopted coherently, backed by skills development, data governance and realistic timelines, unified cloud platforms, CRM systems and selective AI can move firms from survival to sustainable growth. Refusing that transition, whether from inertia or misconceptions about cost, leaves companies exposed in an environment where agility and insight increasingly determine which businesses endure.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d602d87eeff949e5c381d7Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:49:54 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/08/unified-supply-chain-software-transforms-logistics-with-real-time-data-integration<p>Modern supply chain platforms are combining planning and execution functions, enabling businesses to respond swiftly to disruptions and optimise operations through real-time data and automation.</p><p>Supply chain and logistics software has evolved from a collection of specialised tools into the technology that now shapes how goods move from suppliers to customers. Where once planning, procurement, warehousing and transport were managed in separate systems, modern solutions aim to knit those functions together so businesses can make faster, more informed operational choices.</p> <p>At the planning end, platforms concentrate on forecasting, sourcing and inventory decisions. These systems use historical sales, supplier performance and increasingly granular real‑time inputs to align production and purchasing with expected demand. According to ToolsGroup’s report on inventory optimisation, advanced models that adapt to intermittent and slow‑moving demand can cut inventory while sustaining service levels across complex, multi‑echelon networks. Procurement and production teams rely on these capabilities to reduce stockouts and lower working capital without sacrificing responsiveness.</p> <p>On the execution side, logistics software controls the physical movement of goods. Transportation management, route and fleet optimisation, dispatching and live shipment visibility are core functions. Industry coverage of supply chain visibility stresses that timely, shared data is essential for firms operating in rapidly changing markets, enabling planners to react to delays, capacity shifts or spikes in demand without costly manual coordination. Vendors such as LogiNext emphasise end‑to‑end delivery automation and real‑time field tracking to improve last‑mile reliability and transparency for retailers and carriers.</p> <p>Bringing the two layers together is the defining trend. Platforms that unify planning and execution reduce data silos, allowing an inventory shortfall or transport disruption to trigger automatic reallocation, alternate sourcing or rerouting. This real‑time feedback loop turns previously reactive processes into proactive operations that can scale across geographies and channels. SupplyChainBrief highlights that visibility and collaboration tools remain top priorities for companies seeking resilience and speed.</p> <p>The market remains diverse. Aggregated vendor lists for 2024 identify a mix of legacy enterprise suites, Oracle NetSuite and SAP among them, alongside specialised players such as FreightPOP, Anvyl, Precoro and warehouse management systems like Logiwa. According to IQStreamTech’s compilation of leading solutions, organisations often combine best‑of‑breed modules for procurement, inventory and transport rather than relying on a single monolithic package, reflecting differing needs by size and industry.</p> <p>Investment is flowing into efforts to simplify that fragmentation. According to Axios, Dave Clark, Amazon’s former logistics chief, launched Auger with $100 million of backing from Oak HC/FT to build a unified, data‑centric platform that consolidates disparate supply‑chain data and applies semantic analysis. Clark’s experience at Amazon underscores the commercial appetite for end‑to‑end systems that can serve both major merchants and smaller sellers by reducing integration friction and surfacing actionable insights.</p> <p>For firms evaluating software in 2026, the practical choices hinge on three trade‑offs: depth versus breadth of functionality, the quality of real‑time data feeds and the ease of integrating with existing enterprise systems. Organisations that prioritise inventory efficiency should look for self‑adaptive forecasting and multi‑node optimisation; those focused on delivery performance need robust routing, fleet telematics and live customer communications. Across use cases, the value lies less in individual features than in how seamlessly the platform aligns planning decisions with on‑the‑ground execution to cut cost, improve fulfilment and accelerate recovery from disruptions.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d5d6222bf65205b8d3ba56Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:49:34 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/08/procurement-teams-rapidly-adopting-autonomous-ai-agents-to-transform-end-to-end-processes-by-2026<p>By 2026, procurement functions are shifting from reactive AI tools to autonomous, persistent agents that manage complex workflows, with industry leaders emphasising governance and measurable outcomes to ensure effective deployment.</p><p>In 2026 procurement teams have moved past debating whether AI belongs in their function and are instead redesigning how work is done around autonomous systems that act, not merely respond. Where earlier deployments concentrated on chat interfaces, dashboards and document summarisation, a new generation of stateful AI agents is changing the shape of the end-to-end procurement lifecycle by retaining context, coordinating across specialised roles and executing within defined governance boundaries.</p> <p>The distinguishing capability of these agents is persistence. Unlike one-off chat sessions that lose context once closed, agents maintain project state over days or months , tracking budgets, evaluation criteria, past compliance checks and stakeholder input so a paused sourcing event or prolonged negotiation can resume without restarting the information-gathering process. Organisations are increasingly deploying teams of specialised agents , for sourcing, risk, legal and negotiation , that hand off context and form dynamic working groups as requirements evolve. Those agents monitor contract milestones, flag price deviations, trigger replenishment and validate invoices proactively, shifting procurement from a human-initiated workflow to continuous, rules-driven execution.</p> <p>Adoption data underpins this transition. According to research cited by SupplyChainBrain, generative AI use in procurement climbed sharply from roughly half of teams to the vast majority within a year, reflecting procurement’s early embrace of AI relative to other enterprise functions. Industry trackers and vendors also point to a surge in pilots and early deployments: SpecLens reports that more than 60% of procurement organisations were piloting or deploying AI by 2026, up markedly from earlier years, while Gartner projects exponential growth in spend on supply‑chain software with agentic AI, forecasting enterprise investment to expand from under $2 billion in 2025 to $53 billion by 2030.</p> <p>That momentum coexists with a cautionary reality about measurable return. Academic and industry studies have shown that most AI pilots historically failed to produce clear profit‑and‑loss improvements because projects were unfocused, lacked domain fit or were not embedded into business processes. A pattern emerging across successful European deployments is iterative and disciplined: begin with narrow, high-volume tasks such as invoice matching or spend classification; define concrete ROI metrics; and then redesign workflows around agent capabilities rather than bolting tools on top of existing ways of working. Deloitte’s survey of chief procurement officers likewise finds that generative AI is freeing practitioners from routine tasks and enabling a shift toward strategic activities, provided organisations reconfigure roles and controls.</p> <p>Practical deployments reinforce this sequence. Early agent use cases concentrate on procure‑to‑pay fundamentals , purchase‑order creation, three‑way matching, contract renewal alerts and spend tagging , where rules are explicit and risk is limited. As governance matures, higher‑value functions follow: predictive risk monitoring that scans supplier financials, news and logistics data for early disruption signals; negotiation support that models benchmarks and counteroffers in real time; and continuous regulatory mapping that turns compliance into an always‑on capability. Gartner’s 2024 analysis cautioned that generative AI for procurement reached a peak of inflated expectations, but anticipated a rapid move to productivity as organisations adopt realistic strategies and controls , a projection that recent investment trends and vendor roadmaps appear to validate.</p> <p>Governance, not capability alone, determines whether autonomous procurement is deployable in regulated or high‑stakes settings. Trust from finance, audit and compliance teams requires a glass‑box approach: every agent action must be logged and explainable, decision limits and escalation rules must be explicit, and human‑in‑the‑loop checkpoints must be enforced for transactions above defined thresholds. In practice that means accountability shifts upstream from transaction processors to the owners of agent configuration and policy: agent logic itself becomes a form of auditable operating procedure.</p> <p>Organisations are optimising for two distinct objectives. Mid‑market firms prioritise capacity , processing higher volumes without hiring commensurate headcount , while large enterprises emphasise compliance and resilience, seeking near‑perfect adherence rates and earlier risk detection. Cost savings typically follow once agents absorb the bulk of routine activity, enabling procurement professionals to reallocate effort toward supplier relationship management, category strategy and value creation.</p> <p>Realistic expectations anticipate a redistribution of work rather than wholesale replacement. A prudent projection for the 2026–2028 window is that agents will handle a majority of transactional activity , potentially 60%–70% of routine end‑to‑end procurement tasks , while humans remain central to strategic sourcing, complex negotiations and new‑category development. Procurement leaders who map explicit rules, measurable thresholds and repetitive friction points will be best placed to deploy agents safely and scale them where they deliver verified outcomes.</p> <p>Data quality remains a consideration but not an absolute barrier. Modern agentic workflows can operate as overlays on legacy systems and in many cases help to normalise and enrich messy data as they run. Procurement guides emphasise that strong baselines, governed processes and measured pilots produce sustainable value; without them, AI becomes a string of impressive demos rather than operational infrastructure.</p> <p>The industry is at an inflection point. SupplyChainBrain’s analysis, combined with vendor and analyst reporting from Gartner, Deloitte and specialist research, shows both the technical and commercial contours of the shift: widespread tooling adoption, growing enterprise investment in agentic platforms, and a pragmatic progression from low‑risk automation to higher‑value autonomous functions. The companies that close the gap between individual user adoption and enterprise‑level transformation , by embedding governance, redesigning workflows and measuring outcomes , will define procurement leadership over the next two years.</p> <p>Denis Rasulev is a business development executive at Digicode Europe.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d5d6222bf65205b8d3ba50Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:49:25 +0000http://srmtoday.makes.news/gb/en/digital-transformation/2026/04/08/indias-logistics-transformation-accelerates-with-digital-and-green-innovations-by-2030<p>India's logistics sector is set for a significant overhaul by 2030, with advancements in digital connectivity, green technologies and integrated market structures promising increased efficiency and environmental benefits, but requiring coordinated efforts to realise its full potential.</p><p>India’s logistics landscape is poised for a marked transformation by 2030 as digital platforms, greener operations and new market structures redraw how goods move across the country and beyond. What is now a fragmented ecosystem of carriers, informal operators and disparate data sources is moving towards far greater visibility and coordination, driven by advances in connectivity, analytics and regulatory digitisation.</p> <p>End-to-end data integration will underpin much of this change. Real-time tracking, predictive analytics and AI-based routing are expected to become routine tools for fleets and shippers alike, narrowing the information gap between large operators and small owner‑drivers. According to a market study by Transcript‑IQ, India’s smart fleet management market for road freight could expand from $4.3 billion in 2025 to $12.5 billion by 2030, with roughly 40% of trucks digitally connected and operational efficiency rising by about 30%. The report also forecasts that such connectivity will cut CO₂ emissions from freight by nearly a quarter, reflecting the dual commercial and environmental incentives for digital uptake.</p> <p>Automation of compliance and trade paperwork will further lower barriers for smaller providers. Digital processing of e‑way bills, GST reconciliation and vehicle certification is likely to reduce administrative friction and enable wider participation in formal logistics marketplaces. This trend could facilitate more transparent price discovery and broaden access to demand, particularly if a trusted national platform is built atop existing government initiatives and digital stacks.</p> <p>Sustainability is set to move from aspiration to design principle across the supply chain. Industry analyses and policy commentary highlight a multimodal approach combining electrification, alternative fuels and efficiency measures as central to cutting the sector’s carbon intensity. S&amp;P Global research stresses the need for a pragmatic blend of electric vehicles, biofuels and green hydrogen for heavy transport, while noting obstacles such as high capital costs, limited range and nascent charging networks. Complementary measures , localisation of manufacturing, battery recycling and workforce skills development , are flagged as essential to scale green mobility.</p> <p>Warehousing and logistics real estate will reflect the sustainability pivot as well as the e‑commerce boom. JLL projects certified green warehousing space to increase sharply by 2030, rising from roughly 65 million square feet in 2024 to about 270 million square feet, as institutional investors and large users favour energy‑efficient design, rooftop solar and smart building systems. Companies already piloting renewable‑powered warehouses and electrified last‑mile fleets point to lower operating costs and improved supply resilience as principal benefits.</p> <p>Resilience will remain an organising concern. Greater data sharing and scenario modelling using AI and machine learning will help operators anticipate disruptions from extreme weather, demand surges or policy shifts and reallocate capacity more quickly. Experts emphasise that collaboration across carriers, shippers, regulators and informal networks will be crucial: integrating previously informal operators into digital flows can add redundancy and agility, converting potential bottlenecks into alternative routing options.</p> <p>Finally, strategic intelligence drawn from aggregated operational data will inform investment choices across infrastructure, fleet renewal and technology adoption. Policy makers, investors and corporate leaders are likely to rely increasingly on such insight when prioritising corridors, incentives and capacity expansion. If these converging trends materialise, India’s logistics system could emerge by 2030 as a more efficient, lower‑carbon and more adaptive component of global supply chains , but realising that outcome will require sustained coordination among government, industry and finance to overcome cost, infrastructure and skills challenges.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://www.noahwire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noah Wire Services</a></p>69d5d6222bf65205b8d3ba4cWed, 08 Apr 2026 11:49:15 +0000