Uncertainty is the only certainty in supply chain these days, so implementing the right technology in your operations is key, says Benji Fountain, account manager at enVista.

In Fountain’s view, three major areas have captured the attention of warehouse and supply chain operators today: automation and robotics, applications in the cloud, and artificial intelligence.

“A lot of people are looking to combat the challenges of getting people to work in the warehouse or of retaining them,” he says. “So they're looking at automation and robotics to make their operations more efficient.

 “Second,” he says, “I think we've seen a clear shift to the cloud and supply chain applications. A lot of these on-premise solutions are now being hosted in the cloud.

“And the last one that's on everyone's mind is incorporating AI into our supply chain to make it more efficient.”

Fountain believes artificial intelligence may be highly beneficial in inventory management. “Think about where that inventory is sitting, and the analysis you can do when looking at the flow of your inventory,” he says. “Incorporating those metrics that you're pulling from all these different data sources allows you to make the best decisions.”

Sustainability and resilience could easily be two of the most frequently used words by supply chain managers, but “adaptability” is the word Fountain uses to characterize the supply chain space in 2024. When he reviews disruptions in recent years, not least of which is what the pandemic brought on, he says being able to adapt to whatever comes one’s way is essential. COVID-19 revealed the inadequacy of the just-in-time inventory model, he says. Then, in post-pandemic days, too much safety stock was kept on hand.

“I think being able to adapt on your feet and make those decisions to run an optimal supply chain is going to be the key,” Fountain says.