Innovation of the Year: Smart packaging creates right size box for every item shipped from e-commerce centers Winner: Staples & Packsize International; Runner-Up: PepsiCo; Finalists: LMI, Motorola Solutions, Pa. Liquor Control Board, IBM

With excessive packaging as the top complaint of customers, Staples found a technology that created the right size box for every item shipped from its e-commerce centers. In doing so, it wins the annual Supply Chain Innovation Award, sponsored by SupplyChainBrain and CSCMP.

With excessive packaging as the top complaint of customers, Staples found a technology that created the right size box for every item shipped from its e-commerce centers. In doing so, it wins the annual Supply Chain Innovation Award, sponsored by SupplyChainBrain and CSCMP.

A conversation with Richard Sawyer, vice president of supply chain with Dole Fresh Vegetables.

To serve its demanding government and business customers, the company needed to find a way to resolve any potential service problems in the quickest and most cost-effective manner possible.

The customer expects shoe retailer DSW to be able to gather the shoes she wants, regardless of how she's shopping and regardless of where the shoe is located in the retailer's system. So it's good news that DSW reports it has made significant progress on its omnichannel initiative.

More predictions for the future of supply-chain management, courtesy of a panel of industry insiders at the fifth annual seer-fest sponsored by the San Francisco Roundtable of the Council of Supply-Chain Management Professionals: