As ever-larger "megacities" become home to more and more of the world's people, the supply chains that bring essential supplies to these crowded populations will become increasingly complex.

In his 1999 book, "Business at the Speed of Thought", Bill Gates wrote: "How you gather, manage and use information will determine whether you win or lose." The book may be more than 10 years old, but this statement has never been more relevant to today's complex supply chain environment in South Africa.

UTi Worldwide Inc., a global supply chain services and solutions company, officially opened its new London operations in Heathrow, United Kingdom.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo has become the first British airline to accept the new Sentry FlightSafe tracking device, developed by Texas-based airborne asset tracking solutions company OnAsset Intelligence, on its aircraft.

Technology executives are the biggest buyers from a mobile device, with more than two-fifths reporting they use mobile to research transactions greater than $100,000, according to a Forbes Insights and Google survey of 511 executives.

Smith and Associates surveyed 200 respondents spanning across the electronics industry and found that 68 percent identified mobile applications as the most influential technology in the supply chain. Although some organizations are still using traditional tools in the supply chain process, more companies are now turning to smartphones, handheld computers and other mobile devices to reap the benefits of improved mobility and flexibility.