Key Logistics and Supply Chain Trends at RILA LINK 2024

02/24/2024

The following blog was contributed by Jeff Ashcroft, AVP of Sales for KNNX Corp.

On January 2nd 2024 I shared my Top 6 Logistics and Supply Chain Trends for the coming year.

To recap, my Top 6 Logistics & Supply Chain predictions and trends for 2024 are:

Robotics
Electrification
AI in Supply Chain
Real Time Freight Invoicing
Nearshoring
Sustainability

Have been attending these RILA Supply Chain events since it was the IMRA in the late 1980s.

In 2020 when this conference first became RILA LINK Supply Chain I posted the below piece which traces the entire history of the event!

The Evolution Continues: RILA Supply Chain Becomes the RILA LINK Conference

New for RILA LINK Supply Chain 2024 are:

Check out the LINK LIVE Lounge in the EXPO (see the video)
LINK 2024 will also have a record number of retail, grocer, and consumer brands attending the event!
And this year there will be more Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCOs) in attendance than ever before with over 60!
This year RILA even has the jump on ESPN as Bill Belichik’s first interview since stepping down as Patriots coach…will not be on ESPN ….it will be on the RILA LINK stage!

Reviewing each of these trends below have highlighted relevant sessions and exhibitors for each of these to make them easy for you to find:

1. Robotics As one might expect there’s not specific sessions on robots/robotics (more of a Modex topic), but here’s list of eight Exhibitors to visit if you’re interested in learning more on Robotics!

2. Electrification Please see below the most electrification specific session found, however if you check out the sessions under item 6) Sustainability below many of these will potentially include EV components

FEB 26th 11:15 am - 12 noon The U.S. National Transportation Decarbonization Blueprint and The Role of Retail Supply Chain Collaboration LOCATION: Grapevine B

3. AI in Supply Chain

This is definitely the most talked about of these topics at this year’s RILA LINK with 8 AI sessions!

Feb 26th 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM Investing to Meet the Evolving Customer: A Conversation with IKEA - Texas Ballroom
Feb 26th 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM How to Make 2024 the Year of Strategic Optimization for Retail - Grapevine C
Feb 26th 12:30 PM – 12:40 PM Startup Pitch & Interview with BlueCargo - LINK Live Lounge
Feb 26th 12:50 PM – 1:00 PM - Startup Pitch & Interview with Dropit Shopping - LINK Live Lounge
Feb 27th 12:20 PM – 12:30 PM - Startup Pitch & Interview with Newmine - LINK Live Lounge
Feb 27th 12:40 PM – 12:50 PM - Startup Pitch & Interview with FenixCommerce - LINK Live Lounge
Feb 28th 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM - Embracing Innovation: Turning Tomorrow’s Tech into Today’s Results - Grapevine B
Feb 28th 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM Inventory, Demand Planning and Supply Chains: Getting It Less Wrong! - Grapevine A

4. Real Time Freight Invoicing – Completely new process and technology leveraging blockchain to automate the accurate creation of freight invoices utilizing Smart Freight Contracts. Check out this Collaboration Zone Video for a 90 second preview and highlighted differences of this gamechanging technology! Visit KNNX Corp at booth K-10 while you’re in the Expo to learn more and say hello!

5. Sustainability
Top of mind with all business and supply chain leaders these days is sustainability. Next to AI, this is the topic with most sessions at this year’s RILA LINK Conference!

FEB 26th, 8:45 am - 9:15 am Investing to Meet the Evolving Customer: A Conversation with IKEA - Texas Ballroom
FEB 27th 9:35 am - 10:15 am Strong Ecosystem Partnerships: Collaborative Planning to Tackle Big Challenges - Texas Ballroom
FEB 27TH 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM- Accelerating Your Transportation Emissions Data Journey (Workshop & Roundtable) - Grapevine D
FEB 27TH 2:00 PM – 2:45 AM Enhancing Community Engagement through Retailer and Supplier Diversity Partnerships - Grapevine B

As always really looking forward to this year’s RILA LINK as an opportunity to catch up with many of my long time logistics and supply chain colleagues as well as meet new ones.

And as AI and Sustainability are high on my priority list very excited to learn more and expand horizons on the latest applications and developments around these key topics!

Cheers
Jeff Ashcroft