Manifest 2023 is in the books! It was an awesome event and we’re honored to be among 3,000 innovators and leaders in the supply chain space who are all focused on the same mission — to further the logistics and the supply chain technology space.

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We saw tons of cool advancements, like DHL’s new robots made by Boston Dynamics, the live signing of Maersk and Ashdod Port agreeing to collaborate on logistics and supply chain innovation, and Mujin and Geek+ partnering to provide total order fulfillment automation. But the biggest takeaway from the event was the overarching commitment organizations big and small have to address one of our most pressing issues — sustainability. Read on to see what some of the biggest names in the space shared about their strategies and goals.

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Reducing our carbon footprint

PepsiCo’s Director of Fleet Engineering and Sustainability, Adam Buttgenbach, is leading the charge in the decarbonization of the supply chain at PepsiCo. His biggest piece of advice, and one we agree with, is not to let perfection get in the way of progress. Instead of waiting for the perfect solution, look to implement anything that is an improvement in comparison to the current model, it’s a step in the right direction.

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One way they’re doing this is through pep+ (PepsiCo Positive), their strategic end-to-end initiative to transform business operations entirely; from how ingredients are sourced to connecting with consumers and engaging them to make decisions that are better for themselves and the planet.

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DHL is another company that views sustainability not only as a benefit to the greater environment but as a huge business opportunity. DHL Supply Chain VP of GoGreen in North America, Stephan Schablinski, emphasized that DHL wants to leave a habitable planet. One way they’ve committed to that goal is by creating a team guided by a well-financed roadmap to achieving sustainability goals. By investing in the right people to drive the culture, the whole company becomes part of the sustainability effort, making its goals more attainable.

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Actually working together

Because the team at SemiCab has been talking about collaboration since our inception, we were excited to find a large number of other innovators also talking about the topic at Manifest 2023. One of them was WalMart. Sam Walton, the late founder of Walmart once said, “We’re all working together, that’s the secret.” In this spirit, Walmart partnered with Platform Science’s connected vehicle platform in June 2022, to improve the daily operation of their 12,000+ drivers. By collaborating, Walmart is giving its drivers better visibility, enhanced communication, and improved quality of life.

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We also learned about Ryder’s asset-sharing program, COOP by Ryder, which operates in high-density transportation markets and empowers businesses to leverage their platform to list and rent vehicles anywhere in the United States. This truck and trailer sharing program helps companies monetize underutilized fleets, leading to increased efficiencies. This helps companies of all sizes secure well-maintained trucks as needed.

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It’s all about working together to advance groundbreaking technology for the benefit of all. That’s exactly what Ajesh Kapoor, SemiCab CEO and Founder, spoke about during his presentation at Manifest 2023. Because of the many challenges consumer brands and manufacturers face, like lead time variability, shipment delays, carrier performance volatility, empty miles, and high costs, there needs to be a change. The transactional relationships that have been the norm to this day have got to go, it’s time for a new mindset for transportation management and fulfillment. Managing transportation in silos will soon be replaced by a broader, network approach that extends across the enterprise- and across multiple enterprises. SemiCab delivers a collective, customer-centric fulfillment model for transportation, driven by aggregate demand and supply.

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There’s room for fun too

And while Manifest 2023 was clearly focused on industry-wide improvements, we cannot deny there was a spotlight on levity too, fun was had by all! Walking the expo halls was mesmerizing and educational in and of itself. The puppy lounge was as adorable as you can imagine, and the entertainment was “lit,” as the millennials would say. And for many, it was a walk down memory lane, with an unforgettable performance by the one and only, Nelly.

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What stood out to you? Did you leave inspired and ready for more? Did you leave thinking it was time to get more strategic about transportation? We want to hear your thoughts, so shoot us an email at tellmemore@semicab.com, and let's see if we can create highly efficient and reliable
transportation together.