Supply Chain Now

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Karin Bursa are joined by Mark Schenecker, VP of Manufacturing Industries at Coupa, for a data-driven conversation on the future of direct procurement. Drawing from Coupa's State of Direct Procurement 2026 report, Mark unpacks why procurement leaders are pulling away from the pack and why AI alone isn't the differentiator many organizations think it is. From fragmented data and disconnected workflows to the growing importance of supplier visibility and risk intelligence, the discussion explores what separates companies that react to disruption from those that anticipate it.

On this episode of The Buzz, powered by APL Logistics, hosts Scott Luton and Richard Donaldson break down the latest developments shaping global supply chains, transportation, technology, and workforce safety. From geopolitical developments impacting global shipping lanes to autonomous trucking, World Cup logistics, and innovative warehouse safety solutions, this conversation delivers timely insights on the trends supply chain leaders need to understand.

Every organization relies on secure digital connections across suppliers, partners, and platforms. Yet many of the technologies that protect those connections were built for a world before quantum computing. While practical quantum capabilities may still seem years away, the risks associated with them are already prompting concern, particularly as encrypted data collected today could potentially be decrypted in the future. For supply chain leaders, that creates a unique challenge: preparing for a technological shift that is still emerging while protecting information that remains valuable far into the future. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott W. Luton and Karin Bursa sit down with Akhilesh Agarwal, President of P2P Solutions and Technology at apexanalytix, and William McNeill, Vice President of Market Intelligence, for a conversation on what the quantum era could mean for supply chains. Together, they unpack the growing conversation around quantum computing, the implications of "harvest now, decrypt later" strategies, and why supply chain ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable due to the vast amounts of supplier, financial, and contractual data that move across them every day. As digital transformation continues to accelerate, they discuss why understanding emerging risks today may be just as important as preparing for the opportunities quantum technologies could unlock tomorrow. Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (00:42) Quantum risks supply chain leaders must know (02:13) Meet apexanalytix quantum risk experts (03:35) Space exploration lessons for innovation (07:03) Apexanalytix protects supplier data at scale (10:16) Why they wrote The Quantum Paradox (10:46) Harvest now decrypt later threat (15:46) Where to start with quantum readiness (21:38) Four major supply chain impacts (24:39) Supplier risk extends beyond tier one (26:27) Why supplier collaboration matters (27:42) Building a three-to-five-year quantum plan (33:20) Audit technology stack and supplier data (48:47) White paper resources and next steps (51:37) Gartner recognition and key takeaway (54:48) Act now on quantum readiness Additional Links & Resources: Connect with Akhilesh Agarwal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhilesh78/ Connect with William McNeill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wimcneill/ Learn more about apexanalytix: https://www.apexanalytix.com/ Learn more about Qbiton: https://www.qbiton.com/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/ WEBINAR- Amazon Supply Chain 101: Enabling efficiency and growth for businesses everywhere–and everywhere they sell: https://bit.ly/49r8N7D WEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAf WEBINAR- AI that moves at velocity: Cut through latency with agentic workflows: https://bit.ly/4x4626t This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/leader-briefing-quantum-risk-to-practical-action-1596 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Buzz, we explore the future of reverse logistics, circularity, supply chain design, and the growing role of AI in transforming how businesses move, manage, and reuse products. Welcome to The Buzz, powered by OptiLogic!Hosts Scott Luton and Richard Donaldson break down several major supply chain developments, including the rise of AI-first supply chain design, the growing need for visibility in big and bulky retail deliveries, and Amazon’s expanding supply chain services. Special guest Sender Shamiss, CEO and co-founder of ReturnPro, joins the conversation to unpack why reverse logistics is becoming a major strategic opportunity, not just a cost center. From returns management and recommerce to circularity, fraud detection, and the future of reusable materials, this episode offers a practical look at how supply chain leaders can unlock value, reduce waste, and rethink what happens after the sale.Key Learnings & TakeawaysAI-first supply chain design is accelerating smarter, faster decision-makingBig and bulky retail delivery still needs better visibility and customer communicationAmazon’s supply chain services could reshape fulfillment, logistics, and recommerceReverse logistics is moving from a back-end function to a strategic growth engineReuse should come before recycling when building circular supply chainsReturns fraud is creating new challenges—and new technology opportunitiesCircularity will require better data, smarter systems, and more investmentAs supply chains become more complex, the biggest opportunities may come from rethinking what already exists: returned products, reused materials, smarter networks, and better visibility. This episode is a must-listen for leaders looking to turn reverse logistics from a challenge into a competitive advantage.Additional Links & Resources:Optilogic: https://optilogic.com/Optilogic Webinar: Ahead of Disruption: https://bit.ly/AI-First-SupplyChainDesignWith That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-9-May-2026Why big and bulky delivery is the final frontier for retail supply chains: https://bit.ly/Big-And-Bulky-InnovationAmazon opens logistics network to all businesses: https://bit.ly/Amazon-Launches-ASCSReverse Logistics: The Strategic Engine Driving the Secondary Mobile Device Market: https://bit.ly/Mobile-Device-Reverse-LogisticsStartup Pitches X-Rays and AI to Catch Fraudulent Returns: https://bit.ly/42wavRpReturnPro: https://www.returnpro.com/Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/Sender on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sender-shamiss-19796515/Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarddonaldson/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- There's No Finish Line in Leadership: Tips to Optimize Your Strategy & Execution: https://bit.ly/4tHOWJAWEBINAR- Delivering Flawless Field Service with Predictive Insights and AI: https://bit.ly/4sXVZfVWEBINAR- From AI Pilots to Performance: How Supply Chain Leaders Are Scaling Agentic AI: https://bit.ly/49hCqIqWEBINAR- Amazon Supply Chain 101: Enabling efficiency and growth for businesses everywhere–and everywhere they sell: https://bit.ly/49r8N7DWEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAfThis episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Richard Donaldson, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-reverse-logistics-reshaping-retail-recommerce-1584

National Supply Chain Day started with a simple idea: the people who keep the world moving deserve to be seen.In this special episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Mary Kate Love, President of Supply Chain Now, welcome Dr. Stephanie Thomas, Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas and Executive Director of WISE, for a conversation on the people powering the global supply chain.The episode also features a keynote from Billy Ray Taylor, CEO and founder of LinkedXL, plus award recognition for Keith Moore of AutoScheduler.AI and Jim Opoka, recently retired from FEMA.Together, they celebrate the people behind hospital shelves, disaster relief, warehouse execution, and the next generation entering the field, while exploring clarity, ownership, people skills, AI, and why every supply chain professional should tell their story.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(02:07) The mission behind National Supply Chain Day(03:08) Celebrating the anniversary: A look back at the first NSCD(06:11) Billy Ray Taylor keynote begins(07:13) Deliberate clarity & the 17-inch standard(10:59) Deliberate ownership(18:23) Unpacking Billy Ray's key takeaways(21:25) 2026 supply chain pressures & macro disruptions(31:03) Dr. Stephanie Thomas joins WISE & inspiring the next generation(32:39) Celebrating unsung heroes in supply chain(41:40) Supply chain trends, AI, resilience & people-first thinking(55:00) Leadership challengeAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Stephanie Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniethomasuark/Connect with Mary Kate Love: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklove/Connect with Billy Ray Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyrtaylor/Connect with Keith Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithdmoore13/Learn more about LinkedXL: https://linkedxl.com/Learn more about AutoScheduler.AI: https://autoscheduler.ai/Learn more about the University of Arkansas: https://www.uark.edu/Learn more about WISE: https://walton.uark.edu/departments/supplychain/wise.phpLearn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/aboutLearn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/WEBINAR- How “Almost Right” Shipping Decisions Turn Into Six-Figure Losses: https://bit.ly/4mMov2TWEBINAR- There's No Finish Line in Leadership: Tips to Optimize Your Strategy & Execution: https://bit.ly/4tHOWJAWEBINAR- Delivering Flawless Field Service with Predictive Insights and AI: https://bit.ly/4sXVZfVWEBINAR- From AI Pilots to Performance: How Supply Chain Leaders Are Scaling Agentic AI: https://bit.ly/49hCqIqThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Mary Kate Love and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/celebrating-national-supply-chain-day-1582