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Water-related damage an increasing supply chain risk

One-third of respondents to a survey said floods and droughts have already affected their supply chains.

Add water to the list of things most supply chain managers probably don't worry about but should.

Two-thirds (66 percent) of the 190 organizations that were studied for the second annual CDP Water Disclosure Global Report issued by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) said exposure to water-related risk could have a potential impact on their supply chains in the next five years. One-third of the respondents, in fact, said their companies have already suffered water-related business impacts. Water-related business impacts include disruptions to operations from severe weather events like floods or water shortages.


The CDP noted that in 2011, some of the worst droughts in decades have hit regions of China, East Africa, the Middle East, and the United States. Recent flooding has inundated Thailand, while Queensland, Australia, earlier this year had its prolonged drought alleviated by once-in-100-years floods.

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Global robot density in factories has doubled in 7 years

Global robot density in factories has doubled in seven years, according to the “World Robotics 2024 report,” presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

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Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

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That’s according to the DHL 2024 Peak Season Shipping Survey, released today by express shipping service provider DHL Express U.S. The company surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gauge their holiday business outlook compared to last year and found that a mix of optimism and “strategic caution” prevail ahead of this year’s peak.

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Consumer sales kept ticking in October, NRF says

Retail sales grew solidly over the past two months, demonstrating households’ capacity to spend and the strength of the economy, according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Census data showed that overall retail sales in October were up 0.4% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 2.8% unadjusted year over year. That compared with increases of 0.8% month over month and 2% year over year in September.

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Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Mobile robots, drones move beyond the hype

Supply chains are poised for accelerated adoption of mobile robots and drones as those technologies mature and companies focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across their logistics operations.

That’s according to data from Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, released this week. The report shows that several mobile robotics technologies will mature over the next two to five years, and also identifies breakthrough and rising technologies set to have an impact further out.

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