Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

Supply chain pioneer's new book provides a personal take on life and business

Joe Andraski's My Incredible Supply Chain Journey ... and What You Can Learn From It is a unique account of his personal story, Nabisco history, and what makes a supply chain organization great.

Few people in logistics and supply chain management have seen as much change—or as much turmoil— as Joseph C. Andraski has. In his new book, My Incredible Supply Chain Journey ... and What You Can Learn From It, Andraski tells of the "teamwork, trials, and triumphs" he has experienced throughout his life.

The former Nabisco supply chain executive charts his personal story, from his early days in a tough Pennsylvania coal-mining town through the turbulence of Nabisco's famous merger-and-acquisition saga, and beyond. Along the way, the straight-shooting Andraski explains in his famously colloquial style what made Nabisco's innovative Integrated Logistics organization so successful, comments on game-changing technologies, and offers heartfelt advice for anyone who's climbing the career ladder today.


The book includes several unique features, including the author's autobiography and a collection of his pithy "rules to live by." An appendix offers a variety of extras, including articles about managing change, implementing a CPFR (collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment) program, a glossary of Nabisco-era terms, and much more. Our favorite: a collection of fascinating reminiscences of days gone by at Nabisco and its predecessor, Standard Brands, contributed by Andraski's former colleagues. (Don't miss the story of how the Reggie Candy Bar almost missed its public debut, and Peter Rogers' hilarious stories about life under the iron fist of Standard Brands CEO Henry Weigl.)

Andraski currently heads the boutique supply chain consulting firm Collaborative Energizer LLC. Following his career at Nabisco, he served as president and CEO of VICS (Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions). He has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to the retail industry and the logistics and supply chain management professions, including the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Distinguished Service Award, the VICS Milliken Achievement Award, and the Salzberg Medallion.

My Incredible Supply Chain Journey ... and What You Can Learn From It is available in electronic and paperback versions at Amazon.com. According to Andraski, all profits will go to charities, including the Wounded Warriors Project.

Recent

More Stories

Logistics economy continues on solid footing
Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics economy continues on solid footing

Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded in November, continuing a steady growth pattern that began earlier this year and signaling a return to seasonality after several years of fluctuating conditions, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index report (LMI), released today.

The November LMI registered 58.4, down slightly from October’s reading of 58.9, which was the highest level in two years. The LMI is a monthly gauge of business conditions across warehousing and logistics markets; a reading above 50 indicates growth and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

chart of top business concerns from descartes

Descartes: businesses say top concern is tariff hikes

Business leaders at companies of every size say that rising tariffs and trade barriers are the most significant global trade challenge facing logistics and supply chain leaders today, according to a survey from supply chain software provider Descartes.

Specifically, 48% of respondents identified rising tariffs and trade barriers as their top concern, followed by supply chain disruptions at 45% and geopolitical instability at 41%. Moreover, tariffs and trade barriers ranked as the priority issue regardless of company size, as respondents at companies with less than 250 employees, 251-500, 501-1,000, 1,001-50,000 and 50,000+ employees all cited it as the most significant issue they are currently facing.

Keep ReadingShow less
diagram of blue yonder software platforms

Blue Yonder users see supply chains rocked by hack

Grocers and retailers are struggling to get their systems back online just before the winter holiday peak, following a software hack that hit the supply chain software provider Blue Yonder this week.

The ransomware attack is snarling inventory distribution patterns because of its impact on systems such as the employee scheduling system for coffee stalwart Starbucks, according to a published report. Scottsdale, Arizona-based Blue Yonder provides a wide range of supply chain software, including warehouse management system (WMS), transportation management system (TMS), order management and commerce, network and control tower, returns management, and others.

Keep ReadingShow less
drawing of person using AI

Amazon invests another $4 billion in AI-maker Anthropic

Amazon has deepened its collaboration with the artificial intelligence (AI) developer Anthropic, investing another $4 billion in the San Francisco-based firm and agreeing to establish Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary training partner and to collaborate on developing its specialized machine learning (ML) chip called AWS Trainium.

The new funding brings Amazon's total investment in Anthropic to $8 billion, while maintaining the e-commerce giant’s position as a minority investor, according to Anthropic. The partnership was launched in 2023, when Amazon invested its first $4 billion round in the firm.

Keep ReadingShow less
forklifts working in a warehouse

Averitt tracks three hurdles for international trade in 2025

Businesses engaged in international trade face three major supply chain hurdles as they head into 2025: the disruptions caused by Chinese New Year (CNY), the looming threat of potential tariffs on foreign-made products that could be imposed by the incoming Trump Administration, and the unresolved contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), according to an analysis from trucking and logistics provider Averitt.

Each of those factors could lead to significant shipping delays, production slowdowns, and increased costs, Averitt said.

Keep ReadingShow less