supply chains over the next 15 years. Some of the forces expected to drive that evolution include: • Developed countries are experiencing demographic shifts such as falling birth rates and aging workforces, which are creating labor shortages, increasing health care costs and straining pension systems. • Geopolitical instability and trade fragmentation have led to more tariffs and sanctions, prompting some companies to reshore and localize their supply chains. • The growing scarcity of materials and other resources combined with overburdened transportation infrastructure are contributing to more regulatory pressures and supply chain disruption. • The increasing reliance on AI agents to automate high-cognition tasks has caused companies to restructure how they conduct creative, legal, fi nancial, and research and development work, giving rise to new concerns over intellectual property, misinformation and employment disruption. As those forces become more
pronounced, the FDC has identifi ed several areas where distributors and manufacturers might shift strategies to get ahead of any correlating disruption.
Some of the solutions that have been discussed are: • Redundant sourcing and inventory buffers
• The use of AI and digital twins, a virtual representation of a real world object, system or process, for scenario planning and disruption forecasting • Autonomous mobile robots, drones and AI-driven optimization • Automation of procurement, forecasting and contract management through AI
• Cognitive automation replacing dashboards with real-time decision support
• Satellite-based internet and tracking improving global visibility
• AI-augmented supply chain control towers and analytics The ongoing discussions around these disruptive forces and potential solutions are being facilitated by Chad Autry, a researcher and professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. Autry will expand on these ideas in a presentation immediately following the State of the Industry session.
Just as the State of the Industry Reports provide a foundation for Autry’s presentation, they will also set the stage for other FEDA conference sessions, including the Industry Roundtable Discussions and the Tech Talk presentations. To gain the full value of the conference experience, attendees won’t want to miss the State of the Industry Reports.
SESSION INFORMATION STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORTS SEPT. 11, 8:40-9:00 a.m. MDT
SPONSORED BY
ERIK LAMPE
PRESIDENT AND CEO THE VOLLRATH COMPANY
Summer 2025 11
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