Let's Talk Supply Chain

Steve Blough of Infios talks about 2026 peak season - the state of the market, from challenges to rates; the capacity crunch; & the role of AI and new tech.   
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.33] Steve's career background, his key areas of focus in supply chain, and the challenges he currently hears from shippers and carriers.
"Capacity is tight, rates are high, and shippers are taking a hard look at how they're moving freight."
[06.41] The state of the market in 2026 and why capacity is a big challenge.
"Capacity has contracted so much faster than anyone thought it would… So, when you look at the market, it's a demand story not a supply story."
[08.41] What rates look like now, and where Steve expects them to go through the remainder of 2026.
"Spot rates are climbing and as they climb… some of the carriers guaranteed capacity has evaporated."
[13.49] 2026 peak season and why it's arriving earlier than usual, from tariff fear to changes on the Panama Canal.
[16.47] How current challenges and technologies are changing the way shippers operate, communicate, and seek out partners.
"That communication backbone, and the need to get data back and forth quickly, has become critical."
[18.37] Why the capacity crunch is a network problem, not a rate problem, and an example of an Infios client leveraging the capacity in their network to move more goods at lower rates.
"Everyone can win by looking broadly."
[21.09] Why good data and communication between systems are critical.
"As systems and solutions have got more modern, APIs have made those communications much easier.. So one of the things that excites me most about AI is the ability to improve data."
[23.04] What network-level decision-making actually looks like in practice, compared to the lane-by-lane process most teams are still running.
"It's not just looking at something and going: "I should put that in a truck." It's: "Should I do intermodal, truckload, parcel, zone-skipping… With all the different modes, what's the right thing to look at with the freight I have now?"
[25.43] Consolidation, and the capacity hiding inside a shipper's own network that most companies aren't using.
[28.42] Whether tighter capacity creates more business risk.
[30.36] What AI can actually do for a shipper during peak season, and technology's role looking ahead.
[34.28] How much autonomy we should give AI as organizations look to manage effective automation, risk, cost and people.
[35.36] An overview of Infios, and what it means to deliver Intelligent Supply Chain Execution.
[38.06] What shippers should focus on between now and the holiday peak.
 
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Infios' website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Infios and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Steve on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Infios, check out:
544: How To Move Toward Intelligent, Connected Execution, with Infios
532: Turning Purposeful AI into Business Outcomes, with Infios
520: Enter the New Era of Supply Chain Management, with Infios
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Mahesh Rajasekharan of Cleo talks about what they do; data & visibility challenges; the evolution of supply chain orchestration; & their new Executive Report. 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.38] What excites Mahesh about transformation, why he calls Cleo a 'neo-startup', and how he has shaped their mission and growth strategy.
"I've always been attracted to transformation opportunities… Cleo had great technology, loyal customers and an important market position. But it also had enormous untapped potential."
[04.47] Who Cleo is, what they do, and what it means to orchestrate a supply chain, as opposed to simply integrating it.
"Visibility tells you what happened, but orchestration is what helps you decide what to do about it. It's going from systems of record to systems of action."
[06.29] The problem with historic working siloes, and how orchestration forces collaboration and a customer-first approach.
"Often, planning has all the context but cannot execute. Execution systems can execute, but don't have enough context. The ability to bridge the co-ordination gap can unlock significant value – and every participant in the supply chain is responsible."
[10.34] Cleo's north star – 'to make global supply chains better' – and the big turning points that have defined their evolution.
[13.47] The ideal client for Cleo, how that profile has changed over the course of their evolution, and why supply chain has to become a revenue driver.
[21.14] Why Cleo conduct an annual Global Supply Chain Executive Report, and the most surprising findings from 2026.
[23.52] With 88% of organizations increasing their use of automation, yet 55% reporting increased operational complexity as a result, a closer look at exactly what's driving that disconnect.
[25.43] Why only 16% of organizations say they have true end-to-end, real-time visibility across their supply chain, despite visibility being a critical goal for over a decade.
"Supply chains have become true ecosystems, not enterprises… So the data an organization needs oftentimes sits outside its four walls."
[29.46] As leaders become increasingly comfortable with AI-based recommendations but still struggle to trust the underlying data, where companies should actually focus if they want AI to deliver real value.
"The two most important things are context and governance… You can't get to a data 'holy grail', but if you can establish a superior context, then you can execute."
[35.10] How organizations can improve their data context and trust more quickly.
[39.13] How companies can streamline order processing with Cleo to course correct problems, improve on-time and in-full performance, boost speed, reduce cost, and enhance customer relationships.
[44.20] How sitting on the boards of Cleo, Ascend Software, and Banyan Software helps Mahesh understand the wider market and develop Cleo's own strategy moving forward.
"It really makes you understand how universally challenging operational complexity has become… And it provides a strong perspective on what separates companies that successfully transform from those that struggle."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Cleo's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Cleo and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Mahesh on LinkedIn.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Tom Murray of Dairy Farmers of America talks about their partnership with Samsara, overcoming challenges; safety & efficiency; & driving success every day.    
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[01.50] An introduction to Tom, and the Dairy Farmers of America.
"We're a dairy co-operative. We're owned by 9,000 dairy farmers across 5,000 farms… and they govern us! The farmers run the business."
[03.52] Tom's roots on his family's creamery, and how it informs his current role at DFA.
"It's given me a really great appreciation for the supply chain, from farm to the consumer, and all the complexities that brings. I've lived it."
[04.49] The DFA members, and what it really means to them to be part of a co-operative.
"We're creating something that represents their values."
[06.19] The DFA supply chain, and its unique position in terms of speed, flexibility and supply and demand.
[07.46] The challenges involved in moving fresh produce, and how DFA adapt.
[10.04] Why technology and innovation are critical to DFA's ongoing success.
"We're very focused on cost, safety, compliance and visibility, and technology has really improved all of that. We have control, and we know where our opportunities are."
[11.48] What safety and efficiency mean to DFA, and why they're foundational elements for success.
"You can be efficient, but you better be effective too."
[14.28] How DFA determined that Samsara were the right partner.
"Sometimes it's better to be lucky than to be smart."
[15.55] Which Samsara solutions DFA use, and how they work to solve their unique challenges and complexities.
[17.20] How one small success metric drove big results for DFA.
[20.02] Tom's role on Samsara's Customer Advisory Board, the value for DFA, and the importance of collaboration and open feedback loops.
[22.09] DFA's culture of excellence, how it helps drive success, and how Samsara feeds into that internal culture as an external partner.
[25.02] The future of technology and innovation at DFA, and why unification will be key.
 
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Samsara's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Samsara and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Tom on LinkedIn. You can also follow Dairy Farmers of America on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Samsara, check out:
557: Maintenance Reimagined, with Samsara
555: How To Build A Technology Partnership That Drives Results, with Samsara Customer XPO
552: Expand Your Visibility and Achieve Asset Tracking at Scale, with Samsara
529: Empower The People Who Power The World, with Samsara
524: Increase the Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability of Your operations, with Samsara
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Jake Hoffman of Gnosis Freight talks about AI – trust; misconceptions; data; asking the right questions; measuring success; & why the real innovation isn't AI.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[03.08] The biggest misconceptions people have about AI in logistics.
"There's a big misconception that AI itself is the differentiator, that if you have good AI that means all your problems go away. AI is just an amplifier of whatever is underneath the surface… People are learning that the hard way."
[04.16] What being an AI-native company means for Gnosis Freight, why they've changed how they talk about AI, and how AI changed their understanding of how software would become cheaper and easier to build.
"We use it so we can make ourselves better, so we can do more for the customer."
[07.56] The origin of the name 'Gnosis'.
[10.41] With more and more logistics platforms adding AI features, whether AI itself is becoming a commodity, and why real innovation isn't AI, it's the infrastructure behind it.
"If you're not using it, you're behind… But sometimes it becomes a checkbox."
[16.19] If AI is only as good as the data it's trained on, what separates good logistics data from bad logistics data.
"It's a bunch of people optimizing a local system for a local maximum or minimum, but there's nobody that's orchestrating the entire thing to give you the entire system maximum and minimum."
[18.59] As AI pilot failure continues to be a big issue, the questions companies should be asking vendors as they evaluate AI-powered logistics platforms, and the new strategies they should be embracing.
[23.31] How companies should measure AI success – not just celebrate the launch of AI initiatives.
[25.46] Where Gnosis sees AI making a measurable impact on cost, efficiency, and margins in logistics.
[31.47] What autonomous execution looks like in practice for logistics teams, and which logistics processes are closest to being fully automated with AI today.
[33.36] What needs to happen before businesses can trust AI to make operational decisions on its own.
"Implementing AI with the right guardrails is key… Often our first implementation is a recommendation, not a final decision."
[37.29] How AI will change the role of logistics professionals.
[40.32] Jake's advice for supply chain leaders looking to invest in AI over the next few years.
"Don't buy the product, buy the system. Don't pick the software solution, pick the partner."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to Gnosis Freight's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Gnosis and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Jake on LinkedIn.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Sean McGee of Samsara talks about maintenance; tackling key pain points; the impact of automation; flexibility, and driving successful change management. 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[02.15] An introduction to Sean, his role at Samsara, and why their conference, Samsara Beyond, is the highlight of the year.
[03.31] What the landscape of maintenance has typically looked like, and why Samsara have learned to pay attention to post-it notes.
"A lot of operators are trying to figure out how to go from reactive and chaotic to proactive and planned."
[05.52] Why Samsara has gone all-in on maintenance.
"What caused us to take the next step was… getting out into the field, talking to the shop managers, and hearing the pain of how hard it is to close the loop. And AI accelerated that. A lot of the pain points we can automate now."
[07.29] The biggest pain points maintenance teams see day-to-day.
[08.37] How Samsara puts a focus on realistic adoption and usage to meet people where they are.
"We had this idea, we went out into the field and tried it… and it was an immediate fit… but we had to run the feedback loop to understand that."
[10.24] How Samsara's 'Day In The Life' process helps drive successful change management.
"We map out the process and then work into the technology piece. It's not about: 'Here's the demo – good luck!'... We co-create."
"Flexibility is so important, and what a lot of the legacy systems got wrong was they're very rigid, they're very opinionated… You almost have to fit the tool instead of the tool fitting you."
[13.14] How seeing maintenance differently is a competitive advantage for both Samsara and their customers.
"If you can tell us: What does this fault code mean, what does it tell us, and how fast is that going to happen - that is operational advantage."
[16.59] A real-life example exploring how post-it notes on a customer's shop floor led to the development of a custom Samsara solution to fit their workflows.
[20.00] The future for maintenance and asset management, and where Samsara are focusing next.
"Everything is possible – science fiction is becoming reality right in front of our eyes."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Samsara's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Samsara and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X (Twitter), or you can connect with Sean on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Samsara, check out:
552: Expand Your Visibility and Achieve Asset Tracking at Scale, with Samsara
529: Empower The People Who Power The World, with Samsara
524: Increase the Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability of Your operations, with Samsara
Check out our other podcasts HERE.