Let's Talk Supply Chain

Don Durm of PLM Fleet talks about what they do; maximizing fleet flexibility; cold supply chain challenges; & leveraging trailer telematics for success.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[03.30] An overview of PLM Fleet and how they help their customers, and an introduction to Don and his 30+ year career, from law enforcement to supply chain.
"We breathe cold chain!.. We help people manage risk, save time and money, and make big decisions."
[08.58] PLM's 'personalized lifecycle management approach,' and what their consultative problem identification, solution development, onboarding and integration process typically looks like.
"We work backwards to your service promises and cost targets. The challenge in the leasing world is that companies out there ask customers to live in their world, the financial world… We have a more holistic approach."
[14.25] From regulatory pressures to tariffs, the biggest challenges for PLM and their customers in the cold supply chain.
"We're in the midst of a great freight recession."
[18.55] Why OEM lead times for trailers and TRUs are increasingly stretched, the factors driving the delays, and how they impact refrigerated fleets and their strategies to scale and replace assets.
"Trailers have never been older than they are today. And, when a trailer gets that old, things start to break – expensive things."
"My message to the industry: put your orders in now!"
[24.21] How PLM's flexible rental and leasing solutions help customers right-size or stabilize their fleets, particularly in an environment where OEM availability is tight and demand cycles are fluctuating.
[28.07] The regulatory changes reducing the number of drivers on the road, the impacts PLM anticipate in the cold chain, and how they can help.
"Once the impact fully hits, capacity will tighten up. Fleets that were working on tighter margins, and utilizing these drivers, will start to go out of business."
[32.32] PLM's ColdLink and TrustLink technology-enabled solutions, and how they're leveraging trailer telematics to deliver results for customers.
"Don't manage the 150 trailers you've got out by looking at 150. Manage the one you've got a problem with – set your exceptions… People do what you inspect, not what you expect."
[38.13] How PLM use telematics to track emissions.
[39.25] A selection of case studies exploring how PLM help clients reduce carbon, save fuel, and reduce costs with their solutions, from a shift to electric vehicles to old-to-new replacement.
"Nobody goes green until it pays green."
[43.53] Don's final words of advice.
"This period of time is all about managing risk. Do you really want to put your money into an asset that's going to depreciate immediately?"
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to PLM Fleet's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with PLM Fleet and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, YouTube or Facebook, or you can connect with Don on LinkedIn.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get: 10% off a rental order with PLM Fleet until March 31. Quote *PLM Rental LTSC.*
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Carlos Perico of ProcureAbility talks about supply chain resilience in 2026; tariffs & disruption; supplier relationships; & key strategies for the future.   
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
[03.47] An introduction to Carlos, and how his international experiences helped shape his career.
"I'm passionate about travel, culture, food – and my career has supported that... My career has been very relationship driven, and that international exposure has helped me tremendously."
[07.40] An overview of ProcureAbility – who they are, what they do, and how they help their customers.
[09.11] The current landscape of ongoing disruption, the biggest industry challenges in 2026, and Carlos's advice to help businesses stay on top.
"Change is the only constant… We're getting more resilient – because of practice! But the impact is real."
[15.16] What supply chain resilience really means in 2026, the power of strategic partnerships, and the importance of traceability.
"It means knowing your risk and how you can manage it. And it implies you understand there's disruption ahead – in supply chain, we can't be naïve… 'Things will change and I need to adapt' should be your operational model."
"You need to have strategic partners. You need to understand your supply chain… Can we invest together, share information, co-create so we're more agile together?.. It's in our best interests to work closely, but that doesn't come easy."
[26.20] What ProcureAbility's recent survey, in partnership with ProcureCon, reveals about the biggest challenges in 2026, and how supply chain leaders are navigating impacts from disruptions to shortages.
[32.18] With tariff instability set to continue in 2026, how the issue interplays with other core industry challenges.
"There's a lot more cost. But that hasn't completely translated to the consumer… The market was expecting it to be worse. That tells me that the middle guy is the one absorbing that, and CEO's are hoping they can ride the wave. That's not sustainable."
[35.36] How equipped organizations actually are to adapt to tariff instability.
"The lack of visibility is the biggest risk."
[38.01] Changing supplier relationships: what organizations now expect from their suppliers, whether or not suppliers are actually meeting those expectations, and why it's crucial to remember that the best client-supplier relationships are two-way.
[44.03] The next steps listeners should take to navigate disruption and resilience in 2026.
 
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
Head over to ProcureAbility's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with ProcureAbility and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn or YouTube, or you can connect with Carlos on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed the show and want to hear more from ProcureAbility, check out 462: Procurement Unlocked: Sourcing Best Practices in a Tariff-Driven World, with ProcureAbility.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

Tim Nagy of Samsara talks about tech & AI: what workers really think; agility; retaining talent; & shifting from reactive to predictive road safety & logistics. 
 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
 
[02.41] An introduction to Tim, his role as a sales engineer, and a reminder of how Samsara helps their customers.
"You get two different kinds of engineers: the kind who don't really want to be out in the field talking to customers, they do the coding and product development. And then you get my team, who love to be out there. We get to see a lot of different tech, and a lot of different businesses!"
[04.34] The biggest conversations happening at Manifest 2026, are about the impact of AI across the industry.
"There's a lot of talk about the impact of AI on supply chain and operations."
[06.59] How Samsara can monitor real-time issues, from weather to driver behavior, to help businesses shift from reactive to predictive road safety and logistics.
"Our job is to prevent accidents before they happen and AI, tech in general, is making that possible now. We're able to detect when a driver is becoming drowsy… and tell the driver to pull over."
[09.56] Samsara's recent advert at the Super Bowl, and their first celebrity coaching avatar.
[11.42] How Samsara see workers thinking about technology and AI, and a real-world example of driver feedback on Samsara solutions.
[14.33] How technology and AI can help businesses attract and retain talent, and Samsara's success with the gamification of driver safety.
"Driver churn is a big issue, it's hard to keep people employed and happy in a role that can be physically challenging and difficult… When you make their lives easier, it makes the world of difference."
[17.41] The continuing problem of data siloes, how Samsara are helping bridge the gap, and why that's so important.
"Companies have data in many different systems – even in physical operations, it's not uncommon for us to speak to people who have more than 10 systems just for transportation. And when data exists in different environments, it's almost impossible to make any correlations between it – even with AI."
[22.01] Why unification is so important, and how siloes prevent the success of new technology projects.
[23.31] The role of technology in supply chain agility.
[25.56] From routing efficiency to idling reduction, how sustainable decisions can also be leveraged for cost savings.
"A big part of environmental responsibility comes from using fuel efficiently, but right now it's surprising how many vehicles are still idling in supply chain fleets… If you take control of idling you can really drive down cost, and help the environment."
[28.48] The big challenges and opportunities for Samsara customers and the industry over the next year.
 
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 Tim on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Samsara, check out episode 524: Increase the Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability of Your operations, with Samsara.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.

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Quinn Nelson of Reveel & Tony Villanova of Paccurate talk about the 2026 General Rate Increase; the current parcel shipping landscape; & keeping costs down.
 
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
 
[02.16] An introduction to Quinn, his background, and role at Reveel.
[02.49] An introduction to Tony, his 25-year industry career, and role at Paccurate.
[04.23] The current parcel shipping landscape, and the key industry factors that have led us here.
"Carriers are incredibly focused on generating revenue, specifically increasing the revenue per shipment of all packages in their network."
[06.09] The 2026 GRI, why it looks different to previous years, and why it's more important than ever to have strong transportation technology and packaging partnerships.
"Although the increase is that same 5.9% we've seen historically, the carriers are actually moving to non-stop pricing changes throughout the course of the year… They're coming with a 'death by a thousand cuts' mentality."
[11.52] The changes carriers have made to target large and inefficient packages in their network, and how good data visibility and packaging can help mitigate these price increases.
"Carriers are narrowing their ideal package profile, as much as they're trying to narrow in on their ideal customer, to get those inefficient packages out of the network."
[16.57] The 'what, where, and how' of solving problems with data visibility, the power of continuous improvement in partnership, and how data visibility and packaging optimization solutions can work in tandem to drive results.
"The improvement is cyclical… It doesn't matter which way the data is coming, we feed each other."
[19.50] Why it's typically been so difficult to make changes to packaging, and how Paccurate makes it easier.
"Packaging touches everything – warehouse layouts, automation, labor… But not many companies have packaging engineers that can look at this dynamically. So you end up static."
[24.38] How improved transportation data visibility is helping businesses identify and realize opportunities for cost saving, and the power of negotiation capital.
[28.51] Why transportation networks are like onions, and how 'peeling back the layers' can help you fully understand your costs and the underlying reasons for them.
[30.20] Where AI will have the greatest impact on the transportation data visibility and optimization space.
"The transportation industry is really well situated to get a lot out of AI."
[32.07] How a combination of real-time data, agility, and packaging optimization can bring a real competitive advantage.
"We're in such a rampantly changing environment. Every day there's something new. So using technology solutions and data visibility to stay on top of what's changing allows you to be a proactive shipper instead of a reactive one."
"An educated shipper is a carrier's worst nightmare."
RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:
 
Head over to Reveel's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with Reveel and keep up to date with the latest over   on LinkedIn, Facebook or X (Twitter), or you can connect with Quinn or Tony on LinkedIn.
If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more from Reveel, check out:
474: Leverage Data-Driven Optimization to Mitigate Tariffs, with Reveel
453: Driving Supply Chain Innovation with Reveel and Deposco
357: Leverage the Power of Shipping Intelligence, with Reveel
You can also hear more from Paccurate: 297: Make Smarter Packing Decisions, with Paccurate.
Check out our other podcasts HERE.