Supply Chain Now

A single overlooked component can stop an entire product from shipping. Justin Sears explains why supply chain risk now has to shape design decisions from day one, not after engineering hands the design off to procurement.
In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and Jake Barr speak with Justin Sears, Head of Product Marketing for SaaS at Altium, about rising component risk, hidden supplier dependencies, and why engineering and procurement teams need better visibility into supply conditions earlier in the product development process.
They also explore how AI can help teams surface risks, strengthen requirements, and evaluate alternatives while human judgment remains essential. The conversation highlights how better data, earlier collaboration, and stronger lifecycle thinking can help manufacturers build more resilient products.
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:24) Meet Justin Sears, Head of Product Marketing for SaaS at Altium
(04:18) Justin's lifelong running passion and how it clears his head
(05:35) Justin's background and the Altium family of supply chain solutions
(10:23) Three structural risks: tariffs, global conflict, and AI data center demand
(14:59) The Digi case study: why manual sourcing doesn't work anymore"
(17:43) "Shift left": making supply chain a design input, not an afterthought
(22:52) The postage stamp problem: when a cheap part stops a $30K GPU shipment
(27:30) Two tiers down: hidden supply chain failures you can't see
(29:52) AI and human judgment in hardware design: who asks the questions?
(42:31) Counterfeit parts: why fraudsters chase volume, not scarcity
(53:57) Three takeaways: what hardware teams should start doing today

Additional Links & Resources:
Connect with Justin Sears: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinsears/
Connect with Jake Barr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-barr-3883501/
Learn more about Altium: https://www.altium.com/
Learn more about BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting: https://www.blueworldscc.com/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- The Real ROI of AI Analytics in the Supply Chain: Better Answers When Everyone Starts Asking: https://bit.ly/3TpCX6u
WEBINAR- The Cost of Skipping the Audit: Why Site Scans Should Come Before Every Pallet, Crate, or Wood Packaging RFQ: https://bit.ly/4AJzReA
WEBINAR- Supply Chain Planning Reimagined: Agentic AI for Decision-Centric Planning: https://bit.ly/3VD1Nka
WEBINAR- Rethinking the Supply Chain Management Classroom: https://bit.ly/4xJIkM2
WEBINAR- Detect, decide, deliver: improving disruption response across the supply chain: https://bit.ly/4rXhmiI

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Jake Barr and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/got-chips-managing-electronic-component-supply-chain-risk-face-global-instability-1646

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Technology may be advancing faster than ever, but people, resilience, and smart decision-making remain at the center of supply chain success. In this episode of The Buzz, powered by Altium, Scott Luton and Maithili Shenoy are joined by cybersecurity experts Andrew Alston and Bob Carver to unpack some of the biggest issues shaping supply chain and business, from manufacturing pressures and technology talent gaps to AI-enabled cyberattacks and growing third-party risk.
The conversation begins with a look at the latest U.S. manufacturing activity, rising input costs, and the supply chain challenges surrounding the rapidly growing humanoid robotics industry. The panel also explores the widening technology skills gap and why organizations need people who can combine critical thinking with emerging AI capabilities.
Then, in recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Andrew and Bob break down how AI is changing the cyber threat landscape. They discuss ransomware-as-a-service, faster exploitation of vulnerabilities, third-party exposure, governance, business continuity, and why traditional cybersecurity approaches are no longer enough. The group also explores why supply chain leaders need to think beyond their own organizations and build cyber resilience across the entire supplier ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
People remain a critical differentiator in the age of AI. Technology alone doesn't create value; organizations need people who can use it to make better decisions, manage trade-offs, and respond quickly to change.
Manufacturers are facing significant cost and profitability pressures. Rising input costs, tariffs, labor constraints, and supplier delays are creating challenges even as manufacturing activity continues to grow.
The humanoid robotics opportunity exposes major supply chain gaps. Actuators, semiconductors, critical minerals, and domestic manufacturing capacity could become major constraints as robotics scales.
The technology skills gap is holding back AI, cloud, and cybersecurity initiatives. Organizations need to rethink how they develop both technical capabilities and foundational cognitive skills.
AI is accelerating cyber threats as well as cyber defenses. Ransomware is becoming more accessible, vulnerabilities are being exploited faster, and organizations can no longer assume traditional patching and security practices will be enough.
Cybersecurity must become an ecosystem-wide supply chain priority. Governance, business continuity, supplier vetting, redundancy, and third-party visibility are essential to keeping operations running when, not if, disruptions occur.
Supply chain leaders can't afford to treat cybersecurity, AI, talent, and resilience as separate issues. They are increasingly interconnected, and the risks extend far beyond the four walls of any single organization. Tune in to hear practical perspectives on where the biggest vulnerabilities are emerging, why third-party risk deserves greater attention, and what leaders can do now to build stronger, more resilient supply chain ecosystems.

Additional Links & Resources:
Altium Develop: https://bit.ly/Try-Altium-Develop
With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-3-Oct-2026
Maithili’s Keynote: https://bit.ly/Maithili-Keynote
Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership: https://bit.ly/Meena-Medler-on-SCN
How Supply Chain Management Degree Programs are evolving: https://bit.ly/SCM-Programs-Evolving
U.S. manufacturing data for September: https://reut.rs/4hHL06P
Actuator shortages in U.S. robotics supply chains: https://on.mktw.net/4rPkkFS
Tech leaders see skills gap costing businesses big time: https://bit.ly/Costly-Tech-Skills-Gap
Connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobcarver/
Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-alston-a62990/
Connect with Maithili on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maithili-shenoy/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- The Real ROI of AI Analytics in the Supply Chain: Better Answers When Everyone Starts Asking: https://bit.ly/3TpCX6u
WEBINAR- The Cost of Skipping the Audit: Why Site Scans Should Come Before Every Pallet, Crate, or Wood Packaging RFQ: https://bit.ly/4AJzReA
WEBINAR- How to Stop Losing Margin After a Package Ships: https://bit.ly/4An41Ux
WEBINAR- Rethinking the Supply Chain Management Classroom: https://bit.ly/4xJIkM2
This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Maithili Shenoy, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-ai-cybersecurity-new-risks-reshaping-supply-chain-1645

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shipping teams often don’t discover wasted spend until the invoice arrives. By then, the opportunity is already gone. John Wharff explains why hidden surcharges, outdated shipping rules, and overlooked shipment outliers can quietly drive up costs, and why the best savings opportunities often come from rethinking the decisions teams already make every day.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and Tevon Taylor speak with John Wharff, Senior Director of Product Management at EasyPost, about how shippers can uncover hidden costs and build more adaptable shipping strategies. They discuss why base rates only tell part of the story, how service levels and carrier choices impact total cost, and why teams need to look beyond average shipments to find where money is being lost.

John and Tevon also explore the role of pressure testing in shipping decisions, using real shipment data to identify gaps before they become expensive problems. From improving cost per package to using AI for analysis and simulation, the conversation highlights how supply chain teams can make smarter decisions, strengthen their processes, and stay ahead of a constantly changing shipping environment.

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:31) Meet John Wharff, Senior Director of Product Management at EasyPost
(02:33) Warm-up: John's motorcycle passion and first Harley Davidson
(06:40) Why carrier bills still surprise experienced shippers
(08:27) The trap of static rules in a dynamic shipping environment
(11:10) Bell curves and outliers: where shipping costs really hide
(15:15) Carrier mix and service levels: building your roster for peak season
(23:22) Why your master spreadsheet falls apart in real-world shipping
(32:43) Pressure testing explained: John's methodology for finding hidden costs
(37:13) AI in logistics: where it genuinely helps and where it's hot air
(46:41) Call to action: what shippers should do right now before peak season

Additional Links & Resources:
Connect with John Wharff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wharff-7423403a/
Connect with Tevon Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tevontaylor/
Learn more about EasyPost: https://www.easypost.com/
Learn more about Pegasus Logistics Group: https://www.pegasuslogisticsgroup.com/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- The Real ROI of AI Analytics in the Supply Chain: Better Answers When Everyone Starts Asking: https://bit.ly/3TpCX6u
WEBINAR- The Cost of Skipping the Audit: Why Site Scans Should Come Before Every Pallet, Crate, or Wood Packaging RFQ: https://bit.ly/4AJzReA
WEBINAR- How to Stop Losing Margin After a Package Ships: https://bit.ly/4An41Ux
WEBINAR- Rethinking the Supply Chain Management Classroom: https://bit.ly/4xJIkM2

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Tevon Taylor, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/pressure-test-your-shipping-decision-before-they-cost-you-thousands-1644



The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Enterprise transformation does not start with technology. It starts with understanding the business problem you are trying to solve. John Cusick explains why organizations often struggle with implementations when they focus on selecting systems before defining outcomes, and why successful transformation requires rethinking processes, improving data foundations, and designing technology around the way the business needs to operate.
In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton speaks with Wiley Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of DOSS, and John Cusick, President of Echo Park Consulting, about how AI-native solutions are changing enterprise implementations and why companies need a new playbook for transformation. They explore why traditional ERP approaches often fail, how best-of-breed technology strategies are becoming more practical, and why organizations should focus on business outcomes instead of forcing their processes into rigid platforms. John and Wiley discuss how companies can use flexible architectures, better data management, and AI-enabled capabilities to create systems that evolve alongside the business.
John also explains how agentic implementation is changing the role of technology teams and consultants by accelerating tasks like data mapping, configuration, integration, and testing while allowing humans to focus on validation, judgment, and process design. The conversation explores why AI agents require strong context, clean data, and clear sources of truth to make reliable decisions, and why the future of enterprise technology will depend on combining automation with human expertise.
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:13) Meet Wiley Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Doss, and John Cusick, President of Echo Park Consulting
(06:11) Why transformation projects succeed or fail
(09:24) Why organizations start with technology instead of business problems
(12:44) The biggest challenges in enterprise implementations
(20:20) Why best-of-breed technology strategies are gaining momentum
(25:25) How AI agents are changing implementation processes
(31:05) Why process design must come before automation
(32:05) Rethinking the ERP implementation playbook with Doss
(37:05) How AI is changing the human role in implementations
(42:13) Building trust, context, and governance for AI agents
(45:21) What the future of enterprise technology looks like
(53:15) Wiley Jones' key takeaway on outcome-driven transformation
Additional Links & Resources:
Connect with John Cusick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-cusick/
Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- The Real ROI of AI Analytics in the Supply Chain: Better Answers When Everyone Starts Asking: https://bit.ly/3TpCX6u
WEBINAR- The Cost of Skipping the Audit: Why Site Scans Should Come Before Every Pallet, Crate, or Wood Packaging RFQ: https://bit.ly/4AJzReA
WEBINAR- How to Stop Losing Margin After a Package Ships: https://bit.ly/4An41Ux
WEBINAR- Rethinking the Supply Chain Management Classroom: https://bit.ly/4xJIkM2
This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Wiley Jones and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/enterprise-unleashed-rethinking-transformation-playbook-1643



The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if every product came with a digital story, one that followed it from raw materials and manufacturing through use, repair, reuse, and ultimately its next life?
In this episode of The Buzz, powered by MFG.inc, Scott Luton and Marty Parker welcome Marion Rouzeaud, founder of DiPPa and author of DiPPa: Rethinking the Way We Buy Things with Digital Product Passports, for a timely conversation about digital product passports (DPPs), circularity, and the future of manufacturing.
Scott, Marty, and Marion explore why digital product passports have the potential to become far more than another compliance requirement. Marion explains how DPPs can create a living digital record for products, giving manufacturers, consumers, repairers, recyclers, and other stakeholders access to trusted information throughout the product lifecycle.
The conversation also examines the growing role of AI and automation in manufacturing, how companies are navigating cost pressures and supply chain complexity, and why collecting customer feedback means little without action. Marion walks through her DEPA framework and explains how organizations can connect product strategy, sustainability, data, and circularity to rethink not only how products are made but what happens to them after they enter the market.
Key Takeaways
Digital product passports can go far beyond compliance, creating a living record that provides useful product information throughout the entire lifecycle.
AI and automation continue to reshape manufacturing, helping organizations address labor shortages while improving forecasting, logistics, operations, and decision-making.
Trusted product data can enable circularity by supporting repair, maintenance, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling.
Manufacturers need to think beyond the point of sale, considering during the design process how products can remain valuable and useful for as long as possible.
Customer feedback only creates value when companies act on it, making listening and responsiveness essential to building long-term trust.
A successful DPP strategy starts with the “why,” connecting customer needs and business priorities to the right data, measurements, and actions.
Digital product passports may be driven partly by regulation, but their potential reaches much further. Tune in to hear how organizations can use DPPs as a strategic tool to connect product design, manufacturing, sustainability, customer needs, and the circular economy. You’ll also hear practical perspectives on AI, automation, customer experience, and the evolving manufacturing landscape, and why the companies that get the most value from new technology will be the ones that turn information into action.

Additional Links & Resources:
Download the free DiPPa™ Framework canvases at: https://www.dippa.eu/framework
MFG.inc: https://mfg.inc/
With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-28-SEP-2026
CSCMP EDGE: https://www.cscmpedge.org/
Manifest: https://manifestvegas.com/SCN
EasyPost Guard: https://bit.ly/EasyPost-Guard-460k
Scott's Post: https://bit.ly/Think-Different-1997
Automation, AI among biggest trends shaping manufacturing in 2026: AMT: https://bit.ly/Mfg-Trends-from-IMTS
6 food manufacturers talk supply chain tactics: https://bit.ly/6-Manufacturers-Priorities
Retailers are asking for feedback but are shoppers feeling heard? https://bit.ly/Are-Shoppers-Being-Heard
MFG.inc Leadership Training: https://mfg.inc/scn
The Digital Product Passport Registry is now live: https://bit.ly/4xTUAtt
DiPPa: Rethinking the Way We Buy Things with Digital Product Passports: https://bit.ly/4rEVatE
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Marion on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-rouzeaud/
Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
Learn more about Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions: http://blueyonder.com/cognitive
WEBINAR- The Real ROI of AI Analytics in the Supply Chain: Better Answers When Everyone Starts Asking: https://bit.ly/3TpCX6u
WEBINAR- The Cost of Skipping the Audit: Why Site Scans Should Come Before Every Pallet, Crate, or Wood Packaging RFQ: https://bit.ly/4AJzReA
WEBINAR- How to Stop Losing Margin After a Package Ships: https://bit.ly/4An41Ux
WEBINAR- Rethinking the Supply Chain Management Classroom: https://bit.ly/4xJIkM2
This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Marty Parker, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated episode page at: https://supplychainnow.com/thebuzz-unlocking-potential-digital-product-passports-1642

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.
For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com
© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.