Issue 3, November 2022

The North Star for Navigating Our Turbulent Supply Chain: Collaboration

The upheaval of the past few years proved the global supply chain is more interconnected and vulnerable than many of us imagined. Even the smallest disruptions in local production and distribution channels cascade quickly, creating challenges for companies on the other side of the world.  

Forward-leaning organizations have worked to transform nearly every element of their business to be better prepared for what the future might bring. The brightest minds across industries are focused on process and technology innovation. They’ve locked arms across borders and shared solutions across industries, so the best ideas win in every sector. When barriers like these come down, age-old problems meet new creativity. Strategies evolve rapidly into action. Barriers to innovation and collaboration fall.  

In this issue of GROUNDBREAKERS, we assemble a collection of visionaries who tell us how they are reimagining every component of our ecosystem. They’re working together to optimize how goods are moved in today’s world – breaking down operational silos and finding new ways to identify and correct potential system weaknesses.  

As people, communities and business look for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint, we also see a growing investment in green energy. Today, approximately one-third of the world’s largest companies have announced commitments to net-zero carbon emission targets and sustainability has moved to a top strategic priority on the corporate agenda.  

What do these efforts look like? Visionary companies are electrifying and digitizing their businesses and investing in cleaner, safer and more reliable climate-friendly technologies. Some companies, such as Boston’s AlphaStruxure, are reimagining the clean energy business model itself by providing “energy as a service” to both companies and local municipalities.  

Pivotal conversations are happening everywhere around the world. Major logistics players, such as Japan’s Nippon Express and Germany’s Kuehne+Nagel, are building entirely new businesses around helping clients move goods more sustainably. Companies such as UP.Partners, are building and investing in technologies that help move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer, and at lower cost – on the ground, in the air, at sea and in space.  

Looking ahead, I hope to see logistics services providers and other communities further engaged in these critical conversations. Many supply chain companies are partnering with their communities in conversations about how warehouses and fulfillment centers are developed, particularly when it comes to the implementation of green energy technologies, such as solar power and EV charging for commercial fleets.  

The pandemic also accelerated our digital transformation, making access to data more important than ever. In this issue, you’ll meet the team at Kenco Innovation Labs, who are helping customers increase efficiency, drive employee engagement and lower costs through emerging technology, such as remote operations tools, next-gen warehouse tracking and automation. Meanwhile, the likes of FORT Robotics and BETA Technologies are coming to market with exciting, market-defining products with the potential to reshape entire industries.  

At Prologis, we’re fortunate to work with companies who are driving extraordinary innovation and delivering solutions in energy and across the entire supply chain. This latest issue of GROUNDBREAKERS gives you insight into the courageous leaders and companies driving progress and change. I hope you find it both interesting and inspiring.