Click here to view this email in your browser.

The Supply Chain Intelligence Brief is a SMC³ member benefit that provides a snapshot of the day's key industry news. Stay informed and connected with the SMC³ Supply Chain Intelligence Brief. Opt out at any time, with no impact to other SMC³ communications you may receive. If you would like to add any coworkers to the distribution list for this publication, please reply to this message with their names and email addresses.

TRUCKING

ArcBest Eyes Early 2026 for In-House TMS Launch

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh October 2, 2025

“ArcBest View is more than a digital upgrade; it’s a unified experience that brings quoting, booking and visibility across all of our logistics solutions into one seamless interface,” said Runser, who will succeed the retiring Judy McReynolds as CEO at the end of 2025.

Link: ArcBest Investor Day Presentation

Incoming ArcBest CEO: The network is in ‘a great spot’

Fleet Owner Geert De Lombaerde October 2, 2025

Real estate spending will focus on maintaining existing facilities rather than expanding the network, with about $40 million to $50 million allocated for maintenance through 2028.

Why Derek Leathers Says Trucking’s Longest Downturn Could Spark a Lasting Upturn

Heavy Duty Trucking Deborah Lockridge October 2, 2025

“So as we get to this turning point, whenever it may occur, it would be my view that you're going to have a sustained, consistent, tight capacity market for a multi-year period," Leathers said.

2025 parcel peak volumes are expected to climb as shippers brace for higher fees, says ShipMatrix

Logistics Management Jeff Berman October 3, 2025

While it expects to see a 5% volume gain for the 2025 peak, ShipMatrix explained that comes with the caveat that, for FedEx and Amazon, volumes are pegged to climb 5%-to-8%, while UPS and USPS are expected to come in flat, should volume growth levels seen over the first half of the year remain intact.

Parcel Market Forecast for Peak 2025

ShipMatrix September 29, 2025

Given the economic challenges from trade tariff wars and end of de-minimis, ShipMatrix estimates that 2.3 billion packages will be delivered during the peak season of 2025 for an increase of 5 percent over peak of 2024, resulting mainly from an extra shopping day.

Class 8 Truck Prices Set to Climb Again Under New Tariffs

Transport Topics Keiron Greenhalgh October 2, 2025

The Trump administration’s 25% tariff on imported trucks and components will inflict another round of tariff-fueled cost increases on motor carriers already struggling with stubbornly weak freight volumes and depressed rates, executives and analysts said.

“Trucks will be more expensive at a time when we can least afford it,” Werner Enterprises CEO Derek Leathers told the WEX OTR Summit in San Antonio Oct. 2.

SHIPPERS / 3PLs

Walmart invests $300M in North Carolina fulfillment center

Supply Chain Dive Kelly Stroh October 2, 2025

The $300 million investment is set to open in 2027 and will ship large items including patio furniture and lawnmowers, according to the release. Delivery can be as soon as next-day.

Link: North Carolina Department of Commerce Walmart Selects Gaston County for State-of-the-Art Fulfillment Center

Echo Global keeps Moody’s B3 rating in tough market

Freight Waves John Kingston October 2, 2025

Echo Global Logistics has managed to hold its debt rating at Moody’s as the ratings agency said it expects the company, even in the midst of the current freight market, to “maintain steady earnings and adequate liquidity.”

Home Depot pushes deeper into B2B ecommerce with digital project planning

Digital Commerce 360 Mark Brohan October 2, 2025

Together, the rollout of the project planning tool, expanded trade credit, and enhanced order management show how Home Depot is evolving beyond a supplier into a B2B ecommerce partner.

INDUSTRY

Global trade uncertainty reshapes supply chain strategy in 2025, note industry veterans at Prologis’ Groundbreakers conference

Logistics Management Jeff Berman October 2, 2025

As for his take on what may be in store in 2026, Seroka said it depends on a few different things, noting that GDP expectations and workforce and employment data is “buoying” along at the moment, as evidenced by four sub-par months of jobs numbers, with jobs numbers for September not expected to be issued tomorrow, due to the federal government shutdown.

Busiest U.S. port plans new container terminal for biggest ships

Freight Waves Stuart Chirls October 2, 2025

The Pier 500 project would comprise two berths and 3,000 feet of wharf on 200 acres of land along the Pier 400 channel, on the southern end of Terminal Island.

Los Angeles, with neighboring Port of Long Beach, form the busiest U.S. container gateway, handling 10.3 million and 9.6 million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs), respectively, in 2024.

Isuzu breaks ground on 1M square foot truck plant in South Carolina

CCJ Jason Cannon October 1, 2025

Skinner said the South Carolina plant will be Isuzu's most technologically advanced production facility in the world.

The plant will produce the company’s N-Series Gas, N-Series Electric and F-Series diesel trucks, and will have a production capacity of 50,000 units annually by the end of this decade.

TECHNOLOGY

SaaS spend jumps amid shifts in the vendor landscape

CIO Dive Matt Ashare October 2, 2025

IT budgets for third-party services grew by roughly 6% annually from 2019 to 2024, spurred by SaaS spend, which grew from 13% to 21% of total tech budgets in five years, according to BCG’s analysis of Gartner IT spend forecasts.

AI Leaders Outpace Laggards with Double the Revenue Growth and 40% More Cost Savings

BCG September 30, 2025

The performance gap between AI leaders and laggards is widening fast with agentic AI emerging as a powerful force shaping future-built companies. Globally, 5% of companies qualify as “future-built” for AI. These firms are at the forefront of AI innovation, systematically building cutting-edge AI capabilities across functions and consistently generating substantial value.

BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

Behind Job Weakness Are Hints of a Productivity Revival. Is AI the Reason?

The Wall Street Journal Greg Ip October 3, 2025 $Subscription Based

The artificial intelligence investment boom resembles the tech spree that kicked off a surge in labor-saving efficiency three decades ago.

Click here to unsubscribe or to change your Subscription Preferences.