 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair ...”
I never thought a Charles Dickens quote would ever grace the page of a supply chain news wrap-up, but here we are.
2023 was, indeed, some of the best and worst times for supply chains. To name a few, some companies found hope in new operational strategies and technology, while others cut back on their fulfillment footprints. While advancements in the tech sector remained steady this year, many innovative companies closed down or trimmed headcounts.
Disruption and tension brought forth by union labor negotiations with truck, maritime and parcel carriers were followed by a spring of hope as contract terms were finally settled.
We hope 2024 brings only the best of times, an age of wisdom, an epoch of belief, a season of light and a spring of hope. Until then, here’s a look back at some of Supply Chain Dive’s top trending stories of 2023.
 Kelly Stroh
Editor, Supply Chain Dive
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P.S. A correction to our previous edition: On Tuesday, we implied labor strikes at UPS had affected supply chains. While fears of labor actions were prevalent, the Teamsters union did not strike against UPS. We regret the implication. Deep Dive Going into Q3, many major players cleaned up their inventories after last year’s surge in stock levels, with benefits to margins. Not everyone fared equally, however. |
Flexport and C.H. Robinson won’t be the last big names to cut jobs as industry demand shrinks, experts say. |
Deep Dive Bare shelves are still a recent memory, but many are learning to live on leaner inventories after overstocking in 2022. |
Deep Dive From port disruptions to UPS and Yellow's dust-ups with the Teamsters, disputes between unions and employers are a recurring threat to the steady flow of goods. |
Deep Dive A tidal wave of order cancellations in early 2020 had dire repercussions for laborers and their families. The consequences are still being felt. |
Retailers and their vendors go through a delicate dance when a Chapter 11 looms, with financial hazards for both sides. |
Deep Dive Some brands are helping their suppliers reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Others are dumping new requirements on vendors without shouldering any of the costs. |
Deep Dive Shippers have been diverting cargo for years now, but where exactly is it going? A few datasets provide a hint. |
The multi-year undertaking will allow the candy maker to balance existing capacity with future flexibility, an executive said. |
Deep Dive Shippers adjusted to pandemic-related disruptions to reach customers faster. But shifting shopper preferences and cost-cutting efforts may slow things down. |
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