Speaking of Supply Chain

Hosted by Miebach

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Speaking of Supply Chain – your go-to podcast for real-world insights and forward-thinking strategies in logistics and operations. Whether you’re a supply chain leader, industry innovator, or operations professional, this show delivers expert perspectives and actionable ideas to help you stay ahead. Each episode dives into the most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities shaping the future of supply chain, from risk mitigation and automation to sustainability, digital transformation, and beyond. Featuring conversations with top minds in the industry, you'll gain the clarity and inspiration needed to navigate a rapidly evolving logistics landscape. Subscribe now and join us as we speak with the people who are shaping tomorrow’s supply chain.

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June 4, 202628 min

Automation Will Not Fix a Broken Process

Everyone is talking about warehouse automation. Far fewer are talking about whether they actually need it.The headlines suggest warehousing is racing toward dark stores, lights-out operations, and full robotics. The reality on the ground is quieter and a lot more careful. Companies are introducing automation in stages, weighing real labor and service pressures, and sometimes discovering that the smartest move is not to automate at all. Because if the underlying process is broken, automation just makes it fail faster.In this episode, Ellen Wood is joined by Sophie James from Miebach's UK team to cut through the noise around warehouse automation. They talk about why projects succeed or stall, the real cost of automating a process that has not been optimized first, why cross-functional alignment matters more than the technology choice, and how flexibility and scalability should shape any solution that has to outlast today's assumptions.In this episode:Why the hype around full warehouse automation does not match what is actually happening The cost of layering automation onto a process that has not been optimizedWhen "do nothing" is the right answer and how to recognize it How 3PL versus owned operations change the automation calculus

May 21, 202618 min

Why Pharma Cannot React Its Way Out of the Next Crisis

Risk used to be something pharmaceutical companies responded to. Now it is something they have to design for.For decades, pharma optimized for scale and cost. APIs and starting materials moved to India and China, manufacturing capabilities in Europe quietly disappeared, and intense price pressure became the unquestioned baseline. Then came the Suez blockage, COVID, tariffs, and conflict-driven disruptions. Each one was treated as a singular event to react to, not as a signal that the underlying network itself needed to change.In this episode, Ellen Wood is joined by Stephan Gotthardt, fresh off moderating a panel at European LogiPharma 2026 in Vienna, to discuss what proactive resilience really looks like in pharma supply chains. They dig into why regionalization is becoming a structural strategy rather than a short-term fix, why pharma has to stop accepting price pressure as a given, and how the talent profile of the global head of supply chain is shifting as the industry borrows mindsets from FMCG and automotive.In this episode:Why singular responses to each new crisis will never build a resilient networkWhat regionalizing pharma actually requires, and why it cannot happen overnightWhy the resiliency vs affordability debate starts at the wrong endThe non-negotiable capabilities pharma supply chains will need by 2030

May 7, 202633 min

Why Your Planning System Can't Help You Change

Companies have invested in planning systems, AI, and better data. So why does planning still not translate into performance?The problem is not the technology itself. It is how design, planning, and execution have been treated as three separate disciplines for decades. Each has its own tools, its own teams, and very little connection between them. Your planning system is excellent at holding your current configuration. It was never built to help you change it.In this episode, Christine Barnhart sits down with Rafael Vasquez and Paul Webb from Coupa to talk about where so much supply chain value quietly gets lost: the gap between the network you have, the plans you run, and the decisions executives actually need to make. They dig into why scenario planning belongs in a design environment rather than an APS, how an always-on digital twin lets companies be either proactive or reactive but agile, and why working capital tied up in the wrong places is often the fastest place to find returns.In this episode:How design, planning, and execution should connect through a real feedback loopWhy scenario planning does not belong inside your planning systemWhere to find quick wins in inventory, capacity, and transportationWhat is actually changing in how Coupa works with customers and partners

April 16, 202629 min

Why Your Planning System Is Not the Problem

Most companies know they have a planning problem. The question is whether they are solving the right one.It is easy to blame the technology, push for an APS upgrade, or chase the latest AI tool. But too often, the real issues sit underneath: outdated parameters no one has reviewed in years, data that does not reflect reality, and planning processes that never connect to execution.In this episode, Christine Barnhart sits down with Dan Kogan from Solventure to talk about why so many planning investments fail to deliver, what it actually takes to fix the foundation, and how organizations can stop running around their planning systems and start running on them. They also dig into the overinvestment in prediction at the expense of preparation, and why data health might be the most overlooked lever in supply chain performance.In this episode:Why companies keep blaming their APS when the real problems are elsewhereWhat orchestration actually means and why most organizations are not doing itHow to balance investment in prediction with investment in preparationWhy data health is the foundation everything else depends onRead Dan's blog post on APS upgrades HERE

April 2, 202625 min

Why Modex Matters More This Year

Modex is full of innovation. The hard part is knowing what actually works.With thousands of exhibitors, live demonstrations, and bold promises on every aisle, supply chain leaders are not short on ideas. What they need is clarity on which technologies are ready for real operations and which ones are just show floor excitement.In this episode, Ellen Wood is joined by Miebach colleagues Bastian Himmeroeder and Jack Wagner to discuss what makes Modex valuable for supply chain leaders right now. Together, they explore how companies can approach the event with more intention, avoid chasing technology for its own sake, and focus instead on solutions that solve real operational problems and support the next wave of supply chain investment.In this episode:Why Modex matters more than ever as companies enter a new investment cycleThe biggest mistakes leaders make when evaluating automation on the show floorHow to separate exciting concepts from scalable, real-world solutions

March 19, 202629 min

What Top Supply Chain Leaders Do Differently

Behind every supply chain transformation are the people willing to challenge what is possible.From digital innovation to operational strategy, the leaders making the biggest impact are not just solving today’s problems. They are building the teams, tools, and mindsets that will define the future of the industry.In this episode, Ellen Wood speaks with Miebach colleagues Julian Maasmann and Nuria Alvarez, two of this year’s Pros to Know honorees. Together, they reflect on the projects, leadership lessons, and global collaboration that have shaped their careers, and discuss how AI, transformation work, and diverse teams are helping organizations build smarter and more resilient supply chains.In this episode:What meaningful supply chain transformation looks like in practiceHow global collaboration and diverse teams strengthen client outcomesWhy curiosity, feedback, and continuous learning matter for future leaders

March 5, 202632 min

How to Avoid the Wrong Automation Investment

Trade show season is full of bold claims. But what actually sticks?Each year, LogiMAT showcases award winning robotics, AI powered systems, and next generation warehouse concepts. The real question is not what looks impressive on the show floor, but what proves durable, scalable, and commercially viable years later.In this episode, Ellen Wood talks with Sascha Kalytta, Senior Consultant at Miebach Berlin, about which technologies have gained real traction in recent years and where the market may be headed next. From rack climbing robots and cube systems to AI orchestration, packaging regulation, and even humanoid robots, Sascha separates hype from maturity and shares how decision makers can approach LogiMAT with clarity and purpose.In this episode:Which automation technologies have truly established themselves after LogiMATWhy market consolidation and supplier longevity matter more than everHow to prepare for trade shows with intention and avoid chasing “fancy” solutions

February 19, 202635 min

How Real Experience Changes Supply Chain Thinking

Speaking of Supply Chain is entering a new chapter.As the industry evolves, the conversations shaping it need to evolve too. This episode marks an important moment for the show and for how real world supply chain insight gets shared.In this episode, Ellen Wood welcomes Christine Barnhart as the new co host of Speaking of Supply Chain. Christine shares her unconventional journey across engineering, manufacturing, technology, and consulting, and explains how those experiences shape her practical, no nonsense approach to supply chain challenges. Together, Ellen and Christine discuss where the industry is headed, why fundamentals still matter more than hype, and how the podcast will spotlight real voices, real problems, and real progress.In this episode:Christine’s path from engineer to supply chain advisor and connectorWhy planning, data foundations, and people matter more than tools aloneWhat listeners can expect from the next chapter of Speaking of Supply Chain

February 5, 202638 min

Fast and Free Is Over So What Wins Now

Fast and free delivery is no longer a competitive advantage.In 2026, it is simply the minimum. What separates retail leaders now is how well they balance speed, cost, and flexibility across an explosion of channels and customer expectations.In this episode, Ellen Wood sits down with Rob Hahn, COO of Pattern, alongside Miebach’s Julian Osorio, to break down what winning direct to consumer fulfillment really looks like today. Rob shares what brands are getting wrong about speed, why supply chain flexibility matters more than ever, and how specialization, marketplace requirements, and smarter inventory strategy are reshaping modern retail operations.In this episode:Rob’s view on the new DTC table stakes and why reliability winsHow brands can stay flexible across marketplaces, DTC, and retail channelWhat mid sized retailers should prioritize to improve cost to serve and execution

January 22, 202621 min

The Real Way AI Is Changing Supply Chains

Supply chains generate more data than ever, yet decisions still lag behind.As AI adoption accelerates, many organizations struggle to turn insights into action at the pace operations demand. The real challenge is not collecting data, but knowing what to do with it in the moment that matters.In this episode, Ellen Wood talks with Bekbolat Abdikanov, Generative AI Solutions Lead at Miebach, about how AI is closing the gap between insight and execution. From labor planning and inventory optimization to prescriptive decision making, Bekbolat shares where AI is already delivering real value and what organizations need in place to adopt it successfully.In this episode:Why dashboards alone fail to drive better decisionsHow AI is shifting supply chains from reactive to predictive and prescriptiveWhat organizational readiness really looks like for successful AI adoption