Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ 2022: Three Key Takeaways

The Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™, which took place last week in Orlando, Florida, brought together companies from all over the world for three days of must-have insights, strategies, and frameworks for chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) and supply chain leaders who want to think big, make bold moves, and drive real impact within their organizations.

Read on for three key takeaways from the conference.

#1 Global supply chains are evolving. Driven by the COVID-19 disruption, new technologies – including labeling and packaging artwork – are shaping the future of intralogistics and global supply chains. As such, many companies are currently running digital transformation programs that include moving core business applications to the cloud. However, it’s vital that labeling be considered as part of that process. By deploying labeling in the cloud, businesses will see several benefits, including cost savings, accessibility from any location at any time, next-level security, efficiency gains, and more. Find out how you can move your labeling to the cloud by download our whitepaper, ‘7 Business-Boosting Benefits of Cloud Labeling’, for free.

#2 Collaboration between humans and machines is the future. One of the core concepts behind the “Industry 4.0” initiative is the smooth interaction between humans and machines. However, a confluence of forces is increasing reliance on advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. As such, the continuous sharing of knowledge between humans and machines will be vital for companies to make better decisions in the future. One such example is a modern cloud-based labeling solution, which improves a company’s end-to-end labeling process by supporting dispersed workforces, driving down error rates, and facilitating compliance. As they work to harness the power of the cloud, forward-thinking companies are embracing cloud-first labeling strategies to gain a competitive edge and set themselves up for future success. Read more in our annual ‘Top 5 Trends in Labeling and Packaging Artwork’ report.

#3 Unlocking opportunities for life sciences companies. The pandemic stretched the life sciences supply chain to its limits. Take the initial rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine as a cautionary tale: the initial labels on products sent to Africa and other developing nations did not contain the correct information – no “use by date” or expiration date – and so these products were scrapped. Despite the label’s vital importance, many life sciences companies are still leaving labeling to chance as they rely on disparate solutions to meet evolving and growing business demands. Unfortunately, this approach can result in labeling errors, inconsistencies, high maintenance costs, and non-compliance. Do these sound like some of the challenges you face? Find out how we can help drive your labeling into the future here.