The Logistics of Logistics
Joe Lynch: Transportation, Logistics Podcaster
Recent Episodes
In "Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected", Joe Lynch and Rob Painter, Trimble's President and Chief Executive Officer, discuss how Trimble connects the freight ecosystem—people, data, and workflows—to navigate the difficult truckload market and drive customer efficiency using AI and integrated commercial solutions.
About Rob PainterRob Painter became Trimble's president and chief executive officer in January 2020. From 2016 through 2019, he served as the Company's chief financial officer. Joining the Company in 2006, Painter held a variety of leadership positions, including corporate development, corporate strategy, general manager of Construction Services, general manager of the Intelligent Construction Tools international joint venture, and vice president of Trimble Buildings construction software. In August 2023, he was appointed to serve on the Synopsys Board of Directors. Painter holds a bachelor's degree in finance from West Virginia University and an MBA from Harvard University.
About Trimble TransportationTrimble Transportation provides fleets with solutions to create a fully integrated supply chain. With an intelligent ecosystem of products and services, Trimble Transportation enables customers to embrace the rapid technological evolution of the industry and connect all aspects of transportation and logistics — trucks, drivers, back office, freight and assets. Trimble Transportation delivers an open, scalable platform to help customers make more informed decisions and maximize performance, visibility and safety.
Key Takeaways: Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected- In "Trimble's Perspective: The Future of Freight is Connected", Joe Lynch and Rob Painter, Trimble's President and Chief Executive Officer, discuss how Trimble connects the freight ecosystem—people, data, and workflows—to navigate the difficult truckload market and drive customer efficiency using AI and integrated commercial solutions.
- Holistic Solution for a Difficult Truckload Market: Trimble's T&L segment directly addresses the pressures of the current truckload market by providing core operational platforms (TMW.Suite, TruckMate) to help carriers, shippers, and brokers manage operations, accounting, and dispatch, ensuring maximum efficiency and cost control when margins are tight.
- Driving Strategy with the Connect & Scale Message: The entire product portfolio—spanning TMS, maintenance, visibility, and procurement—is structured to embody Trimble's "Connect & Scale" message, which focuses on integrating people, data, and workflows into a unified ecosystem to drive growth and efficiency.
- AI-Powered Autonomous Freight Procurement: Trimble is leveraging AI within its Freight Procurement solutions (Transporeon, Freight Marketplace) to move toward autonomous procurement. This helps shippers and brokers efficiently source capacity and optimize freight spend in real-time, which is critical in a volatile capacity environment.
- Commercial Mapping for Efficiency and Safety: Essential tools like Trimble MAPS (CoPilot, Appian) go beyond basic navigation. They provide commercial-grade routing that accounts for truck-specific constraints and HOS, acting as a crucial element in optimizing routes and protecting drivers (part of the people and workflow components of Connect & Scale).
- TMS as the Core Workflow Integrator: Comprehensive Transportation Management Systems (TMS) platforms like TMW.Suite act as the central brain for workflows, integrating data across the business from operations to financial accounting, which is foundational to the "Scale" component of Trimble's strategy.
- Proactive Maintenance and Data Connectivity: Solutions for Asset & Fleet Maintenance focus on maximizing uptime—a key lever in today's market. By using data from connected trucks (fault codes, location) for preventative and predictive maintenance, they ensure assets remain productive and reduce unexpected downtime.
- Regulatory Compliance and Risk Mitigation (People & Data): The Safety & Compliance offerings help fleets mitigate risk and adhere to federal regulations, ensuring the safety and legal operation of their people (drivers) and assets, proving that technology is essential for responsible management and effective use of operational data.
Trimble Transportation | Linkedin
Revolutionizing the Road: Trimble's Tech Solutions with Kelly Williams | The Logistics of Logistics
Trimble & Platform Science: The Future of Telematics with Rob Painter and Jack Kennedy
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
In "SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue", Joe Lynch and Wes Arentson, Senior Sales Manager, Logistics at SPS Commerce, discuss how streamlining the supply chain's Order-to-Cash cycle is the key to accelerating business growth.
About Wes AretsonWes Arentson is a Sales Manager at SPS Commerce. He leads a logistics sales team focused on providing 3PLs and Carriers with tools to optimize their supply chains, connect with their partners more efficiently and make onboarding new customers easy. Wes has over 15 years of experience in supply chain and technology helping customers solve business problems with software and automation.
About SPS CommerceSPS Commerce is the world's leading retail network, connecting trading partners across the globe to optimize supply chain operations for all stakeholders in the retail ecosystem. The company enables data-driven partnerships through innovative cloud-based technology, customer-centric service, and a team of accessible industry experts—allowing clients to focus on their core business. With over 45,000 recurring revenue customers spanning retail, grocery, distribution, supply, manufacturing, and logistics, SPS Commerce powers a vast and growing global retail network.
Key Takeaways: SPS Commerce: Optimize Speed to Revenue- In "Optimize Speed to Revenue", Joe Lynch and Wes Arentson, Senior Sales Manager, Logistics at SPS Commerce, discuss how streamlining the supply chain's Order-to-Cash cycle is the key to accelerating business growth.
- Direct Correlation: Order-to-Cash Speed = Revenue Acceleration. The single most critical factor in optimizing revenue is the speed of your Order-to-Cash (O2C) cycle. Wes stresses that every inefficiency in processing orders, from receipt to payment, translates directly into delayed revenue. Streamlining O2C with efficient data exchange is the fastest way to pull cash forward.
- Stop Margin Leaks by Eliminating Disconnected Systems. Learn how disjointed or manual systems create costly margin leaks—the silent erosion of profitability. These leaks are often caused by the lack of connection between trading partner portals, forcing manual data re-entry and increasing the risk of chargebacks and penalties.
- EDI as the Foundation for Impeccable Data Quality. At the core of SPS Commerce's success is the commitment to data quality. Listeners will understand that clean, standardized, and automated data transmission via modern EDI is essential not just for compliance, but for enabling accurate forecasting and preventing operational errors for all SPS Commerce customers.
- Master Retailer Scorecards by Fixing Data Exchange. Achieving and exceeding Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)—the foundation of retailer scorecards and milestones—is non-negotiable. Wes explains that a failure to meet these standards is often a symptom of poor EDI connections or the lack thereof, not operational failure. Automated, accurate EDI is the fix.
- Accelerate Onboarding with Proven Compliance and Security. Wes highlights the comprehensive service offered by SPS Commerce, focusing on mapping, testing, compliance, and security. This end-to-end approach drastically shaves weeks off the process of onboarding new trading partners, ensuring systems are instantly compliant and secure, which minimizes risk and accelerates time-to-revenue.
- The EDI Advantage: Consolidate Portals and Win More Tenders. True efficiency moves beyond basic EDI compliance. By consolidating disparate retailer portals into one platform, you eliminate the "swivel-chair" chaos. This improved efficiency and performance not only stops margin leaks but directly improves your scorecard performance, helping you win more high-value tenders.
- Future-Proof Partnerships with Automated Data Strategy. The conversation culminates in the shift from tactical order management to a strategic, data-driven approach. Wes advocates for using centralized EDI to build continuous learning and accountability, allowing companies to focus less on manual data work and more on connecting world-class technology with senior executives who control budget and strategy.
In "Penske's State of Logistics: Leasing, Tech, and Loss Prevention with Andy Moses", Joe Lynch and Andy Moses, Senior Vice President of Solutions and Sales Strategy for Penske Logistics, discuss the critical findings from the State of Logistics Report, the strategic advantage of integrating leasing and logistics services, and the operational necessity of combating escalating threats like cargo theft and cyber fraud.
About Andy MosesAndy Moses is the senior vice president of solutions and sales strategy for Penske Logistics. He leads the organization's engineering solutions team and heads corporate sales strategy, advising Penske's product line leaders on sales and development. He was most recently senior vice president of sales and solutions, and previously held the role of senior vice president of global products. He has a distinguished career in the transportation industry in product and sales leadership roles, including prior experience as vice president of sales at Penske Truck Leasing. A member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and a supply chain author, Moses has spoken at industry conferences and guest lectured at top universities. A Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, Moses holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Brooklyn College and a master's degree from Pennsylvania State University in leadership development.
About Penske LogisticsPenske Logistics is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. The company is a leading provider of innovative supply chain and logistics solutions. Penske offers solutions including dedicated transportation, distribution center management, 4PL and lead logistics, transportation management, freight brokerage, and a comprehensive array of technologies to keep the world moving forward. Visit PenskeLogistics.com to learn more.
Key Takeaways: Penske's State of Logistics- In "Penske's State of Logistics: Leasing, Tech, and Loss Prevention with Andy Moses", Joe Lynch and Andy Moses, Senior Vice President of Solutions and Sales Strategy for Penske Logistics, discuss how integrated services and proactive technology are building a more secure and agile supply chain.
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Cyber Security, Cargo Theft, & Freight Fraud: Digital and physical security threats are escalating, making loss prevention a strategic imperative. Logistics providers must invest in robust cyber defenses for operational technology (OT) systems and implement advanced tracking, authentication, and security protocols to mitigate both physical cargo theft and sophisticated freight fraud schemes.
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The State of the Market (CSCMP/Penske Report): The industry is defined by persistent uncertainty and disruption, requiring a shift from short-term cost-cutting to long-term strategic resilience. The CSCMP/Kearney/Penske State of Logistics Report highlights that while capacity is balancing, geopolitical and economic headwinds, including shifts in trade and the $2.6 trillion U.S. business logistics costs, continue to drive complexity and require agility.
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Penske's Cross-Over Advantage (Leasing & Logistics): Penske's unique position—providing both truck leasing and logistics services—offers customers a unified and adaptable solution. This cross-over provides superior scale, equipment access, maintenance support, and integrated market intelligence on transportation capacity and emerging market needs.
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Technology as a Solution Driver: Penske's ClearChain® Technology Suite leverages data, analytics, and AI to provide end-to-end visibility, orchestration, and control. This technology allows companies to move beyond reacting to problems and engage in predictive modeling to proactively address issues before they impact the network.
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Problems Penske Solves: Penske leverages its engineering and sales strategy to solve critical business problems, including optimizing network design, providing compliant dedicated transportation, offering rapid scalability, and delivering the data-driven transparency required for consumer trust and regulatory adherence.
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In "Tariffs, Typhoons, & Turmoil: Derisking the Supply Chain with Moody's Andrei Quinn-Barabanov ", Joe Lynch and Andrei Quinn-Barabanov, Moody's lead Supply Chain expert, discuss the need to leverage predictive data and holistic strategies to mitigate complex, interconnected global risks.
About Andrei Quinn-BarabanovAndrei Quinn-Barabanov is Moody's lead Supply Chain expert. He works closely with Supply Chain Risk product team to shape the predictive capabilities of Moody's solution and with its customers to identify, assess, prioritize and mitigate supply chain risks. With more than three decades of experience, Andrei brings both practitioner's and consulting expertise to his role. His career in supply chain included ten years as the head of supply chain risk management at Raytheon. He also has significant management consulting experience, having worked on global operations for Nike, Sara Lee, Philips, W.W. Grainger, Lafarge and Kennametal. A native of Russia, Andrei is based in Washington DC. He earned his MBA at Stanford.
About Moody'sIn a world shaped by increasingly interconnected risks, Moody's (NYSE: MCO) data, insights, and innovative technologies help customers develop a holistic view of their world and unlock opportunities. With a rich history of experience in global markets and a diverse workforce of approximately 16,000 across more than 40 countries, Moody's gives customers the comprehensive perspective needed to act with confidence and thrive. Learn more at moodys.com.
Key Takeaways: Tariffs, Typhoons, & Turmoil: Derisking the Supply Chain- In "Tariffs, Typhoons, & Turmoil: Derisking the Supply Chain with Moody's Andrei Quinn-Barabanov ", Joe Lynch and Andrei Quinn-Barabanov, Moody's lead Supply Chain expert, discuss the need to leverage predictive data and holistic strategies to mitigate complex, interconnected global risks.
- Financial Resilience Vetting: Supply chain managers must vet the financial health of all partners, not just customers. Use financial services (like Moody's) to assess stability. A stressed supplier is a critical performance risk, especially for industries like automotive and pharma.
- Geopolitical Planning & Diversification: Geopolitical risk is now a core factor, tied to tariffs and compliance. Aerospace and defense require scenario planning for policy changes and conflicts. Diversify sourcing regions to mitigate sanctions and trade duties.
- Digital and Physical Security: Threats include both physical cargo theft/freight fraud and sophisticated cyber security breaches targeting operations (OT). An attack on a 3PL or tech supplier (common in high-tech) can halt the chain. Invest in protocols covering digital and physical movement.
- Ethical & Legal Due Diligence: Pressure is high to ensure clean supply chains. Avoiding companies involved in slavery and/or money laundering requires rigorous checks. Non-compliance is a massive reputational and legal risk for sectors like pharma and energy.
- Climate-Informed Logistics: Weather risk is rising; use climate science in network design. In regions prone to typhoons or earthquakes, pre-qualify alternative routes, hold strategic buffer stock, and invest in resilient infrastructure.
- Transparency is Compliance: Achieving transparency and traceability is vital for issues like corruption and ethical sourcing. Modern tools (AI) are essential to trace components. This guarantees provenance for high-tech and ensures regulatory adherence for energy firms.
- Proactive Risk Modeling: Move beyond reaction to proactive risk modeling. Synthesize data (financial, geopolitical, ethical) to create risk scores for partners. This allows sectors like defense to build resilience by dual-sourcing and stress-testing their networks.
In "Orchestrating Chaos: Lully's Take on the Top Warehousing Challenges", Joe Lynch and Mike Myers, the Founder and CEO of Lully.ai discuss how to supercharge existing Warehouse Management Systems with bolt-on algorithms for labor and cost savings.
About Mike MyersMike Myers is the Founder and CEO of Lully.ai, a bolt on technology that allows warehouses to ship more orders on time, with fewer resources, using the equipment, capabilities, and systems you already have. Mike's career has included roles at a large apparel brand, multiple national 3PL leaders, and finally a automation firm focused on autonomous vehicles. Mike describes himself as "obsessed with warehouses," and it shows!
About Lully.aiLully.ai helps customers drive both cost and labor savings, by leveraging a combination of simple operating rules and world-class algorithms, all available via API. Their approach enables you to supercharge your WMS without the typical pains of technology integration. Lully's focus is on making the work easier for the team on the floor; less travel, fewer location visits, better utilized equipment. The end result is happier employees and bolstered bottom lines.
Key Takeaways: Orchestrating Chaos: Lully's Take on the Top Warehousing Challenges- The "Orchestrating Chaos" Philosophy: Warehousing challenges are framed not as insurmountable problems, but as "chaos" that can be "orchestrated" using smart, targeted technology. The core message is that efficiency is found in harmonizing existing equipment and processes, rather than in complete overhauls.
- Supercharge, Don't Replace (The "Bolt-On" Approach): Lully.ai's solution is a "bolt on technology... available via API." This takeaway emphasizes that warehouses can achieve massive optimization by supercharging their existing WMS without the typical high-cost and painful technology integration, making advanced algorithms accessible and fast to deploy.
- The Dual Bottom Line Focus: The solution directly addresses the two critical pressures in logistics: driving both cost and labor savings. The algorithms are designed to improve the financial bottom line while simultaneously tackling the labor crisis by making floor work more efficient.
- Human-Centric Optimization: Lully.ai translates optimization directly into benefits for the floor team, leading to happier employees. Key improvements include significantly less travel, fewer location visits, and better utilized equipment, which reduces fatigue, increases accuracy, and improves retention.
- Experience-Driven Solution: Mike Myers' diverse background—which spans a large apparel brand, 3PL leaders, and autonomous vehicle automation—provides a unique, holistic, and deeply practical understanding of warehouse operations. This real-world expertise informs a solution that is grounded in operational necessity.
- The Algorithm/Rules Combination: The technology's effectiveness stems from blending "simple operating rules and world-class algorithms." This suggests that complex optimization is delivered via practical, easily adoptable rules, ensuring the technology is not only intelligent but also simple for floor managers and workers to implement.
- Maximizing Existing Assets (Capital-Light Efficiency): A major takeaway for warehouse leaders is that the solution helps ship more orders on time, with fewer resources, using the equipment, capabilities, and systems you already have. This focus on maximizing current assets offers a capital-light path to high-performance warehousing.