Manufacturing has been in contraction for the last few years, while geopolitical risks are heightened and tariffs have created additional uncertainty, yet the future is starting to look bright. Investments and expansions are picking up. The most successful manufacturers will position for success by preparing for opportunities, mitigating risks and building resiliency and capabilities.
Global supply chains started a full transformation in 2025 spurred on with geopolitical risk and encouraged by tariffs, and the pace accelerates as the New Year kicks off with geopolitics dominating the conversation and fundamentals making a comeback. We review learnings from the prior year and priorities for success in 2026.
A holiday message from Lisa Anderson and LMA Consulting Group. We expect significant opportunities for manufacturing and proactive executives with agile, regional supply chains, proactive processes such as SIOP, artificial intelligence and a focus on talent will thrive.
Continuous improvement has been the backbone of operational excellence for decades—but today’s pace of change has surpassed it. In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson explains why manufacturers must move beyond traditional continuous improvement and embrace collaborative innovation.
In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson highlights the growing skills gap among early-career professionals and explains why and how investing in developing the next generation of supply chain talent is essential for long-term success.
Supply chains don’t run themselves—people do. In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson reminds us to recognize the individuals who keep operations moving every day. From planners and schedulers to warehouse teams, buyers, operations and production staff, these are the people who prevent disruptions and quietly keep everything on track
I was interviewed by the Intelligent Enterprise Leaders Alliance for their latest publication recently as part of a panel of experts featuring Women in Manufacturing. Industry 4.0 is the next frontier of smart manufacturing with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. In the interview, we discussed significant opportunities for [...]
Honor your team members. Manufacturers have no hope of scaling up to meet the surge coming down the pike without the engagement of their teams. Excitement is building as high tech meets high touch in manufacturing, and the best companies see their talent as a strategic asset.
Generative AI won’t fix everything—and many projects miss the mark. In this quick Byte, Lisa Anderson explains why leaders should resist blanket rollouts, choose one well-scoped use case, and engage the people who do the work so AI boosts productivity instead of creating noise.
AI is transforming supply chains by handling data, analytics, and routine tasks faster than ever. But success still hinges on one distinctly human skill: critical thinking. In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson explains why leaders must create environments where their teams can question assumptions, connect the dots, and make sound decisions that technology alone can’t deliver.
