02/06/2019
SMC³’s Jump Start 2019 Conference Brings Supply Chain Technology Education to Logistics Stakeholders
ATLANTA – Examinations of economic uncertainty, supply chain opportunities and increasing technological advancement fueled ample discussion during SMC³’s three-day Jump Start 2019 educational conference at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel Atlanta.
The next SMC³ conference will take place starting June 24 at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Co. For more information about Connections 2019, visit http://www.smc3connections.com.
More than 560 carriers, shippers, 3PLs and other supply chain professionals attended Jump Start 2019. Conference participants benefitted from more than 34 hours of transportation content and close to 20 hours of dedicated networking opportunities.
Opening the Jump Start event, Linda Fonkoue, global supply base manager of logistics at Deere and Company, told the audience that there are many unknowns globally and domestically. “2019 presents a lot of uncertainties because of the current economic and geopolitical issues,” she said. Fonkoue advocated for collaboration in confronting supply chain issues. Stakeholders, she said, should come together to speak with one unified voice.
During Jump Start, SMC³ and media partner Logistics Management unveiled the winners of the Alliance Award. The award recognizes collaborative efforts and dynamic supply chain partnerships that produce meaningful outcomes, achieve quantifiable results and drive supply chain excellence.
The winning case studies will be featured in Logistics Management over the course of 2019. The winning collaborators are:
- Hard Rock, Teknowlogi and Kuehne + Nagel
- Big Lots, Unyson – Logistics Division of Hub Group and Rail Delivery Services
- CMON, Averitt Express, PITT OHIO and Mountain Valley Express
Among Jump Start attendees, industry analysts and transportation leaders less familiar with the less than truckload side of the supply chain equation gain a more thorough understanding of this complex aspect of the transportation world.
“I really enjoy being at this conference,” Steve Banker of ARC Advisory Group said at the end of his speech. “One of the things, as a supply chain guy, I pay a lot of attention to is really getting an understanding of granular costing.” Banker explained that he went to one of the SMC³ costing breakouts during the conference and was “blown away” by the level of detail in LTL pricing and the deep-dive provided during the breakout.
When constructing the Jump Start lineup of speakers, SMC³ staff aims to provide a level of transportation and logistics insight that even longtime supply chain stakeholders can appreciate.
“Jump Start is focused on preparing supply chain leaders for the year ahead,” said Andrew Slusher, CEO and president of SMC³. “We pack the conference with thought-provoking, informative panels, preparing attendees to return to their offices ready to make informed decisions about supply chain pain points and opportunities.”
About SMC³
SMC³ is the one-stop knowledge hub for LTL technology, data and education. The API-powered SMC³ Platform fuels TMS applications with unrivaled LTL analytical capabilities and shipment visibility data. As the single integration point for all carrier rate, transit and service information, SMC³ solutions travel beyond simple connectivity and empower shippers, 3PLs and carriers to collaborate and optimize decision making throughout the entire LTL lifecycle. Thousands of industry trading partners rely on SMC³ solutions to make informed business decisions, achieve higher returns on their transportation investment, and meet ever-changing market demands.
Media Contact
Beth Malik
Director of Marketing
SMC³
Office: (770) 486-5823
bmalik@smc3.com