The Logistics of Logistics

In "How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain", Joe Lynch and Bob Loycano, Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Aero, discuss how specialized distribution and strategic inventory buffering eliminate bottlenecks in the global aerospace industry.
About Bob Loycano
Bob Loycano serves as Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Hardware. In his role, Bob is responsible for establishing the purchasing and planning strategies utilized by each of the FDH Aero businesses. He aggregates the collective's purchasing synergies, enabling improved partnerships with suppliers. He reports to President of FDH Hardware, Matt Lacki. Prior to joining FDH Aero, Bob spent seven years as Executive Director of Supply Chain at Wesco. After his time at Wesco, Bob spent 7 years as Vice President of Procurement at KLX Aerospace – three years of which were spent with Boeing Distribution Services, after its acquisition of KLX. During his tenure, Bob oversaw all global procurement, planning, sourcing, and technical support. Bob's experience extends well beyond aerospace distribution – starting his career as an engineer at General Electric Aircraft Engines. He then spent 18 years at Pratt & Whitney as a manufacturing & design engineer, and later, as Commodity Manager. Bob graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. He would go on to earn an MBA from the University of Connecticut. 
About FDH Aero
FDH Aero is a trusted global supply chain solutions partner for aerospace and defense companies, helping to shape the industry by simplifying the supply chain. With over 60 years of experience, it specializes in hardware, electrical, consumables & expendables, licensed products, and value-added services for global OEM and aftermarket customers. FDH is headquartered in Commerce, California, and has operations across the Americas, EMEA and APAC. FDH Aero – named a Best Place to Work in Aviation – has locations in 15 countries across the globe, with more than 1,500 best-in-industry employees and over 650,000 square feet of inventory space. For more information, please visit FDHAero.com.
Key Takeaways: How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain
In "How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain", Joe Lynch and Bob Loycano, Vice President, Supply Chain for FDH Aero, discuss how specialized distribution and strategic inventory buffering eliminate bottlenecks in the global aerospace industry.
Global Scale and Specialized Scope: FDH Aero is a global supply chain partner with over 60 years of experience, operating in 15 countries with more than 650,000 square feet of inventory space. They specialize in high-criticality components including hardware, electrical parts, and consumables for both the commercial and defense aerospace sectors.
Managing the "Long Tail" of Supply: While major OEMs like Boeing or Airbus buy high-volume parts directly, FDH Aero adds value by managing the "long tail"—the thousands of lower-volume, specialized parts that are difficult for OEMs to forecast or stock individually.
The Criticality of Quality and Safety: In aerospace, every part is essentially a "safety part." Bob highlighted that FDH Aero tests every batch of parts for strength and durability—such as ensuring fasteners are forged rather than cut—before they ever enter their inventory to prevent any single point of failure.
Bridging the Capacity Gap: A major industry challenge is the "skills gap" and labor shortage in manufacturing. FDH Aero acts as a strategic buffer, chasing global capacity and managing long lead times (which can exceed a year for simple nuts and bolts) so that production lines don't stop.
Simplifying Complex Logistics: FDH Aero simplifies the supply chain by acting as a single point of contact for thousands of suppliers and customers. They handle the "onerous" terms and conditions of large OEMs that smaller manufacturers might avoid, while also navigating complex international tariffs and customs.
Inventory as a Service: By carrying approximately 600,000 SKUs, FDH Aero provides "availability as a service." They use their own forecasting expertise to stay "smarter than the customer," ensuring parts are on the shelf before the customer even realizes they have a need, thus preventing "Aircraft on Ground" (AOG) situations.
Economic Efficiency through Aggregation: FDH Aero provides cost savings by buying industry-standard parts in bulk across multiple customers. This allows them to offer lower unit costs than a customer could get by buying small quantities directly from a manufacturer, while also eliminating the customer's internal inventory carrying costs.
Learn More About How FDH Aero is Simplifying the Aerospace Supply Chain
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FDH Aero
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FDH Aero | YouTube
Bob Loycano Interview
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World", Joe Lynch and Abe Eshkenazi, Chief Executive Officer at ASCM, discuss the shift from low-cost efficiency to resilient, regionalized networks. They emphasize that visibility and talent are now the primary tools for navigating global disruption. 
About Abe Eshkenazi
Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE is chief executive officer at ASCM, the largest organization for supply chain and the global pacesetter of organizational transformation, talent development and supply chain innovation. During his tenure, ASCM has significantly expanded its services to corporations, individuals and communities; its revenue has more than doubled; and three mergers were completed in response to heightened industry awareness and the vast and ongoing global impact of supply chains. A trusted industry leader, Abe has served as a longstanding source of thought leadership on emerging trends impacting the supply chain space. He's championed supply chain careers via upskilling and pushed for a broader understanding of supply chain space to those outside of the industry. He was a driving force in the development of the documentary, The Chain: How the World Works, a six-part series aimed to demystify the supply chain industry and highlight its importance in everyday life. Previously, Abe was managing director of the Operations Consulting Group of American Express Tax and Business Services. Abe holds a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University, Kellogg Graduate School of Management; a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University; and a bachelor's degree in business from Northeastern Illinois University.
About the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM)
The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) is the global pacesetter of organizational transformation, talent development and supply chain innovation. As the largest association for supply chain, ASCM members and worldwide alliances fuel innovation and inspire accountability for resilient, dynamic and sustainable operations. ASCM is built on a foundation of world-class APICS education, certification and career resources, which encompasses award winning workforce development, relevant content, groundbreaking industry standards and a diverse community of professionals who are driven to create a better world through supply chain.
About The Chain: How the World Works – ASCM Docuseries
"The Chain: How the World Works" is a new docuseries produced by The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), available now on Amazon Prime. "The Chain" is a bold, engaging exploration of the global supply chain and the people who keep it moving. Through expert interviews, real-world stories, and cinematic storytelling, it offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the systems that power our world. The six-part series dives deep into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of supply chains revealing the hidden infrastructure behind everyday life, from the food in your supermarket to the journey of your favorite pair of jeans. Each episode focuses on a unique topic, for example "The Sports Industry Isn't All About the Game—It's a High-Stakes, Global Supply Chain" and "The Hidden Journey of Pain Relief: How the World's Morphine is Made, Tracked, and Unequally Shared" ASCM's docuseries aims to educate the public, elevate the profession, and highlight the critical role supply chains play in global stability and sustainability. How to watch: The Chain: How the World Works docuseries on Amazon Prime or learn more at ASCM.org.
Key Takeaways: Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World
In "Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World", Joe Lynch and Abe Eshkenazi, Chief Executive Officer at ASCM, discussthe shift from low-cost efficiency to resilient, regionalized networks. They emphasize that visibility and talent are now the primary tools for navigating global disruption. 
The Shift from Invisible to Visible: Historically, supply chains were only noticed when they failed. Abe emphasizes that we are moving toward a world where the "invisible" story of a product—its origin, environmental impact, and labor conditions—is now a core consumer and regulatory demand.
Defining the "Choke Point" Risk: A single-source supply chain creates a critical vulnerability where an entire operation depends on one supplier, region, or facility. While efficient for cost, these "choke points" (like Taiwan for chips or China for pharmaceutical ingredients) offer no alternatives when geopolitical or environmental disruptions occur.
The "Visibility Gap" Beyond Tier 1: Most organizations lack insight into their Tier 3 and Tier 4 suppliers. Abe notes that while visibility at the top level has improved, the deepest disruptions often happen deep in the sub-tiers where vendors lack the resources to handle shocks.
Digital Transformation vs. Talent Investment: While companies are heavily investing in technology like AI and ERP systems for better data, there is a significant gap in human talent. Technology is only as effective as the professionals who possess the critical thinking skills to leverage it.
The Re-balancing of "Just-in-Time" to "Just-in-Case": The industry is moving away from a pure focus on speed and low cost toward "risk-adjusted" decision-making. This includes building inventory buffers, creating flexible contracts with "tariff clauses," and ensuring optionality in logistics routes.
Regionalization and Shorter Supply Chains: Geopolitical fragmentation is pushing the world toward a "multipolar" model. Supply chains are becoming shorter and more regional (nearshoring) to improve security and sustainability, even if this results in higher costs that must be absorbed.
Collaboration as a Strategic Skill: Supply chain management is no longer a siloed back-office function. Success now requires "soft skills" to lead cross-functional collaboration between the Chief Supply Chain Officer, CFO, and Chief Sustainability Officer to balance financial health with operational resilience.
Learn More About Single-Source Supply Chains in a Fragmenting World
Abe Eshkenazi | Linkedin
Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) | Linkedin
Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM)
The Chain: How the World Works | Docuseries on Prime Video
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "The Rise of Freight Orchestration with GoodShip's Derek Netelenbos", Joe Lynch and Derek Netelenbos, VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, discuss how an orchestration layer unifies fragmented data to shift logistics from reactive manual tasks to proactive, AI-driven strategy. 
About Derek Netelenbos
Derek Netelenbos is the VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, the all-in-one platform for freight orchestration and procurement, built for transportation teams, by transportation teams. Derek brings extensive experience building and scaling partnerships and revenue organizations across the logistics and technology sectors. Prior to GoodShip, Derek held leadership roles at Parade, Metafora, Convoy, Groupon and Expedia, where he built and led high-performing teams across sales, sales operations, business development, account management, and strategic partnerships.
About GoodShip
GoodShip is the all-in-one platform for freight orchestration and procurement, built for transportation teams, by transportation teams. GoodShip unifies freight data, surfaces real-time insights, and helps teams move from reactive decision-making to coordinated, data-driven execution. With the recent launch of Laney, the industry's first AI Transportation Analyst, teams can ask questions about their network and receive in-depth answers in seconds through an intuitive, conversational interface. Learn more at www.goodship.io.
Key Takeaways: The Rise of Freight Orchestration
In "The Rise of Freight Orchestration with GoodShip's Derek Netelenbos", Joe Lynch and Derek Netelenbos, VP of Partnerships at GoodShip, discuss how an orchestration layer unifies fragmented data to shift logistics from reactive manual tasks to proactive, AI-driven strategy.
The "Orchestration" Solution: GoodShip acts as an orchestration layer that unifies disparate data from TMS, ERP, WMS, and visibility platforms. This allows teams to move from reactive, fragmented decision-making to coordinated, data-driven execution.
Automated Scorecarding: One of the biggest pain points discussed was the manual effort required to create carrier scorecards. GoodShip automates this process, providing a "single source of truth" that both shippers and carriers can view simultaneously to ensure transparency and performance alignment.
Laney, the AI Analyst: GoodShip introduced Laney, an embedded AI agent that allows users to ask complex, unstructured questions about their freight network. Instead of sifting through pivot tables, users can ask Laney to simulate scenarios—like the cost implications of reallocating volume from an underperforming carrier.
Modernizing the RFP Process: Traditionally, RFPs were "root canal" events done once a year due to their complexity. GoodShip streamlines procurement, allowing shippers to run more frequent (e.g., quarterly) mini-bids with high-fidelity data, which reduces risk for carriers and leads to more resilient pricing.
Expansion to LSPs and Brokers: While GoodShip started with a focus on shippers, the platform has officially expanded to help Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and brokers. This helps the "sell side" respond to bids more efficiently and manage their own carrier networks with better intelligence.
Rapid Deployment via Flat Files: To avoid the long implementation cycles common in logistics tech, GoodShip specializes in ingesting "flat file" data (spreadsheets, scraped emails, etc.). This allows them to go from contract signing to full deployment in just three to four weeks.
Data as an Asset: Derek emphasized that every company's historical operating history is a "gold mine" of insights. Orchestration is the process of mining that data to uncover hidden efficiencies that were previously buried in tribal knowledge or disconnected systems.
Learn More About The Rise of Freight Orchestration
Derek Netelenbos | Linkedin
GoodShip | Linkedin
GoodShip
Learn more about Shipper offering
Learn more about Broker offering
Meet Laney, GoodShip's AI Transportation Analyst
Insight to Action with Ryan Soskin
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization.
About Matt Muenster
Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, brings extensive expertise spanning energy, freight, and sustainability across global supply chains. In his role, Matt leads a team of supply chain analysts who deliver actionable market intelligence to some of the world's largest enterprise shippers across the food, beverage, retail, and packaging industries.Known for translating complex market dynamics into practical insights, Matt serves as a trusted advisor to executive leaders navigating energy market volatility, freight cycles, and decarbonization goals. He is a sought‑after speaker at industry conferences and a frequent contributor to leading business and logistics publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Logistics Management. Matt holds a master's degree in economics from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College.
About Breakthrough
Breakthrough, a U.S. Venture company, is a leading provider of sustainable fuel and freight solutions that reduce costs, improve network efficiency, and decarbonize transportation. Powered by more than $35 billion in annual freight spend data, advanced technology, and deep market expertise, Breakthrough delivers freight optimization and actionable strategies for the world's leading brands, helping transform transportation into a more effective and sustainable ecosystem. Breakthrough is a multi-year Top Food Chain Technology honoree from Food Shippers of America, Owens Corning Supplier of the Year, and recipient of the 2025 Top Supply Chain Projects Award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics.
Key Takeaways: Navigating Energy Markets
In "Navigating Energy Markets with Breakthrough's Matt Muenster", Joe Lynch and Matt Muenster, Chief Economist at Breakthrough, discuss how data-driven transparency and strategic fuel management help shippers navigate global energy volatility and decarbonization.
Navigating "Strait Talk" Volatility: Energy volatility, driven by geopolitical macro forces and refining constraints, has replaced freight rates as the primary driver of transportation costs in 2026.
Precision Through Market-Based Reimbursement: Moving beyond lagging, "one-size-fits-all" indexes, Breakthrough aligns fuel reimbursements with real-time variables including time, price, taxes, and specific origin/destination pairs.
The Referee Effect and Strategic Fairness: By removing fuel from margin negotiations, Breakthrough acts as a neutral party, allowing shippers and carriers to build trust and focus on service and long-term partnerships.
Data-Driven Risk Management via the FELIX Platform: Shippers utilize FELIX (Freight, Energy, Load, Information, and eXperience)—Breakthrough's strategic transportation intelligence platform—to move from reactive cost management to proactive risk management in an AI-driven economy.
Sustainability as an Operational Lever: Breakthrough helps enterprise shippers integrate alternative energy adoption and route optimization into their broader risk-management strategies to hedge against diesel volatility.
Impact on Freight Behavior and Capacity: Energy market disruptions are directly influencing carrier equipment investments and purchasing decisions, which in turn affects linehaul rates and capacity availability through the remainder of 2026.
Learn More About Navigating Energy Markets
Matt Muenster | Linkedin
Breakthrough | Linkedin
Breakthrough
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Breakthrough - Events
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SmartWay | US EPA
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
About Jim McCullen
Jim McCullen serves as Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, bringing over 30 years of deep expertise in logistics technology, digital transformation, and innovation. He leads global technology teams that pioneer Century's proprietary VIZIV platform, an end-to-end supply chain technology platform designed to manage every aspect of operations with precision, visibility, and scalability. By transforming complex global supply chains into efficient, data-driven ecosystems, VIZIV empowers smarter decisions, anticipates disruptions, and unlocks precision visibility and efficiency. Jim is shaping the future of logistics through decades of hands-on leadership and a visionary approach to human-AI partnership and scalable integrations. His forward-thinking strategy strengthens Century's technological leadership, propels enduring innovation, and positions the company for competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic world.
About Century Supply Chain Solutions
Century Supply Chain Solutions is a tech-enabled global logistics provider with operations across more than 70 countries. Delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions across ocean, air, ground, and warehousing, Century is supported by a strong physical presence at key origin and destination markets. At the core of Century's offering is Origin Cargo Management (OCM), a comprehensive, upstream solution that manages the flow of goods from purchase order issuance through supplier coordination and origin execution. By working directly with suppliers, carriers, and partners at origin, Century ensures shipments are compliant, optimized, and ready for efficient global transport before they leave the factory. Century's proprietary platform, VIZIV® is powered by predictive AI and provides real-time visibility and optimization across supply chains. Combined with decades of expertise and boots-on-the-ground support, Century helps optimize performance, manage risk, and keep supply chains a step ahead in a dynamic global market.
Key Takeaways: OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
In "OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports with Century's Jim McCullen", Joe Lynch and Jim McCullen, Chief Technology Officer at Century Supply Chain Solutions, discuss how Origin Cargo Management provides the upstream visibility and tactical control necessary to optimize global supply chains before goods ever leave the factory.
OCM as the Global Orchestrator: Jim defines Origin Cargo Management as the "middleman" between thousands of global vendors and transportation providers, ensuring supply chains are optimized before goods even leave the factory.
Solving the "Goldilocks" Inventory Dilemma: OCM provides the precision needed to keep inventory lean—avoiding the high costs of overstocking while ensuring products are available exactly when the consumer demands them.
The Power of "Automation Exhaust": Using the VIZIV® platform, Century captures data from AI routing engines. This "exhaust" allows for deep scenario planning and smarter decision-making based on trusted, cleansed data.
Tactical Agility via "Vibe" Technology: Century's Vibe system allows importers to instantly "flip a switch" to halt or divert cargo during disruptions (like tariff changes or port fires), replacing manual chaos with automated control.
Direct Cost Savings & ROI: Century drives value by consolidating smaller shipments into full containers (CFS-CY) to eliminate "shipping air" and utilizes duty reduction programs to strip inland origin costs from taxable goods.
Giving Logistics Teams "Superpowers": By providing a single source of truth, OCM shifts logistics teams from "messy execution" and manual tracking to a proactive, consultative role backed by certified performance facts.
Upstream Action for Downstream Gain: The most impactful supply chain decisions happen at the origin. By managing the "black hole" of vendor bookings and factory compliance, Century ensures a smoother, more predictable journey to the final destination.
Learn More About OCM: The New Standard for Global Imports
Jim McCullen | Linkedin
Century Supply Chain Solutions | Linkedin
Century Supply Chain Solutions
How Bissell is Transforming Global Inbound Logistics with Century | Full Interview
Automation Exhaust: The Next Generation of Business Information
The Logistics of Logistics Podcast
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