After a packed run of podcast releases covering some of the biggest topics in logistics, warehousing and supply chain technology, Logistics Business Conversations will be taking a short two-week break before returning on the 6th of July with a series of special episodes recorded live at Multimodal 2026 at the NEC in Birmingham.
Recent episodes have explored a wide range of challenges and opportunities facing logistics professionals today. Listeners have heard from Mike Morgan of OPEX on how warehouse automation continues to evolve through the integration of AI and robotics, while Jamie Spencer of Ocado examined how flexible fulfilment strategies, digital twins and autonomous mobile robots are helping businesses adapt to changing customer demands.
The series has also tackled critical technology and infrastructure topics. Smitha Rafael discussed the rise of hybrid warehouse management systems and why businesses are increasingly looking beyond cloud-only architectures to improve resilience and reduce downtime risks. Meanwhile, Gerry Daalhuisen of Transporeon highlighted why the yard remains one of logistics’ biggest blind spots, explaining how better visibility and digitisation can unlock significant efficiency gains.
Other recent conversations have examined high-throughput fulfilment with AutoStore, future-ready delivery networks with Descartes, the impact of rising energy costs on logistics operations, and how technologies such as LiDAR are improving warehouse safety and operational performance. These discussions have combined practical advice with real-world examples from some of the industry’s leading technology providers and operators.
The upcoming Multimodal episodes will continue this focus, bringing listeners exclusive interviews recorded at one of the UK’s premier logistics and supply chain events. Featuring conversations with exhibitors, solution providers and industry experts, the series will provide fresh insight into the trends, technologies and strategies shaping the future of logistics.
While the podcast takes this brief pause, now is the perfect opportunity to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. Whether you’re interested in automation, artificial intelligence, fulfilment, warehouse management systems, sustainability, transport optimisation or broader supply chain strategy, the Logistics Business Conversations archive offers a wealth of expert insight and practical takeaways.
All episodes are available through the Logistics Business website and on major podcast platforms. You can browse the full catalogue here:
Gartner, Inc. has announced the results for their 2026 Global Supply Chain Top 25, which recognizes leading supply chain organizations and identifies the underlying trends that drove their performance. Schneider Electric retained its top position in the rankings for the fourth consecutive year, NVIDIA placed second and Walmart climbed 10 spots to third in this year’s rankings (see table below).
This year, leaders are differentiating themselves by building autonomous workforces, investing in network-centric strategies and orchestrating supply chains end-to-end across increasingly complex ecosystems… Leading supply chains are embracing AI not simply to automate tasks, but to fundamentally redesign how work gets done between people and machines.
In the final year of its three-year Impact Supply Chain transformation, Schneider Electric maintained its leadership position by integrating autonomous workforce capabilities and end-to-end resource orchestration across its operations. The company is prioritizing generative and agentic AI to support human decision-making, enhancing real-time visibility, predictive insights, and coordinated action across the entire supply chain.
Schneider Electric continues to demonstrate how organizations can balance bold transformation ambitions with disciplined execution… Its approach to AI-enabled orchestration, circularity and workforce transformation exemplifies how supply chain leaders are preparing for the autonomous business era.
said Rainier.
The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 recognizes the outstanding long-term supply chain excellence, maturity and leadership of a select group of companies through the Masters category. The Masters are recognized with their own distinguished category. They remain part of Gartner’s annual evaluation. To maintain Masters status, they must attain one of the five highest composite scores for all companies for at least seven out of the last 10 years.
Amazon, Apple, Procter & Gamble and Unilever all retain their Masters category status this year.
The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2026
Rank
Company
Composite Score
1
Schneider Electric
7.05
2
NVIDIA
6.42
3
Walmart
5.78
4
Cisco Systems
5.77
5
AstraZeneca
5.49
6
Danone
5.21
7
Lenovo
5.20
8
L’Oréal
5.18
9
Johnson & Johnson
5.14
10
Microsoft
4.92
11
Colgate-Palmolive
4.88
12
Toyota
4.86
13
Siemens
4.83
14
Novartis
4.48
15
Nestlé
4.44
16
JD.com
4.41
17
Dell Technologies
4.31
18
General Mills
4.30
19
Coca-Cola Company
4.25
20
Johnson Controls
4.09
21
Diageo
4.06
22
HP Inc.
4.05
23
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
4.03
24
GSK
4.01
25
Inditex
3.99
Composite score: (Peer score x 25%) + (Gartner expert score x 25%) + (Change in ROPA score x 10%) + (Change in Gross Margin score x 5%) + (Revenue growth score x 5%) + (Inventory as a percentage of revenue score x 10%) + (ESG points x 20%)
In 2026, the Top 25 and Masters companies embraced three macro trends:
Autonomous Workforce
As supply chains enter the autonomous business era, leading organizations are reimagining work for a future in which people and machines operate both independently and collaboratively. Rather than using AI to accelerate existing processes or reduce labor costs, Top 25 companies are redesigning how work gets done. Employees are increasingly managing, governing and improving intelligent systems, while also being augmented by them in day-to-day decision making and execution.
This shift requires companies to prepare both their people and their organizational structures. Leading supply chains are investing in upskilling programs that go beyond basic AI literacy. They are also redesigning roles so that AI agents can manage routine tasks, while people focus on building relationships, managing strategic decisions and driving continuous improvement.
Network-Centric Strategies
Supply chain leaders are navigating challenges including geopolitical uncertainty, tariff volatility, climate disruption, and supply shocks. In the face of turbulence, network design cannot be treated as a one-time decision, but as a continuous set of agile adjustments that enable adaptability, resilience and long-term growth.
What differentiates leaders is their focus on strategies that are grounded in adaptable, resilient physical supply chain networks, which serve their long-term business objectives such as growth. While not the only approach, many Top 25 companies are manufacturing and sourcing most products within the same region where they are sold, reducing challenges associated with cross-border operations.
End-to-End Supply Orchestration
Top 25 supply chains are extending visibility, planning and decision making beyond enterprise boundaries. End-to-end supply orchestration enables organizations to sense constraints earlier, optimize scarce resources and coordinate decisions across the value chain. Through collaborative planning and ecosystem data sharing with partners, companies gain a more complete view of demand, inventory and capacity.
Top 25 supply chains are also mitigating constraints and securing long-term supply by embedding sustainability and circular supply chain strategies directly into their product design and material flows.
InPost, the out-of-home parcel locker provider, has reached 15,000 lockers nationwide, marking a major milestone in the growth of its network and reflecting a fundamental shift in how consumers expect delivery to work.
The expansion means millions of consumers across the UK now have access to 24/7 parcel collection and returns, with InPost Lockers located in supermarkets, retail parks, transport hubs and residential areas.
The growth comes as pressure continues to build on traditional home delivery models. One in three parcels fails on the first delivery attempt, while 40% of consumers miss at least one delivery every month. These aren’t operational failures but are the predictable result of a checkout model that optimises for cost rather than the consumer. In most online purchases, shoppers have near total freedom over how they pay, but almost no say in how their goods are delivered. When deliveries fail, consumers blame the carrier for a choice they never made.
Out-of-home delivery, such as InPost Lockers, removes those failure points. When consumers are given a real choice, the system works differently. 58% of consumers now say parcel lockers are a better option than home or workplace delivery, and two in five UK adults are already using them. This shift is also creating measurable value for retailers. 78% of consumers make a purchase when visiting a locker, spending an average of £22.903, showing how out-of-home delivery is becoming a driver of footfall and additional revenue, not just a fulfilment option.
Paul Selvey, Network Director at InPost UK, said:
Reaching 15,000 lockers is a significant milestone, but it also reflects a bigger shift in how delivery is expected to work. For years, delivery has been designed around cost and convenience at checkout, not around what actually works for the people receiving parcels. That’s why failure rates are so high, because the system was never built around the end user.
When consumers are given real choice, behaviour changes fast. More control, more certainty, delivery that fits around how people actually live. That’s what out-of-home enables and why it’s no longer a niche preference. It’s becoming the expectation.
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