Guest: Per Hong of Kearney on tariffs, Iran, and more; The "pandemic echo” affecting parcel fleets; How Agentic AI impacts hiring

Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY
Guest: Per Hong of Kearney on tariffs, Iran, and more; The "pandemic echo” affecting parcel fleets; How Agentic AI impacts hiring
Feb 27, 2026 Season 7 Episode 8
AGiLE Business Media

Our guest on this week's episode is Per Hong, senior partner and global lead of Kearney Foresight. By now we have all heard that the emergency tariffs placed earlier in the year were ruled illegal last week by the Supreme Court, but now we have new tariffs – and the potential of war with Iran. There is lots going on right now that could have major impacts on our supply chains. Our guest helps us to unravel it all and offers advice on how supply chain leaders should prepare for whatever is next.

Have you ever heard of a pandemic echo?  Apparently that is what is happening right now within the parcel delivery fleet sector. Ben Ames helps us to understand what it means and why it is affecting parcel. 

More than half (55%) of supply chain leaders expect that advancements in agentic AI systems will reduce the need to hire for entry-level positions, and 51% say the technology will drive a shift to overall workforce reductions. That’s according to a survey from business and technology insights company Gartner, released this week. We look at the numbers from this report and what they may mean for hiring in supply chain jobs going forward.


Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The latest series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com.


Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:


This podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner


Other links
Episode Artwork Guest: Per Hong of Kearney on tariffs, Iran, and more; The "pandemic echo” affecting parcel fleets; How Agentic AI impacts hiring 23:38 Episode Artwork Guest: Fab Brasca of Kinaxis on who is leading in AI adoption; The top five freight bottlenecks; A new data threat is lurking 20:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Lisa DeNight of Newmark on the industrial real estate market on the rise; Thoughts on improving infrastructure; Striving for fast, dynamic execution 20:22 Episode Artwork Guest: Jake Heldenberg of Vanderlande on automation trends and predictions; Gamification comes to DCs; What’s up with retail? 20:51 Episode Artwork Guest: Suketu Gandhi of Kearney on supply chain takeaways from last week in Davos, Combating missed LTL pickups, Trends in the trucking space 24:40 Episode Artwork Guest: Ronak Amin of HERE Technologies on preventing bridge strikes by trucks; More maritime freight fright; Are humanoid robots ready for prime time? 18:46 Episode Artwork Guest: Tony Bradley of Arizona Trucking Association on freight fraud and non-domiciled drivers; Robots become more human; Hesitancy adopting Agentic AI 18:50 Episode Artwork Guest: Amy Dean of SC Codeworks on tariffs and Foreign Trade Zones; Mixed job reports; Safety standards for humanoid robots 18:30 Episode Artwork Guest: Jason Schenker of Prestige Economics with predictions for supply chains in 2026; Managing risks among shifting policies; Stabilizing your workforce 34:17 Episode Artwork Guest: Bill Catania of OneRail on holiday last mile delivery trends; Prospects for industrial real estate in 2026; Robots to the rescue. 14:48 Episode Artwork Guest: Marc Schaffer on the big rail merger; AI imbeds in the warehouse; The people behind the tech 23:57 Episode Artwork Guest: Kraig Foreman of DHL Supply Chain on expectations for peak season; How transportation feels about AI; The joy of robots 20:53 Episode Artwork Alex Saric from Ivalua on what is holding back tech investments; Thinking small brings agility; The AI disconnect 17:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Noel Thomas of Darkwatch on human trafficking and slave labor within supply chains; Ryder raises awareness; Cargo thieves find clever ways to steal freight 23:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Brodie Sutherland of Patriot Critical Minerals Corp. on securing a domestic supply of critical minerals; Supply chain digitalization becomes a priority; The market expands for self-driving trucks 24:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Abdil Tunca on managing robots; Trucking may get some relief; Demand for industrial real estate surges 21:20 Episode Artwork Guest: Frank Kenney of Cleo on supply chains during the government shutdown; What's in store for peak holiday season?; Trucking hits speed bumps 21:14 Episode Artwork Guest: Amanda Hedberg of Aspire on training workers with disabilities for warehouse jobs; The commercial real estate market; Turning uncertainty into an advantage 22:05 Episode Artwork Guest: Sean Daley of Sphera on shifts in EPA regulations; Creative ways to adapt to tariffs; Chinese robots are on the move 19:24 Episode Artwork Guest: Kathy Fulton of the American Logistics Aid Network on 20 years of being there for others; Tariffs force changes in sourcing; New drivers of e-commerce 27:59 Episode Artwork Guest: Doug Cantriel of Ford on the automaker's future focus; The priorities of online shoppers; Zebra earns its stripes 22:54 Episode Artwork Guest: Clete Cordero on progress on the new freight classifications; Assuring cargo safety in ocean freight: Procurement under pressure 19:59 Episode Artwork Guest: John Lash of e2open on what the end of the de minimis exemption means to shippers; Is the EV market mature; Measuring supply chain performance 21:55 Episode Artwork Guest: Scott Cornell of Travelers with tips on protecting food in transit; Hopes for the upcoming peak season; Can truckload rebound? 20:00 Episode Artwork Guest: Chris Steiner of Dematic on installing automation in brownfield facilities; Keeping our highways safe; The rise of humanoid robots 21:22