As we head into 2026, supply chain leaders must focus on what truly drives results. In this Supply Chain Byte, Lisa Anderson outlines three priorities for the year ahead. Resiliency and efficiency are no longer enough. In addition to this foundation, the priorities for 2026 must focus on being scalable and forward-looking to add to these priorities and achieve growth and sustained success in an increasingly complex environment.

The recipe for success boils down to three key ingredients:

  1. Collaborative strategic partnerships: Our best clients constantly search for collaborative strategic partnerships that will support future priorities and sustainable success. Vertical integration is making a comeback as companies must take control over their end-to-end supply chain’s ability to meet customer needs profitably and efficiently. The issue is that it is often too slow to take advantage of the opportunities; thus, strategic partnerships can often achieve the same result successfully.
  2. SIOP & Advanced Planning: SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning) and advanced planning processes will be integral to success. These techniques enable companies to nimbly navigate changing business conditions, optimize and reconfigure supply chain networks and reallocation production to maximize operational performance and customer success, and create predictable revenue and forecast working capital requirements proactively. To learn more about how to roll out an effective SIOP program, download our eBook: SIOP: Creating Predictable Revenue and EBITDA Growth.
  3. Upgrading talent, technologies & tools: As companies think about addressing the skills gap with the changing demographics (Baby Boomers leaving the workforce) and AI changes, proactive executives are focused on upgrading talent, technologies and tools. Our best clients are not forgetting the fundamentals such as production and inventory management as the basics of supply chain success must remain intact. In addition, they are upgrading processes and are better utilizing ERP to automate mundane tasks and focus on exceptions and what will be meaningful to success. Recently, we have seen clients gain bottom-line results with the expanded use of MRP, production scheduling, and the rollout of artificial intelligence and advanced tools such as robotics, automation systems, and supply chain visibility systems. To learn more about how to utilize AI to power smart supply chains and smarter decisions, download our eBook. 

Stay tuned to our newsletters, Supply Chain Chats podcast and our Best of Supply Chain webpage to gain ideas and insights to stay ahead of the curve in 2026.

 

If you are interested in reading more on this topic:
Maximizing Performance and Margins with SIOP

 

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