[#276] Supply Chain in Numbers - March 10, 2025
Just 1.6% SC job postings ask for AI, Stockly raises €26M, 70% of truck drivers are stressed, Eaton to invest $340M, 13% of the food supply is lost between harvest to retail
Welcome to “Supply Chain in Numbers.” This newsletter tracks significant numbers from the supply chain world. Five prominent numbers are published every Monday. If you have any feedback, please send it to me.
1.6% job postings ask for AI
Supply chain executives talk about digitization and automation, but the hiring data does not match. A recent report of 925 supply chain job postings revealed that: Only 6.5% of the jobs mention automation, although automation is one of the most significant challenges organizations encounter, and only 1.6% reference AI. Still, 40% of companies are spending money on generative AI. More than half of job postings (54.3%) require software knowledge, but very few are related to data analytics, AI or automation. However, the gap does not end there. Only 12% of the U.S. employees use AI daily, and 58% have never used AI. This is because digital initiatives will not produce the desired outcomes without the right talent. [The Chain]
€26 million funding
Stockly was created to prevent e-commerce retailers from losing customers due to a shortage of stock. Stockly has developed a platform that connects to the inventories of hundreds of e-commerce retailers, allowing them to share their stock virtually, significantly expand their product offering. For the retailer shipping the product, this setup means an additional sale at a negotiated price, while the retailer that made the sale earns a commission. Stockly takes a margin on each transaction, acting as the intermediary enabling the stock exchange system. To reach the next stage in its growth, the company has announced a €26M funding. With this innovative approach, Stockly, which now has around 100 employees, claims that retailers using its service see their revenues increase by up to 20%. The company currently operates in 25 countries. [Maddyness]
70% of US truck drivers
Nearly 70% of U.S. truck drivers say that work-related stress negatively impacts their driving in some way, with more than a third considering leaving their job in the past year. According to a survey of 500 drivers from fleet management software provider Geotab, 28% “strongly agree” that stress and mental health contribute to increased dangers on the road, while 26% admitted to regularly breaking speed limits to meet deadlines. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual turnover rate at large truckload carriers for 1995–2017 was 94%. Geotab also estimates that replacing and training a single driver can cost a company anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000. [Supply Chain Brain]
$340 million for transformer production
Power management company Eaton will invest $340 million to increase U.S. production of its three-phase transformers in response to the ongoing transformer shortage. The company aims to help meet record demand from utility, large commercial, industrial, and data center customers. Production and hiring will begin in 2027 at an Eaton production facility in Jonesville, South Carolina. The lead time for utilities to procure new transformers has more than doubled to 120 weeks in the last few months, and the higher demand driven by data centers will exacerbate these delays. [Manufacturing Dive]
13% of food supply lost
A surprising 13% of the world’s food supply is lost in the supply chain between harvest and retail. Innovations like India-based GreenPod Lab’s transportation technology help to minimize this food loss, creating an economic and environmental value proposition. The tech company produces small sachets filled with plant extracts, which may help slow the rate of microbe growth and thereby slow the ripening process. It is partnering with the University of California Davis to test the innovation and evaluate its efficacy across various weather conditions. A pilot project will also apply the technology to mangoes in Peru that are shipped to the U.S. In addition, Walmart is partnering with GreenPod Labs to extend the produce's lifespan. [Food Institute]