September: taking a forward-looking fresh look at the supply chain

September always feels like something of a fresh start. We come back from our holidays, pick up our projects again, review our objectives and begin to look more clearly at the final stretch of the year. It is a time for new resolutions and “Atomic Habits”.

Something similar happens in business: September is a good time to ask ourselves where we are and where we want to be, what we have learnt, which challenges remain unresolved and what decisions we need to make to end the year on a strong note and prepare for the next.

And if there is one business function that particularly needs this combination of reflection and forward thinking today, it is the supply chain. Supply chain is going through a particularly interesting period. For years, many companies viewed it primarily as an operational function: procurement, warehousing, transport, planning and customer service. Yet recent years have shown that supply chain is far more than that. It is a driver of competitiveness, resilience, profitability and customer experience. When it works well, it often goes unnoticed. When it fails, the entire organisation feels the impact.

We return from our holidays talking about inflation, cost pressures, geopolitical tensions, shortages of certain professional profiles, sustainability requirements, shifts in demand, changing consumer expectations, increasing regulatory complexity and the need for digitalisation. All of these factors have a direct impact on operations. So the question is no longer whether we need to transform the supply chain, but how we can do so in an organised, profitable and sustainable way.

On 11 and 12 November, Logistics & Automation Madrid will once again bring together logistics, supply chain, transport, automation and intralogistics professionals — and techno-optimists — at IFEMA MADRID. It will undoubtedly be an excellent opportunity to discover solutions, share experiences and discuss the real challenges facing the sector. The event brings together solutions spanning storage, equipment, robotics, automation, software, traceability and services and, once again in 2026, will be held alongside Empack and Logistic & Industrial Build, strengthening this comprehensive view of the entire value chain.

Warehousing and equipment: from physical space to strategic asset

One of today’s major challenges lies in the warehouse. For a long time, we thought of warehouses simply as places where products and inventory were stored. Today, however, we need to see them as critical hubs for service, cost, productivity and flexibility.

The growth of e-commerce, omnichannel retail, pressure on delivery times and the need to prepare increasingly fragmented orders are forcing companies to rethink their spaces. Having enough square metres is no longer sufficient. We need better-designed, better-equipped warehouses that are connected to planning, transport and demand.

The warehousing and equipment solutions we will see at the event will help us answer some very practical questions: Am I making the best use of my capacity? Can I improve storage density? Do I have the right layout? What level of automation does my operation actually need? How can I reduce unnecessary movements? How can I improve safety and ergonomics?

The aim should not be to automate simply because it is fashionable, but to eliminate operational waste: fewer unnecessary movements, less waiting, fewer errors, less damage and less unproductive time. In Lean terms, it is about turning the warehouse into a fluid, visual and safe system that is firmly focused on the customer.

Intralogistics and supply chain: connecting what was once separate

Intralogistics has evolved from a technical discipline into a key component of supply chain strategy. The internal movement of materials, order picking, replenishment, location management, integration with production and connection with dispatch all have a direct impact on service levels.

Fragmentation remains one of the main challenges for many companies. Systems that do not communicate with one another. Processes designed in silos. Local KPIs that do not always optimise overall performance. Purchasing decisions that affect the warehouse. Commercial decisions that affect transport. Inventory decisions that affect working capital.

The clear trend is towards an end-to-end approach. Supply chain needs to be managed as an integrated flow: demand, planning, procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, transport and the customer. When these processes are connected, our ability to make better decisions improves.

At the event, we will see solutions designed to enable precisely this kind of integration: management systems, operational control technologies, planning tools, visibility solutions and collaborative platforms. But the key principle remains the same: understand the process first, then apply the right technology.

Robotics and automation: productivity with purpose

Robotics and automation are probably among the most visible trends in the sector. Autonomous mobile robots, automated storage systems, sorters, conveyors, assisted picking, machine vision, goods-to-person solutions and collaborative technologies are already part of the everyday language of many operations.

But we need to be very clear about one thing. Automation does not simply mean replacing people. It means redesigning tasks to improve productivity, quality, safety and scalability. Against a backdrop of wage pressures, difficulties in attracting operational talent and the need to respond to peaks in demand, automation has become an essential tool.

However, not every operation requires the same level of automation. Decisions need to be based on data: volume, variability, order profiles, seasonality, labour costs, service levels, available space, expected return on investment and maintenance capabilities. Poorly designed automation can create rigidity. Well-designed automation becomes a competitive advantage.

The event will provide an excellent opportunity to compare technologies, understand use cases and distinguish between solutions that can genuinely be applied today and trends that are still too immature for certain environments.

Traceability and services: visibility for better decision-making

Another major trend is traceability. In an increasingly demanding environment, knowing what is happening, where it is happening and why has become a management imperative. Traceability is no longer relevant only to regulated sectors. Today, it matters across food, pharmaceuticals, retail, automotive, industry, energy, consumer goods and transport.

Customers want information. Companies need control. Regulators demand transparency. And operational teams need to anticipate issues before they reach the customer.

Traceability helps reduce errors, improve quality, manage incidents, comply with regulatory requirements, analyse root causes and build trust. But once again, the value does not lie simply in capturing data. The value lies in turning that data into decisions.

Technologies such as RFID, sensors, automatic identification, visibility platforms, temperature monitoring, asset tracking and document traceability will become increasingly important.

Transport and software: the final frontier of efficiency

Transport remains one of the major challenges within the supply chain. High costs, capacity constraints, environmental pressures, complex urban deliveries, driver shortages, fuel price volatility and demands for punctuality are all part of everyday operations.

Software is playing an increasingly important role here. Route planning, load allocation, fleet optimisation, in-transit visibility, document management, collaboration with carriers and cost analysis can improve both efficiency and service.

The event also covers transport and software, bringing together solutions for multimodal transport, logistics operators, couriers, last-mile delivery and transport management tools. This is particularly important because many companies have already partially optimised their warehouses, yet still have significant opportunities to improve the planning and execution of transport.

The future lies in more connected supply chains: warehouses that prepare orders according to actual routes, transport planned with real-time inventory visibility, customers receiving reliable information and teams managing exceptions as they happen.

Today’s supply chain undoubtedly needs technology. Take it from a techno-optimist. But above all, it needs sound judgement. It is not about buying tools; it is about solving business problems. It is not about digitalising because the market demands it; it is about improving processes, service, productivity and competitiveness.

September is a good time to set our priorities — and ask ourselves a few questions:

• Where are my main bottlenecks?
• Which processes generate the most errors?
• Where am I losing productivity?
• What information am I not receiving in time?
• Which decisions am I still making based on intuition?
• Which part of my operation needs greater flexibility?
• Which technology investment could have the greatest impact?
• …

On 11 and 12 November, we will have an excellent opportunity in Madrid to put these questions into practice. Logistics & Automation will be a meeting point to see, listen, compare and debate. And that is precisely what our sector needs today: fewer abstract conversations and more useful discussions about how operations can drive greater competitiveness.

Because the supply chain of the future will not simply be more automated. Our supply chains will need to be more integrated, more visible, more flexible, more sustainable and more intelligent. And those who start building them today will be better prepared to compete tomorrow.

See you soon.