Week in Review: Snackable Insights—Campbell’s Revamp, an Illinois Theft Spike, Pharma’s U.S. Return & More

In this edition of our weekly roundup, we're slicing through the noise to bring you the meat of major industry news—from Campbell Soup Co.'s tasty $230 million supply chain upgrade to Illinois' fight against a surge in cargo theft from the U.S. reshoring drug production to innovative leaps in supply chain resilience and sustainability. Sit tight as we unpack how these moves are not just reacting to current trends—they’re setting the stage for a smarter, more efficient future.  

Campbell’s Soup's Big Moves: Upgrading for Tomorrow

Campbell's Soup is a bigger piece of the food and beverage supply chain than you realize—hence why recent news about their $230 million investment to upgrade and optimize its supply chain is so enormous.

Doubling Down on Tech & Taste

Here's what's cooking: Campbell's is throwing $150 million into a brand-new soup production line in Maxton, NC. Think fresher, faster soup at your table. They're also dropping $72 million to amp up their potato chip game in Hanover, PA, and another $8 million to churn out more tortilla chips in Franklin, WI. But while you can look forward to even tastier food and snacks from Campbell’s shortly, these changes only scratch the surface of how shape shifting their supply chain initiatives truly are.

Making Tough Choices

Despite the excitement, change is always challenging. Campbell's is also making moves to help streamline production, shift work to more advanced facilities, and provide better quality and efficiency. For instance, they're doing away with older warehouses and revamping newer ones, such as winding down operations at their plant in Tualatin, OR.  

Illinois Cargo Theft Crisis: A Tough Road Ahead

We’ve done several deep dives recently on the painful impact of cargo theft. This week, we will take a closer look at the pain it’s causing Illinois.

A Growing Problem in the Heartland

2024 has been so bad for Illinois in the cargo theft department that it now ranks alongside California and Texas as the U.S. hotspots. In fact, year to date, these three states combined accounted for over 60% of all cargo thefts—totaling more than 900 incidents—with stolen goods worth $154.6 million. Both businesses and consumers certainly feel the negative consequences.

On the Front Lines in Chicago

Mike Kucharski from JKC Trucking in Chicago is feeling the pressure. After a 57% increase in theft last year, 2024 incidents have jumped another 46% to date. It's gone from bad to worse, and now, it’s not just high-ticket items like beef or pork getting snatched—it’s everything, and companies like Mike's, which mainly handles food and beverage products, are in the crosshairs. Worse, the thieves are getting craftier—using fake pickups and messing with paperwork to cover their tracks.

Getting Back to Basics: Bringing Drug Production Home to the U.S.

Life sciences and pharma face tough challenges, and the U.S. is taking meaningful steps to bring drug manufacturing back home to confront them. In other words, they’re “reshoring.”

Focusing on What Matters Most

Imagine this: there are 2,800 generic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) molecules and tens of thousands of drugs on the U.S. market—and knowing exactly where to start reshoring can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. Kevin Webb from the API Innovation Center tells us it's time to get smart—not just throw money at the problem. With 323 drug shortages hitting critical areas like chemotherapies and antibiotics, we need a plan targeting these essential meds—and fast.

Making Reshoring Work

Marta Wosińska, who has been knee deep in U.S. drug policy for years, points out that simply moving production stateside isn't a silver bullet. Many shortages stem from pricing wars, not just the production location of drugs. The real task is to build a detailed list of the most at-risk medicines so we can make them in the U.S. Phlow Corp is leading by example, having secured a $354 million government contract to build up domestic production capacities and ensure that we have all the necessary components—from raw materials to finished products—ready and available.

Steering Through Stormy Seas: Smart Moves for Supply Chain Resilience

In a world where supply chain disruptions have become the norm, companies are finding that the old way of doing things won’t cut it anymore. A recent survey highlighted how industry leaders adapt, showing a clear trend toward using data to strengthen supply chain resilience.

Seeing Clearly: The Need for Better Data

Think about trying to drive through a severe thunderstorm with fogged-up windows: that’s how 69% of businesses feel about their current supply chain visibility. Many now use AI and machine learning to clear the fog and predict where the next big wave might hit. With these tools, 66% of industry decision makers can now see—and dodge—potential disruptions, and 76% feel they’re getting a clearer picture of their operation.  

Fine Tuning Operations: Beyond Basic Fixes

Optimization is the name of the game for 82% of industry leaders focused on making their supply chains more resilient. It’s like fine tuning a car in the middle of the race: they look at what they have, identify what’s missing, and sync everything to perform better under pressure. This approach is paying off, with 93% seeing tangible benefits. In fact, 70% have reduced labor costs, and nearly 64% have improved how they forecast demand.

Going Green: Practical Steps to a Sustainable Supply Chain

Lastly, businesses everywhere are finally getting serious about sustainability—realizing that it's not just good for the planet, it’s also good for business and a must have for attracting eco-conscious customers.

Tackling the Challenges of Going Green

Switching to sustainable procurement isn't a walk in the park: it involves wrestling with complicated supply chains and varying international standards, not to mention the upfront costs. Yet, as green practices become more common, the competitive market is expected to help lower prices. That’s why now is the perfect time for businesses to start making sustainable changes, pave the way for future savings, and improve their environmental impacts.

Tech to the Rescue: Clearing Up the Clutter

The road to sustainability can be uncertain, thanks to inconsistent data and outdated systems that make it hard to see and track the true environmental impact. But technology is changing the game. Tools including AI and machine learning are crunching massive amounts of data to spot trends and sharpen decision making. Add IoT, cloud tech, and real-time transportation visibility into the mix, and businesses can now monitor their supply chain live, spot areas for improvement, and align operations with their ESG goals.

Tive Ties It All Together

Challenges are everywhere in the supply chain, from soup production to cargo theft to pharmaceutical reshoring. But with challenges come opportunities—especially when you have the right toolkit. That’s where Tive's solutions come into play:

• Trackers: Revolutionize your shipment tracking with Tive's advanced Solo 5G tracker and the newly-released Tive Solo Lite—offering real-time location and condition monitoring for the security and integrity of your cargo.
• Tive Tag: Enhance perishable shipment protection with Tive Tag—an affordable and reusable paper-thin temperature logger—to verify that your goods have remained pristine throughout transit.
• Platform: Streamline your supply chain management with Tive's intuitive cloud platform, offering comprehensive visibility, analytics, and integration capabilities for seamless shipment tracking and monitoring.
• Industries: Tive caters to a diverse range of industries, ensuring tailored solutions for unique supply chain challenges—from perishables to high-value goods to transportation and logistics to pharmaceuticals… and beyond.
• 24/7 Live Monitoring team: This team is available to help ensure that your shipments are constantly watched over and managed—to guarantee timely and secure delivery.

Arm yourself with innovation: let Tive lead the way in transforming your supply chain operations. Embrace the future of logistics–get started with Tive today.

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