Supply Chain Now – "The Buzz: Trade Gaps and Supply Shortages"

Episode Date: February 6, 2026
Host: Scott Luton (A), Co-Host: Tandrea Bellamy (B), Guest: DC Sregula (C), Founder and CEO, NuGen Architects

Overview

In this episode of "The Buzz," Scott Luton and Tandrea Bellamy are joined by DC Sregula to dive into headlines and critical issues shaping global supply chains in early 2026. The trio tackles the latest US trade deficit numbers, warehouse market dynamics, potential shortages and cost spikes in commodities and medical supplies, and organizational challenges around deploying AI at scale. The conversation is filled with real-world insights, practical lessons, and a dose of optimism about navigating supply chain uncertainty.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Celebrating the People Behind Supply Chain and National Supply Chain Day

• Recognition for Industry Professionals: Tandrea emphasizes the need to elevate the visibility and recognition of supply chain professionals, highlighting the upcoming National Supply Chain Day and encouraging listeners to spread awareness.
• Quote
  • "No country runs without the supply chain and the good people who are involved with it. It is something that really, really should get more recognition." – (B, 04:10)

2. Leadership Pitfalls in Supply Chain Organizations

• Seven Sins of CEOs & The Eighth: The hosts discuss a viral LinkedIn post detailing common leadership mistakes, with Tandrea contributing her personal "eighth sin": not listening to the team.
• Quote
  • "You need diversity of thought. You need input from other people... that's the only way that you can possibly have the highest performing, most motivated team." – (B, 05:48)

3. US Trade Deficit Headlines and Context (13:30)

• Data Deep Dive: The group examines reports showing the US trade deficit nearly doubled in November – with DC and Tandrea cautioning against relying on single-month data points for decision-making.
• Macro Perspective: Discussion highlights how the deficit reflects both macroeconomic demand and the complexities of trade policy.
• Quote
  • "You can't use one month as a data point to make any type of decision on... the 56.8 is really not an anomaly. The 29.4 is." – (B, 15:07)
  • "One month doesn't... that's not what we really look at to say, oh, this is what I'm going to use as a data point to make decisions. You really want a three month average to see what the trends are, what's causing that trade deficit." – (C, 13:45)

4. Warehouse Market Whiplash (18:30)

• Latest Trends: The world's largest industrial real estate owner reports rising warehouse demand after a downturn, but vacancy rates are still historically high; rental prices depressed and fewest new facilities added since 2018.
• Inventory Strategy Mystique: DC stresses that simply holding inventory is not a complete strategy, noting structural challenges and long timelines to add capacity.
• Quote
  • "Inventory alone is not a strategy... anything can happen to that inventory. One container falls off the ship, you get a bad quality batch of inventory and that strategy, that buffer is out the window." – (C, 22:14)

5. 2026 Shortages and Cost Surges (26:40)

• Hotspot Commodities: The team covers looming shortages and price hikes for copper, critical minerals, memory chips, medical supplies, and beef; listeners learn that “the highest bidder is where the chips will be going.”
• Strategic Sourcing Reality: Sourcing new minerals and capacity isn’t instant – requiring mines, refineries, logistics, and international partnerships.
• Quote
  • "You don't just go and say, oh, there's a mineral in this country. We'll get it from there. You have to have the mine, refinery, infrastructure... it's not something that you just say, we're gonna go get it from this other place." – (C, 28:16)
• Broader Implications: Tandrea highlights the need for organizations to build long-term strategies involving cross-functional teams and the effective use of AI and technology.

6. AI’s Promise and Pain: Scaling Advanced Tech (42:40)

• Adoption Hurdles: Despite $1.5 trillion invested in AI in 2025, most companies have not yet reaped substantial ROI or scaled implementations.
• Organizational Change is Key: Both DC and Tandrea see technology as just one piece of the puzzle; shifting mindsets, business models, and even educational paradigms are essential for real results.
• Quotes
  • "Change management is not just training of like where to click, how to use it... You have AI, you have this technology, you have this data, but how do you get out of pilot mode and one team or one department and really scale that across the business?" – (C, 43:00)
  • "With AI... there's cases where people just don't really know what the possibilities are... it'll be a learn as you go and the different discoveries are really opening the eyes to what the different possibilities can be." – (B, 45:26)

7. Reverse Logistics: The Dark Side (47:18)

• Skills Gap and Opportunity: Only two US colleges offer a reverse logistics degree—education needs to catch up to the magnitude of real-world returns management challenges.
• Resource for Listeners: Listeners are pointed to a new in-depth report at Supply Chain Now’s Resource Hub on the future of reverse logistics and returns management.

8. Leadership and Workforce Development

• LinkedIn Learning & Executive Workshops: DC shares her efforts to drive executive understanding and collaboration through workshops and accessible learning resources—a critical step in S&OP and digital transformation.
• Critical Takeaway: Effective supply chain strategies demand informed, involved leadership—“get it together, guys!” (C, 39:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Holistic Planning:
  • "As warehouse space is less available, inventory holding costs are going to increase... it's a lot of different things that you have to manage as a supply chain planner." – (C, 23:06)
• On Inclusion & Team Voice:
  • "If there's six of us in this meeting and we all agree, I don't need five of you." – (B, 05:50, citing former leader)
• On Leadership Accountability:
  • "Our leaders are the problem. We get directives, not guidance." – (C, 38:43, from S&OP workshop feedback)
• On Technological Change:
  • "When I started with UPS, everything was on paper... Looking back, we would have been eons behind had we not taken the first steps, even if the first steps had some uncertainty." – (B, 45:26)
• Humorous Interlude:
  • [On warehouse returns and shortages] "We're not pirates... maybe." – (A, 28:41)
  • [On ice cream flavors] "That is the most highfalutin ice cream I've heard in a long time." – (A, 11:23)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [04:06] – National Supply Chain Day and industry recognition
• [05:39] – Leadership “sins” and lessons in team management
• [13:35] – US Trade deficit headline analysis
• [18:45] – Warehouse space, market trends, and inventory strategy
• [26:34] – Supply shortages and rising costs: what’s ahead in 2026
• [42:40] – AI investments, scaling across the enterprise, and change management
• [47:18] – State of reverse logistics education and industry needs
• [33:19] – Personal feedback on DC Sregula’s new book and industry impact
• [36:53] – The role of S&OP, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership training

Episode Tone and Style

The conversation balances critical analysis with humor and camaraderie—offering actionable insights, relatable anecdotes, and a practical outlook on ongoing industry turbulence. The overall tone is constructive, people-centric, and future-focused.

Connect & Resources

• Guest DC Sregula:
  • LinkedIn: DC Sregula
  • Website: https://dcmanns.com
  • Book: Next Level Construction Management (Available on Amazon)
• Co-host Tandrea Bellamy:
  • LinkedIn: Tandrea Bellamy
• Resource Hub:
  • supplychainnow.com (for reports on reverse logistics and more)

Action Items for Listeners

• Share and promote National Supply Chain Day within your organizations.
• Evaluate your own leadership approach and consider Tandrea’s “eighth sin”—are you truly listening to your teams?
• Take a holistic, multi-data-point view before making supply chain decisions.
• Invest in collaborative planning and ongoing education for supply chain and non-supply chain staff alike.
• Explore new learning resources, including DC Sregula’s book and LinkedIn Learning workshops.

"Take one thing you heard here from DC or Tandrea. Put it into practice. Deeds, not words. Do something with it, folks." – Scott Luton (51:35)