clearing some thoughts

As 2007 draws to a close, it's time to clear the notes from the past year out of the desk drawer and concentrate on 2008. So here goes.

A possible pullout from Iraq is the main item on the agenda for the upcoming presidential race. However, even if the United States were to pull out of the war today, experts estimate that it would take years to bring all U.S. troops home and retrieve all the heavy equipment that's been shipped over there. Now that's an example of an elongated supply chain …

Will 2008 finally be the year that RFID technology takes hold? It'll be a couple more years before item-level tagging becomes commonplace, but the supply chain should start to benefit vastly from the technology over the next 12 months. Equipment prices should plummet, and unique new uses will continue to drive the technology. Right now, asset tracking is the sweet spot …

Another amazing example of the nimbleness of the supply chain: After the Boston Red Sox won their second championship in four years at five minutes past midnight on Oct. 29, shirts proclaiming the Red Sox the 2007 World Series champions were on sale at retail outlets as early as 6 a.m.—less than six hours later. Now that's an example of an agile supply chain … and a great baseball team! …

How much of a transformation has the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals undergone since Rick Blasgen took the reins two years ago? The association seems to have a new life to it. The group is clearly embracing the global economy, with CSCMPsponsored events planned in Europe, South Africa, and China over the next 12 months …

The sustainability movement is going to continue to explode next year. Going green is simply irresistible for companies that want to burnish the corporate image. But here's the key driver: Over the last 12 months, companies have figured out that it can actually be profitable to go green, especially with oil prices hovering near $100 a barrel. It'll be interesting to see how reaching the psychological barrier of $100-a-barrel oil affects the supply chain …

It's hard to believe that DC VELOCITY concludes its fifth year of publishing this month. The stories I've enjoyed covering the most? The logistics behind the annual release of the Madden NFL video game ("Logistics: it's in the game," October 2004) was fun to write. And this past October's look at how Walgreens is employing disabled workers at its DC in Anderson, S.C., may be the most rewarding article I've written in some time. Some other favorites: "The returns of an American Icon" (December 2006), the story behind L.L.Bean's reverse logistics operations; "Avian flu: are you prepared for the worst?" (April 2006); and "Stopping the flu cold" (December 2003).

A happy and safe holiday season to all!