5 Supply Chain Lessons Learned in 2025
Leaders reflect on the hard-won lessons of 2025 and how they’re applying them to build stronger, more adaptive supply chains in 2026.
By Amy Roach | December 30, 2025
If one theme defined supply chain management in 2025, it was uncertainty. From persistent freight market volatility and rising cargo fraud/theft to geopolitical disruption and rapid technology shifts, logistics leaders spent the year navigating conditions that refused to stabilize. In conversations with executives across transportation, logistics, and supply chain technology, a clear set of lessons emerged—along with plans for how those lessons will shape strategies in 2026.
For many, adaptability rose to the top. Scott Frederick, chief marketing officer at Logistics Plus, says the biggest realization was that disruption is no longer the exception—it’s the norm. “Companies that succeeded this year were the ones that could adapt fastest when conditions changed,” he shares. In response, Logistics Plus plans to double down on flexibility in 2026 by “helping customers build more flexible, resilient supply chains with diversified transportation options, smarter use of data, and logistics partners that can move just as quickly as the market does.”
Security and fraud prevention also moved higher on the executive agenda. Chris Burroughs, president and CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, notes that cargo theft and strategic fraud have evolved into broader economic threats. “As organized theft surged, it became clear that outdated systems and limited data access are leaving the supply chain exposed,” he explains. Looking ahead, Burroughs says 2026 must focus on prevention—modernizing oversight, improving fraud detection, and strengthening collaboration between industry and government. “Protecting the supply chain now means protecting the broader economy,” he says.
Economic uncertainty remained another defining challenge. “In 2025, we learned that neither economists nor industry insiders have been able to reliably predict when the industry will emerge from the ‘great freight recession,’” says Kent Williams, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Averitt. One constant stood out, however, he notes: “Companies that continued investing in people, infrastructure, customer service, and brand positioning were better equipped to weather prolonged downturns and emerge stronger.”
Data and visibility surfaced repeatedly as differentiators throughout the year. Todd Heimes, vice president at Amazon Business, says the year underscored that uncertainty is now a constant—and the teams that managed it best relied on strong data foundations. “We see every day that it comes down to ‘good data in, good data out.’ In 2026, we’re applying that learning by helping organizations use data and AI to surface insights faster, reduce manual work, and make business buying more efficient and resilient.”
That emphasis on visibility was echoed by Trey Lyda, COO of Comprehensive Logistics. For Lyda, the biggest lesson of 2025 is that resilience doesn’t come from redundancy alone—it comes from real-time insight. “Companies that invested in real-time insight across their networks were able to respond faster and protect service,” he explains. In 2026, Comprehensive Logistics plans to build on that lesson by expanding predictive analytics and decision-support tools that help customers anticipate problems rather than react to them.
Taken together, these perspectives paint a clear picture of a supply chain environment still under pressure—but evolving quickly. As logistics leaders look to 2026, flexibility, data-driven decision-making, investment in fundamentals, and proactive risk management are shaping the next phase of supply chain strategy.