Info Snacks: Bite Sized Supply Chain Information
LEO Satellites: A New Frontier for Supply Chain Resilience
In a move set to redefine supply chain connectivity, Crane Worldwide Logistics announced a partnership to integrate low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology from Amazon LEO across its global operations, beginning in 2027.
The primary impact is on business continuity and resilience: As climate events and network outages grow more frequent, LEO’s high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity is critical to keep logistics facilities online. By guaranteeing an always-on connection—even when traditional terrestrial networks fail—the technology offers a new, robust layer of security against unpredictable disruptions.
Digital Plant on Track
Hitachi Rail has launched a new $100-million advanced manufacturing facility in Hagerstown, Maryland, designed to produce and assemble up to 20 railcars monthly for U.S. transit systems.
The company has invested $30 million+ in digital enhancements. Supply chain efficiency is integrated into the manufacturing lines, which feature automated monitoring, AI-based quality control, and real-time visibility into production and supply chain processes.
Cold Chains Fight Food Waste
About one-third of global food is wasted each year, even as 800 million people go hungry, according to the U.N. Nearly half of this waste—around 620 million metric tons—could be avoided with fully refrigerated supply chains, notes a University of Michigan study. Expanding cold chains worldwide would not only preserve food but also slash related greenhouse gas emissions by 41%.
Bringing Back the Golden Age of Travel
Trade your sweats for something classier when you board your next flight, because the Department of Transportation is demanding an end to air travel’s Wild West era.
Citing a rise in unruly passenger behavior, the DOT launched a new campaign aimed at encouraging civility in the skies. Dubbed “The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You,” it’s an official call to action for passengers to restore the courtesy and class that was once synonymous with flying.
LEGO Rides the High-Tech Train
LEGO celebrated the holidays with its first mass-produced 3D-printed piece—a tiny blue train engine crafted with its Fine Detail Resolution (FDR) technology. Long known for pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing, the company developed its industrial-scale FDR process from scratch to unlock new shapes and functions traditional molding can’t match. The engine appears in a 956-piece holiday set complete with a circular track, gift-toting train car, and festive polar bear.
