APRIL - 20218 logisticstechoutlook.comIn My OPINIONFor years, I've envisioned the 2020s as a decade of business growth and innovation. Although we faced serious social and economic challenges in 2019, I felt optimistic at the close of the year. My company, UPS, was speeding up its network, accelerating deliveries, and investing in next-generation technology. I kept thinking of the Roaring Twenties of the 1900s, a period when the U.S. economy grew by more than 40 percent over eight years. I even pictured the year's Halloween costumes -- flapper dresses and boater hats, straight out of The Great Gatsby.Would the 2020s roar, too?Who would have thought the world would change so drastically, and that a year later, we would still be coping with a devastating pandemic?Now, in 2021, we are starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel in the U.S. I believe that our Roaring Twenties are still ahead. However, we must first ensure our families, communities, and employees are in a safe and healthy environment.This takes smart logistics. It calls for creative solutions. And it requires leading our teams with generosity and care.What I've learned during COVID is that working in our industry in a crisis means considering both the professional and personal dynamics at stake.Merging the professional and the personal.The technology and logistics industry has played a critical part in keeping the economy moving during COVID. The crisis revealed vulnerabilities in the supply chain, especially when commercial flights, which typically carry half of all global air cargo, were grounded. But UPS operations continued. During the lockdowns, we moved masks, PPE, respirators, groceries, medicine and medical supplies, and other goods. Now, UPS is moving COVID vaccines around the world. Our real-time, end-to-end supply chain visibility allows UPS and its customers, to navigate problems and reduce risk. But we cannot forget the people who make this happen. In the midst of crisis, our employees worked long hours under difficult circumstances to help customers meet surging e-commerce demands.At the break of COVID in March 2020, our Global Freight Forwarding team, which includes industrial engineers, operators, and other logistics professionals, mobilized our efforts to keep goods moving for our customers. By Romaine Seguin, President Global Freight Forwarding, UPSHOW SMART LOGISTICS IS EMPOWERING SMBS
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