It’s the beginning of the holidays this week, and even though the supply chain never takes a break, it’s the perfect season for some predictions for what 2026 might bring. This week we’re taking a look at several areas where manufacturers could be significantly impacted, such as the emergence of flexible supply chains, geostrategic competition, the evolving collaboration between AI and human workers, and a rethink of traditional workflows to deal with shifting sentiment toward factory work.
And for those of you still trying to wrap your heads around all the changes that 2025 brought, don’t expect much clarity on tariffs in 2026, either.
We’ve gathered a collection of insights from some of the supply chain’s most astute thinkers to offer at least a hint at what might be in store next year.
In the meantime, happy holidays from all of us at Supply Chain Insights!
—Dave Blanchard
