University Of Michigan Transportation Research Institute To Host ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ Conference

GlobalAutoIndustry.com has announced it will be co-sponsoring a one-day conference, “Sustainable Supply Chains: How New Mobility Strategies and Technologies Are Changing Goods Movement,” hosted by University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Automotive Futures Group, in cooperation with UM-SMART. The conference will provide attendees with a better understanding of the broad scope of players involved in the movement of sustainable freight globally and how the changing landscape could affect them in the future. With the emergence of new information technologies, new business and service models and new policy models, as well as innovative vehicles, companies are re-imagining how goods can be delivered in the B2B and B2C context in greener, more efficient and more cost-effective ways.

The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 17 at the University of Michigan North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Bldg. 18, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.

Broad institutional partnerships have developed that bring together a wide range of stakeholders – public and private – to address concerns and innovation opportunities at regional and even global scales. Partnerships like this include representatives from startup companies, large automotive and IT companies and the broader “New Mobility” industry. They also include state and national government representatives who discuss how these changes may inspire and enable new sustainability priorities while serving local and regional industries and economies.

The conference will zero in on some of the tough questions related to the shifting freight landscape, such as:

What are the trends affecting goods movement in a globalized, urbanizing world?
What are the emerging business models that are improving the way goods are delivered?
How do new technologies affect the way goods are moved across supply chains?
How are local, state and federal governments creating policies to monitor and encourage innovation in the freight industry?
How do the latest standards on emissions affect the freight industry?
What is the role of automation and connectivity in this broader landscape?
How are multi-stakeholder institutional partnerships contributing to this discussion?
What advantages and challenges will consumers see in their daily lives in the near future because of goods movement innovations?

The conference will be moderated by Bruce Belzowski, managing director, Automotive Futures, UM Transportation Research Institute. Confirmed speakers include:

Susan Zielinski, managing director, UM Sustainable Mobility and Accessibility Research and Transformation (SMART), will provide an overview of the different New Mobility technologies and strategies that support sustainable goods movement
Sophie Punte, executive director, Smart Freight Center, Amsterdam,will discuss the complex global issues related to sustainable freight movement
Mary Wroten, senior manager, Supply Chain Sustainability, Ford Motor Co., will talk about her work with Ford’s supply base in supporting Ford’s sustainability goals, particularly with respect to the environment
Thomas Kearney, transportation specialist at Federal Highway Administration, USDOT, will discuss FHWA’s strategy and projects related to sustainable goods transport
Mike Dargis, president, Zip Xpress, will talk about some recent research his company has completed on the issue of carbon footprint reporting and their load optimization program as it relates to manufacturers product delivery
Cherry Burke, Associate Director of Logistics EHS and Sustainability, Dow Chemical Corp., will talk about the sustainability goals her company has set for 2025 and what they are doing to meet those goals, including innovative logistics and supply chain strategies
Komal Anand, research area specialist, University of Michigan SMART, will discuss the SMART Mobi platform and the sustainable supply chain innovations coming from companies that are part of this global program
Jim Ruiz, founder and CEO, CDL Warrior, will discuss his company’s software offering that helps truck drivers and fleets improve compliance, communicate, and save time on the road

Topics additional speakers will discuss include the EPA SmartWay program, carbon footprint reporting and innovative logistics and supply chain strategies.

Click here to register for the conference.

New Conference Option: UMTRI’s new system allows foreign and local participants unable to attend the conference but who are interested in viewing the presentations to pay the $200 registration fee for the conference, and they will receive an email when the presentations are online for viewing

The conference is sponsored by University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Automotive Futures in partnership with UM-SMART (Sustainable Mobility Accessibility Research and Transformation) and co-sponsored by Argonne National Labs, BorgWarner Inc., Bosch Corp., Denso Corp., FCA Corp., Ford Motor Co., GlobalAutoIndustry.com, ITS America, Oracle Corp., UAW-Ford, Valeo Corp. and Zip Xpress.