Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to IndustriesTransportation

The Global Supply Chain is in Chaos

The global supply chain is in complete disruption because of the pandemic. Localized incidents often happen that cause shifts, but this was on a worldwide scale. Supply chain expert David Beaird of Beaird Solutions spoke with Tyler Kern about the impact and aftermath. “We’re about to see a global reopening where demand is going to explode,…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Transportation teams put it to work with Partner & Channel Enablement.

Share
The Global Supply Chain is in Chaos

Get featured

Want to get featured in MarketScale Transportation?

Create a free MarketScale workspace and get your company's expertise featured across our Transportation coverage. No credit card, no demo required.

Request an invite

The global supply chain is in complete disruption because of the pandemic. Localized incidents often happen that cause shifts, but this was on a worldwide scale. Supply chain expert David Beaird of Beaird Solutions spoke with Tyler Kern about the impact and aftermath.

“We’re about to see a global reopening where demand is going to explode, but there’s still limited capacity.” – David Beaird

“As a global economy, COVID was a once in a lifetime event. There was supply shock for companies that produce and demand shock from those that consume, with boats and trucks trying to balance it,” Beaird said.

Beaird noted that the shocks aren’t over. “We’re about to see a global reopening where demand is going to explode, but there’s still limited capacity.”

The port in LA is backed up due to many factors, including local regulations that drive labor and processes. These are all mini storms reverberating from the pandemic. Additionally, consumers were already changing how they get goods and services via digital channels. They had even greater adoption in the last year.

Beaird foresees probable scarcity, which the country hasn’t seen since World War II. “It’s about to be not there,” he said regarding goods.

Beaird offered some remedies that he’s providing to his clients. “Get freight to other ports besides LA because it’s going to take longer than a month to clear stuff out. Also, add more to your lead times.”

He finished with two other points. “You can expect to pay a premium from carriers, but they shouldn’t gouge up because you’re going to have the advantage in the second part of the year.”

His strongest takeaway related to decoupling from the global supply chain and bringing more manufacturing back to the U.S. “We can no longer rely on host nations across the world because they can see that not shipping to us can stifle the American economy.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale

Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Transportation starts with a company putting its fleet managers, logistics engineers, and safety leads on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Fleet and logistics buyers compare quietly, and your operators become the evidence that settles it.

Get your team featuredSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

Follow Transportation Insights

Get new expert content in your inbox.

Transportation: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Transportation buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. See how AI describes your company today, and where competitors show up instead.

Free workspace

You just read one Transportation expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your fleet managers, logistics engineers, and safety leads into the articles, video, and social content Transportation buyers are searching for. Create a free workspace and see it with your own people. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale Studio workspace
One video edit a month, on us
AI writing, editing, and publishing tools
In-platform coaching to learn the system

More Transportation Insights

Diesel at $5.85 a gallon is turning 2026 peak season into a pricing exercise

Diesel at $5.85 a gallon is turning 2026 peak season into a pricing exercise

U.S. diesel hit a record $5.85 a gallon. It’s raising linehaul and accessorial pressure across 2026 peak season, according to Transport Topics. Amazon Shipping is also raising holiday delivery surcharges for Nov. 22 to Dec. 26, Supply Chain Dive reported.

  • 01Fuel is back in the contract as a first-order variable: at $5.85 per gallon, shippers that still treat fuel as “market noise” will see volatility show up in accessorials and routing-guide compliance.
  • 02Cost pressures are stacking: when record diesel, higher parcel peak surcharges, and port constraints tighten at once, the operational advantage shifts to forecast accuracy and pull-forward planning, not rebids that cannot fix fuel exposure.
  • 03Port capex is becoming a procurement input: the $6.7B five-year equipment need is a leading indicator that terminal productivity constraints may persist even without headline congestion.

Sep 6, 2026

Kenco’s 20-agent target puts AI workflow control at the center of logistics tech

Kenco’s 20-agent target puts AI workflow control at the center of logistics tech

DeepFabric plans to deploy 20 supply-chain AI agents at 3PL Kenco within 12 months, according to FreightWaves. That’s a new benchmark for agent rollouts. The limiting factor is data rights, integration scope, and who controls exception handling.

  • 01“20 agents in 12 months” is a new benchmark, it implies multi-workflow automation, not a single chatbot pilot.
  • 02Logistics AI is moving to the execution edge, inside TMS and last-mile orchestration layers, where the risk is who can override a decision when service breaks.

Sep 4, 2026

Freight routing tools and load boards are building trust into the workflow

Freight routing tools and load boards are building trust into the workflow

Highway has launched its Trusted Freight Exchange for identity-verified carriers and vetted brokers, with payments, credit and rate intelligence powered by Triumph, according to Commercial Carrier Journal. NT Logistics is selling Routing-as-a-Service Plus as a managed, human-in-the-loop routing function that can start delivering optimized daily routes within about two weeks, Food Logistics reported. In parallel, Fleetio expanded its integration with Motive with two-way DVIR synchronization and automatic Motive Card fuel transaction imports, CCJ reported, a signal that “who can write back” into an operational system is becoming as important as who can read the data.

  • 01If a platform can verify identity and settle payment inside the same workflow, the ‘load board’ starts behaving more like procurement software, and broker onboarding and carrier vetting become configuration work, not a back-office process.
  • 02Managed routing is moving down-market: NT Logistics’ promise of onboarding via spreadsheet or API and benefits in roughly two weeks is a practical benchmark for private fleets still routing in Excel.
  • 03Two-way integrations (like Fleetio’s DVIR closeout back into Motive) raise the stakes of data permissions, change-control and auditability, especially for fleets that authorize third-party connections to telematics accounts.

Sep 3, 2026

Explore More Transportation Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Transportation.

Browse Transportation Hub

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Transportation and beyond.

Book a 15-minute demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512