GSCW chat: Is FreightTech necessary for CPG companies?

Technology can attract young people, improve safety, Gartner VP says

(Photo: FreightWaves)

This fireside chat recap is from Day 3 of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: FreightTech is a must for consumer packaged goods companies to thrive.

DETAILS: FreightWaves’ Travis Rhyan and Bart De Muynck detail the challenges CPG companies face with labor shortages, manufacturing and e-commerce and how FreightTech investment should be viewed as a cost of doing business.

SPEAKER: De Muynck is the vice president of supply chain research at Gartner.

BIO: De Muynck conducts research in supply chains focused on transportation management, transportation visibility, freight payment, yard management, vehicle routing and fleet telematics. He is also the global chair of the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium.



KEY QUOTES FROM DE MUYNCK:

“There’s a lot more focus on tracking the product itself. … If you’re shipping food, it’s not just important that it gets there on time but also that the conditions during transportation are actually adequate.”

“It starts in the warehouse where more and more companies are seeing warehouse labor shortages, so they’re replacing labor with robots. … We’re starting to see this as well on the transportation side.”

“At the loading dock, that’s where we don’t quite see the same level of automation yet. We’re not yet at the stage where we’re using robots to do automated unloading of a vehicle or automated loading of a vehicle. That’s where we still have a lot of opportunity.”

“The question becomes how do we make the transportation industry as a whole safer and also more attractive for young people to come back into the transportation industry?”

Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Alyssa Sporrer.

AEV Summit: Locomation on path to full autonomy

Who is teaching autonomous trucks how to drive?

Q&A: Leveraging autonomy, batteries to shift freight from road to rail

GSCW chat: Embracing automation in 2022

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Alyssa Sporrer

Alyssa is a staff writer at FreightWaves, covering sustainability news in the freight and supply chain industry, from low-carbon fuels to social sustainability, emissions & more. She graduated from Iowa State University with a double major in Marketing and Environmental Studies. She is passionate about all things environmental and enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, ultimate frisbee, hiking, and soccer.