The problem with trends is that they are like a freight train gaining speed; everyone can see the train, but at what point do you say the train is really moving at speed? With that in mind, here are the trends I'm following, the predictions I am making, or if not a prediction, the inflection points I am paying attention to. Donald Trump and the'Made in America' Supply Chain – There was a quote in the Atlantic I liked, "The press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally." But when it comes to trade with China and Mexico, I take him both seriously and literally. I think it likely that by the end of 2017 we will have seen a decrease in trade with China and to a lesser extent Mexico.

We kick off today a month-long focus on trends in the following categories: Manufacturing, Manufacturing Technology, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transportation Management. This 2016 supply chain trend will continue as best-in-class organizations leverage business networks to create a digital community of partners executing coordinated processes in a more organized and informed way than in the past. This new breed of supply chain is more connected, intelligent, scalable and rapid than traditional supply chain management. In today's global and connected economy, digital supply chains are the on-ramp to innovation and success.