In this thought-provoking episode of Chain Reaction, host Michael Ostroumov welcomes Malcolm Pope, founder of the logistics consultancy Loguro. Malcolm shares a candid, passionate, and at times provocative look into the structural inefficiencies plaguing the logistics and supply chain industry. With a career spanning decades, from industrial chemistry to leading transformational sourcing at Heinz, Malcolm offers insights shaped by experience, frustration, and an unwavering belief that the industry can do better.

Malcolm discusses the waste inherent in siloed systems, the underutilization of existing infrastructure, and why collaboration, not just within companies, but across them, is key to achieving meaningful change. He explores how AI and data could help logistics organizations evolve beyond legacy systems and into a more efficient, collaborative, and environmentally responsible future. His challenge to the industry: rethink the foundations, reject inertia, and use today's tools to solve yesterday's persistent problems.

Guest Bio

Malcolm Pope is the founder of Loguro, a UK-based logistics advisory firm that specializes in helping businesses and logistics providers design smarter, more collaborative supply chain strategies. With a background in industrial chemistry and extensive leadership roles across FMCG giants like Heinz, Malcolm has driven innovation in demand planning, e-sourcing, and supply chain collaboration for over 30 years. He is known for his passionate advocacy for systemic change in logistics and is a respected voice in both corporate and policy circles.

Takeaways

• Logistics inefficiencies remain rampant, with up to 30% of UK trucks running empty.
• Early experiences in process chemistry led Malcolm into the world of planning and supply chain strategy.
• AI and combinatorial optimization were already being explored over 18 years ago in logistics sourcing.
• Collaboration across business silos, even internally, is often the first step to unlocking efficiency.
• Traditional procurement tools (like Excel and email) hinder true supply chain innovation.
• Infinite tendering and continuous opportunity-sourcing models could transform logistics contracts.
• Trade associations and governments can play key roles in enabling inter-enterprise cooperation.
• Intermodal and ocean freight are massively underutilized resources in the UK.
• The industry is overly focused on piecemeal optimization; broader system thinking is needed.
• Electrification isn't a silver bullet, biomethane and smarter planning may offer better paths.
• Employee experience and sustainability need to be built into the DNA of logistics systems.
• True digital transformation in logistics requires bold, visionary leadership willing to challenge the norm.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and guest intro

00:42 Malcolm’s unconventional path from chemistry to logistics

03:00 Early career in edible oils and supply chain planning

04:49 Collaboration, LUPEG, and solving industry inefficiencies

07:06 Founding Loguro and whispering truth to power

09:02 The profitability paradox in logistics

10:14 Why legacy systems are holding the industry back

12:07 The cost of industry inertia

14:48 Untapped data and smart optimization

17:14 Planning for driver welfare, not just efficiency

19:22 Fixing systemic waste through holistic thinking

21:39 Visionary leadership and organizational change

25:48 Why logistics e-sourcing needs to evolve

28:42 Collaboration as a step change enabler

32:49 Lost opportunities among large LSPs

35:08 The cost of doing nothing in logistics

37:30 A call for visionary risk-takers

41:57 Two quick wins: invoice auditing and load optimization

44:10 A holistic look at infrastructure and energy 45:06 Final reflections and thank you

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