If you ask supply chain veteran Chuck Moyer about the overriding theme of 2025 , chances are he ’ ll answer with a single word : uncertainty . “ The only thing I can predict for 2025 with certainty is uncertainty ,” he says . “ We don ’ t have that crystal ball . So , all we can do is plan and build contingencies and position ourselves better than our competition . Those are the only ways to arm ourselves against that uncertainty .”
Moyer has been involved with every aspect of the supply chain since he joined the industry in 1984 in operations for Priority Dispatch . He ’ s currently the President of Tasks4Pros . Tasks4Pros provides on-demand labor management for companies involved in the supply chain , manufacturing and o ! ce help . He describes it this way : “ We ’ re helping companies manage their labor and be more e ! cient in compliance . We ’ re improving their scalability , sustainability , profitability , and risk management .” In this position , Moyer has a bird ’ s eye view of the whole domestic and international labor market , which he expects to become even more complicated in 2025 .
The Impact of Geopolitical Issues on the Supply Chain
Next year promises to be a rollercoaster for those in the supply chain driven by uncertainty on a global scale . “ From my perspective , the geopolitical environment is probably the biggest thing creating uncertainty and potential problems in the supply chain ,” points out Moyer . “ This is not just because of the new administration in Washington but because the leadership of so many countries is in flux . Seventy-six countries faced significant elections in 2024 . They included Taiwan , the UK and India , to name a few . All that geopolitical turmoil impacts the supply chain . On top of that , the conflicts worldwide will continue to impact the supply chain . Shippers are dealing with low water levels in shipping canals , piracy on the high seas , port congestion and the ongoing threats of strikes among maritime workers .”
While these issues may seem too distant to impact the final mile , Moyer cautions that there will be a domino effect . “ There is increased complexity that comes from globalization ,” he says . “ The amount of product being created internationally creates complications and delays . These can have an impact from manufacturing down to the delivery to the consumer . We ’ ve got more layers in the supply chain , more people involved , and less visibility than ever . That makes forecasting challenging .”
An Increasingly Complex Supply Chain and Its Impact on Forecasting
As the complexities of the supply chain mount , the ability to plan for the future becomes tougher every day . “ Forecasting in the face of these challenges becomes more problematic every year ,” says Moyer . “ Providers have a tougher time understanding their costs , which leads to some real challenges in pricing things correctly .”
Like many involved in the supply chain , Moyer became acutely aware of these issues during
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