In Short : Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary of MNRE, emphasized that India’s renewable energy focus must evolve from mere capacity addition to strengthening grid infrastructure and domestic manufacturing. He highlighted that integrating renewables efficiently, scaling battery storage, and boosting local manufacturing are critical to sustaining growth, ensuring energy security, and supporting India’s long-term clean energy and decarbonization goals.

In Detail : Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), stressed that India’s renewable energy strategy needs a fundamental shift. While capacity additions have been impressive, the focus must now move toward strengthening grid infrastructure, integrating distributed energy resources, and building a resilient renewable energy ecosystem that can sustain long-term growth.

Sarangi highlighted that India’s record renewable installations have brought the country to the forefront globally, but challenges remain in grid management, intermittency, and storage. To maintain momentum, India must invest in smart grids, flexible transmission networks, and digital solutions that allow renewable energy to be efficiently integrated without compromising reliability.

Another key area Sarangi emphasized is domestic manufacturing. India’s renewable transition cannot rely solely on imports of solar modules, wind turbines, and batteries. Developing local manufacturing capabilities is essential for energy security, reducing costs, creating jobs, and establishing a self-reliant ecosystem for critical clean energy technologies.

The MNRE Secretary also pointed out the importance of energy storage and hybrid solutions. Battery systems, pumped hydro, and other storage technologies are vital to manage variability, provide grid stability, and ensure that high shares of renewable energy can be delivered consistently to consumers and industries.

Sarangi stressed that policy and regulatory frameworks need to evolve in tandem with technological development. Efficient grid integration, market mechanisms for storage and flexibility, and incentives for domestic manufacturing are essential to ensure that India’s renewable push translates into reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective energy systems.

He also highlighted that the transition from capacity addition to infrastructure focus would create multiple economic benefits. Strengthening grid networks and expanding manufacturing can generate jobs, attract investment, and foster technological innovation, positioning India as a global hub for clean energy solutions.

Sarangi emphasized that decentralized energy, such as rooftop solar, community microgrids, and P2P trading, must be integrated into national planning. This requires modern grid architecture and digital monitoring to enable two-way power flows while maintaining stability across regions with varying generation and consumption patterns.

The Secretary called for a collaborative approach involving industry, academia, financial institutions, and government bodies to accelerate the transition. Investments in R&D, skill development, and advanced manufacturing capabilities are crucial for building a robust and resilient renewable ecosystem capable of meeting India’s ambitious climate and energy targets.

Overall, Sarangi’s message underscores that India’s renewable energy journey must now evolve from quantitative growth to qualitative development. By focusing on grid modernization, energy storage, and domestic manufacturing, the country can achieve a sustainable, secure, and self-reliant energy future while strengthening its leadership in the global clean energy transition.

In Short : At India Energy Week 2026, policymakers and industry leaders highlighted how policy certainty, declining renewable energy costs, and rapid technology adoption are accelerating India’s hydrogen and clean fuel ecosystem. The discussions underscored strong government support, increasing private investment, and growing infrastructure development, positioning green hydrogen, biofuels, and alternative fuels as key pillars of India’s energy transition and long-term decarbonisation strategy.

In Detail : Leadership Spotlight session examines investment readiness, demand creation and global partnerships

India’s green hydrogen goals are moving decisively from ambition to execution, driven by competitive pricing, long-term demand creation and sectoral integration, Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission, said at the Leadership Spotlight Session on the third day of India Energy Week 2026.

Speaking on the Resilience Stage at the session titled Scaling Green Ammonia: Value Chain Synergies and the Hydrogen Ecosystem, Bakre said India’s target of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 has found impetus through successful price discovery, enabling projects to advance toward final investment decisions.

“These three years—2025, 2026 and 2027—are very important for the ecosystem to actually act as a launchpad”, said Bakre. He added that green hydrogen and ammonia prices are increasingly approaching parity with conventional alternatives, a crucial development towards large-scale domestic adoption and exports.

From a technology and industry perspective, Gary Godwin, Vice President, Sustainable Technology Solutions and Global Lead, Critical Minerals, KBR said that green ammonia technologies are now commercially viable and capable of operating at global scale. He noted that the next priority is building robust supply chains and long-term offtake arrangements to unlock deployment across power, shipping and heavy industry.

Speaking on market development, Dr. R K Malhotra, President, Hydrogen Association of India, emphasised that India’s competitive renewable energy prices and emerging electrolyser manufacturing base are creating a strong foundation for green hydrogen and ammonia scale-up.

Offering an international policy perspective, Han Feenstra, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Kingdom of the Netherlands said that European hydrogen markets are shifting toward demand mandates and import frameworks. He added that the development is opening long-term opportunities for reliable partners like India, whose cost competitiveness and policy clarity make it a natural contributor to Europe’s decarbonisation ambitions.

About India Energy Week

India Energy Week is the country’s flagship global energy platform, bringing together government leaders, industry executives and innovators to accelerate progress toward a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future. As a neutral international forum, IEW drives investment, policy alignment and technological collaboration shaping the global energy landscape.

In Short : The Telangana Cabinet has approved the creation of a third DISCOM to manage high-demand sectors and unveiled a comprehensive power sector expansion plan. Key measures include procurement of 3,000 MW solar power, development of 10,000 MW pumped storage capacity, new thermal projects, captive power liberalization, and underground power infrastructure for Hyderabad.

In Detail : The Telangana Cabinet has approved the establishment of a third power distribution company as part of a major restructuring of the state’s electricity sector. The decision aims to strengthen power management, improve operational efficiency, and prepare the state for rapidly rising electricity demand driven by urbanization, industrial growth, and expanding irrigation needs.

Currently, electricity distribution in Telangana is handled by two entities, NPDCL and SPDCL. The proposed third DISCOM will exclusively serve high-demand and essential sectors, including agriculture, lift irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha drinking water schemes, HMWSSB services, and safe drinking water supply systems.

By separating these critical and high-consumption segments, the government expects to reduce financial and operational stress on existing DISCOMs. This restructuring is intended to improve monitoring, enhance service quality, and ensure uninterrupted power supply to sectors vital for public welfare and economic stability.

The Cabinet conducted a detailed review of the state’s current and future electricity requirements, noting that demand is expected to rise sharply over the next decade. Population growth, industrial expansion, urban development, and irrigation infrastructure are expected to significantly increase overall power consumption.

To address sustainability goals, the government approved floating tenders for procuring 3,000 MW of solar power under time-bound five-year agreements. This move reflects Telangana’s intent to reduce reliance on conventional thermal power and expand its renewable energy footprint.

In parallel, the Cabinet approved plans to procure 2,000 MW of pumped storage power and permitted private investors to develop pumped storage projects. Pumped storage is seen as a key solution for balancing renewable energy variability and strengthening grid stability.

The government also cleared proposals to develop up to 10,000 MW of pumped storage capacity, with the state providing land and water resources. A critical condition is that power generated from these projects must first be offered to Telangana DISCOMs to ensure long-term energy security.

Under its Clean and Green Energy Policy, the Cabinet allowed newly established industries to generate captive power without any capacity limits. This policy aims to promote industrial self-reliance, reduce stress on public grids, and attract greater domestic and foreign investment into the state.

On the conventional front, the Cabinet approved an 800 MW thermal power plant at NTPC Ramagundam and proposed new NTPC units at Palvancha and Maktal. Additionally, Hyderabad will get an underground power cable system costing ₹14,725 crore, improving reliability, safety, and urban infrastructure efficiency.

As artificial intelligence reshapes how organizations generate value from data, a quieter shift is happening beneath the surface. The question is no longer just how data is protected, but where it is processed, who governs it, and how infrastructure decisions intersect with national regulation and digital policy.

Datalec Precision Installations (DPI) is seeing this shift play out across global markets as enterprises and public sector organizations reassess how their data center strategies support both AI performance and regulatory alignment. What was once treated primarily as a compliance issue is increasingly viewed as a foundational design consideration.

Sovereignty moves upstream.

Data sovereignty has traditionally been addressed after systems were deployed, often resulting in fragmented architectures or operational workarounds. That approach is becoming less viable as regulations tighten and AI workloads demand closer proximity to sensitive data.

Organizations are now factoring sovereignty into infrastructure planning from the start, ensuring data remains within national borders and is governed by local legal frameworks. For many, this shift reduces regulatory risk while creating clearer operational boundaries for advanced workloads.

AI raises the complexity

AI intensifies data governance challenges by extending them beyond storage into compute and model execution. Training and inference processes frequently involve regulated or sensitive datasets, increasing exposure when data or workloads cross borders.

This has driven growing interest in sovereign AI environments, where data, compute, and models remain within a defined jurisdiction. Beyond compliance, these environments offer greater control over digital capabilities and reduced dependence on external platforms.

Balancing performance and governance 

Supporting sovereign AI requires infrastructure that can deliver high-density compute and low-latency performance without compromising physical security or regulatory alignment. DPI addresses this by delivering AI-ready data center environments designed to support GPU-intensive workloads while meeting regional compliance requirements.

The objective is to enable organizations to deploy advanced AI systems locally without sacrificing scalability or operational efficiency.

Regional execution at global scale

Demand for localized, compliant infrastructure is growing across regions where digital policy and economic strategy intersect. DPI’s expansion across the Middle East, APAC, and other international markets reflects this trend, combining regional delivery with standardized operational practices across 21 global entities.

According to Michael Aldridge, DPI’s Group Information Security Officer, organizations increasingly view localized infrastructure as a way to future-proof their digital strategies rather than constrain them.

Compliance as differentiation

As AI adoption accelerates, infrastructure and governance decisions are becoming inseparable. Organizations that can control where data lives and how AI systems operate are better positioned to manage risk, meet regulatory expectations, and move faster in regulated markets.

DPI’s approach reflects a broader industry shift: compliance is no longer just about meeting requirements, but about enabling innovation in an AI-driven environment.

To read DPI’s full perspective on data sovereignty and AI readiness, visit the company’s website.

The post Why Data Sovereignty Is Becoming a Strategic Imperative for AI Infrastructure appeared first on Data Center POST.

ESI Total Fuel Management is expanding its Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO/R99) services to help data centers and other mission-critical facilities advance their sustainability strategies without sacrificing reliability. With this move, the company is deepening its role as a long-term partner for operators pursuing Net-Zero 2030 goals in an increasingly demanding digital infrastructure landscape.​

Advancing data center sustainability

Across the data center industry, operators are under growing pressure to reduce the environmental impact of standby power systems while maintaining assured uptime. ESI draws on decades of experience in fuel lifecycle management, having previously championed ultra-low sulfur diesel adoption, to guide customers through the transition to renewable diesel.​

To support practical and scalable adoption, ESI has established the first secure HVO/R99 supply chain on the East Coast, giving operators dependable access to renewable diesel as part of a long-term fuel strategy. This infrastructure enables data center and mission-critical operators to integrate HVO into their operations as a realistic step toward emissions reduction and operational continuity.​

Renewable diesel performance benefits

HVO/R99 can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 percent compared with conventional diesel, while maintaining strong cold-weather performance and long-term fuel stability suited to standby generator storage cycles. As a drop-in fuel, it requires no modifications to existing infrastructure and directly supports Scope 1 emissions reduction initiatives.​

Integrated lifecycle approach

Within ESI’s broader portfolio, HVO is one component of a comprehensive approach encompassing fuel quality, monitoring, compliance, and system resiliency.

“Sustainability goals do not replace the need for resiliency, and they can be complementary,” said Alex Marcus, CEO and president of ESI Total Fuel Management. “Our focus is helping customers implement solutions that are technically sound and operationally proven. By managing the entire fuel lifecycle, from supply and storage to monitoring, consumption, and pollution control, we help customers reduce environmental impact while maintaining resilient, mission-critical systems.”​

Supporting Net-Zero 2030 objectives

For data center operators pursuing Net-Zero 2030, ESI provides the engineering expertise, infrastructure, and operational support needed to move beyond isolated initiatives toward coordinated, data-driven fuel strategies. This combination of renewable fuel options and full lifecycle management helps strengthen both sustainability and resiliency for mission-critical environments.​

Read the full release here.

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At infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2025, industry leaders from Layer 7 Capital, Hivelocity, and 365 Data Centers discussed issues facing private and edge cloud services.

The infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2025, held at The Wynn Las Vegas October 15-16, 2025, brought together some of the most dynamic individuals in the digital infrastructure industry to explore some of the major challenges in the age of artificial intelligence. Among the most future-forward sessions was “M&A Challenges and Opportunities in Private Cloud and Edge Cloud” markets.

Moderated by Steve Lee, managing director at Layer 7 Capital, a seasoned voice in infrastructure services, the discussion included Jeremy Pease, CEO of Hivelocity, and Bob DeSantis, CEO of 365 Data Centers, where they covered the rapidly evolving digital-infrastructure landscape of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in private-cloud and edge-cloud markets.

AI Is Redrawing the Map of Global Opportunity

The changes in this landscape are being driven not just by traditional scale, but by shifting partner ecosystems, platform consolidation, and the rising importance of bare-metal/edge solutions.

This topic matters because as a major platform, vendors change strategy and partner models and cloud/colocation providers must adapt or risk being left behind. The conversation touched on the implications of big acquisitions (for example, around virtualization platforms), how service-providers are responding, and what this means for M&A opportunities. Major platform shifts – particularly by vendors like Broadcom after its acquisition of VMware – are up-ending partner ecosystems, costing service-providers, and forcing new strategies.

“VMware’s partner count has been dramatically cut, from thousands to around 15 in the U.S., creating major uncertainty for providers,” Pease said.

“365 Data Centers,” DeSantis said, “is moving toward open-source solutions and white-labeling strategies to manage cost and complexity.”

Platform Disruption Impacts Partner Ecosystems and Cost Models

Acquisitions, like Broadcom’s, has disrupted the virtualization and private-cloud ecosystem by reducing the number of official partners significantly. “This has ripple effects,” Pease said, “for colocation and cloud-services providers: Many must now renegotiate, restructure, or even exit current programs to continue offering VMware-based services.”

Cost models have changed, Pease noted: “Some companies are saving, but many solution-providers are challenged by the new partner-economics and the uncertain support model. This is relevant because, when the vendor-partner dynamic changes so drastically, service-providers face strategic and operational recalibration: Which platform do I back? What will customers expect? What will the margin look like?”

Differentiating Between Virtualization Platforms Versus Open-Source/Alternative Solutions

“VMware as a virtualization platform still holds strong in large-scale infrastructure with heavy storage, IOPS [input/output operations per second], and virtualization demands,” said Pease. “In contrast, platforms like OpenShift may be suitable for smaller environments, but lag in enterprise-grade features for massive scale.”

Bare-metal hosting has evolved beyond simply providing racks and servers – it now includes automation, ingestion capabilities and edge readiness, they discussed.

“Providers must decide technology bets,” said Pease. “If the large-scale platform evolves, but cost or partner support changes drastically, there may be incentives to go with alternative stacks or bare-metal/edge models. This has direct implications for M&A: acquiring or merging capabilities that support multiple platforms may become more attractive.”

Service-provider Strategies: Cost Optimization, White-labelling, Multi-platform Support

Strategies do differ among firms in the industry. “They are a colocation and multi-tenant cloud services provider,” said DeSantis, “and instead of staying in the ‘premier partner’ tier of VMware which is likely expensive and restrictive under the new model, they decided to work via larger partners for what they need and also to launch an open-source initiative that allows them to hedge risk.”

They mentioned cost differentials in the VMware program, and are exploring white-labeling open-source products through a partner.

“We learn that contractually,” Pease said, “Broadcom’s model now requires partners to hold gear and provide support – some partners are doing lease-back arrangements. There is a heavier requirement for level-one and level-two expert support for the VMware platform.”

Varying strategies matter due to cost pressures and changing partner models, which may force providers to rethink business models. “They might shift to white-labelling,” added Pease, “offering multi-platform to stay competitive. M&A may become a way to acquire those capabilities quickly.”

M&A and Consolidation Driven by Platform Shifts and Multi-technology Complexity

These platform disruptions may have fundamental impacts on the M&A market, the moderator observed.

“Indeed, the ecosystem is changing,” said Pease. “Broadcom’s attempt to simplify support by reducing partner count means service providers must weigh which platforms matter and how to support multiple technologies. If a provider has a mix of platforms, acquiring or merging with specialists can be an easier path to capability than building in-house.”

Lee reflected on his board experience: “Convergence into key players is happening. M&A isn’t just about adding scale, but about adding capability and flexibility – especially in an era where edge, bare-metal, and private cloud co-exist with public cloud. Consolidation may accelerate as smaller providers decide to join forces to gain platform-agnostic service capability and stronger vendor partner status.”

Future of Cloud Services, Edge Computing, and Customer Use Cases

Pease talked about bare-metal customers who are trying to reach end-users directly, like streaming, gaming, and crypto-validation. “Private cloud and bare-metal differ not just in hardware, but in how they are managed: bare-metal often powers edge computing and low-latency use-cases, with requirements for automation and ingestion, whereas private cloud may provide more managed abstractions.”

This is relevant as we look toward the future: “As customer demands diversify,” said Pease, “service-providers must build infrastructure that supports those use-cases. M&A can accelerate access to those capabilities. Also, providers must think about the total addressable market, not just in traditional colocation, but in edge‐adjacent segments.”

Infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2026: Save the Date

If you found these insights from the session useful, mark your calendar now: infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2026 – October 7-8, 2026, at The Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas. Pre-registration for next year’s event is now open; please visit www.infrastructuresummit.io to learn more!

The post AI’s Effect on Global Market Expansion Patterns: M&A Challenges and Opportunities in Private Cloud and Edge Cloud appeared first on Data Center POST.

Hivelocity has named David Brolsma as its new Chief Financial Officer, strengthening the company’s leadership team as it continues expanding its global bare metal, enterprise cloud, and virtual server footprint. In his new role, Brolsma will guide Hivelocity’s financial strategy, including capital planning, governance, and risk management.

Reflecting on his new role, David Brolsma shared, “I’m glad to be joining a team with such a strong focus on customer experience and collaboration. As CFO, I look forward to strengthening Hivelocity’s strategy on a global level.”

Brolsma brings over 20 years of global finance experience across high-growth technology companies. He previously served as CFO at Smarsh and held leadership roles at WP Engine and Rackspace, contributing to major acquisitions, global expansion, and Rackspace’s IPO. His background also includes finance roles at Valero Energy and EY in Europe and the U.S.

Hivelocity CEO Jeremy Pease added, “Bringing David onboard marks a significant milestone as we continue fortifying our leadership team. His expertise will be crucial to our next phase of growth.”

This latest announcement follows a period of significant momentum for the company, including ongoing global network expansion, new infrastructure investments, and enhanced cloud and bare metal offerings designed to meet rising enterprise and AI-driven workloads. The company recently advanced its collaboration with key partners such as Digital Realty and continued strengthening its leadership team through the appointment of Chief Revenue Officer Matt Schatz. These steps, along with expanded availability across international markets, underscore Hivelocity’s commitment to delivering high-performance, low-latency infrastructure worldwide.

Brolsma’s appointment reinforces the company’s dedication to disciplined expansion and customer-focused execution as demand for high-performance infrastructure continues to rise globally.

To learn more about Hivelocity’s global infrastructure offerings and services, visit hivelocity.net.

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Insights from RBC Capital Markets, Compass Datacenters, and TD Securities

Understanding the Investment Landscape in a New Era of AI

The infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2025, held October 15–16 at the Wynn Las Vegas, brought together the world’s leading voices in digital infrastructure to explore the industry’s rapid transformation. Among the standout sessions was Investment Perspectives, where experts discussed how artificial intelligence (AI), energy constraints, and capital strategy are reshaping investment decisions and the future of data center development.

Moderated by Jonathan Atkin, Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets, the panel featured Jonathan Schildkraut, Chief Investment Officer at Compass Datacenters, and Colby Synesael, Managing Director at TD Securities. Together, they provided clear insights into the trends influencing where, why, and how capital is being deployed in the infrastructure sector today.

The Shifting Demand Curve: How AI is Driving Data Center Growth

Jonathan Schildkraut opened the discussion by outlining the four primary workloads fueling infrastructure demand: AI training, AI inference, cloud, and social media. He described these workloads as the engines of growth for the sector, emphasizing that most are revenue-generating. “Three of those four buckets are cash registers,” Schildkraut said. “We’re really seeing those revenue-generating workloads accelerating.”

Colby Synesael added that the balance between AI training and inference is shifting quickly. “A year ago, roughly 75% of AI activity was training and 25% inference,” Synesael explained. “In five years, that ratio could reverse. A lot of inferencing will occur near where applications are used, which changes how we think about data center deployment.” Their remarks highlighted a clear message: AI continues to be the dominant force shaping infrastructure demand, but its evolution is redefining both scale and location.

Market Expansion and Power Constraints 

As Tier 1 data center markets face mounting limitations in available land and energy, both Schildkraut and Atkin noted the increasing strategic importance of Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions. Schildkraut cited examples such as Alabama, Georgia, and Texas, which are emerging as viable alternatives due to improved fiber connectivity and more favorable power economics.

Capital Strategy and Facility Adaptability:Investing for the Long Term

The conversation also delved into how investors are evaluating opportunities in an environment of high demand and rapid technological change. Schildkraut explained that access to capital today depends on two critical factors: tenant quality and facility adaptability. “Investors want to know that the tenant and the workload will be there for the long term,” Schildkraut said. “They also care deeply about whether the facility can evolve with future technologies.”

To illustrate this, Schildkraut described Compass Datacenters’ initiative to upgrade power densities, increasing capacity from 6–7 kilowatts per rack to hybrid systems capable of supporting up to 30 kilowatts. This investment is designed to ensure readiness for the next generation of high performance computing and AI workloads. These types of forward looking strategies are helping operators and investors manage both risk and opportunity in an increasingly complex market.

Globalization and Policy Influence 

When the conversation turned to global trends, Schildkraut predicted that AI infrastructure deployment will expand worldwide but at uneven rates. “Availability of power and land isn’t uniform,” he said. “Government incentives will play a critical role in determining which markets can scale.”

Synesael agreed, adding that regions lacking modern AI infrastructure could face growing disadvantages. “Over the next several years, not having this infrastructure in your country or region will become a major constraint on innovation,” Syneasel said. Their perspectives reinforced that infrastructure development is no longer just a commercial priority, it is also a matter of national competitiveness.

A Market Redefined by Technology and Energy

The discussion revealed that the digital infrastructure market is entering a new phase defined by the convergence of AI driven workloads, energy constraints, and strategic capital deployment. As inference workloads expand, Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets rise in importance, and investors prioritize long-term flexibility, the industry’s success will depend on adaptability and foresight. The session made it clear that data centers are no longer just real estate, they are foundational assets powering the next wave of global innovation.

Infra/STRUCTURE 2026: Save the Date

Want to tune in live, receive all presentations, gain access to C-level executives, investors and industry leading research? Then save the date for infra/STRUCTURE 2026 set for October 7-8, 2026 at The Wynn Las Vegas. Pre-Registration for the 2026 event is now open, and you can visit www.infrastructuresummit.io to learn more.

The post Investment Perspectives: Navigating the Future of Digital Infrastructure appeared first on Data Center POST.

What keeps most supply chain managers up at night is the fear of making wrong decisions. Decisions would be easy if we knew the outcomes were guaranteed. It’s the unknown that is hard. What if the worst happens?

We certainly have had a lot of unknowns during the past year. Between a booming stock market, uneven tariff policies, and the controversy surrounding artificial intelligence (AI is either a transformative innovation or the beginning of the end of humanity), we have all faced a lot of uncertainty, bringing anxiety and increasing fear. Fear itself can be paralyzing. It can stop us cold while we wait for clarity. But when we are too afraid to move, we actually fall further behind.

We’ve all been in a state of uncertainty for the better part of five years now. It started during the pandemic and has continued with roller-coaster economic policies. We can now safely say that uncertainty really is the new normal. We may never go back to what we knew before. We can only adapt and move on.

As one of the best mentors I ever had once told me: There are very few decisions you make that cannot either be reversed or later adapted to achieve an acceptable outcome.

Making no decision at all is usually worse than making the wrong decision initially. If you’re sitting on the sidelines, you may find that the game is being played without you. It is now time to pick a lane.

Most supply chain managers need to make investments to adapt to the new normal. Companies have cash but are sitting on it due to the uncertainty. Yet that investment is needed now for systems and equipment that will boost productivity and reduce future costs.

So where do you start? If you don’t already have effective warehouse management, transportation management, and labor management systems, those are good places to begin.

Supply chain visibility systems, forecasting tools, and AI (artificial intelligence) integrations that can provide clarity into operations and alert users to changing conditions are also wise investments. Installing flexible automated equipment can also bring a big payoff. Think of easily adaptable and scalable systems, such as autonomous mobile robots, voice picking systems, and goods-to-person fulfillment technologies, that offer solid performance and productivity. Software-as-a-service and robots-as-a-service models offer users options for scaling their operations easily without large capital commitments.

But whatever you do, don’t go it alone. Find trusted partners who understand your business and can offer a range of options to help assure that your decisions pay off now and in the future.