Chain Reaction is Sourcing Journal’s discussion series with industry executives on logistics challenges and solutions. Here, Scott Wang, president of last-mile delivery firm UniUni, discusses why adopting automation and AI-powered tools is essential to building resilient, future-ready supply chains—especially with today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Name: Scott Wang
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Title: President
Company: UniUni
What is UniUni?
UniUni is a fast-growing logistics company transforming last-mile delivery for e-commerce brands. We combine advanced technology with efficient delivery solutions to help businesses enhance their online shopping experience with speed, reliability and customer satisfaction.
What industries do you primarily serve? Which industry do you think has the most to teach fashion about improving their supply chain logistics?
We mainly serve e-commerce customers—ranging from global marketplaces to regional brands—including many in the fashion industry.
Fashion brands in particular will benefit from focusing on their inventory management and adopting just-in-time delivery models to stay competitive and reduce waste. Their supply chain operations can take a page out of the big e-commerce brand playbook to adopt automation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Automation drives the systems that make these supply chains run efficiently, but AI is what makes these systems smart, allowing companies to predict consumer demand, optimize delivery routes and reduce overproduction. These two technologies go hand-in-hand to build a more resilient, cost-effective supply chain.
What are the main things brands and retailers could do (or stop doing) right now that would immediately improve logistics?
Brands should prioritize more accurate demand-side forecasting. Strong forecasting drives efficiency across the entire supply chain. And with better predictions, brands can pinpoint daily demand and plan exactly how many air freight shipments, customs-cleared pallets, trucks and drivers are needed. That kind of visibility is invaluable.
What they should stop doing is over-designing packaging. Unique packaging may look great, but it often raises costs and reduces delivery efficiency. In some cases, a bulky package means you can only deliver one or two items when you could’ve delivered 10 with smarter design. In my opinion, packaging should be smart, sustainable and space efficient. It’s better for logistics and better for the planet.
On the topic of environmental impact, what is your company doing to make the movement of goods more sustainable?
As we scale our North American operations, UniUni is prioritizing sustainability with a number of initiatives that we started in Canada and are looking to expand across the U.S., including carbon offsetting, ecosystem restoration and electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
When it comes to supply chain logistics challenges, there are things companies can fix, and things that are beyond their control. How can the former help the latter?
The only constant in supply chain logistics is uncertainty. Labor shortages, extreme weather and shifting regulations are all outside of a brand’s control. Fortunately, resilience starts with focusing on what can be controlled.
Diversifying carrier networks and adopting AI-powered logistics tools both help brands mitigate risk and respond faster when disruptions occur, which they inevitably will. Predictive technologies also play a key role by forecasting potential delivery issues, giving brands the ability to make real-time adjustments and prevent problems from escalating.
What is the one thing brands and retailers could be doing to make better use of technology to improve logistics?
AI enables brands to unlock real-time analysis and operational visibility across their supply chain and can turn customer feedback into immediate action. For example, if a customer reports a delivery issue, AI can instantly route that feedback to the correct department—be it IT, operations or a specific warehouse—to address the issues quickly and accurately. AI also supports real-time, proof-of-delivery audits and can flag potential errors like misdeliveries when they happen. This allows teams to respond instantly and can even alert drivers to correct the issue before it escalates.
What area of logistics isn’t receiving the industry attention it deserves?
There’s massive opportunity when it comes to reverse logistics. Even though return volumes are rising, reverse supply chains are actually underdeveloped. As density increases, this will become a vital area where brands can gain a competitive edge with smarter planning and better infrastructure.
Are you optimistic about the state of supply chains in the next few years?
I am! And, yes, I’m going back to AI and automation. We are going to see a lot of change in the years ahead and a lot of it will depend on which companies are willing to adopt these technologies to improve the shopping experience.
