Published

May 17, 2017

Share

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today hosted the Fifth Annual Global Supply Chain Summit, Building Tomorrow's Networks Today, which brought together industry leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss issues influencing supply chains now and into the future. The summit, which took place during National Infrastructure Week, showcased the importance of technology and innovation to supporting supply chain efficiency, improving access to global markets for small and medium-size businesses, and driving economic competitiveness for all U.S. businesses.

“Supply chains are at the core of every business in our country. Without the supply chain, American businesses wouldn’t be able to get the materials they need to produce affordable, quality products for consumers and grow our economy,” said Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber. “A strong and efficient supply chain also helps American businesses – both large and small – access international markets and export their products around the world. By simplifying the export process, all companies will have a greater opportunity to access the 95% of consumers that live outside the United States.”

Keynote speakers and panel participants discussed the future of global supply chains and issues such as evolving technology and supply chain trends, integrating security and innovation, and improving market access through trade facilitation.

“Technology is constantly changing the face of global supply chains. Just last year, our summit discussed the hypothetical future of drone delivery, and now we’re seeing companies make it a reality,” said Ann Beauchesne, senior vice president for National Security and Emergency Preparedness at the U.S. Chamber. “With the pace of change in technology, trade, logistics, and even infrastructure, it’s more important than ever for businesses to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that our supply chains are competitive in the global economy.”

Donohue and Beauchesne were joined by Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, and UPS Chief Information and Engineering Officer Juan Perez, among others. A full list of speakers is available here.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.