Environment: “Teaching, training, and retraining” appears to be the mantra of the forwarding community’s push to go green. Where does this stand in 2025, how much can training really achieve for the global green push, and where is it failing? Do clients need to get real, is there a way to sustain the commercial momentum and meet green goals - especially with airlines upping rates to reflect SAF costs?

Live Events Logistics: Having suffered a huge drop in business during and post-Covid, the live events industry has bounced back stronger than ever. The demand for specialist logistics companies to service concerts, sports tournaments, art exhibitions, orchestral tours, expos, media and TV coverage and a whole range of other events is accelerating with independent forwarders playing an increasing role.

Technology: Is AI the new blockchain? What does it really offer SME forwarders beyond a lot of hot air? With AI predominating the discussion of supply chain technology, this issue will see VOTI look at the other technologies that are having a real, and positive impact in the here and now on global supply chains, and what tech coming round the corner is exciting the SME forwarding community.

Projects: The past few years have been something of a boom for project forwarding. It seems this is set to continue for the foreseeable future. What is behind this growth momentum? How will emergent industries (renewables, EVs, etc) affect not only revenues but the way project forwarders do business? And when will the ride slow?

Time Critical: Uncertainty is now the one certainty for forwarders. How do SMEs best equip themselves to handle this challenge when working in a sector dependent on reliability, time critical. How do you bring certainty to the uncertain? And how does the bad blood between carriers and forwarders influence and impact upon this?

Training and Recruitment: In an era when employees seem more willing to up sticks if they don’t appreciate the work environment, what do forwarders need to do to attract the best possible talent? How do they create the ideal environment for their employees and how can training programmes assist with staff retention?

Reshoring: Brexit, China, War. All three have played a role in pushing a narrative within western economies that there is a need to shift away from traditional sourcing partners and instead move to source from closer to home. How realistic, how desirable, and how necessary is such a shift, one that would upend the last 40 years of global order? And where does it leave the forwarder?

Humanitarian Logistics: How are forwarders contending with rising demand from the humanitarian sector amidst a wave of conflicts and natural disasters that have put strain on capacity? How can SME forwarders better serve the requests from aid agencies?

Perishables: 2023 saw perishables contending with soaring freight rates, and then in 2024 they were up against strikes on a global scale. How have forwarders helped to avert armageddon and what changes are required to better ensure the free flow of perishable goods?

China: An emergent India, an ever inward looking US. How has the shifting geopolitical situation affected the world’s factory? And what has been the real impact on the make up of global supply chains? Is China scared? Or are the headlines simply hot air that fail to reflect the reality that China remains pivotal to the global supply chain, with little to suggest a looming upset?

E-commerce: Shippers have seemingly become smarter and more selective in their sourcing destinations to meet the increasing demand in the way of e-commerce. How is that shift in mindset affecting the way e-commerce logistics is conducted, are forwarders being forced out of their comfort zone and, if so, is this a good or bad thing?

Pharma: Personalised medication and new treatments requiring ever more sensitive handling and transportation have created a bonanza for forwarders working in the life sciences sector. But is the level of investment required forcing independent firms into making tough choices?