Industrial real estate is poised for a spike in demand, development and delivery according to research by Jones Lang LaSalle. Industrial markets nationwide have been recovering for more than four full years, with 15 consecutive quarters of positive net absorption. Last year marked a five-year high, with 168 million square feet of net absorption, and, with current forecasts, this figure could top 180 million square feet in 2014. So, what's behind this momentum?

Professor Thomas Goldsby of Ohio State discusses his study of global macrotrends and how they will impact supply chains of the future.

Natural gas has started to challenge oil as the dominant transport fuel with companies building gas-powered ships and installing networks of service stations on water and land.

People are the supply chain's biggest asset, but human resource investments often come in a distant third to investments in technology and processes. Simphiwe Mbonambi, senior director of supply chain planning at Eskom, explains why it is critical for companies to ignite the hearts and passions of their employees.

An integrated setting for managing demand, supply and inventory involves working with people as much as with technology and information, says Todd Gallant of VF Corp. He explains how the Timberland division of VF is improving collaboration and communication among its associates up and down the supply chain.

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has exercised options for six additional 14,000-TEU vessels bringing the total order to 16 ships. The order has been placed with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in Korea and is the largest in UASC's history, worth over $2bn, including all options. The order features vessels that will be amongst the largest, most technologically advanced, and most environmentally friendly container vessels ever built.

U.S. vessel imports were up 3.7 percent from 2012, which totaled over 18.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot containers) brought into the United States last year. U.S. imports in 2013 started off at a slow start but ended with a surprising and unexpected surge from July through December. Annual TEUs haven't been this high since 2007, which is a good sign for a strong recession rebound in the U.S. trade industry. So far in 2014, the first three weeks of imports in January are already 5.2 percent higher than the same time last year.

Campbell Soup is expert at understanding buying patterns and demand signals for its traditional category, but as it expands into new categories with different types of products the company is having to adapt its forecasting methods. Allyson Hatfield, senior demand planner, discusses these challenges.