Transportation is a vital link in virtually all supply chains. How goods are moved and effective transport management play a critical role in the efficiency of global supply chains.

Recognising this, supply chain industry body SAPICS is committed to building excellence in individuals and enterprises involved in every component of supply chain management, including transportation and logistics. One way that the organisation is doing this is through the annual SAPICS Conference, Africa’s leading event for the supply chain profession. Now in its 47th year, this important gathering takes place in Cape Town from 8 to 11 June 2025 and will include presentations focused on transport excellence, innovation and the digital revolution that is redefining supply chain and logistics, the organisers have announced.

The SAPICS Conference offers vital learning, networking and knowledge sharing opportunities for everyone involved in all the diverse aspects of supply chain management. It is a must-attend event for all supply chain practitioners at all levels and for anyone working with the supply chain profession, SAPICS says. More than 750 supply chain managers from 30 countries across Africa and around the world attended the 2024 SAPICS Conference in Cape Town in June 2024.

For the first time, Demand Driven World will be held as part of the SAPICS Conference. Demand Driven World is the world’s top convention focused on Demand Driven methods and applications. This compelling combination offers SAPICS 2025 attendees a unique opportunity, enabling them to attend two globally recognised events at the same time, in one location.

The 2025 SAPICS Conference theme is “Innovation in Motion”, which reflects the imperative for organisations to innovate and strive for the agility and adaptability needed to rapidly respond to potentially chaotic changes and disruptions in today’s turbulent supply chain landscape. An innovative transport strategy that incorporates advanced technologies can drive cost efficiency, enhance service levels and reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint, reshaping the way transport and supply chains are optimised. At this year’s SAPICS Conference, presenters Richard Solomons and Carsten Schubert will outline how this was achieved by leading African beverage company Distell. Sourcing and logistics specialist Solomons and Schubert, who is the chief operating officer at Transnova South Africa, worked with Distell prior to its acquisition by Heineken to redesign and optimise its network and implment a cutting-edge transportation management system. The company achieved enhanced visibility, increased capacity and improved operational efficiency. SAPICS delegates will gain valuable insights into how a strategic logistics transformation can drive scalability, resilience and efficiency in Africa’s dynamic supply chain landscape.

As supply chains become more complex, seamless coordination is essential. Another compelling 2025 SAPICS Conference presentation will explore how the development of Transport Order Management Systems (TOMS) has streamlined multi-principal order management and enhances delivery performance. This session, presented by David Lubinsky, managing director at Opsi Systems South Africa and Bremer Paauw, the Africa managing director at DHL Supply Chain, South Africa, will unpack transport management and transport asset utilisation success stories from 15 countries. It will explore the challenges, solutions and measurable benefits of optimising the whole 3rd party logistics supply chain by harmonising the movements between the warehouse management system and the transport management system.

“Finding the sweet spot to digital transformation in supply chains” is the title of a presentation by Melicia Buddan, who is the group transport excellence manager at Illovo Sugar Africa. Her interactive and insightful session is designed to equip SAPICS Conference attendees with practical strategies for navigating digital transformation. Using a real-world case study from Illovo Sugar Malawi, a leading sugar manufacturer in an emerging market, this presentation explores how organisations can successfully implement new technologies while managing complexity and change.  Buddan stresses that organisations must embrace technology to survive in a turbulent business landscape.

An enlightening session on the adoption of outsourcing for transporting health products across more than 10 countries will be presented by Angelina Cumba and Olivier Defawe from VillageReach, a non-profit organisation based in Seattle in the United States. VillageReach works with governments, the private sector and communities to improve how medicines, vaccines, health information and services are delivered to the hardest-to-reach people. Drones form part of VillageReach’s arsenal and the NPO’s “Drones for Health” initiative aims to improve access to health products by integrating drones into supply chains.

This year’s SAPICS Conference programme features 50 local and international experts and industry leaders. The event also includes 11 practical workshops.