AI is dominating global supply chain headlines. Yet, if you look inside most modern distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and warehouses, AI is primarily being utilized for reporting, long-term demand forecasting, or populating executive dashboards. While these tools provide excellent historical visibility, they rarely touch day-to-day, minute-by-minute execution.

The real operational gap in the global trade community today is not a lack of data; it is decision latency. Decision latency is the critical delay between recognizing an operational disruption and taking optimal action to resolve it. In high-velocity environments, this delay is the root cause of systemic bottlenecks, idle automation, and massive margin erosion.

Limitations of traditional systems

Global supply chains operate as a highly complex framework of systemic flows, where the failure of a single localized facility generates a cumulative economic burden across the entire network. For decades, facilities have attempted to manage this complexity using a standard stack of legacy software, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), and various planning tools.

The fundamental limitation of these systems is that they were designed to execute predefined tasks and record transactions, not to continuously adjust in real time. An ERP operates on daily or monthly planning cycles, while a WMS manages barcode scans, updates inventory ledgers, and dispatches static waves of work. Neither was built to dynamically coordinate real-time tradeoffs.

Warehouse environments rarely follow a static plan. Throughout a shift, conditions change continuously due to unexpected order surges, late inbound transportation, labor call-outs, and machine jams. When these disruptions occur, static plans instantly break down. Because legacy systems operate in disconnected silos, human supervisors are forced into a state of ‘decision overload’. They must manually stitch together fragmented data to determine how to recover, leading to a reactive ‘firefighting’ culture that relies on manual intervention rather than intelligent coordination.

Operational cost of decision latency

The reliance on manual coordination creates a massive ‘logistics tax’ across the global network. This inefficiency manifests in several critical areas of the operation.

At the dock, temporal misalignment between carrier arrivals and warehouse readiness drives severe global detention and demurrage penalties, while clogging the yard. Inside the facility, capital-intensive investments in automation are frequently wasted. High-speed robotics and automated storage systems often sit idle – a state known as ‘starvation’ – because upstream manual processes, such as decanting or replenishment, cannot keep pace with the machines.

Furthermore, the burden of decision latency takes a severe toll on the workforce. To compensate for uncoordinated execution and frequent bottlenecks, facilities lean heavily on excessive overtime to bridge the gap. This triggers a productivity-fatigue paradox, driving severe worker burnout and exacerbating the industry’s massive labor turnover rates.

Decision intelligence andagentic systems

To eliminate decision latency, forward-thinking logistics providers are moving beyond traditional task management and adopting ‘decision intelligence’ powered by agentic AI.

Rather than requiring a massive, disruptive ‘rip and replace’ of legacy infrastructure, an agentic supply chain wraps key execution functions with intelligent, autonomous decision agents. These agents sit on top of the existing WMS, ERP, and transportation systems, acting as a centralized, real-time coordination layer.

Agentic systems operate using a continuous Sense-Decide-Act-Learn loop. Instead of relying on a human manager to manually reassign workers during a crisis, a warehouse decision agent continuously monitors live operations, evaluates tradeoffs, and triggers the next best action. For instance, if the agent senses that a critical robotic sorter is about to starve, it calculates the financial cost of that downtime and autonomously reprioritizes tasks, automatically routing a forklift driver to replenish the zone before the bottleneck occurs. By automating these day-to-day execution decisions, agentic AI dynamically aligns labor allocation, dock scheduling, order prioritization, and inventory movement in real time.

Building trust through explainable AI

A critical component of this new era of decision intelligence is bridging the trust gap between human workers and AI. In the past, advanced optimization systems were viewed as opaque ‘black boxes’.

Today’s agentic systems feature ‘explainable AI’. If an agent decides to delay a specific shipment or reprioritize a labor schedule, floor managers can interact with the system using natural language to ask why. The AI reads the context of its optimization solver and explains its logic in plain text – for example, explaining that a required item is out of stock, and waiting for an incoming receipt later in the shift is mathematically better than shipping the order short. This transparency transforms AI from a dictatorial software program into a collaborative daily copilot.

The global trade community can no longer afford to operate with high decision latency. As fulfillment velocities accelerate, the competitive advantage of the next decade will not belong to the organizations with the most dashboards, but to those who deploy agentic systems to make warehouse decisions work together seamlessly, autonomously, and in real time.

Keith Moore
www.autoscheduler.ai

Keith Moore is CEO of AutoScheduler.AI, a leading AI-based Decision Intelligence platform that unifies and automates warehouse decision-making. He oversees company operations, communicates between board members and other company executives, and makes important decisions that impact the company’s brand indentity and financial health.

In the realm of third-party logistics, Gilmer stands out by providing its customers with the right capacity, expertise and resources to keep their daily operations running smoothly. Its expertise has proven valuable to many leading brands in sectors like consumer-packaged goods, retail and food and beverage. The company has undergone significant developments and milestones in the last two years, something Satu Mehta, Chief Executive Officer, is keen to discuss.

“Gilmer is a privately owned third-party logistics company specializing in contract packaging, warehousing and transportation. We have been family owned since our inception, and this year marks our 40th anniversary. The company was originally founded out of necessity by a gentleman named Tom Gilmer, who had worked for Anheuser-Busch before relocating his family to Georgia and starting a warehousing business in 1986. That business evolved considerably over the years, and in the 1990s Tom’s three children took over, running and owning the business together,” he begins.

In January 2025, the family made the decision to transition from a family-managed organization to a professionally managed one. That is when Satu joined as President, with the intention of taking over full operational management of the company and continuing its journey. This is Gilmer’s first year and a half operating as a family-owned, professionally managed and performance-driven business, and it marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter of growth. The company has also recently relocated its headquarters from Perry, a small town in mid-Georgia, to Macon, one of the largest cities in the state. This strategic move positions it ideally for exponential growth over the next few years.

The relocation of its headquarters is more than a change of address. Moving to Macon places Gilmer in a significantly better geographical position for talent acquisition, customer-facing activity and proximity to major transport links, including airports, all of which are critical to a logistics operation of this scale. Being situated on a main artery that connects to different parts of the state gives the business a meaningful operational advantage as it continues to grow. Alongside the move, Gilmer is also looking to form relationships with different customers across verticals it has not previously operated in, broadening its market presence.

While Gilmer’s strategy is shifting under the new management team, the previous family management led the company to success, as it celebrates its milestone 40th anniversary, which is no small feat. According to Satu, this longevity can be attributed to a dedication to relationships and culture. “I think being family run has been crucial to the company’s success. The level of attention given to customers over the years has been very personal, with Tom and his three children involved in every customer relationship. That closeness to customers has been a major driver of our longevity, and it has also shaped something equally important: the culture. Our attention to detail and the value placed on customer relationships has built a phenomenal culture that still exists within the business today, and it is that culture that has really kept the 40-year momentum going,” he reflects.

Gilmer’s approach to commercial relationships is directly shaped by long-term thinking and prioritizing partnerships. Rather than pursuing transactional business, the company is focused on building a strategic partner network across both its vendor and customer base. This philosophy is becoming increasingly central to how the business operates under its new leadership. “While we would never turn down transactional business, that is not our favored approach. Our philosophy is very much centered around long-term partnerships, solving problems together and building a strong foundation that can weather the inevitable ups and downs of our industry,” Satu explains. “I cannot reveal too much just yet, but we have some exciting partnerships in the pipeline and are dedicated to building the right ones and growing that area of the business, something that has probably been an afterthought until now.”

In the meantime, the company is directing its attention to achieving its goals and overall vision for the rest of 2026. Last year was all about modernizing and professionalizing the business while adding a handful of strategic new customers, and that work will continue through this year. Gilmer has already spent the past six months rebuilding the leadership team, and with the final two appointments made in the last couple of months, the company is now ideally positioned for the significant growth it has been preparing for.

Throughout the remainder of the year, Gilmer is aiming to continue hiring for some important leadership positions to strengthen its abilities. So far, new additions include a transportation leader, two operational leaders and a strategic IT leader, all brought in with specific future customers and capabilities in mind. Two of those planned new customer relationships are expected to come on board before the end of the year.

Forty years of competent family ownership built a strong business that a new management team is now being trusted to carry forward. At present, Gilmer is well-prepared to tackle its next phase of growth with the right people and strategic partners, in the right city.

Businesses shipping through the Midwest can no longer afford to choose a third-party logistics (3PL) partner based on footprint alone. As instant delivery expectations influence supply chain benchmarks heading into 2026, the real standout will be a 3PL that combines warehouse automation with multimodal freight access. Ohio distribution centers are at the center of that equation, connecting major manufacturing corridors with the country’s most critical freight lanes.

Hallmarks of a Premier 3PL Partner in 2026

Ohio’s 3PL firms were evaluated against specific criteria:

• Automation density: The provider must use technology to give customers real-time visibility into their inventory and shipments.
• Multimodal access: Integration with multiple transportation modes, including truck, rail and intermodal options, is essential for building a supply chain that can power through disruption.
• Verifiable expertise: The provider must have a documented track record through industry certifications, long-standing operations or recognized performance benchmarks.

3 Top 3PL Warehousing Companies in Ohio

Three Ohio providers stand out for supply chain-focused businesses.

1. Keller Logistics Group

Keller Logistics Group is an asset-based 3PL with a network of Ohio distribution centers built for businesses that need a single-source partner across warehousing, transportation and secondary re-packing.

Its facilities operate in ambient and protected-from-freeze environments, and the majority are food-grade and SQF certified, making them a strong fit for manufacturers in the food and beverage logistics space. It holds multiple industry recognitions, including back-to-back Inc. 5000 rankings and five consecutive years on TCA’s Best Fleets to Drive For list.

On the technology side, Keller Logistics runs a proprietary tracking system, 1K, through its TMW platform, giving customers real-time visibility into shipment status from origin to delivery. It is also the only asset-based 3PL that backs every service with a formal guarantee. As one of the most established warehousing companies in Ohio, it offers multimodal freight solutions under one roof, reducing handoffs and giving shippers greater control over their supply chain.

2. ODW Logistics

ODW Logistics is a national 3PL with deep roots in Ohio, operating a network of distribution centers that serves both regional and national shippers. Its model is built around scalability, making it a common choice for mid-market companies managing growth in e-commerce fulfillment and omnichannel distribution. ODW focuses on building programs that expand as a customer’s volume grows, rather than locking them into fixed configurations from the start.

Its value proposition centers on integrated technology that provides shipment and inventory visibility across the distribution network. ODW creates custom warehousing and transportation programs for mid-market customers who need more flexibility than a standard 3PL contract offers. It serves as an operational extension of its customers’ teams.

3. Zipline Logistics

Zipline Logistics is a Columbus-based 3PL with a defined niche in consumer packaged goods (CPG). Its focus on CPG means it understands the routing guides, compliance requirements and lead time windows that major retailers impose. The company works with brands that sell into grocery, mass-market and specialty retail channels, where on-time and in-full delivery rates directly affect shelf placement and retailer relationships.

The provider’s data-focused approach extends to managed transportation, where it leverages its Kanoobi visibility platform to give customers control over complex, multi-stop shipments. This level of visibility and analytics capability is especially useful for CPG brands managing seasonal volume swings and promotional pushes. Zipline stands out among warehousing companies in Ohio that specialize in the intersection of retail logistics and transportation management.

Comparing Ohio’s 3PL Leaders

This table summarizes each firm’s positioning based on core strengths and primary customer fit.

Choosing a Partner for a More Resilient Supply Chain

Selecting the right 3PL partner in Ohio is about finding an operational fit for specific business goals. The decision depends on whether a company needs the security of an asset-based provider, a scalable e-commerce network or specialized retail expertise. The best choice is a strategic step that impacts a supply chain’s efficiency and its ability to meet future customer demands.