Mike Venditti, VP at WSI Kase and former VP Supply Chain of SEKO Logistics, sits down with SupplyChain Strategy to discuss how the leading 3PL builds resilience into operations via standardisation, employee engagement, and flexibility to customer needs
During the Covid years, supply chains famously shifted from the just-in-time model to just-in-case, and as the demand for storage boomed, so too did contracts’ prices and lifespans. As the pandemic waned and supply chains largely reverted to just-in-time logistics, many 3PLs have found themselves saddled with costly contracts for space they no longer require, with terms that are only now beginning to reach their terminus.
As tariffs come into effect for many of the US’s major international economic partners, 3PL finds itself again bracing for impact. Mike Venditti, VP at WSI Kase and former VP Supply Chain of SEKO Logistics, can see their impact already, but no one has a crystal ball for where things will land. “I do see a lot more of what I would call nearshoring, or bringing business within the states, than I saw prior,” he says as we sit down to chat.
“Over the last 60-odd days, I’ve seen as much activity as I’ve seen in quite some time there. Candidly, I don’t think we know really where that’s going to settle yet, but by the end of 2025 we’ll have a better idea of what the tariffs and some of that disruption are going to do to the industry.”
SEKO Logistics is an end-to-end 3PL provider powered by a global hub network. Despite its global presence, SEKO is able to provide tailored, client-focused service covering everything from ecommerce and freight-forwarding to high-speed shipping and White Glove services. “Our job is to make sure clients can scale without friction,” says Venditti. “That means having the right partners in place, leveraging technology, and making sure their supply chains don’t become a limiting factor.”
Experience counts!
Venditti heads up the company’s supply chain operations, with over 30 years’ experience in the field across a huge breadth of industries and logistics specialisms. “I never envisioned staying in this business,” he says of starting out in logistics with a grocery chain. “All of a sudden the more I was in this business, the more I realised I was enjoying the opportunity. I became fascinated with all the intricacies of how a product moves from point A to point B.”
Fast-forward to September 2023, and Venditti had just joined SEKO with the same fascination and a well-honed understanding of getting the basics set up properly to serve as the foundation for continued growth and excellence. He soon set about positioning SEKO for both increased automation and informed decision-making, recognising an opportunity that had gone untaken.
“Because SEKO is a global company, I found we were data-rich but information-poor. We had a lot of good data in places, but we didn’t necessarily have what I would call good information to make decisions, whether it was on client profitability or labour control, labour management.
“So we’ve put a lot of work into that over the last 18 to 20 months to get this dialled-in and start making better business decisions. There’s lots to do still, but we have really come a long way in the last 18 months.”
Tapping into opportunities hiding in plain sight is Venditti’s bread and butter, from data to people, but it all starts with ensuring high-quality standardisation across operations…