Best Smart Freight Solutions Podcasts (2025)

1
Freight Futures 29:08

Play Pause

19d ago29:08

29:08

In this high-octane episode of Smart Acids, we’re riding shotgun with Chris Pickett, Lead Market Analyst at Pickett Research and Chief Commercial Officer at Flock Freight—the largest Shared Truckload brokerage in the U.S. Listen Here: Chris shares: 🚚 The current state of the U.S. truckload freight market 📊 Surprising data points shaping 2025 logist…

1
From Alt Rock to Alt Fuels 25:19

2M ago25:19

25:19

In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Givens—actor, social media influencer, and Director of Promotion & Marketing at Biofriendly —to explore the intersection of Alternative Music and Alternative Fuels. With over 500,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Jacob has built a loyal audience by blending nostalgic 90s music content with …

1
Tackling Tariffs Together - Expert Insights and Strategies 38:04

3M ago38:04

38:04

Join hosts Andy and Chris as they dive into the complexities of tariffs and their impact on the chemical industry in this enlightening episode of the Smart Acids Podcast. Featuring expert insights from Dwayne Roark, VP of Corporate Affairs, Communications & Marketing at Univar Solutions, this episode explores historical tariff acts, current updates…

1
Chips: Beyond phones and video games 23:11

9M ago23:11

23:11

In this episode, the Smart Acids hosts welcome Joe 'Sherlock' Holmes, Business Development Manager, Electronics. Joe gives us a glimpse into the world of semiconductors and paints a vivid picture of the industry's ecosystem. He'll also provide insights into how vital the right chemistry solutions are and why he is optimistic about what lies ahead f…

1
A look back at two legendary careers 19:11

11M ago19:11

19:11

Smart Acids welcome back both Duane 'Papa Z' Ziolkoswki and Rick 'Ricky Lee' Roth. In this special episode Duane and Rick provide a retrospective on each of their 40+ year careers, the distribution industry over time, what has changed and what has remained constant. 01:30 – Papa Z shows up in a suit and tie and turns the tables with a surprise quiz…

1
Pricing roller coaster ride and the return of ethanol 14:42

1y ago14:42

14:42

Learn about the alcohol market's ups and downs and gain valuable insights into what's ahead for IPA and ethanol. The Smart Acids hosts welcome Duane "Papa Z" Ziolkowski, Product Director, Solvents for Univar Solutions. Listen as he explores the industry's latest market trends, including: Pricing fluctuations Changing market End-use evolution 01:50 …

1
Global Supply Chain 360 + Baltimore Key Bridge Incident 15:57

1y ago15:57

15:57

What’s the current state of our global supply chain and what’s driving costs, efficiencies and risk to the maritime shipping network? The Smart Acids return to navigate what's happening at sea with Jeff “Starbuck” Dixon, Director of International Trade Services for Univar Solutions. Listen now as Dixon discusses how carriers are withstanding disrup…

1
Chef Mike's top food trends of 2024 + culinary product development 23:23

1+ y ago23:23

23:23

What's shaping the future of food and beverage markets? Chef Mike Haracz brings his corporate chef expertise to the Smart Acids table to discuss the innovative landscape of the food industry and culinary product development. Let's dig into top food trends of 2024, including cost engineering, manufacturing better-for-you products, and reformulating …

1
Revolutionising Compliance and Auditing in the Food Industry with Digital Catapult 28:50

1+ y ago28:50

28:50

In this podcast we speak to Ellen Moorehead and Scott Grant about ubloquity’s Innovative Leap with Digital Catapult and McColgan's Quality Foods. ubloquity, a frontrunner in distributed ledger technology solutions based in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, is helping transform data management in the food industry. Our flagship paVe platform is not just …

1
Smart Acids' excellent adventure through science history and chemical innovation 19:19

1+ y ago19:19

19:19

"Everything in our world is chemistry and chemistry is everywhere in our lives," - David Allen Cole, CEO of the Science History Institute This episode is one for the history books. Smart Acids hosts Andy Erickson and Chris Ernst welcome "The Historian" David Allen Cole, CEO of the Science History Institute, to share stories and historical context a…

1
BASF shares global production outlook + why do producers need distributors? 10:20

1+ y ago10:20

10:20

Smart Acids hosts Andy Erickson and Chris Ernst welcome Detroit native and BASF Strategic Customer Network Leader Jarrett "Hustle" Russell to share a global outlook about what’s happening with production and demand across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America. Tune in for a chemical industry insider’s take on potential challenges associated with …

1
Alan Lowry, CEO at ESF - smart street furniture to charge your phone to recycled plastic thanks to The Wombles 22:03

1+ y ago22:03

22:03

Alan Lowry is the CEO at ESF - a serial entrepreneur and award winning director, he is also an expert in overseas trade and export sales. He is an export champion for the Department of Business and Trade, and Chair of Federation of Small Businesses in Northern Ireland. Having worked and travelled all over the world, he is now based in Northern Irel…

1
Energy Commodities Report: Is Oil & Gas dead? 12:10

2y ago12:10

12:10

Smart Acids hosts Andy and Chris welcome Chris "The Foreman" McAfee, Senior Director of Energy Upstream at Univar Solutions, for a view on the oil and gas industry landscape, what’s ahead for commodities, and the rising price per barrel. But first, see if an uncaffeinated Chris lives up to his Energy Director credentials when he takes the Smart Aci…

1
Ethanol Update Part 2: Navigating specially denatured alcohol permits 7:45

2y ago7:45

7:45

Smart Acids hosts Andy and Chris welcome back our resident expert of alcohol (the alcohol with two carbons, aka ethanol), Product Director Duane "Papa Z" Ziolkowski, for a quick rundown of the different classifications and regulatory requirements of ethanol products. 1:33 - Differences among ethanol classifications 2:00 - Undenatured ethanol 2:14 -…

1
The Industrial/Beverage split: Ethanol product moves 11:27

2y ago11:27

11:27

Returning guest Duane "Papa Z" Ziolkowski, product director at Univar Solutions, talks about all things ethanol, including its changing landscape, the role of imports and non-GMO, and how this essential – and circular – product moves from fuel to industrial to beverage and food-grade alcohols. Tune in for product insights and test your musical know…

1
Alex Alexander, Xoots founder, experienced CPTO/CTO, and all round nice guy 23:20

2y ago23:20

23:20

Alex is an internationally experienced CTO/CPTO leading diverse global technology teams for major companies. He has led seven technology transformations, achieving top quartile performance and accelerating profitable growth. Starting in software development, Alex rose to head of Retail Banking technology at a leading UK internet startup bank. He la…

1
Industrial Specialty Chemicals: Down to the nitty-gritty 14:24

2y ago14:24

14:24

Smart Acids hosts Andy Erickson and Chris Ernst welcome Univar Solutions VP Industrial Solutions Michael ‘Diamond Delli’ DelliCompagni to talk about the industrial side of specialty chemicals, market moves in this segment, how the cost of borrowing is impacting manufacturers, and what’s most exciting about upcoming trends. Also, find out how you me…

1
Helping reduce burden on meat exporters by harnessing blockchain & IoT, with Ellen Moorehead 18:45

2y ago18:45

18:45

Ellen Moorehead is ubloquity's award winning agri tech manager. A farmer herself she knows first hand how bureaucratic processes and paperwork add complexity and cost when seeking to move animals across borders. In her role at ubloquity and as the coordinator of a new consortium - TETA - she is helping lead the way by testing innovative processes, …

1
Smart Acids go to Washington - Featuring NACD CEO Eric Byer 21:05

2y ago21:05

21:05

Smart Acids hosts Andy Erickson, Chris Ernst and special guest host Dwayne ‘the self-proclaimed Rock’ Roark welcome CEO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD), Eric ‘the filibuster’ Byer, to talk critical policy issues facing the chemical distribution industry and the role that NACD is playing. Special guest host intro, Dwayne …

1
Interview with Najaf Gillani OpSec Security’s Chief Software Development Officer 33:38

2y ago33:38

33:38

Najaf Gillani has over 20 years of experience running Global Software Engineering teams working for eCommerce giants like eBay, Walmart, & technology disruptors like Openwave systems. He is now OpSec Security’s Chief Software Development Officer. OpSec Security, is a global leader in physical and digital anti-counterfeiting and brand protection sol…

1
How can food regulators harness blockchain technology & IoT by collaborating more with industry? 28:25

2y ago28:25

28:25

In this podcast we discuss the challenge of needing more regulation to ensure our food is safe to eat, while recognising there are less resources for regulators to carry out 'in-person' checks. We explore the potential for new and emerging technologies like blockchain and IoT devices, to help tackle the problem, while making the entire system bette…

1
Ag Market: Growth, circularity, and seasonal changes 11:12

2+ y ago11:12

11:12

Let’s talk all things ag – seasons, cycles, and other organic matters. Special guest Christian Jeuris, Agriculture Business Development Manager at Univar Solutions, helps us get to the bottom of Agriculture’s cyclical market, the state of the upcoming season, current industry challenges, and the latest innovations. Think product synergies and soil …

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Oran O'Flynn founder of Soul Search - a blockchain enabled verification platform 20:11

2+ y ago20:11

20:11

Oran O'Flynn is the CEO and founder of Soul Search, having graduated from University College Cork with a degree in chemical engineering. But even while he was still at school he was innovating, and was lucky to be one of 50 students from across the globe to spend two weeks at NASA in Houston, Texas planning a mission to Mars. Soul Search is a start…

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Award winning innovator, Ineke Rentmeesters ubloquity COO 19:39

2+ y ago19:39

19:39

Ine is an inspirational leader. One of the co-founders of ubloquity, she is highly skilled at managing complex, global IT projects. Last Thursday she was recognised as a leading innovator at a gala event in Belfast at the Women in Business Awards. Under her COO leadership, Ine has been instrumental in the scoping and project delivery of ubloquity’s…

1
Do you know your pale ales? Plus ethanol, IPA, and propylene pricing dynamics 9:48

2+ y ago9:48

9:48

Smart Acids host Andy Erickson and the hops to his hazy pale ale, co-host Chris Ernst, talk IPAs – isopropyl alcohol vs the latest craft brews – with Product Director Duane "Papa Z" Ziolkowski. Hear market updates and pricing dynamics for ethanol, IPA, and propylene. Bonus round: do you know your IPAs and pale ales? IPA Updates Propylene pricing dy…

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Current State of Trucking: Part 2 transportation market breakdown 9:57

2+ y ago9:57

9:57

Breaker-Breaker...Transportation Leader Rob McRae knows what’s driving the future of distribution. In this episode, McRae takes a comparative look at the truck transportation subsector and current state of today's carriers, and why our very own Univar Solutions fleet – the largest private fleet inside the chemical industry – can go the distance for…

1
Reliance on rail: Part 1 transportation market breakdown 14:31

2+ y ago14:31

14:31

Transportation Logistician Rob “The Rainmaker” McRae has a passion for all things that move. In this episode, McRae gives the Smart Acids team a market update on the rail transportation subsector, current freight shipping capacity, talk of rail-related embargoes, and what is affecting the overall health of today's rail network. "For us as a chemica…

1
Bulk chemical big picture of Chlor-Alkali market dynamics 9:11

2+ y ago9:11

9:11

Let's talk Chlor-Alkali market dynamics. What does the chlorine and caustic demand situation look like globally? The Smart Acids team closes out the year with Univar Solutions Chlor-Alkali VP Gary "The Czar" Gable giving a big picture view of the Chlor-Alkali market. Thanks for listening to Smart Acids, a Univar Solutions podcast, where we let boro…

1
What's driving the future of distribution? 14:48

2+ y ago14:48

14:48

What industries are delivering upside in today's chemicals and ingredients market, and what's driving the future of distribution for 2023? With more than 30 years' experience in the business, "Magic Man" Dan Matheny, VP of Product Management for Solvents, gives us the situation on crude oil and its direct derivatives. Brian "The Big Deal" Jurcak, S…

1
Surfactants shifts and who's betting heavy on bio-based surfactants 11:33

2+ y ago11:33

11:33

As Andy waxes poetic about the autumnal shifts of the season, Chris checks in on changes within the Surfactants market with Lidia Smorodina, "The Whispering Assassin" and senior product manager, specialties. Listen now to our latest market report as we dig deeper into why surfactants are rising to become a dynamic mover and Lidia discusses integrat…

1
Interview with Doug Heintzman, Chief Catalyst Blockchain Research Institute 18:08

2+ y ago18:08

18:08

Doug Heintzman is the Chief Catalyst at the Blockchain Research Institute, a role that sees him travel the world sprinkling pixie dust and encouraging things to happen that otherwise may not and then to help them grow more quickly. He's been in the technology sector for 30+ years, and spent nearly 25 of those at IMB. He believes the role of the Blo…

1
Interview with employee number 1, Ellen Marks, one to watch in women in tech 15:01

3y ago15:01

15:01

Ellen was ubloquity's official first ever employee and recently celebrated her first year in the role. 12 months in any startup is a long time and this is no exception. Ellen reflects on the role she started doing, and how she and the company have developed in such a short space of time. In her first year she has trained as a scrum master and been …

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You Be the Chemist Challenge winners take on the Smart Acids 18:06

3y ago18:06

18:06

The Smart Acids are back for a special edition episode featuring the winners of the 2022 National You Be the Chemist Challenge (grades 5-8). Univar Solutions is a proud sponsor of the Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) annual STEM competition to inspire the next generation of chemistry leaders. Hear this year’s award-winning team, the Chemistry …

1
Interview with John Breen, solution architect at ubloquity 15:07

3y ago15:07

15:07

John joined ubloquity following a wide and varied career in information technology stretching back 38 years. He is always learning new technologies having worked in industries like financial services and banking, physical security, and time management systems. When he first came across ubloquity and considered taking up a new role, what interested …

1
Interview with Peter Bracher, Supply Chain In-Sites (SCI) 17:12

3y ago17:12

17:12

Peter Bracher is a highly experienced food auditor and compliance expert having started out in life in the UK as a government environmental health officer, before moving into retail for Tesco then Asda. Having left Asda, Peter helped the richest man in Asia Mukesh Ambani set up a retail empire in India, before moving to NSF and setting up its Asian…

1
Crude oil market report ahead of annual planning cycle 10:52

3y ago10:52

10:52

Smart Acids want to know: How are demands and supplies trending on crude oil? "It's a question of how much supply is needed and how fast," says Billy "The Piano Man" Grohl who returns to give us a market update heading into the end of the year. Grohl is Product Director of Aromatic Hydrocarbons at Univar Solutions. From crude into fuels, hear how d…

1
Owning the last mile: Supply chain sustainability 21:32

3y ago21:32

21:32

What are the biggest challenges that lie ahead for global industries becoming more sustainable? The Smart Acids talk technical with leaders in environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and governance roles at Univar Solutions. Sustainability can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Here's how our guests describe w…

1
ubloquity celebrates its first birthday with cofounder Kieran Kelly 6:50

3y ago6:50

6:50

Dom Burch caught up with cofounder and CTO Kieran Kelly on a whirlwind first 12 months of ubloquity. Kieran shares his pride of seeing the vision he and his cofounders had 18 months ago coming to fruition. ubloquity has quadrupled in size, signed an exclusive three-year partnership with Fujitsu, and built a food provenance platform for one of the w…

1
Interview with Louise Manning Professor of Sustainable Agri-food Systems 18:30

3y ago18:30

18:30

Louise Manning, PhD, has worked as an academic, management consultant, lecturer and business and personal coach for thirty-five years addressing business management, quality assurance, brand equity, food safety, animal welfare, corporate social responsibility, ethical issues, and environmental protection. She is passionate about food and transparen…

1
Revival of superfund tax and ripple effects across chemical space 16:34

3y ago16:34

16:34

What’s the ripple effect of the revived U.S. superfund-related tax across the chemistries and industries we serve? The Smart Acids get serious with experts from both the tax and commercial side to discuss the superfund tax's ripple effects to 2030 and for years to come. Hear how it impacts both domestic manufacturers and importers and why chemical …

1
ubloquity Signs 3-Year Exclusive Deal to be Fujitsu’s Smart Border Blockchain Provider 7:38

3y ago7:38

7:38

ubloquity today announced it has signed an exclusive three-year partnership agreement with Fujitsu UK & Ireland to underpin its smart border solution – Atamai Freight – with ubloquity’s enterprise blockchain technology. The contract comes on the eve of the ubloquity’s first anniversary, during which time it has quadrupled in size, built a provenanc…

1
What's the big deal with bulk chemicals? 20:41

3y ago20:41

20:41

On the latest episode of the Smart Acids, hear Univar Solutions Chlor-Alkali VP Gary 'the czar' Gable (01:32) break down the Chlor-Alkali market, global trade dynamics and pricing trend predictions. Tom ‘TomKat’ Edman (11:05) dives into specifics around caustic soda, and what makes it unique in terms of scale, velocity and security of supply. Final…

1
International impacts, phosphate and surfactant moves 20:30

3y ago20:30

20:30

“If you’re importing raw materials, don’t run your inventories low. Make sure you’re keeping some measure of inventory on hand and a buffer to guard against delays.” Listen as the Smart Acids learn more from International Trade Director Larry ‘Globetrotter’ Ogden (02:08) about Omicron in China and its impacts on the interconnected global supply cha…

1
Turbulent times and the solvents market 18:56

3+ y ago18:56

18:56

Smart Acids goes global and welcomes Rob 'Duke of Solvents' Lawton, business director in EMEA, to discuss the eastern European conflict's short and long-term impacts. Rick Roth, product director of Local Chemical Distribution - Solvents, reviews crude oil volatility and how industry is responding. Smart Acids™ is the source for product insights and…

1
State of transportation and food industry trends 28:59

3+ y ago28:59

28:59

With ports, rails and the trucking network backed up, how are suppliers and distributors navigating the current state of transportation? Listen as Transportation VP Rob 'Rainmaker' McRae talks with the Smart Acids about this critical link in the supply chain. 15:00: Calling all "legit" foodies: gain insights on food industry dynamics and trends fro…

1
Wild world of propylene and crude pricing impacts in 2022 24:36

3+ y ago24:36

24:36

What do crude oil and grunge music have in common—and what's disrupting the propylene market in 2022? Listen as product director Kyle 'Killer B' Stratton shares the latest on propylene supply and 'The Piano Man' Billy Groel, aromatic hydrocarbons & methyl ethyl ketone product director, gets us up to speed on crude oil, hydrocarbons and alternative …

1
Interview with Gideon Greenspan CEO Multichain 19:41

3+ y ago19:41

19:41

Gideon is the founder and CEO of Multichain, he started coding as a child and selling his software in high school. He has built a number of successful websites, including Copyscape, a leading plagiarism search engine, and Web Sudoku, the most popular sudoku online. Gideon has a BA and PhD in Computer Science (Cambridge and Technion) and an MA in Ph…

1
Interview with Sean Kane, Whites Agri Supply Chain Coordinator 15:04

3+ y ago15:04

15:04

Sean Kane was appointed by Whites to the role of Agri Supply Chain Coordinator in June 2018 having graduated from Queens with a degree in agriculture. His degree consisted of animal husbandry, crop husbandry and business management - a joint qualification with CAFRI. It opened up his mind to data and how you can apply it in farming. In his role at …

1
Interview with Rob Chester, CEO at ubloquity 26:17

4y ago26:17

26:17

Rob Chester started his career as a Saturday worker at Tesco, worked his way up to being a store manager. Got into compliance and spent the rest of his career in various roles at Asda, Walmart US and China. When he arrived in China on the back of a food crisis, the term compliance wasn't common parlance. Much of the traditional compliance tools and…

1
Interview with Rohit Talwar, CEO Fast Future 25:03

4y ago25:03

25:03

Rohit Talwar is a global futurist, award-winning keynote speaker, author, and the CEO of Fast Future. His prime expertise lies in helping clients understand and shape the emerging future. He has a particular interest in how we can create a very human future by putting people at the centre of the agenda. He has been interested in looking into the fu…