Suppliers at ALSC Global Ask EASE Logistics to Flex with Tariffs and Use Caution on AI

– Diesel averaged $6.29 a gallon in September as buyers asked for partners who adjust as fast as production plans do –

DUBLIN, Ohio, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Suppliers at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2026 asked their logistics partners for flexibility above all else, according to EASE Logistics, a third-party and fourth-party logistics provider whose team attended the event. The conference, known as ALSC Global, ran Sept. 22-24 in Plymouth, Michigan, and centered on building adaptive supply chains, with sessions on network strategy, localization, cross-border trade and AI tools.

"Almost every conversation came back to partners," said Mike Rill, Director of Business Development, EASE Logistics. "Suppliers want providers who can handle capacity swings, shift with tariffs and production changes, and bring ideas before there is a problem. Everyone is mitigating disruptions at every turn, from production shortages and diesel spikes to macro and micro economic factors. Resilience is almost as big of a buzz as AI, diesel and partnership. Some of the best conversations started over breakfast or coffee.”

That demand reaches EASE’s own customers as well. “Our customers are planning around change. If a partner can’t adjust to a sudden volume spike or a schedule change, that becomes the customer’s problem,” said Peter Coratola Jr., President and CEO, EASE Logistics.

Panel sessions focused on disruption, including diesel prices, tariffs, nearshoring and the shift among automakers from electric vehicles back toward hybrids and traditional engines. Speakers also discussed when it makes sense to move production from overseas vendors to domestic plants. One speaker said much of the current volatility does not trace to any one administration, and added that the effects may change with each election cycle.

“Plenty of vendors were pitching AI for better visibility and predictability,” Rill added. “The suppliers we talked to are open to automation, including AI, humanoid robots and autonomous trucks as they prove out. They also urged caution before committing to platforms they don’t fully understand.” EASE runs AI inside its own operations through AMMI, its proprietary platform, which executes more than 40,000 tasks per week and provides visibility.

Fuel, tariffs and sourcing costs sit behind that demand for flexibility. U.S. retail diesel averaged $6.29 a gallon in September, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which expects prices to stay above $4 a gallon through 2027. The U.S. Trade Representative’s new Section 301 tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies took effect July 24. Kearney’s 2026 Reshoring Index found that U.S. manufacturing imports reached a four-year high in 2025 and that U.S. imports from Mexico rose 8% between 2024 and 2025.

Those cost pressures aren’t going away, and neither is suppliers’ demand for flexible partners. EASE plans to return to ALSC Global next year to build on the conversations its team started in Plymouth.

To learn more about EASE Logistics, visit www.easelogistics.com.

About EASE Logistics

EASE Logistics is one of the largest privately held logistics companies in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 2014 by Peter Coratola Jr., EASE has grown into a nationally recognized logistics provider known for its innovation, service and proprietary technology. The company is an eight-time Inc. 5000 honoree and was named the No. 1 transportation company on Fortune's 2023 list of America's Most Innovative Companies. For more information, visit www.easelogistics.com.

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