The trend was further underlined at the Invest ASEAN forum in Singapore, organized by Maybank Investment Banking Group, which brought together some 200 institutional investors as well as prime broking clients that had US$23 trillion or RM93 trillion in combined assets under management.

The event additionally included 54 companies from ASEAN-6 along with India with a total market value of US$553 billion throughout the banking, technology, healthcare, consumer, and manufacturing as well as renewable energy sectors, demonstrating wide-ranging investor engagement in the region’s structural growth drivers.

The strong engagement is testimony to the transformation of ASEAN from a cyclical developing market narrative to a global investment choice and a multiyear allocation location where global capital is increasingly being invested through themes such as AI-driven digital transformation and production-relocating methods, as well as clean energy implementation.

The investor engagement is indeed robust, with continued interest indicating confidence in the resilience of ASEAN during mid-global uncertainties, especially with regard to energy transition, supply chain restructuring, and AI-driven transformational trends, opines the CEO of Maybank Investment Banking Group. Michael Oh-Lau.

When it comes to the macroeconomic front, Maybank boosted its 2024 GDP growth forecast for ASEAN-6 to 4.7% from 4.4% and the 2026 growth projection for Malaysia to 4.9% from 4.4%, pointing to sturdy manufacturing output, more robust net exports, and ongoing investment momentum.

One can anticipate Malaysia to benefit from the worldwide AI upcycle, the country’s position as a net energy supplier, and substantial flows into technology, renewable energy, and industrial real estate along with infrastructure projects. Maybank also went on to lift its year-end FBM KLCI target to 1,750, backed up by projected earnings growth of 7.5%, steady foreign fund participation, and continued momentum in the investment cycle. The planned growth of the KLCI to 50 constituents will additionally broaden market participation and deepen sector representation.

The bank also became more constructive on the technology sector as it highlighted long-term upside from AI and data center expansion, which is expected to enhance Malaysia’s positioning within the region’s evolving digital as well as industrial ecosystem.

In general, the Invest ASEAN platform is close to a clear inflection point. Global capital is fundamentally re-rating ASEAN, via Malaysia being a major recipient of AI-driven supply chain reorganization and energy shift-driven investment activity.

According to Yuki Kusumi during a roundtable interview in Tokyo, “Since most of our customers are in the U.S. for these energy storage ​systems, we think it makes sense to complete the ​supply chain as much as possible within the U.S.”

Panasonic confirmed in June 2026 that it plans to start large-scale manufacturing of battery cells for data centres at its energy unit’s Kansas plant, which also makes batteries for Tesla. The setup is anticipated in the financial year ending March 2029.

Now, carmakers and battery ​companies are faced with a lackluster market for electric vehicles ​in the U.S. and are competing to convert battery factories to build energy-storage systems so as to power the thirst of ​AI for power instead.

In its bid to localize U.S. supply chain, Panasonic has no plans to make lithium iron phosphate – LFP batteries, which are not as well suited to the focus of the company on distributed systems that help manage peak power demand across individual servers and more suited to large, centralized backup applications, Kusumi added.

It is well to be noted that LFP batteries are widely utilized in energy storage systems due to their lower cost in comparison to the nickel-heavy chemistry usually utilized in EV batteries within North America.

Although relations between Beijing and ⁠Tokyo are strained, Kusumi said Panasonic didn’t have any problems getting supplies from China. Panasonic did not appear on a list of 20 Japanese companies China added to a dual-purpose export control this week.

The facility will be the flagship life sciences and healthcare site of DHL Supply Chain in the UK and Ireland and the seventh site in the network, strengthening the position of the company as a strategic partner to the sector. Infinity Park is not just a warehouse, but it is a platform for controlled supply chains, allowing customers to transition from fragmented, site-based operations to uniform, robust, and scalable supply chain frameworks based in the UK. Infinity Park is one of the global lighthouse sites of DHL showcasing best-in-class, next-generation supply chain infrastructure and is the next generation of regulated life sciences logistics in the UK.

Infinity Park Derby is strategically situated at the center of the UK logistics network with close proximity to key rail and road infrastructure, allowing for effective national distribution within just a four-hour drive time of a significant portion of the UK’s population. The development marks an important event in the £550 million investment by DHL so as to speed up automation throughout its UK operations, promoting the growth of the life sciences sector, and forms part of the €2 billion investment by DHL Group into life sciences and healthcare by the end of the decade.

It is worth noting that the facility will be designed for high-density automation and will include technological advances like pallet shuttle systems having the ability to add autonomous mobile robots – AMRs – over time. These technologies are capable of performing inbound storage and picking operations with minimal human assistance. It caters to both B2B and B2C models. The capacity of the facility to manage multiple temperatures, be they ambient, chilled, or frozen, also provides total supply chain adaptability in terms of sensitive healthcare products.

The facility combines regulatory-grade systems and shared-user automation along with platform-scale operations, giving organizations access to enterprise-level functionality minus the necessity for exclusive site investment, enhancing rapidity to market, predictability, and cost-effectiveness while retaining complete compliance and authority.

This multi-user healthcare facility at Derby will achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and EPC A certification, in line with the wider sustainability commitments from DHL. Infinity Park Derby is planned to be a carbon-neutral building on a net-zero basis, facilitated by electric power, energy-efficient automation and integration of renewable energy. The facility is intended to hold the highest number of pallets possible. Almost 40% more pallets can be stored in the same footprint of traditional warehouses. This high-density approach, in addition to the use of dark-store automation that calls for little or no lighting, serves to decrease overall energy demand substantially while promoting a more sustainable transport solution via the incorporation of a standard EV charging system. The site will also source renewable electricity, and as the facility develops, it will produce renewable electricity via on-site solar PV in order to support lower-carbon processes.

According to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle, said, “this investment is a strong vote of confidence in the UK as a leading destination for life sciences and advanced logistics. Facilities like Infinity Park Derby show how we are creating the right conditions for businesses to invest, innovate and grow through our modern Industrial Strategy. By combining cutting-edge automation with high-quality jobs, DHL’s new site will strengthen our healthcare supply chains and support economic growth in the Midlands and across the UK.”

Martin Willmor who is the CEO of DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland opines that “the UK health landscape is experiencing sustained, above-trend growth across pharma, medical devices and consumer health, driven by demand for advanced therapies and personalised medicine. Developing the new Infinity Park site ensures we can meet this accelerating demand with the specialist infrastructure needed to support growth. By combining automation with multi-temperature flexibility, we are making market-leading technology accessible to organisations of all sizes, helping them scale without sacrificing quality, control or sustainability.”

Nick Richardson, Infinity Park Derby LLP, went on to add that “we are delighted to see construction progressing at Plot B1 with DHL as our tenant. This development represents another key milestone for Infinity Park Derby, reinforcing its position as one of the East Midland’s premier locations for advanced logistics and distribution. The scheme’s strong sustainability credentials reflect our long-term commitment to delivering high-quality, future-proofed space for end occupiers.”

Partner at Catalyst Capital, Kean Hird, said that “we are pleased to forward fund this high-quality logistics asset, pre-let to a globally recognised occupier in DHL. The development aligns with our investment strategy, focusing on best-in-class assets with strong ESG credentials and long-term income security.”

Initial works are at present on, with practical completion of the site anticipated by the end of 2026.

According to the president of Mission Solutions business of Amentum, “Amentum’s new relationship with the GSA is a natural fit given our unique global supply chain reach, forward-positioned operational capability, and expeditionary sustainment. Our extensive experience in delivering turnkey supply chain solutions worldwide ensures we can support the GSA and INDOPACOM with predictability, reliability, and efficiency.”

Amentum has, as a matter of fact, built these capabilities into a unified, agile framework that allows for smooth operations in highly competitive, tight-budgeted, and politically sensitive settings. The program will integrate AI tools in order to improve forecasting and demand planning as well as catalog management to further enhance customer order fulfillment along with delivery.

With this contract to modernize defense supply chain, Amentum will bring an integrated approach to supply chain management and offer tailored solutions in order to enable continuous operational sustainment. The company employs technological solutions to track, evaluate, and maximize supply chain activities involving procurement, transportation, demand forecasting, and inventory control, as well as on-time delivery.

The program will consist of a high-visibility dashboard that links ocean carriers, trucking companies, and railroads as well as retailers, including Walmart, to key hubs like the Port of Los Angeles, the release said.

According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, fewer delays mean lower costs throughout the supply chain, and that this initiative is designed to avoid roadblocks, move freight more quickly, and provide goods at a lower price for the American people.

The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative is modeled after the Freight Logistics Optimization Works program of the department, which was launched in 2022. That data-sharing platform was initially created to facilitate shipment movement after extended Covid-19-related restrictions.

The FLOW platform captures several types of data, and in 2024, the DOT began publishing data on inland freight hubs, such as rail terminal and warehouse end destinations, so as to help shippers with capacity planning and prevent delays in the supply chain. Other published data comprise purchase data as well as cargo movements from specific ports of origin.

As of April 2026, FLOW had 86 members, which included CMA CGM, PetSmart, and The Home Depot as well as GE Appliances.

The new project also builds on the National Freight Strategic Plan that was revised in 2026, according to the press release. The plan, launched in 2020, is meant to steer national policy and investment on supply chains. Duffy is now working to have the legislation needed for the American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative included in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

The release confirmed that the Congress is providing the department the framework as well as adaptability to securely simplify national logistics by providing the U.S. Department of Transportation the ability to build role-based access to certain data points.

What Is Driving the Shift
Traditional warehouses relied heavily on manual processes and reactive decision-making. Today, technologies like autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), advanced analytics platforms and IoT-connected systems are enabling warehouses to operate with a level of speed, precision and scalability that was previously impossible.

Key Technologies Transforming Warehouse Efficiency

• Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) — Handling repetitive picking, packing and transport tasks with greater speed and fewer errors than manual operations
• Artificial Intelligence — Enabling predictive demand forecasting, inventory optimisation and real-time route planning across warehouse floors
• IoT Connectivity — Providing continuous, real-time visibility into equipment performance, inventory location and environmental conditions
• Advanced Analytics — Converting vast operational datasets into actionable insights that improve planning, reduce waste and lower costs

The Human Factor Remains Critical
Technology alone does not build a smarter supply chain. Warehouse managers, supervisors, data analysts, planners and maintenance teams play an essential role in optimising automated systems, interpreting operational data and making the strategic decisions that keep the entire operation running effectively.

The Bottom Line
Organisations that combine cutting-edge warehouse technology with a skilled and adaptable workforce are building supply chains that are not just efficient — they are resilient, agile and scalable for whatever comes next.

What It Means
Digital warehousing integrates Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), artificial intelligence, robotics, IoT sensors and predictive analytics into a single connected operation — replacing static processes with dynamic, data-driven ones.

Key Transformations Happening Now

• AI and Automation — Automated guided vehicles, computer vision and AI-powered demand forecasting are reducing errors, cutting costs and increasing throughput significantly
• Real-Time Visibility — IoT sensors and RFID tracking provide instant, accurate data on every product across the warehouse at any moment — improving fulfilment accuracy and reducing stock discrepancies
• Predictive Analytics — Businesses are moving from reactive to proactive supply chain management — forecasting inventory requirements and identifying equipment failures before they cause disruption
• Competitive Advantage — The gap between digitally transformed warehouses and traditional ones is widening fast — with leaders reporting faster order fulfilment, lower costs and stronger supply chain resilience

The Bottom Line
According to McKinsey, companies that fully digitise their supply chain operations can boost annual earnings growth by 3.2% and revenue growth by 2.3%. Businesses that invest in digital warehousing today are building the operational resilience and competitive advantage that will define market leadership in the years ahead.

As supply chains grow in complexity and disruption speeds up, organizations require systems that can react as quickly as circumstances shift. Infios AI enables this with the combination of enterprise knowledge, data in real-time, and intelligent automation so as to turn routine operational signals into coordinated action to sense and act as well as decide in an instant.

According to Richard Stewart, EVP, Product and Industry Strategy at Infios, “With Infios AI, we are embedding intelligence directly into execution workflows, so when conditions change, operations can analyze, recommend, and, increasingly, take action in real time. This is how we help organizations move from reacting to problems to continuously optimizing execution.”

Purpose-built AI use cases bring immediate value

Infios is rolling out a targeted set enhanced AI functionality in warehouse management offering that alleviate the manual coordination as well as operational friction of day-to-day warehouse work, allowing teams to work faster and more reliably:

Intelligent Fault Resolution

Infios AI makes use of live WMS data in order to help warehouse operators quickly detect and fix issues like stalled orders or lost inventory. This provides users with root-cause insight and suggested steps so as to keep warehouse operations running smoothly, decreasing manual intervention and speeding up resolution within current workflows.

• Freeing up experienced staff to perform value-added work
• Saves time spent on investigating errors
• Removes manual, multi-step troubleshooting
• Increases order efficiency and accuracy of inventory

AI Driven Knowledge Assistant

Infios AI integrates product and process knowledge right into the chat interface, so operators can get immediate responses in natural language instead of waiting for supervisor support. It combines product documentation and company-specific operating processes to produce targeted, actionable responses for all operators.

• Reduces manual document research
• Consistent implementation and conformity to operating policies
• Speeds up onboarding and training

Warehouse Associate Development

Infios AI evaluates labor performance data and provides real-time, tailored coaching guidance. It identifies root causes and suggests actionable improvements so supervisors can offer timely feedback without having to do manual research.

• Minimizes manager preparation time
• Offers individualized coaching for every associate
• Consistent guidance enhances workforce productivity

The next generation of warehouse operations is being developed

These innovations bring the vision of Infios of intelligent supply chain execution into the warehouse, changing operations from manual and reactive processes to systems that analyze, recommend, and increasingly take action.

Infios embeds AI directly into the daily workflows so warehouse leaders can transition from data collection, problem investigation, and routine manual intervention to proactive choice-making and effective operations that accelerate productivity at scale. These innovations are a subsequent step in ensuring execution without interruption, pushing real-time, coordinated decision-making more deeply into everyday operations.

It is worth noting that PepsiCo has partnered with Gatik since 2022 and now runs a fleet of 41 autonomous trucks throughout Texas, Arizona as well as Arkansas, confirmed Gatik to Supply Chain Dive in an email.

As per PepsiCo in an email, autonomous trucking, especially on short and repeatable routes, has the ability to help them drive more reliable operations and minimise variability, thereby enabling them to provide a more consistent service experience.

PepsiCo said the deployment of Gatik autonomous trucks happens to be a part of a conscious push to modernize how its products move through its transportation network.

The deal of PepsiCo with Gatik is focused on boosting capacity where it is needed, which will include high-demand regional networks which are indeed hard to staff and essential for keeping shelves full for consumers, the release said.

Gatik said that it is a nuanced, meticulously orchestrated procedure to integrate driverless trucks into a supply chain as intricate as PepsiCo’s, as you can envision.

Gatik further added that safety is our North Star and that they have devoted the time to go through comprehensive safety evaluations and incorporate into supply chain of PepsiCo in a dependable and secure manner.

Interestingly, Gatik’s driverless trucks can very well operate on highways and surface streets when it comes to end-to-end deliveries. They also can alter routes when necessary for complicated regional logistics networks as well as reach numerous pickup and dropoff locations, said the release.The release says that this allows PepsiCo to adjust route plans to daily operational requirements, such as adding or eliminating stops, reacting to demand shifts, and adjusting to levels of activity throughout its distribution centers, said the release.

This adaptability allows PepsiCo to enhance on-time performance and at the same time add capacity without altering its current operations.

PepsiCo has been evaluating new fleet technologies to enhance its transport operations. The organization has also been electrifying its fleet, in addition to autonomous trucks. launch in 2027. PepsiCo has also partnered with shippers such as Ikea and

The company last year said its EV semitrucks will save $1 million in fuel.

Now supporting the company’s 4PL Managed Solutions customers, a new Lean AI Engineer operates in collaboration with the Lean AI Planner launched in 2025 so as to create one connected system that distinctively improves a supply chain as it operates.

Unlike supply chain evaluations, which typically take almost four weeks and look backward at what has happened rather than what should happen, this AI tech constantly assessing global supply chains can evaluate a whole supply chain in 25 to 30 minutes and find enhancements before performance is affected. The Lean AI Engineer provides the intel, and the Lean AI Planner manages shipments with a large number of interconnected AI agents and sends more data back to the Lean AI Engineer in order to engineer smarter refinements.

According to Jordan Kass, president of Managed Solutions, the breakthrough here is that it’s one closed-loop AI system. “It will run continuously, improve the operation it’s running, and heal itself when something breaks without an alert or a human noticing a problem first. The Lean AI Planner executes in real time while the Lean AI Engineer studies the results, identifies patterns, adapts logic, and influences future decisions. Just like we launched Managed Solutions to break down the barriers between TMS, 3PL, and 4PL services, this technology ends the need for separate supply chain intelligence and orchestration tools. It’s what businesses with complex logistics have wanted for decades.”

It is well to be noted that the technology is self-sufficiently managing 92% of 4PL shipments worldwide through trucking, ocean, air as well as rail, right from order creation via tendering, exceptions, routing, delivery, and carrier payment.

Kass adds that “this level of premium logistics service has traditionally depended on talented people to manage complexity, make smart decisions day to day, and intervene during disruption,” said Kass. “The problem was that talent didn’t scale. We’ve changed that by encoding expertise in the technology itself. Shippers will get infinite talent and expertise, consistently applied across every shipment, regardless of who’s available in what time zone or how much their shipping volume grows or spikes. Their team and our team can focus on strategic priorities and driving the best business results.”

Like all AI, the success depends on what data and context the system is given access to. C.H. Robinson’s AI includes a proprietary context layer, created by systematically taking institutional knowledge from workflows and the company’s veteran freight experts and then adding it to the model on a continuous basis through the efforts of 450 in-house software engineers along with data scientists.

Kass further says that “Our technology truly understands your supply chain from the inside out, because the AI leverages all the data on all the steps of your shipping end-to-end, not just the parts of your supply chain that disparate tools see. “It also has the benefit of being trained on the unique context we have from orchestrating your freight – the large and small details about your goods, your procedures, each pickup and delivery location, your carriers, your routing, and risk tolerance. That’s how the lean AI Engineer knows which improvements are right for you, instead of making generic or theoretical recommendations. If you’re an auto-parts maker shipping cross-border to a just-in-time assembly line five days a week, it won’t suggest how much you could save by shipping once a week.”

Apparently, the advanced AI by C.H. Robinson looks at more variables than human analysis or standard software analysis, and the suggestions are more practical and prioritized. A lean AI Engineer finds optimizations and hidden savings at launch. One early adopter found that converting from a mixed shipping routine to once a week would lower their loads by 17% throughout 20 locations for yearly savings of more than $1 million. Or they could consolidate their shipments to reduce their loads by 81% and save 40% by having one pickup take care of three different delivery locations.

Lean AI Engineer will be rolling out to more customers in the weeks to come and will start to evaluate a variety of other factors, like carrier performance. It will track carrier behavior in real time throughout lanes, methods of transport, and customers, spotting leading indicators of poor performance and suggesting corrective measures prior to service failures occurring.

Says Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Arun Rajan, “Supply chains do not generally suffer from a lack of information. They suffer from the gap between knowing and doing. “Tech that sits above or outside of a supply chain can aggregate data, harmonize signals, and recommend. But it relies on someone else to execute on the signals and someone else to learn whether those actions worked. Our tech closes the gap, delivering 24/7 premium service with one unified system no one else can match.”