Exploring Digital Distribution & Additive Manufacturing, Industrial Sustainability, and the Future of Decentralized Supply Chains w/ Espen Sivertsen of Ivaldi (SAP.iO)

The purpose of a supply chain is to move goods and services
around the world to meet user demand. And over decades, we’ve
built coupled-networks based on principles of regionalization or
centralization of function, location, and cost
efficiency. COVID is an example of the uncertainty supply
chains face on a day-to-day basis derived from old-school
thinking and design. 


Imagine a world where supply chains are flipped upside down, a
world where we send files, not parts? A world that empowers the
end consumer to produce what is needed on-demand through cloud
based technology, including recycling on site in a circular
transition?


In Episode 41, CEO of Ivaldi (Espen Sivertsen) joins Sheri Hinish
to talk about the future of digital supply chains, on-demand
additive manufacturing and the business case for change,
industrial sustainability, and the power of diversity in
technology. Espen is part of the SAP.iO Foundry bootcamp and
shares observations he’s gathered from Silicon Valley and beyond,
that diversity fuels innovation. Segments Ivaldi serves include
maritime, industrial, mining, energy (gas turbines and power
plants), and automotive. 


One of Espen’s guiding quotes are “we did not inherit the Earth
from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” He also
dives into the sustainability aspects on on-demand, additive,
local manufacturing environments through digital
distribution. Digital distribution is the process
of sending digital part files to local manufacturers for
on-demand production and distribution. Digital distribution
bypasses physical distribution limitations such as sourcing
disruptions, carry costs, late shipments, minimum quantities,
obsolete inventory and environmental contamination by storing
parts in a virtual warehouse and only manufacturing parts
when and where they are needed through a distributed
network of local manufacturers. As production tools such as 3D
printing, robotic fabrication and other CNC systems get faster,
better and cheaper, an increasing range of parts can be
cost-effective to manufacture on-demand. Digital distribution
is fundamentally changing supply chain dynamics
as user-needs supplant centralized manufacturing
limitations as the driving force in the industry.


This episode is part of a new partnership highlighting innovation
and diversity in supply chain start ups at SAP.iO. To learn more,
visit https://sap.io/ Shout out to John Licata for
making the introductions!


To learn more about Ivaldi,
visit https://www.ivaldi.io/


Find us, connect, and explore at
https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ &
https://www.supplychainqueen.com