Koaloo.fi at the Australian Digital Trade Forum: Securing Australian Supply Chains as a Profit Strategy

Aug 22

5 min read

Introduction

Supply chain risk is one of the most material business risks facing Australian companies. The challenge: can you protect margins, secure your supply chain, and expand market access all at once?

Nearly half of Australian companies are facing or have faced supply chain disruptions, with operational costs spiraling even higher due to ongoing maritime challenges and global volatility. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2024), 47% of Australian businesses experienced supply chain disruption in the past year, and 35% reported significant cost increases directly linked to those disruptions. Globally, McKinsey estimates that a major supply chain shock puts upto 45% of annual EBITDA at risk.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the era of treating supply chains as a logistical support function is over. Today, they sit at the frontline of corporate survival, margin protection, and national competitiveness.

To survive and thrive, Australian businesses cannot rely on legacy systems. Building true supply chain resilience requires digitalizing trade and leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to turn chaotic global networks into secure, profitable ecosystems.

This urgent need for modernization is exactly why Koaloo.fi is thrilled to be part of the conversation at the upcoming Digital Trade Forum in Brisbane on September 3, 2026, where Wendy Mackay will be bringing our perspective to the stage.

Meet Wendy Mackay from Koaloo.fi at the Digital Trade Forum on 3rd September 2026 in Brisbane, California to discuss profitable supply chain resilience.

Why Australian Leaders Are Paying Attention to Supply Chain Resilience

Supply chain resilience remains a top‑three priority for CEOs globally and in Australia, as 68% of CEOs say supply chain disruption has materially affected margins in the past 12 months (PWC). The pressure from maritime volatility, climate change, and geopolitial fragmentation continues to build, impacting Australian cross-border trade and company margins as the data illustrates.

Maritime volatility is causing delays and increasing costs: According to the UNCTAD Maritime Transport Review, Asia‑Pacific freight shipping rates remain 20–25% above pre‑pandemic averages. Meanwhile, Red Sea rerouting continues to add 10–18 days to Australian inbound shipping. It's no surprise that 41% of Australian importers report delays linked to maritime disruptions, and 33% report increased costs due to geopolitical rerouting (Australian Trade & Logistics Corporation).

Climate change-related supply chain losses: Australia has experienced a 300% increase in major climate‑related supply chain disruptions over the past decade (CSIRO & Bureau of Meteorology State of the Climate Report, 2023). For example, extreme weather disruptions affecting logistics corridors increased 22% year‑over‑year as per data released in June 2026 (CSIRO State of the Climate). Flooding in NSW and QLD caused $5.5 billion in supply chain losses back in 2022 alone (Insurance Council of Australia, 2023); however, in the first half 2026, flooding and heat events have already caused $3.1bn in supply chain losses. Climate-change related supply chain interruptions continue to rise with claims increasing by +18% compared to 2025.
Geopolitical fragmentation is leading to a rethink about sourcing : 70% of Australian CEOs say geopolitical risk is now a top concern for supply chain continuity (PwC), while 1 in 2 Australian CEOs expect “significant disruption” to supply chains in 2026 (KPMG).

Australian leaders are no longer asking whether resilience matters — they’re asking how quickly they can build it. According to Deloitte, 74% of companies plan to increase investment in supply chain digitalization, while AI adoption in supply chain risk management is already up +40% year-over-year.

Accelerating Australia’s Digital Economy by Modernizing Trade and Supply Chain Resilience

Digitalizing trade is not just about turning paper into digitized forms. It’s also about creating interoperable, intelligent, financially actionable data that allows companies to see, manage, and improve their supply chains in real time.

Hosted by the Digital Economy Council of Australia (DECA) in partnership with HopgoodGanim Lawyers, the Australian Trade & Logistics Corporation, and the XDC Network, the Digital Trade Forum is a leading, executive-level event. Its mandate is clear: to accelerate Australia’s transition to a modern, fully digital, and interoperable trade infrastructure.

This is precisely where Koaloo.fi can add critical value to the discussion by bridging the gap between digital trade infrastructure and on-the-ground corporate resilience. We prove that when you digitalize trade effectively, you don't just speed up customs—you unlock new funding, de-risk supply chain, and protect your EBITDA.

The Three Pillars of Profitable Resilience for Supply Chains

At Koaloo.fi, we believe resilient, future‑ready supply chains are built on three pillars:

Auditable Intelligence: You cannot manage or protect what you cannot accurately see. Only 21% of companies have end‑to‑end supply chain visibility (Gartner Supply Chain Visibility Report, 2024). By leveraging AI, we move the ecosystem beyond "fake ratings" and manual spreadsheets to provide verified, real-time data. This creates the interoperable trust that digital trade networks need to function seamlessly. The results are clear: companies with high visibility are 30% more profitable during disruptions (Gartner, 2024).
The Ability to Improve: Digitalizing trade ensures that transparency is just step one. Companies need intelligent, scalable tools to actively de-risk their ecosystems, engage their vendors, build capacity, augment capability, while support their suppliers' transition to better practices without crushing them under administrative weight. The result: upto 50% fewer disruptions (Deloitte Global Supply Chain Survey, 2025).
The Funding to Make it Happen: Resilience requires capital. You cannot finance change without money. Transitioning a supply chain requires access to affordable capital. Australian SMEs cite “lack of capability support” as a top barrier to resilience (Small Business Development Corporation). Sadly, 68% of Australian suppliers say they cannot invest in resilience capacity or capability without access to affordable financing (Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry). By turning digital trade data into verified performance metrics, we unlock the capital that rewards immediate effort with immediate financial returns.

A New Path Forward: Resilience Without Margin Sacrifice

The traditional approach to supply chain risk management forced companies to accept massive costs and hope for a long-term payoff. Our modern, pragmatic approach is different: immediate effort deserves an immediate reward. Modern resilience strengthens margins immediately (upto +10%), not erodes them. Moreover, companies that invest in digital supply chain resilience capabilities see: 15–25% lower operational costs (Accenture), 50% faster recovery from disruptions (BCG).

This is why we believe that resilience is no longer a defensive move — it is a profit strategy.

We’re proud to see this vision — AI‑driven, profitable resilience — represented at the Digital Trade Forum. As Australia pushes toward a fully digitalized economy, Koaloo.fi is committed to ensuring companies have the tools, intelligence, and financing they need to adapt without sacrificing profitability.

If you’re attending the Forum on September 3rd, don’t miss Wendy Mackay’s session. It’s time to turn supply chain risk into measurable profit.

Mallika Mathur Lhéritier

CEO, Koaloo.fi

Paris, France