Supply chain consultancy Prological celebrates 15 years in business

Australian supply chain consultancy Prological is celebrating 15 years of operation this month, marking a significant milestone in the firm’s growth and impact.

Founded in April 2010, by founder and managing director Peter Jones, Prological is a consulting firm specialised in supply chain strategy, warehouse design and sourcing, as well as international and domestic freight strategy. The firm has since its inception delivered over 150 projects across multiple sectors, in Australia and New Zealand, and further afield in Asia, Europe, and North America.

“When we started Prological 15 years ago, the landscape was very different,” said Jones. “Many of our competitors from those early days are no longer operating, which speaks to the challenges of sustaining a consultancy business long-term in this space.”

Jones attributes the company’s longevity and award-winning status to two key factors: deep client relationships and an empowered team.

Client relationships

“The majority of our work comes from existing clients who continue to partner with us year after year. We've grown alongside many of them, which has created a foundation of mutual trust that's rare in consulting,” said Jones.

In an industry where consultants often follow established methodologies, Jones said that Prological has differentiated itself by championing innovative approaches to supply chain management. “The supply chain remains the area where most businesses can find significant opportunities – whether for cost reduction, efficiency gains, or service improvements. But realising these opportunities requires the courage to lead rather than follow.”

He warns that companies that become complacent risk becoming “the next Blackberry, Motorola, or Kodak – businesses that dominated their markets until change blindsided them.”

This perspective has shaped Prological's ‘Authentic Action Wheel’ approach, which helps its clients distinguish between day-to-day management concerns and strategic leadership challenges. "Most organisations spend 90% of their time on management issues, but 100% of a business’s future lies in leadership issues,” said Jones. “Our role is to help clients focus on that future while still managing today's challenges effectively.”

Empowered team

The company's people-centred philosophy stems partly from Jones’s unusual background as a former pastor who transitioned to supply chain consulting. “Whether in life or business, it ultimately comes down to helping people become better versions of themselves,” he reflected. “At Prological, we apply that principle to both our team members and our clients' teams.”

Adapting to change

With the global and ANZ supply chain landscape rapidly evolving, and technology making a major mark on the landscape, Jones believes that the key to sustained success will be maintaining adaptability and the courage to question established practices – and innovate ahead of the rest.

‘The question for supply chain leaders isn't whether to transform, but how to maintain that hunger for improvement even when things are going well,” said Jones. “After all, what is true today will not be true tomorrow.”