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How CPG leaders can reducecosts without hurting supply chain performance fbaker Tue, 06/03/2025 - 09:18 In the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, SG&A (Selling, General, and Administrative) costs have long been a go-to target for improving margins. But today’s market is anything but typical.
If you’re evaluating procurement technology or exploring ways to drive more value from existing systems, chances are you’re looking beyond tactical fixes – you want a smarter, scalable strategy. Misaligned priorities across finance, legal, and procurement create friction that delays decision-making and reduces impact.
Sorting through this to make a decision on a new planning solution at this time is tough. Contrary to many thought leaders’ thinking, I do not think that supply chain planning will be made obsolete by AI techniques. ” Traditional planning models optimize functional processes to improve cost and customer service.
Trade policies are constantly evolving, forcing companies to assess how these changes impact customer demand, supply networks, fulfillment strategies, and cost to serve. Instead of broad, theoretical solutions, we need to go deeper and identify the tangible levers companies can pull to adapt.
Treating suppliers as essential partners in the field of direct spend management—almost like customers—can be a key component of a successful company strategy. Supply Chain Knowledge and Risk Mitigation: Suppliers have a direct impact on direct spend with raw material and transportation costs as two big drivers of operating margins.
The adoption of AI in supply chain automation is enabling companies to make more accurate decisions, reduce cycle times, and better manage complexity. AI in supply chain automation is gradually reshaping how core functions operate, particularly in procurement, warehousing, and logistics.
Enterprise procurement leaders are under more pressure than ever—juggling cost control, compliance, supplier risk, and internal complexity, all while trying to modernize outdated systems. AI, automation, and generative tools are redefining efficiency, allowing procurement teams to move from reactive to proactive decision-making.
Procurement and supply chain management are often used interchangeably—but in practice, the lines between them can blur in ways that create real friction. Misaligned priorities, siloed systems, and unclear ownership can directly impact key performance indicators like cost savings percentage and procurement cycle time.
The transition to renewable energy and the adoption of sustainable practices are now essential for reducing environmental impact, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining competitiveness. Businesses face heightened uncertainty in managing costs and securing stable energy supplies.
MESN is a solution built on a many-to-many architecture that supports a community of trading partners. The most common form of trading partner collaboration is purchase order collaboration. With PO collaboration, buyers send digital purchase orders over the network to suppliers or other trading partners. Training is critical.
Probabilistic forecasting is revolutionizing demand forecasting, supply planning, and inventory optimization by significantly improving forecast accuracy and decision-making across distribution networks. Enhancing Inventory with Probabilistic Forecasting A supply chain is a complex ecosystem influenced by dynamic variables.
Advanced supply chain planning is being transformed by probabilistic forecasting , which revolutionizes demand forecasting, supply planning, and inventory optimization. Enhancing Inventory with Probabilistic Forecasting A supply chain is a complex ecosystem influenced by dynamic variables.
These steps include sourcing and receiving inventory, storing inventory, order processing, picking and packing an order, shipping the order, and returns management. Standard sizes and categorizations play a crucial role in determining the costs associated with shipping products that meet standard criteria in fulfillment centers.
Traditionally, procurement has been a process weighed down by manual tasks, fragmented systems, and endless paperwork. Today, procurement is undergoing a transformation. While procurement teams have long worked to add strategic value, Artificial Intelligence (AI) amplifies their impact.
For most CPOs and CFOs, deciding on the right purchasing setup — centralized or decentralized — is no small task. In this article, we’ll explain what centralized purchasing is, the challenges it tackles, the benefits of centralized procurement, and the types of companies that can benefit most from it.
One essential tool used by the supply chain team is supply chain design. Energy management solutions are products that energy utilities use to produce power and data centers use to consume power. They also produce industrial automation solutions that allow factories to monitor and control production.
Traditional contracts rely on manual verification, third-party intermediaries, and complex legal frameworks, leading to delays, disputes, and increased costs. Intermediary costs Third-party auditors, banks, and brokers drive up expenses. Smart contracts are software programs that self-execute and are stored on a blockchain.
Most supply chain and logistics teams have recognized that the only way to combat todays incredible level of uncertainty is by adopting and applying digital tools. The pace and scope of supply chain disruption are beyond human cognition, manual analysis, and consumer-grade spreadsheet tools.
The average cost of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) install continues to rise each year, with implementations often reaching millions of dollars today. This is the best way to ensure you dont overbuy or underbuy a solution, avoiding unnecessary costs or missing critical functionality. Because complexity drives costs.
Picture this: You’re a warehouse manager, and with a few taps on your smartphone, you instantly know the exact location and quantity of every item in your inventory. That’s not science fiction—it’s the power of mobile inventory management. Ready to turn your inventory from a headache into a strategic asset?
Supply chain efficiency is the cornerstone of success and involves the effective management of processes, resources, and technologies from procurement to production, transportation to warehousing. In the automotive sector, manufacturers are simultaneously reducinginventorycosts and delivery times.
It is crucial for organizations to understand the importance of Purchase Order collaboration to effectively manage their direct spend, optimize operations, and mitigate risks. Direct spend can be a significant part of the Cost of Goods Sold for an organization.
A production plan from an IBP meeting should be considered a rough-cut long-term plan, merely the best estimation of what was likely, not something written in stone. While executive support for purchasing SCP has waned, future sales of supply planning are still linked to a suppliers ability to support agile planning.
Rising costs, supply chain chaos, and economic swings put businesses under enormous pressure to protect their margins. According to McKinsey & Company, procurement accounts for 50% to 80% of a company’s cost base. That’s why organizations zero in on strategies to achieve procurementcostreduction.
Building a software company is hard work. Most of the business networks were hollowed out by venture capitalists or purchased by opportunists. ” My problem is that we move through these hype cycles with little accountability for spending and with a major opportunity cost to not redefine work. See You on December 5th?
This unlocks enormous value as you eliminate time lags, lower costs, and slash inventory buffers across the network. This strategy enables companies to achieve four critical objectives: Unlock value trapped in the supply network that is due to poor data quality and communication. This then sub-optimises the supply chain.
But between rising costs, complex logistics, and the constant struggle to optimize space and labor, staying ahead can feel like an uphill battle. By maximizing space utilization, improving inventory control , and boosting workflow efficiency, you can unlock significant cost savings and elevate your customer service game.
Rising costs, geopolitical tensions, and tariffs demand a strategic and holistic approach to maintain profitability and competitive advantage. There are many ways an organization can cut supply chain costs. Mastering Direct Spend Management Procurement teams generally do not report to the chief supply chain officer.
With ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics, WMS solutions are broadening their capabilities. As online e-commerce giants like Shein, Amazon, and Temu continue to expand, customers will expect lightning-fast delivery and service, necessitating that WMS solutions scale with demand.
Keeping up with customer demands, managing inventory, and making sure everything runs smoothly — it’s a lot to handle. Mobile ERP software is transforming warehouses just like yours. This guide is your roadmap to successfully integrating mobile ERP software. A practical implementation strategy you can use today.
In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, managing spare parts and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) inventory is more than just keeping shelves stocked. It’s about strategic optimizationensuring availability while minimizing waste and costs. Improve cash flow by reducing capital tied up in inventory.
As businesses globally focus on reducing lost productivity, costly downtime, and rising inventory expenses, effective spare parts management has become a top priority—especially for asset-intensive industries. Poor spare parts management and planning can significantly impact the bottom line, leading to inventory failures.
Supply shortages resulting in empty shelves or parking lots of WIP inventory represent a spectre causing supply chain leaders to reconsider supply chain inventory practices. Opinion of just-in-time (JIT) as a practice has taken a battering and inventory is rising. Is supply chain inventory the problem?
From raw material procurement to final product sales, these supply chains’ ability to minimize inventory through product life cycle controls and facilitate prompt product supply is every bit as important as product differentiation strategies. To achieve this, having the right planning solution is crucial.
What is Vendor Relationship Management (VRM) and Why It’s Essential for Your ERP and InventorySoftware? Strong vendor relationships are critical for business success, especially when it comes to managing inventory and procurement. By automating this process, you reduce errors and improve financial reporting accuracy.
Leveling up your inventory life cycle can be crucial, but keeping all the fundamental factors jumping is essential to let the life cycle evolve. However, if the life cycle stock is healthy, inventory management is smooth. Inventory management revolves around the pivotal concept of the product life cycle. Click here!
Shoppers coping with inflation have shifted buying habits , purchasing fewer goods and cutting back on big name brands in favor of cheaper alternatives. Short-term consumer product strategies for tariffs and regional demand shifts In the short-term, U.S. goods were “ rapidly dropping.”
Decoding the Procurement Department: A Comprehensive Guide to Roles and Responsibilities This supply chain article provides a comprehensive overview of the procurement department within an organization. Read In Detail About Procurement Department Here 2.
When companies implement enterprise softwaresolutions, they often label that implementation as being part of their company’s digital transformation. But implementing new software does not digitally transform anything if the people that are supposed to use that software cannot do so effectively.
However, the juice for my newfound nightly routine soon became difficult to find, perpetually out of stock each time I tried to purchase it at the grocery store. With tart cherry juice sales transitioning into a steady demand pattern, retailers must adapt their inventorystrategies accordingly to meet this evolving consumer preference.
In 2025, efficient spare parts inventory management is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s a business necessity. Yet for many organizations, spare parts inventory remains a critical blind spot. Obsolete stock, fragmented procurement workflows, and disconnected data only make the challenge harder.
Spreadsheets just don’t cut it anymore. That’s where manufacturing inventory management software comes in. The right software can streamline your production, optimize stock levels, and even help you save money. We’re talking real-time tracking, automated purchasing, and a whole lot less stress.
In a previous post , I made a case for how the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) are smarter together. Accordingly Supply Chain and Procurement will need continuous collaboration. By aligning supply chain and procurement, spend can be considered more holistically.
Managing spare parts inventory has always been a delicate balancing actexcess inventory ties up capital, while shortages risk costly downtime and production delays. When a critical part is not available at the right time and/or in the right place, it can halt production lines, delay maintenance, and incur millions in unplanned costs.
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