Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 7, 2023

Today, I speak at the North American Manufacturing Association, Manufacturing Leadership Conference, in Nashville on the use of data to improve supply chain resilience. Interestingly, in Q3 2023, 38% of manufacturers, distributors and retailers missed their target for revenue guidance for the quarter. The result was restatement.

Supply Chain Design Software 395

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Software 395

RFgen

DECEMBER 19, 2024

By maximizing space utilization, improving inventory control , and boosting workflow efficiency, you can unlock significant cost savings and elevate your customer service game. Leverage Data Analytics for Demand Forecasting Advanced analytics tools can predict customer demand and help you optimize inventory.

Optimal Sourcing 97

Optimal Sourcing Optimization Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 97

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 10, 2025

In May 2025, one in seven home-purchase agreements fell through resulting in the cancellation of 56,000 purchase contracts. Technology can automate role-based views up and down the river of demand for all roles: marketing, sales, finance, manufacturing, procurement, transportation, and human resources.

Supply Chain Planning Software 195

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Software Waste Reduction 195

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

Commerce is global and regional at the same time, the world is getting smaller and more interconnected, and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturers operate in this build-anywhere and sell-anywhere market. The classical approach involves functional silos, sequential decisions, and Excel and people to render a plan executable.

Supply Chain Planning Software 283

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 283

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 8, 2014

. “When I ask my team about customer service, I get high-five reviews. When I meet with my customers, I get thumbs-down feedback. I find the measurement of customer service to be one of the most difficult.” Which metrics do you think matter to supply chain excellence?

Procurement Analytics 279

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Metrics Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 279

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 25, 2024

My definition of a network is the bi-directional information exchange of manufacturing, procurement, quality, and transportation signals across multiple tiers of trading partners in a many-to-many trading partner information exchange with minimal latency. Customer Service. The industries in this value chain lack resilience.

Supply Chain Network Software 359

Supply Chain Network Software Manufacturing Procurement Inventory Reduction Purchasing Skills 359

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Frank, the line manager for manufacturing, dominated the meetings. Ed argued that instead of buying new packaging equipment that we should work with R&D to have a base flavor and add the color and flavoring at the head of the machine. Strong manufacturing organizations do not make the most effective manufacturers.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 362

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 362

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

So, I smile, catch my dinner partner’s eye and ask, “In our prior conversations, you mentioned the lack of clarity on the definition of supply chain excellence in your current deployments and how this is a barrier to implementing supply chain planning properly. “ Reflection. Identify the patterns. Were the plans feasible?

Supply Chain Planning Software 376

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 376

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

The secondary problem is the lack of definition of process requirements and a buying team that cannot see past simple MRP/MRP II/DDMRP requirements. Today, there are no authoritative identifiers to track and trace for containers, warehouse locations, trucks or manufacturing plants. These are authoritative identiers. Close this gap.

Supply Chain Planning Software 390

Supply Chain Planning Software Sourcing Strategies Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software 390

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Contract Manufacturing Signal Latency. In my last blog post, I shared insights on data synchronization between brand owners and contract manufacturing. In our research, we find that 32% of volume is manufactured by a third party. days to receive a purchase order confirmation. The average purchased order changes 3.5

Supply Chain Planning Software 392

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 392

Kinaxis

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Over the years, working for and with numerous manufacturing companies, I’ve seen many supply chain practices that cost companies money. S&OP is all about aligning manufacturing and sales. It does this by gaining alignment across the sales, demand planning, manufacturing and finance organization. by John Westerveld.

Supply Chain Planning Software 235

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning S&OP Supply Chain Software 235

Supply Chain Opz

JULY 15, 2018

We evaluate books related to customer service based on sales rank, reviews/endorsement by leading business leaders and show you the best customer service books. If you don't want to compete in the price war, outstanding customer service is the holy grail because customer loyalty is the key. -

Customer Service 100

Customer Service Six Sigma Agile and Lean Supply Chain Purchasing Skills 100

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 23, 2014

At that time, manufacturers talked about customer-centric supply chains, but were afraid to aggressively adopt ecommerce strategies. Manufacturers, today, are aggressively pursuing e-commerce strategies. If you are going to be excellent at ecommerce fulfillment, you need to have great perpetual inventory capabilities.

Packaging 332

Packaging Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software San Francisco 332

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 4, 2018

At Rockwell this includes all processes end-to-end except for manufacturing. In his role, Ernest owns strategic sourcing, materials planning, customer care, and logistics operations globally. From a manufacturing perspective, products vary significantly in complexity. Ernest Nicolas joined Rockwell Automation in 2006.

Supply Chain Software 30

Supply Chain Software Case Study Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 30

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 14, 2013

It was a story where people believed that functional excellence leads to supply chain superiority. The example that I give in the first post is the focus of manufacturing strategies to drive strong results to improve Return on Assets (ROA) that have actually caused a deterioration in operating margin. You got it! A Case Study.

Supply Chain Planning Software 260

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 260

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

They excel in the four Ps of marketing. In contrast, a market-driven organization connects bidirectionally market-to-market to orchestrate the signals to shape demand and mitigate risk (buy-side to sell-side and back). The ends of the supply chain–both in customer and procurement– are fragile. Absolutely! Absolutely!

Supply Chain Design Software 319

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Network Software 319

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

The promise was the delivery of a decision support system that would allow the organization to optimize the relationships between cash, cost and customer service against the strategy. Leadership teams struggle with the trade-offs between cash, cost and customer service. Why does this happen? The book is a story.

Supply Chain Planning Software 379

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 379

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

The issues are largely rooted in politics and the lack of clarity on supply chain excellence. Or a similar comparison of customer orders or planned orders? Or planned orders to purchase orders?) Only 2% of companies are pushing forward in our Supply Chains to Admire analysis. And how do we measure it? (Is I don’t know.

Supply and Demand 431

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning 431

SYSPRO Smarter ERP

JANUARY 13, 2025

The food and beverage industry is a dynamic, ever-evolving sector in which manufacturers are continuously seeking ways to optimize production and reduce costs in the face of shifting consumer demand and preferences. Thats a tall order for food and beverage manufacturers.

Optimization Software 52

Optimization Software Supply Chain Planning Software Manufacturing Procurement Inventory Management Software 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 14, 2018

Yes, companies need the right materials at the right time to drive customer service. A slight change within a function–in sourcing or manufacturing, or along the chain–can greatly impact the outcomes of cost, customer service, or working capital. This need is acute in discrete manufacturers.

Optimal Sourcing 191

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain 191

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 12, 2022

This manufacturer produces plastic reusable material handling containers and plastic fuel tanks. They also are also one of the largest distributor in the US of tools, equipment and supplies for the tire and wheel service industry. We are providing much better customer service, we are selling more, and we are more profitable.”.

Supply Chain Planning Software 261

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Procurement Solutions Scenario Planning 261

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 3, 2024

similarly, over 95% of manufacturers invested and implemented supply chain planning, but their primary tool today is Excel. How does the plan tie to the balanced scorecard of growth, inventory health, operating margin, customer service, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)? ” Does the Dog Hunt?

Supply Chain Planning Software 369

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software Forecasting Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

This team is not buying the message. So much so, that three years ago, I founded a research company to focus on understanding supply chain excellence. Proudly, I had led my division to have the lowest manufacturing costs with the highest Return on Assets. For a couple of hours I looked around the room and saw glazed eyes.

Manufacturing Procurement 318

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Benchmarking Supply Chain Design Software 318

Logility

AUGUST 12, 2021

But there is good news: a convergence of process, data, and technology provides the real-time and predictive visibility needed to optimize supply chain planning, ensuring food manufacturers can build resilience now and for the future. Planning Manufacturing Based on Demand. Preparing for Market-Driven Demand.

Manufacturing Procurement 130

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Scenario Planning 130

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2014

With the purchase of i2 by JDA, and Logictools by IBM, manufacturing companies serious about network design started looking for a company, with a well-established community, that was more serious about network design. There are seven reasons: Customer Service. Demand and Supply Variability. The gap is tough.

Supply Chain Design Software 268

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software 268

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 7, 2012

For the purpose of this discussion, I define agility as the design of the supply chain to deliver the same cost, quality and customer service given a level of both market volatility and process variability. Flexible Manufacturing Scheduling Practices: The design of manufacturing processes to flex with market fluctuations.

Supply Chain Design Software 231

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 231

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 8, 2019

The focus is on the role of supply chain finance in driving supply chain excellence. The design of the conference includes tours of several modern warehouses and centers of excellence. The number one question that I am asked today by manufacturers across all industries is “How can I improve customer service?”

Supply Chain Design Software 207

Supply Chain Design Software Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting 207

Kinaxis

OCTOBER 20, 2014

by John Westerveld Over the years, working for and with numerous manufacturing companies, I’ve seen many supply chain practices that cost companies money. Reason #4 Making key decisions by modelling the supply chain in Excel. I lost track of how many carrots we had and ended up buying more when we really didn’t need any.

Supply Chain Planning Software 257

Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction Modeling Cost Reduction Strategies 257

GlobalTranz

SEPTEMBER 11, 2018

Shippers that fail to consider the implications of returns by refusing to give customers information about returns costs and procedures before purchase could risk alienating up to 67 percent of shoppers. As a result, manufacturers may choose to work with other resellers.

Omnichannel 230

Omnichannel Supply Chain Planning Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Demand Planning Software 230

Kinaxis

DECEMBER 3, 2014

Over the years, working for and with numerous manufacturing companies, I’ve seen many supply chain practices that cost companies money. Reason #4 Making key decisions by modelling the supply chain in Excel. The result is a lower inventory level, but much higher expedited costs and reduced customer service.

Expense Reduction 250

Expense Reduction Procurement Analytics Cost Reduction Strategies Metrics 250

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 11, 2012

” CFO of a major manufacturer. Procter & Gamble and Kimberly Clark); but for most companies that I have worked with, I see that they have purchased and implemented inventory technologies, but there has not been an impact on future years results in either Days of Inventory or Days of Working Capital. I am a skeptic.

Inventory Reduction 247

Inventory Reduction Vendor Strategies Resource Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies 247

Logility

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Planting the Seeds of Resilience Most companies understand that accurate forecasts are critical to minimizing inventory, maximizing production efficiency, streamlining purchasing, optimizing distribution, minimizing waste, and projecting future performance confidently.

Optimal Sourcing 176

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Software 176

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

We have let buy- and sell-side transactional relationships erode value. We will never redesign healthcare for better outcomes if we do not redesign the buy/sell relationship and improve the understanding of the service providers on why supply chain matters. This has made the supply chain more fragile. It is coming.

Pricing Training 262

Pricing Training Supply Chain Design Software Purchasing Training Waste Reduction 262

Unleashed

AUGUST 3, 2021

Here we provide an overview of the latest pet food industry trends, and answer the question: how can pet food manufacturers respond to changes in consumer demands to take advantage of these new trends? manufacturing had seen five years of consistent growth. manufactured?pet tended to buy their?pet pet food manufacturers?significantly

Manufacturing Procurement 98

Manufacturing Procurement Food Inventory Management Software Manufacturing 98

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Notice how the water turns from blue to brown in Figure 3 with the lack of demand translation capabilities within the enterprise for manufacturing and logistics. Demand latency is two-eight weeks delayed from consumption purchase to translate to an order. Drawings from Two Very Different Businesses Portraying the River of Demand.

S&OP 195

S&OP Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 195

IQMS

MARCH 27, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed manufacturers to rapidly shift gears, from addressing work-from-home policies to managing extreme swings in demand and uncertain supply chains. In the process, it has highlighted an aspect of manufacturing ERP that is not as visible in more normal times— business continuity.

Manufacturing Procurement 89

Manufacturing Procurement Manufacturing Supply Chain Planning Software Demand Planning Software 89

Unleashed

MAY 15, 2023

Wholesalers and manufacturers need effective B2B strategies to sustain business growth and beat the competition. Wholesalers and manufacturers face unique operational challenges that require more than a spreadsheet to manage. It will also flag any customers that begin to deviate from their spending patterns.

Inventory Reduction 105

Inventory Reduction Sourcing Strategies Waste Reduction Manufacturing Procurement 105