Locus

JULY 28, 2025

Each scenario introduces different routing constraints, vehicle considerations, and SLA definitions, making last-mile orchestration highly context-dependent. Teams must consolidate fragmented inventory points and dynamically balance loads to maintain route efficiency across a growing number of localized nodes.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Silvon Software

MAY 6, 2025

Standardizes definitions and dimensions Ensure consistent terminology, hierarchies, and business logic across the enterprise. Enables high-performance deep dives Drill into granular details without straining your operational systems or waiting for batch reports. Eliminates data silos Stop getting different answers to the same question.

Prescriptive Analytics Software

Supply Chain Matters

DECEMBER 17, 2024

based manufacturers to place significant front ended inventory orders with such suppliers to mitigate the supply cost increase impacts in the coming year. While such announcements are likely subject to forthcoming political realities, they have already motivated some U.S.

Predictive Analytics Software

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 28, 2016

Today, more mature supply chain teams focus on delivering value. While companies want to improve supply chain performance and drive value, it is easier said than done. ” The journey for value requires a clear definition and analysis of what is possible. Inventory Turns. The reason? Cash-to-Cash.

Pharmaceutical

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

The change in front of us will transform the base-level definitions of source, make and deliver. As shown in Figure 1, the biggest obstacles to power improvement/performance are traditional supply chain thinking, the lack of organizational alignment and a focus on functional excellence. 2) Learning Supply Chains.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 22, 2015

The names of the technology providers, the process definitions, and the architecture descriptions were a new lexicon. The tension I felt reading the brochure on the plane is what I believe every supply chain leader feels every day. The impact of complexity on inventory is not quick. Inventory management is a hot issue.

Inventory Reduction

Logility

AUGUST 7, 2017

Wait, it’s not spring; but does that mean you have to wait another eight months to review your supply chain? Often, it becomes necessary to reevaluate how supply chain performance is measured to ensure healthy operations. Ask yourself, “Are your supply chain metrics bogging you down?”

Procurement Analytics

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 30, 2023

The ring of fire is corporate politics at the executive level on supply chain performance. Each executive has a different perspective on the definition of supply chain excellence, but they are never discussed and aligned. Anne is a lean disciple and sees all inventory as Muda. Let me explain.

Supply Chain Planning Software

GlobalTranz

JANUARY 21, 2015

Below I will outline how a vendor managed inventory model, in conjunction with reverse marketing, value analysis, and collaboration will achieve supply chain cost reductions. Vendor Managed Inventory Model for Supply Chain Cost Reductions. The distributor maintains the inventory plan.

Vendor Strategies

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 19, 2013

It comes in many flavors–increase in inventory, changes in sales policies, new product lines– all add to the complexity. Supply chains have not morphed to manage the complexity at the same cost, quality and level of customer service. 2) Definition of Supply Chain as a Function versus a Way of Doing Business.

Forecasting

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

In retrospect, I find that technology is an enabler, but only if we are clear on what defines supply chain excellence. Many believe that an ex-supply chain exec knows the definition of supply chain excellence. Please use caution, few led a Supply Chain to Admire Award Winner.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 19, 2014

The term supply chain excellence is easier to say than define. It permeates corporate strategy, but it lacks definition. I have been trying to define it as a supply chain analyst for over fifteen years. The rise in complexity happened faster than supply chain leaders could improve supply chain performance.)

Gartner

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 16, 2014

On the 2nd of April, I sat before a board discussing how a company could exceed expectations in the delivery of Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and superior operating margins and fail at the delivery of customer service and inventory. Supply chain matters more, but it is understood less and less.

Supply Chain Design Software

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2021

Using balance sheet data from 2011 to 2019, we chart companies’ progress by peer group on rate of improvement and performance in the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). Our goal is to continually redefine the definition of supply chain excellence.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 25, 2013

As a result, I commissioned work to try to build a formulaic representation of supply chain metrics (financial ratios) to tie corporate market valuation to the definition of supply chain excellence. The launch today of the Supply Chain Index is a start, and should not be viewed as an end point.

Supply Chain Design Software

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2015

This was the beginning of my journey from manufacturing to understanding larger supply chain concepts. I knew nothing about the world of logistics, inventory management and order optimization. Figure 1: Definition of the Supply Chain Organization. For clarity, let’s start with a definition.

Supply Chain Design Software

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 7, 2021

I did not think that anyone had a clear definition of supply chain excellence. My desire was to make the rankings of the Top 25 supply chain report data-driven based on balance sheet results. Using new technologies in traditional process definitions reduces the potential for value enablement. I disagreed.

Gartner

Demand Solutions

DECEMBER 30, 2014

Over my next few articles, I’ll share some tips on the kinds of resolutions you can put in place to get your supply chain performance back on track in 2015. Of course, if your supply chain is already humming, then these tips can help you achieve even greater levels of performance.

Forecasting

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 13, 2013

In the process, I discovered that the average process manufacturing company has reached a plateau in supply chain performance. However, the conditions were more complex; the average company, over the last ten years, experienced a decline of 1% in operating margin, and an increase in the days of inventory of 5%.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 5, 2015

Definition. These consumer products global leaders paved the road for supply chain excellence by defining new supply chain practices. At Supply Chain Insights, we published a report card yesterday. Today, Unilever fails to meet the average performance of the peer group for operating margin.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

Autonomous Supply Chains In this competitive environment, a CPG manufacturer needs to fight to get space on retailer shelves in each region, keep those shelves stocked, compete and collaborate simultaneously with e-commerce, and maintain its operating margins. each with discrete plans generated typically in sequential batch runs.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 14, 2015

He is an engaging personality: definitely a people person. Orbit Chart Comparing Syngenta and Monsanto Progress on the Effective Frontier – Balancing Inventory Turns and Operating Margin for the Period of 2005-2014. Orbit Chart of Syngenta and Monsanto of Progress on Operating Margin and Inventory Turns.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Talking Logistics

JANUARY 8, 2015

Two major shifts are changing the face of global transportation management as we know it: Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, relying on partners and data beyond the four walls of the enterprise; The very definition of global transportation management is broadening and expanding well beyond the traditional TMS scope.

Global Transportation

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 15, 2021

In my Logistics Viewpoints article in January 2021, “ The New Definition of Supply Chain Agility and Resilience in an Unpredictable World ”, I highlighted that modern supply chains must be built on a foundation of extreme agility and responsiveness. In fact, it may lead to increased variable costs.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 8, 2013

In the Supply Chain Metrics that Matter table, we can clearly see that “operating margin” and “inventory turns” matter to public financial performance. Note the trends in operating margins and inventory turns. Each faces four years of deterioration on this important supply chain metric.

Supply and Demand

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 3, 2017

The supply chain is a complex, non-linear system. As a result, supply chain leaders focus on unrealistic goals of inventory or costs, they will throw the system out of balance. In the setting of strategy goals, executive teams often set unrealistic goals because they are not aligned with supply chain potential.

Inventory Reduction

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 30, 2019

” Based on my research, it is clear to me that buyer frustration with supply chain technology is increasing. Progress on the key performance metrics of cost, customer service, inventory, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) are going backward; not forwards, for most companies. The lack of progress is troubling.

Supply Chain Planning Software

DELMIA Quintiq

AUGUST 31, 2022

What is supply chain planning? Before I get into the software itself, it is useful to start with something of a definition of the supply chain management process itself prior to moving on to the solutions that support it. Key elements of supply chain planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 30, 2019

” Based on my research, it is clear to me that buyer frustration with supply chain technology is increasing. Progress on the key performance metrics of cost, customer service, inventory, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) are going backward; not forwards, for most companies. The lack of progress is troubling.

Supply Chain Planning Software

PINC

AUGUST 3, 2020

Supply chain complexity is increasing as customers demand a wider selection of products, a broader choice of channels, and more promotional offers. The problem is that there is no standard definition for OTIF. Because of this, supply-chain participants may interpret the metric differently. So what’s the solution?

Waste Reduction

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 15, 2018

Most companies, along with consultants, feel that they know the definition of supply chain excellence. Bandied about terms like best practices and “supply chain leaders” fill the air at supply chain conferences. The difference? This is especially true for the Titans. Defining a Titan.

Sourcing Strategies

Logistics Bureau

MAY 4, 2016

Shortcomings of Traditional Performance Measures. A minimal set of metrics that is adapted to a supply chain might include: Service metrics for measuring how well customer needs are met. Inventory metrics, because of the significant impact inventory often has on performance.

Supply Chain Performance

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 18, 2018

The concept of the Effective Frontier is that best in class companies align functional metrics to balance growth, cost, inventory and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) performance while balancing customer service metrics. The cash-to-cash definition is: Cash-to-cash= Days of Receivables+ Days of Inventory-Days of Payables.

Optimal Sourcing

The Network Effect

OCTOBER 3, 2014

It is recognized that some suppliers to the automotive OEM’s may use different terms or definitions to describe the various nodes that provide subsystems, assemblies, components, or parts downstream toward the end consumer. ERP by definition is an “Enterprise” based architecture. ERP by definition is an “Enterprise” based architecture.

Supply Chain Network Software

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 12, 2022

He was also unaware of how to measure Forecast Value-Added, the Bullwhip impact and the health of inventory. As he talked, terms like control tower, concurrent and autonomous planning rolled off his tongue without clear definitions. What is the role of the forecast, budget, market data, and inventory in the proposed project?

Supply Chain Design Software

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

We have made too little progress in supply chains and there is a new opportunity with new technologies to design for value. My definition is wide. In my mind, the processes of supply chain cross over and overlap at the ends of the supply chain. This has made the supply chain more fragile.

Pricing Training

Kinaxis

MAY 16, 2016

by Alexa Cheater How many times have you heard about the perils of having siloed supply chain functions? And while working inside your own little box definitely isn’t ideal, it’s also not quite the all-consuming, end of the world type evil that is responsible for single handedly bringing down your entire supply chain.

Supply Chain Planning Software