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Companies asked for integrated supply chain planning. They got it. It does not work so well. Now what? Sharing A Story. Last week, I met a client for breakfast in Frankfurt. Let’s call her Sally. As a leader of a global supply chain organization, her goal was simple. She was trying to define and drive supply chain excellence. In the last year, she worked with three consulting companies.
Claritum Article - Procurement Blog. Contents. 1. Introduction. 2. The Challenge of Tail Spend. 3. An approach to Tail Spend Analytics. 4. Benefits of better Analytics. 5. Conclusion. 6. Further reading. 1 Introduction. “If you can measure it then you can manage it” This statement is so true in the procurement field. Whether you are focused on controlled growth or cost efficiencies, the ability to measure what is occurring in real time is essential to making decisions.
Most people have heard the term Industry 4.0 which refers to the next industrial revolution. The revolution is being triggered by technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and additive manufacturing (aka 3D printing). Industry 4.0 is predicted to make manufacturing more efficient and effective and to eliminate many manufacturing jobs.
Cycling becomes even more popular during the summer months and the 105th edition of the Tour de France, which this year takes place from July 7 to July 29, adds…
The $53 trillion manufacturing economy in the US is undergoing a major automation paradigm shift due to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thanks to new practical frameworks, automation projects that were once impossible or inefficient to implement are now being fast-tracked, and robotics automation is becoming increasingly relevant to a growing number of users and scenarios.
Global Growth. NAFTA negotiations. Trade wars. Trucking crisis. Fuel price increases. As events continue to shake and rattle the growing economy, is now the best time to take another look at your company’s capacity planning?
Blockchain explores more and more industries every day. Due to a popularity of Bitcoin , this technology has already demonstrated countless opportunities for the financial area. Entrepreneurs from many other industries are trying to use the blockchain technology in other areas, and the window of opportunities looks impressive. The main advantage of blockchain is its transparency and ability to optimize ecosystems of digital information.
Blockchain explores more and more industries every day. Due to a popularity of Bitcoin , this technology has already demonstrated countless opportunities for the financial area. Entrepreneurs from many other industries are trying to use the blockchain technology in other areas, and the window of opportunities looks impressive. The main advantage of blockchain is its transparency and ability to optimize ecosystems of digital information.
by Emily Hunt The sharing economy involves buying and selling temporary access to goods or services, usually arranged through an online platform. It is inevitably becoming a major source of revenue in today’s global economy, led by the likes of Uber and Airbnb. By using new digital platforms, the sharing economy has created an effective business model for the utilization of goods and availability of services.
In his 2017 annual shareholder letter , Bezos lauded “divinely discontent” customers as innovation drivers. This is how he described their impact (emphasis added): “It may be because customers have such easy access to more information than ever before – in only a few seconds and with a couple taps on their phones, customers can read reviews, compare prices from multiple retailers, see whether something is in stock, find out how fast it will ship or be available for pick-up, and more.
For robots in eCommerce fulfillment, last year was the year of pilots. This year customers are willing to publicly speak about the benefits they got from eCommerce robots at eft’s 3PL & Supply Chain Summit in Atlanta. The post Robots for eCommerce Fulfillment appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints.
If you’ve been in supply chain for any length time, you might be wondering what caused demand forecasting to develop so many different ‘personalities’ over the years. Demand forecasting, planning, sensing, shaping…what’s going on? It’s easy to ignore all these as buzzwords, but that would be overlooking the genuine progress that has taken place over the past several decades.
I haven’t attended an industry conference over the past year, or participated in a client meeting, where blockchain — along with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning — hasn’t been part of the conversation. In fact, at one conference this spring, after delivering a keynote presentation that had nothing to do with technology, the very first question I received from the audience was “What do you think about blockchain and its potential in supply chain management?”.
The application of blockchain in the supply chain is among the greatest innovations to take root in the shipping industry. Application of blockchain holds promises to increase visibility, renew viability, reduce inconsistency, increase payment processing accuracy, and eliminate compliance problems. Even though the technology is still new, its potential cannot be ignored, and supply chain executives need to know why.
by Mike McAllister By APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. This article was originally published on apics.org, and is repubished with permission. Since 2012, The Manufacturing Institute has celebrated women in manufacturing with its STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards, which recognize women in manufacturing who exemplify leadership within their companies.
There are many great examples where advanced analytics have contributed to social good. North Star Alliance , for instance, uses optimization to find optimal locations for its mobile HIV-AIDS clinics in Africa. The Dutch Delta Program Commissioner used analytics to prevent flooding and was recognized with the 2013 Edelman Award. Most recently, we encountered Angel Flight West , a non-profit organization that is using AIMMS-based optimization to plan flights for families in need.
“What should we do about the tariffs?” There’s no straightforward answer — every leader has a different expectation. CFOs want numbers. COOs want action. CEOs want strategy. And supply chain and procurement leaders need to be ready with the right response — fast. That’s why GEP has created a simple three-part framework that will help CPOs and CSCOs brief the board and C-suite with clarity and confidence.
Product and service innovation, driven by digital technologies, is key to gaining extra value from new product introductions. One particularly interesting development is the emergence of modular plants. Forecasting a NPI can be very difficult. Modular plants help companies to scale economically. The post Innovating Production and Supply Networks to Increase Value from New Product Introductions appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints.
As competition heats up to meet consumer fulfillment expectations, the analyst community has worked to define a supply chain model that can dynamically and rapidly respond to changing market needs, sometimes called "Response Networks". Gartner calls their version “ Respond Planning ”. Supply Chain Insights (Lora Cecere’s firm) calls it “Networks of Networks”.
If you’re a global supply chain executive, you’ve got a challenging job. A job that was once as simple as moving goods around now involves managing relationships with suppliers and service providers all around the globe, while also keeping track of the goods as your shipments move closer to their destination. According to a 2017 Michigan State University Supply Chain Management study , “supply chain and product complexity possess a number of sources that vex supply chain operations…customer acco
Although using blockchain in supply chain and logistics is an exciting prospect, the technology lacks the maturity necessary to enable global deployment today. Such limitation can be discouraging, but it serves as a beacon of hope for a better future in supply chain management. To unlock the true value of using blockchain in supply chain and logistics management, shippers should consider its existing hurdles and possible challenges as the technology matures.
Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives
Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri
by Mike McAllister World Cup and hot summer combine to create beer bottle shortage for German brewers. On the heels of a carbon dioxide (CO2) shortage in the UK that caused some breweries to ration beer production , Germany’s long, hot summer and the revelry surrounding the World Cup have combined with suboptimal demand forecasting to create a significant shortage of beer bottles , causing breweries large and small to plea to customers to return their empties.
The world’s largest home furnishing retailer has 355 stores in 29 countries. What are the best-kept secrets behind IKEA’s supply chain management processes?
Mike Reid, the Chief Operating Officer at Embark Trucks, said that “Anyone employed as a driver today will be able to retire as a driver.” What makes that statement surprising is that Embark is a leading developer of autonomous trucks. One might think that the goal of an autonomous truck company is to render drivers superfluous. The post No Driver Working Today Will Need to Change Careers Because of Autonomous Trucks appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints.
There is an increased focus on being prepared for supply chain risks such as digital threats, product traceability issues, and now the potential impact of a trade war. Coping with these risks necessitates matching supply chain resiliency to both the bottom and top layers of the Gartner “CORE” supply chain planning model. Gartner defines four types of supply chain risk (see chart above) depending on frequency and impact.
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
Without a doubt, blockchain is currently the most talked-about new technology — it’s also the most confusing, especially for supply chain and logistics professionals who are trying to understand its potential role and benefits. What are some of the potential use cases for blockchain in logistics? What are the main barriers to adoption? What should companies do today to adequately prepare?
Cerasis brings you another episode of “The Freight Project Podcast!” Remember, you can catch every episode of “The Freight Project Podcast” by going over to the Podcast section of “ The Freight Institute !” You can also subscribe and find this podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Soundcloud , YouTube , and iHeartRadio!
Whether you call it co-packing or re-packing this involves the further manipulation of a previously finished and complete SKU. Look around the shelves and the evidence of extra expense and work is displayed by special stickers, multi-packs and banded promotions amongst many others. The impact this has on your Supply Chain is potentially huge. I will park the question of the value (or waste) of these activities for another day but where is the best place to carry out such operations?
by Joe Cannata According to the European Journal of Operational Research , the term ‘bullwhip effect’ was first coined by Procter & Gamble (P&G) in the 1990s in reference to the order variance amplification phenomenon observed between P&G and its suppliers.”. A small shift in customer demand essentially cracks the whip, and the further a supplier is from the demand, the more significant the impact, which inevitably leads to increasing swings in inventory for suppliers.
What is Remote-Insourcing? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Not anymore. Remote-Insourcing isn’t outsourcing—it’s a revolutionary staffing model that lets our clients fill key entry-level positions with top-tier, loyal, long-term talent, integrated seamlessly into their businesses—just like local employees but without the turnover or W2 HR hassles. With under 4% unwanted attrition, you train once and keep the same team for years.
The term “big data” has been one of the hottest buzzwords over the last couple of years, and that’s not a big surprise. Statistical science and data analytics can help organizations (of any size and type) obtain historical measurements and generate actionable information that increases supply chain visibility, drives operational efficiency and supports overall growth.
T he telecom provider business model was traditionally about delivering networked voice and data to homes and businesses, therefore not necessitating strong supply chain planning. But that has changed in the last decade due to the rapid growth of smartphones. The following is how a few telecom providers learned to react to the change, adopting a more aggressive approach to supply chain planning, and breaking through their supply chain and business performance barriers.
There’s a lot of talk these days about the digital supply chain, including what it means and why it’s important. Two questions that always seem to come up in these discussions are “What’s the value of digitization?” and “What’s the business case for it?” I explored these and other related questions with Gary Barraco, Director of Global Product Marketing at Amber Road , in a recent episode of Talking Logistics.
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