Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Supply chains, which facilitate the movement of products from manufacturers to consumers, have historically encountered issues such as inefficiency, fraud, and a lack of transparency. Companies find it difficult to fully trust the data from suppliers, complicating efforts to ensure product authenticity, safety, and ethical sourcing.

Supply Chain Software 219

Supply Chain Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Network Software Optimal Sourcing 219

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

Process-based companies continue to focus on manufacturing efficiency (OEE) and discrete on procurement (PPV) without designing the supply chain to balance transportation, manufacturing, and procurement to a balanced scorecard. Functional Metrics and the Lack of Alignment to Strategy. The Lovefest with Shiny Objects.

Supply Chain Design Software 222

Supply Chain Design Software Price Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Planning Software 222

Jaggaer

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

In today’s dynamic market, procurement is far more than just a buying and purchasing center. Forward-thinking organizations have transformed the department into an untapped gold mine that creates value for the entire end-to-end manufacturing process—from design and sourcing to production and delivery.

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics 52

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 29, 2023

It is crucial for organizations to understand the importance of Purchase Order collaboration to effectively manage their direct spend, optimize operations, and mitigate risks. Make to Order: Here, products are manufactured based on specific customer orders.

Manufacturing Procurement 273

Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Material Savings Inventory Reduction 273

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 15, 2023

If you would like to participate in a current research study, we would love your help and participation in the contract manufacturing study. We are trying to assess the value of a network in managing contract manufacturing.) One of the alignment gaps that is growing and is unfortunate is the gap between procurement and manufacturing.

Manufacturing Procurement 469

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning 469

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 1, 2021

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. Such sourcing events can be in the context of direct materials or logistics capacity.

Optimal Sourcing 287

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions 287

ivalua

MARCH 16, 2020

Optimization of the entire source-to-pay process for nearly all Körber locations worldwide. As an international technology group with about 10,000 employees, Körber offers products, solutions and services that inspire. The goal was to increase efficiency across the Group’s Business Areas.

Optimal Sourcing 49

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Solutions Procurement 49

Logistics Viewpoints

JANUARY 16, 2025

Collin Masson, Director of Research at ARC Advisory Group. Edge Hardware: The battle for edge hardware also intensified in 2024, as companies sought to deploy AI capabilities closer to the source of data. This puts pressure on other device manufacturers to follow suit. Colin heads up ARC’s research into Industrial AI.

Modeling Software 299

Modeling Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software Predictive Analytics Software 299

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 15, 2022

If you answer the survey, I will gladly give you a custom analysis of your organization against the peer group. The financial teams, and the Information Technology (IT) groups, did not see alignment gaps, but the supply chain teams felt them and viewed them as a critical performance issue. To respond, follow this link.

Manufacturing Procurement 398

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics 398

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 12, 2025

and lower manufacturing activity were reported in the months preceding the talks. The working group will address broader issues including tariff policy, market access, non-tariff barriers, state subsidies, and intellectual property rights. In the U.S., In China, a decline in exports to the U.S. firms with operations in China.

Cost Reduction Strategies 193

Cost Reduction Strategies China United States Negotiating Skills 193

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 3, 2025

According to a survey by ARC Advisory Group, only 10% of industrial companies are ready to apply artificial intelligence/machine learning. The company has 55 manufacturing sites across the world. The risks associated with chemical manufacturing include the storage and transportation of raw materials, finished products, and waste.

Negotiating Skills 188

Negotiating Skills Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Planning Software 188

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. Less than 1% of companies in this value chain outperform their peer group.

Supply Chain Network Software 360

Supply Chain Network Software Manufacturing Procurement Inventory Reduction Purchasing Skills 360

Logistics Viewpoints

AUGUST 15, 2022

GEP and the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Supply Chain Resource Cooperative surveyed supply chain, procurement and IT professionals across a range of industries to gain insight into their priorities and strategies regarding supply chain resilience and optimization. Procurement solutions are often updated with purchased information.

Supply Chain Network Software 313

Supply Chain Network Software Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Optimal Sourcing 313

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 6, 2023

Procurement and Supply Chain Management are essential functions that can help companies navigate these challenges, but they are often siloed and operate in separate departments. Their metrics are often misaligned as well – supply chain focuses on service and procurement focuses on the cost of acquiring materials and services.

Optimal Sourcing 246

Optimal Sourcing Sourcing Strategies Manufacturing Procurement Material Savings 246

The Logistics of Logistics

JANUARY 13, 2023

Trey is the Co-founder and CEO at Amplio , an Atlanta based tech firm that predicts and prevents material and parts shortage for companies in the electronic manufacturing space. Trey Closson is the Co-founder and CEO at Amplio, an Atlanta based tech firm builds supply chain resilience for electronics manufacturers. About Trey Closson.

Manufacturing Procurement 244

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Purchasing Skills Procurement Solutions 244

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Keith led the work to move P&G from a regional to a global manufacturer opening up the Warsaw center of planning excellence and outsourcing IT to HP. Keith was an undisputed leader in building talent to drive manufacturing excellence. Supply chain excellence was largely defined as manufacturing excellence.

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 18, 2023

In the face of variability, this is two-to-six weeks too long to make allocation or procurement decisions. Order cycles–the requested time from order to delivery–decreased while supply cycles –the time to procure materials– increased. Build in-market sourcing. Shift in cycles. The reason?

Supply Chain Planning Software 418

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Software 418

ivalua

NOVEMBER 8, 2022

US Government Passes the CHIPS Act to Increase Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research. The CHIPS Act was created in response to pandemic-induced shortages of semiconductors and other critical manufacturing supplies, causing widespread disruption to supply chains across the country. . Part A: Manufacturing in the U.S.

Manufacturing Procurement 223

Manufacturing Procurement Manufacturing Supply Chain Planning Software South Korea 223

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 2, 2025

For my long-time readers, you know that fewer than 3% of companies outperform their peer group in our Supply Chains to Admire analysis , and that the Gartner Top 25 is essentially a beauty contest for underperformers. Using channel and trading partner signals build outside-in models and orchestrate decisions across source, make and deliver.

Optimal Sourcing 195

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Design Software 195

QAD

JANUARY 16, 2025

This complexity is amplified for organizations like KION Group AG with a global footprint, necessitating strong relationships and clear communication with suppliers at every level to respond proactively to shifting market conditions. This marked a critical step in KION’s digital transformation journey.

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Negotiate Pricing Negotiating Skills 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 30, 2025

The Salesforce.com model is primarily a pipeline management tool suitable for discrete markets but not process manufacturers. Relex will continue to do well in the retail market but will struggle to be a serious player in manufacturing due to the lack of thought leadership. Will this change the market? I don’t think so.

Supply Chain Planning Software 222

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Modeling Software 222

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 397

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Software 397

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 17, 2025

A data fabric does not store data itself; it connects and provides access to data from diverse sources without physically moving or duplicating it. It accesses, transforms, and harmonizes data from multiple sources to make it usable and actionable for various business use cases. Agentic AI is a group of agents working together.

SAP 191

SAP Modeling Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Manufacturing Procurement 191

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

Globally ten percent of jobs are in manufacturing, while 37% are associated with supply chain management. The discipline, first defined in 1982, includes source, make, deliver, and planning functions. Kinaxis Purchase of Rubikloud. The Rubikloud acquisition was a $60M cash purchase. Elemica Purchase by Eurazeo.

Supply Chain Design Software 362

Supply Chain Design Software Procurement Solutions Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software 362

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 21, 2023

One of my insights from doing the industry analysis for the Supply Chains to Admire each year is that smaller and less well-known companies outperform larger and better-known manufacturers. While companies that supply chain leaders believe are top performers– J&J, P&G, and Unilever– do not outperform their peer group.

Gartner 426

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning 426

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 24, 2025

The Losers Are the Global Multi-National Supply Chain Teams As I work on the Supply Chains to Admire report, that will publish soon, I wince at the performance of large strategic customers of the supply chain planning vendors when compared to their peer groups. The methodology is now 20 years old. Let’s have an honest discussion.

Gartner 195

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 195

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

My thought was to combine my experience working on visibility solutions with Descartes Systems Group and Manugistics with recent research data. Too few companies have a holistic approach to embrace the plan, make, source, and deliver together. I volunteered to write a report on supply visibility. I thought it would be easy.

Supply Chain Planning Software 391

Supply Chain Planning Software Sourcing Strategies Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software 391

Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 11, 2021

At the same time, the Chief Purchasing Officer (CPO) has taken on a pivotal role by securing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect the workforce and direct materials when primary sources fail. As disruptions become the norm, Supply Chain Planning and Source-to-Pay (S2P) cycles need to be increasingly dynamic and intertwined.

Manufacturing Procurement 282

Manufacturing Procurement Sourcing Strategies Pharmaceutical Procurement Solutions 282

Logistics Viewpoints

OCTOBER 18, 2023

These are questions ARC Advisory Group will seek to answer in our online survey research of supply chain executives over the next few months. Source: J.P. Global Manufacturing PMI Global Trade as a Barometer Clearly domestic business activity is much larger than international trade. The HCOB Germany PMI , which registered 39.6

Manufacturing Procurement 334

Manufacturing Procurement GEP Purchasing Skills Logistics 334

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

This sector is driven by several factors, including the ageing vehicle population, the rise of e-commerce platforms , and technological advancements in vehicle manufacturing. Moreover, the proliferation of e-commerce is reshaping how aftermarket products are purchased.

Manufacturing Procurement 156

Manufacturing Procurement Optimization Software Supply Chain Planning Software ToolsGroup 156

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Advanced planning evolved with a focus on modeling manufacturing constraints. Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies. Procurement became an island–isolated from the demand signal except for MRP. This was a gift from a member of a group that I am facilitating.)

Supply Chain Planning Software 355

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 355

DELMIA Quintiq

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

An increasing lineup of advanced digital solutions have given manufacturers the edge to transform and achieve better inventory control. The manufacturing industry is constantly searching for new and inventive ways to improve inventory management. Getting raw materials manufactured into something whole and useful is a complex process.

Inventory Management Software 294

Inventory Management Software Inventory Reduction Inventory Management Optimal Sourcing 294

Jaggaer

APRIL 9, 2025

A Manufacturer’s Guide to the Evolution of ERPs Lets start by declaring an interest. Most JAGGAER installations in the manufacturing industry specifically, and in product-centric businesses in general, involve integration with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system of one sort or another. So, we have skin in this game!

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Resource Reduction Analytics Software 52

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. Both companies outperformed their peer groups. Henkel is underperforming its peer group. The first story is about a large regional food manufacturer. What can we learn?

Supply Chain Planning Software 420

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 420

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

PWC’s Digital Trends in Supply Chain Survey reports that 83% of manufacturers say that supply chain technologies have not delivered the expected results. Based on the Supply Chains to Admire analysis, the first question is: Why do the cost reduction strategies not translate into operating margin improvement against peer groups?

Supply Chain Planning Software 419

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling Forecasting Software 419

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2023

And even before they begin, they must realize these problems are too big for any single team—supply chain must connect with finance and procurement to treat the n-tier suppliers as an extended part of their network and become their preferred customer. By identifying these gaps, you can create sourcing events to close them.

Supply Chain Design Software 324

Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling 324

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

During the 1980s, I was on a management team for a large manufacturer. The Company was attempting to gain economies of scale by grouping manufacturing technologies within a common infrastructure to reap the benefits of a co-generation facility, a centralized warehouse, and a talented administrative team.

Inventory Reduction 435

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 435