This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Theyre feeling the heat most, as sudden trade policy curveballs throw procurement plans into chaos. manufacturer I know saw their import costs jump overnight, forcing a rethink of a decade-old sourcing strategy. Traditional procurement, with its long-term contracts and rigid supplier ties, just isnt cutting it anymore.
They integrate AI into demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and logistics operations to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and mitigate risks. Companies must react after the fact, often incurring higher costs and reduced service levels. Executives are left making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information.
The manufacturing sector is facing unprecedented volatility in global trade, with tariffs becoming the latest in a series of uncertainty drivers that are impacting virtually all industries. Manufacturing plants are deeply entrenched; tied to infrastructure, suppliers, skilled labor, and regulatory requirements.
This article outlines key factors driving supply chain change, the limitations of outdated strategies, and how Walmart is restructuring its supply chain using AI and automation. The Shift from Cost-Cutting to Resilience For years, supply chains prioritized cost reduction over resilience. Resilience is now taking precedence.
Speaker: Olivia Montgomery, Associate Principal Supply Chain Analyst
The supply chain management techniques that dominated the last 30 years are no longer supporting consumer behavior or logistics and manufacturing capabilities. Forecasting techniques to manage inventory. Procurementstrategies in response to network delays and bottlenecks. So what’s working now?
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. For instance, suppliers may have strong Vendor Management process expertise that will help reduce working capital. They are no longer just vendors of goods and services.
The problem is that the reduction of costs within one function does not necessarily drive value. For example, if I improve the cost structure in transportation, procurement, manufacturing and sales independently, what decision support framework decides the right trade-offs? You are right. The answer is not th e Gartner Top 25.
In the competitive industrial landscape, efficient spare parts inventory management is crucial to maintaining seamless operations and driving profitability. Spare parts supply chains, however, come with their own set of complexities, requiring targeted strategies and specialized tools to meet these unique demands effectively.
Excess inventory weighs down supply chains. Manufacturers are shifting to on-demand production to align output with real-time demand. By producing only whats needed, when its needed, they eliminate the burden of forecasting errors and reduce warehouse dependency. But in volatile markets, they often backfire.
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. The result?
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.
Reducing cost was the primary objective, and most operational decisionsfrom sourcing to fulfillmentreflected that mindset. Resilience is the ability to respond to disruption while maintaining core operations, and more companies are shifting their strategies accordingly. For years, supply chains were engineered to be lean.
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.
Scaling manufacturing operations is crucial for business growth but presents unique challenges. Balancing increased demand with consistent quality and controlled costs is difficult but essential for manufacturers looking to expand. Successfully scaling manufacturing requires more than just adding resources.
Despite the evolution of technology, none of the 28 industry segments I follow can drive improvement at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. Functional Metrics and the Lack of Alignment to Strategy. Most focus on cost reduction, assuming that functional cost translates to operating margin. Change is Hard.
In May, the total number of job cuts in the US were 696,309 – an increase of 80% from the 385,859 jobs cut in the first five months of 2024. During the first week of June 2025, job cuts continued with 90,000 layoffs with iconic brands like Kimberly-Clark (1500-1900), Microsoft (6,000), P&G (7000), and Wal-Mart (1,500).
The resulting increase in demand may place pressure on agricultural producers and extract manufacturers to scale operations. Supply chain managers will need to assess supplier capacity, evaluate long-term sourcing contracts, and consider geographic diversification to reduce risk associated with seasonality and regional sourcing limitations.
Molex is a global electronics manufacturer that makes and sells over 100,000 distinct products – connectors, cable assemblies, and a wide variety of other products. 18,000 suppliers ship 70,000 different types of parts to 72 Molex manufacturing plants across the globe. Molex has also used the tool to reduce supplier lead times.
Now for the Do’s & Don’ts In the dynamic world of FMCG, your Route to Market (RTM) strategy and distributor partnerships can make or break your brand’s success. Do Embrace Technology and Data : Use real-time data for demand forecasting, inventory management, and route optimization. Ensure margins are fair and sustainable.
While SAP has had procurement analytics solutions, last year at Spend Connect Live, SAP announced the Spend Control Tower. Daniel Chapman, the senior director of process transformation for procure to pay at Warner Music, was a keynote speaker. This solution provides insights in a much easier way to digest.
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 reducinginventory costs and delivery times.
This is amplified across the supply chain into an exponential impact on inventory and planned orders for manufacturing. When we measure the bullwhip impact (in my class on outside-in process thinking), the bullwhip between manufacturing and procurement is 2-3X. The use of outside-in signals can reduce it by 40-60%.
They never leveraged their point-of-sale data to detect market shifts, and the supply chain organization prioritized cost reduction. The use of the supply chain as a functional organization within the organization to reduce costs. The range of bullwhip from the order to planned orders for manufacturing was 2.5-4.0.
New technologies revolutionizing transportation are creating tremendous opportunities but also unprecedented challenges for tire manufacturers. Supply chain optimization is essential to achieve this and can help tire manufacturing companies deliver significant reductions in supply chain costs and improvements in service levels.
They emphasized being an Industry Cloud Complete Company with industry-specific solutions for over 2000 micro verticals across Process Manufacturing, Distribution, Service Industries, and Discrete Manufacturing. Industry-specific content is available for processes like Source to Settle, Procure to Pay, Order to Cash, and more.
That strategy can lead to thousands of scenarios, and still no number of scenarios will answer all questions. Another strategy is to dedicate resources and build the best algorithm for demand forecasting. While this sourcing strategy is the most cost-effective one, the business might not want to operate like that.
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. Types of inventory that can be optimized.
Restructuring Global Value Chains & Tariff Reduction – A Continuous Evolution for Supply Chains. This article was originally written and published for DHL in January 2020 and focused on the trade wars and how to leverage opportunities for tariff reductions. Product strategies. without being subject to tariffs.
In this blog, well explore key strategies to enhance supply chain resilience and highlight how services like those offered by ModusLink can help businesses navigate these challenges effectively. Effective demand planning also optimizes inventory levels, reducing costs associated with storage and carrying inventory.
Planners are uniquely positioned with an end-to-end focus, from procurement of materials, through manufacturing and engineering, to the movement, storage, and delivery of finished products or services. Supply chain professionals use various tools, including supply chain modeling, inventory management, and forecasting.
Below are some common problems in supply chain management and how they can be mitigated with the assistance of software solutions and digital strategies in logistics. It must address various demands, including indirect procurement requests, project and manufacturing requirements, and external customer demands.
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 procurement cost reduction. The key thing to remember is that cost reduction in procurement isn’t just about slashing expenses.
Richard Lebovitz and Joe Lynch discuss leading inventory attack teams. Richard is the CEO of LeanDNA , a purpose-built analytics platform for factory inventory optimization. About Richard Lebovitz Richard Lebovitz is the CEO of LeanDNA , a purpose-built analytics platform for factory inventory optimization. acquired by SAP).
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.
Robotic Process Automation Deployment According to the APQC data, organizations are exploring Robotic Process Automation across a number of supply chain areas, including supply chain planning, sourcing and procurement, logistics and warehousing, and manufacturing. Many technologies are implemented as a source of cost cutting.
That’s exactly what Kyle Krug , Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Marketing at Legacy Supply Chain Services, suggests. The SAP staff explains, “The good news is that you can now leverage smart technologies and tools to better power increasingly sophisticated supply chain optimization strategies.”
Let’s take a closer look at how four key industries—automotive, consumer packaged goods (CPG), high tech, and industrial manufacturing—are navigating the tariff rollercoaster and adjusting to the shifting landscape. Solution: Real-time scenario planning combined with agile sourcing strategies to maintain supply chain continuity.
By fostering collaboration across all stakeholders, including suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics providers, companies can enhance visibility, streamline processes, and proactively address disruptions. Configure to Order: This strategy involves customizing standard products based on customer specifications.
You’ll learn how to leverage data to streamline operations, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and exceed customer expectations. Data analytics also offers actionable insights for: Inventory Management: See stock levels across multiple locations in real-time. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.
Since January, Canadians’ weekly grocery trips have become a real-time indicator for the potential impacts of tariffs as shoppers have responded to threats with a showcase of buying power, prioritizing nationally sourced and manufactured products even before a single tariff was enacted.
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!
How AI is Transforming Manufacturing: Strategies, Benefits, and Use Cases Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a huge topic and one that is constantly changing as research and development efforts push out the boundaries of whats possibleand whats already happening! Manufacturers now generate and own vast volumes of it.
Automotive: Can JIT manufacturing survive legal disruptions to tariff policy? Automakers must model dual-path sourcing strategies and reintroduce buffer inventory—not just for parts, but for regulatory flexibility. Every major industry now faces a unique supply chain challenge. But failing to seek alternatives is also risky.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 102,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content