Some supply chain leaders now take the helm at the world''s leading companies like Apple Inc, Wal-Mart and Tesco in UK as the CEOs. Background According to the book " Steve Jobs " by Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. MORE

My wife talked to her in a calm voice, told her what she needs to do for the night to keep the fever under control, and advised the mother to bring her toddler to the clinic the next morning. One wellness visit, one infection cured, one disease diagnosed at a time, she is making a difference. MORE

Are you looking for some reading material to pass the time on your next flight? From a challenges perspective, here are the highlights covered in this report. The obvious challenge is the complexity in the A&D industry. by Bill DuBois. MORE

There is an excellent piece in today’s WSJ on how retailers’ changing inventory management strategies are affecting the fortunes logistics and transportation companies. Image Credit: Flickr user Queen Bee. MORE

The Internet of Things (IoT) is everywhere these days and rapidly becoming a reality in our day-to-day lives, whether through connected homes, wearable technology or any of the thousands of applications that have started to pop up. MORE

Little do they realize that every time they discard or recycle a carton of milk they are completing the end of the supply chain cycle. In the past Ive shared how shipping containers can be turned into funky apartments and now Ive found wooden pallets that make great deck furniture. Just in time for the summer BBQ season here are some photos that show the progression of pallets into benches. Supply Times. Who said supply chains are boring? MORE

Most wholesale distributors have recovered from Black Friday and Cyber Monday by now – and are catching their breath just in time to sprint during these last few weeks of the holidays! This time of year is particularly urgent for getting products to consumers more quickly and cheaply than ever before, which means finding ways to strip out supply chain costs while satisfying customer expectations. MORE

Stock movement, order duration times, utilization of equipment and personnel, error rates and many more. Safety is the top priority in any Warehouse environment. A Safety Manager should be appointed to ensure all safety activities are in place and maintained daily. MORE

In countless surveys over the past decade, manufacturers and retailers rank “improving supply chain visibility” as one of their top priorities. Yet, despite their focus on this effort and advancements in technology, achieving timely, accurate, and complete supply chain visibility remains an elusive goal for many companies. A lot of data/information is communicated in batch and serial mode, sometimes hours or days after a transaction or event occurs. MORE

A company can move a product from China to the United States, clear it through Customs, move it to a distribution center, and fulfill it in record time. Improve on-time delivery. Customers want what they want and they want it fast and on-time. MORE

In 1984, US Apparel Industry created the task force called " Crafted With Pride in the U.S.A. The result showed that materials were in the warehouse or in transit as long as 40 weeks! In 2004, Kasra Ferdows, Michael A. MORE

26 April 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Ideal X and the birth of modern container shipping, a development that played a critical role in spurring the global economy. One visionary, Malcom McLean , features prominently in the industry’s development. MORE

Today, all business and social media eyes were focused on Apple and its annual Special Event timed to announce the latest iteration of product innovation, just in-time for the upcoming holiday buying period. Supply Chain Matters provides our initial impressions of new Apple products from a supply chain and product lifecycle management lens. A New […]. MORE

Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing strategies bring tremendous value to companies employing them, but are they missing out on the huge opportunity. Manufacturing Supply Chain Management Technology The Network Effect JIT Just-In-Time manufacturing supply chainThe post Extending JIT Value Beyond Enterprise Boundaries appeared first on The Network Effect. MORE

Getting a compatible LED lighting product, such as a power supply, is essential in order to extend the life expectancy and the quality of LED light strips. One of the key innovations in LED lighting is the applications within the Internet of Things (IoT). MORE

Consumer demand has led to many changes in the supply chain as shippers are trying to get products to market faster. To keep pace, more shippers are turning to cross-docking to reduce the amount of time it takes to […]. MORE

This was true when Henry Ford envisioned an efficient auto assembly line, and later with the standardized processes that led to the Toyota Motor Company’s automated manufacturing steps and just-in-time (JIT) product delivery. MORE

This is especially relevant for high-tech industry manufacturers who must fight to keep their head above water as new competition floods the marketplace and long-time competitors diversify their product lines in an attempt to remain relevant. Technology research firm Gartner, Inc. MORE

Through the use of supplier quality certifications and blanket (long-term) purchase orders, a manufacturer can accurately and effectively calculate the optimal level of inventory needed to fulfill demand requirements through the duration of replenishment lead time. MORE

Just-in-time supply chains are demanding and have little room for error. They have become prominent in the auto industry, raising new demands. Automotive Supply Chain Manufacturing MORE

Minimizing forecast error requires a background in data analysis and statistics while also having a solid understanding of the products, markets and customers you are trying to predict demand for. This makes the demand planner’s role challenging and rewarding at the same time. MORE

Similar to Lean Six Sigma that fueled rallying and transformational efforts in the 1990’s, FastWorks is targeted to motivate GE employees to be more customer focused, speed new product development, reduce costs and improve customer engagement. The Reis philosophy is that faster product innovation is garnered from building imperfect early versions, gaining timely customer feedback, while continuously “pivoting” and adapting products to address market opportunities. MORE

People working in or associated with Supply Chains seem obsessed by data yet data itself actually tells you nothing. In Supply Chains the data obsession is growing. Who coined “Big Data”? MORE

In the light of this week’s announcement of the mega-merger among HJ Heinz and Kraft, coupled with the new interest in zero-based budgeting techniques, we felt it was timely to provide a brief tutorial on the process. In definition, zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is essentially a financial-driven process where budgetary resources are set to zero every year and must be justified for the new budget period. MORE

More companies are actively engaging with consumers in search of the ultimate omnichannel sales experience as the strength of online sales increase, reports Supply Chain Quarterly. Technologies used in this step include handheld device scanners, automated radio frequency identification tags, Bluetooth technologies and automated identification and data capture (AIDC), comparable to RFID tags. Analytics to Uncover Issues in the Supply Chain. MORE

Today, Lean is a concept, a philosophy, a practice, and a set of tools all wrapped in one. The two primary principles of Lean, Just in Time and Jidoka, are referred to as the pillars of the lean philosophy. This should be a core principle in supply chain planning. MORE

However, in classic “hockey stick” fashion, 5150 completed vehicles […]. Automotive Supply Chain Lean and Just-In-Time Manufacturing Strategies Product Lifecycle Management Supply Chain Strategy independent blog analysis and insights on supply chain management Supply chain Matters blog Tesla Model 3 supply chain Tesla Motors Tesla Motors supply chain MORE

Healthcare isn’t just a costly quandary for patients. Infuse this with increased competitive forces, and they’re left to cut costs to maintain already low margins in the era of healthcare reform. Healthcare Execs Manage Trends to Curb Supply Chain Logistics Costs. MORE

Building trust in the supply chain is essential to driving flow; and when there are forecast errors, there is an inherent mistrust throughout the supply chain. The manufacturer contends the supplier did not acknowledge the material purchase orders, or ship on-time as promised. MORE

In honor of these dads’ accomplishments in the field of trial and error, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 lessons your dad can teach you about supply chain. In principle, just-in-time processes are very efficient. Please share in the comments below. MORE

A new reminder of malware threats comes from a recent, albeit disturbing, ABC News-Associated Press report indicating attacks have been specifically targeting industry supply chains that predominately are managed by just-in-time (JIT) inventory and production processes. B2B Supply Chain Business Network Lean and Just-In-Time Supply Chain Disruption Supply Chain Risk Management cyberattack risk and mitigation industry supply chain risks Supply chain Matters blog MORE

In this guest post, Kevin Everson the Vice-President of Supply Chain Solutions at RMG Networks , investigates two examples of driving more supply chain value with logistics big data and data visualization. They now have a “scoreboard” to track performance in real time. MORE

The advancements in 3D printing and 'Additive Manufacturing,' coupled with supply chain efficiencies, could make distributed manufacturing a reality, ushering in the era of smart manufacturing. The data science algorithms can help in customer segmentation and clustering. MORE

At the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Annual Conference held in late September, this author had the pleasurable opportunity to moderate two very informative panel discussions. Panel One: How a refreshed distribution strategy revs up savings in the automotive industry, featured […]. MORE

Just in Time You pick up the load. ’ A supply chain that ensures that businesses get products to the customers when they want them, where they want them, in good conditions…and on time – just in time. MORE

To see how challenging healthcare and medical device supply chain logistics are becoming, just watch consumer-targeted television ads for new medicine and medical equipment. Start by reducing waste and duplication in the supply chain, including warehousing. MORE

VIBA Aerospace Products and Services in the Netherlands and Peerless Aerospace Fastener Corporation, a distributor of aerospace fasteners based in Farmingdale (NY), went live with their Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) of special fasteners at Fokker Aerostructures covering several programs. MORE

Over the past 30 years I’ve been witness to the development and use of a number of methodologies intended to improve operations, planning, service and costs in the Consumer Goods and Retail supply chains. MORE

For many, same day / next day fulfillment for both in-store and online purchases is the new normal. This also requires retailers keep store shelves stocked, while also keeping costs in check. Just-in-time restocking ensures product is on hand when consumers reach for it. MORE

In fact, most people don’t even realize such a service exists. This type of transportation exists to benefit just in time products or programs, from regional produce distribution to a national juice program. MORE