Today’s customers are more connected than ever before. If they don’t find what they are looking for from one source, they’ll find it from another. Out-of-stock can quickly mean out-of-business, so accurately predicting customer trends and reacting to them is…
In the 2018 National Manufacturing Outlook and Insights report, manufacturers expressed remarkable optimism for their industry and businesses in 2018. More than half of those that responded to the survey that generated the report indicated that they expected growth within…
Consumers are fickle. It’s a fact. According to a recent research by Accenture, people report switching brands more than they did a few years ago, despite the fact that brands are investing $90+ billion in loyalty programs. As channels expand,…
As I walked the floor at this year’s APICS conference and sat through a variety of educational sessions, I was reminded of a phrase I heard recently: “Data is becoming a new natural resource.” The statistics are quite mind-boggling. According…
It's a scenario many a supply chain planner has faced. And it’s one everyone dreads. You’re in a meeting when a key stakeholder asks, “Where did you get those numbers? They don’t match my calculations?” Your stomach flips. Your chest…
Lead time variability is a problem in any supply chain / manufacturing environment. Just-in-time supplies don’t always work out that way: you order too soon or too much and now you’re carrying inventory on your supplies, possibly risking obsolescence. You…
Selling anything, from widgets to wide-load trucks, isn’t an exact science. There are fluctuations in demand, in supply of raw materials, in shipping and more. That said, getting as close to reality as possible in sales forecasting is how you…
Supply Chain Planning Software Improves On-Time Delivery to 99% As a manufacturer, two keys to remaining competitive are the abilities to accurately plan capacity and perform sales and operational planning (S&OP). ASK Power, an Aurora, IL-based manufacturer of electrical power…