Supply chain planning varies across industries. Differences in inputs, supplier distance, perishability, and other variables mean that each industry has its own needs and challenges in managing its supply chain. These issues are the impacts of several significant disruptions over…
Companies worldwide are experiencing unprecedented volatility in customer demand and supply of raw materials from suppliers. This volatility heats a company’s demand and supply strategies, often boiling over and causing chaos. As customer demand shifts more frequently, many suppliers struggle…
Recent events have spotlighted the critical importance of supply chains across the globe. Massive disruption, climate change, regional conflict, and more have introduced unprecedented uncertainty into supply chains. For many years, companies had become accustomed to ever-stabilizing supply lines where…
KPIs are critical to understanding and managing complex systems. They allow managers and other decision-makers to make informed and cost-effective business decisions. These decisions involve which materials to purchase, quantities, timing, and logistics costs. Having the right KPIs is one…
In manufacturing, a finished product may sometimes be out of spec. Perhaps it’s the wrong color or size, or perhaps the cuts and grinds are over or under tolerance. When this happens, additional labor may be required to rework it,…
As a vital part of overall business planning and strategy, supply chain planning can lower costs and improve growth opportunities. Resilient and agile supply chain planning also enhances customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. But an inefficient supply chain can place…
As the old saying goes, “too many cooks in the kitchen spoil dinner” and in a complex system such as supply chain planning, that has traditionally been the case. With siloed data between departments, individually-generated spreadsheet analysis, and error-prone data…
In manufacturing, it’s essential to have the right tool for the right job. Imagine a plumber without a pipe wrench during a critical break. Or think of an electrician without a voltage meter trying to assess a malfunctioning motor. And…
Manufacturing has always been an expensive undertaking. But with today’s new reality of fragile supply chains, rising costs, and unprecedented disruption, producers have had to rethink their supply chain strategy. Companies today hold higher buffer stock, purchase from more expensive…
With increased global demand, shortages, significant disruption, and other challenges, businesses have never valued time more. But like other disciplines, traditional supply chain management has relied on disconnected supply chain components, manual processes, spreadsheets, and verbal agreements that take valuable…