While it's known that supply chain finance (SCF) provides cash flow predictability and control to buyers, it is less known that suppliers benefit from early payment of receivables with cash flow improvement and economic security. From investment grade suppliers to those on the tail end, suppliers of all sizes have seen the benefit of SCF realized through visibility via technology, payment flexibility and growing their own working capital to invest in growing their business. -Nathan Feather, CFO, PrimeRevenue
GE Renewable Resources said it’ll spend as much as $400m over the next few years to build an offshore wind turbine almost 100 meters taller than the Washington Monument.
Sales and operations planning. So important, yet success is so elusive. While many companies approach S&OP as a technology implementation, success requires a focus on 60 percent culture, 30 percent process and 10 percent technology. Companies cannot get to success without technology, but it cannot be the primary focus. A successful implementation can improve agility by 25 percent to 35 percent. -Lora Cecere, Founder, Supply Chain Insights
Only weeks into a new job heading General Motors Co's international operations, Barry Engle flew into a frigid South Korea in January and held a series of meetings with government officials to discuss the future of GM's loss-making local unit.
Historic disruption is happening across the food and beverage industries. Changes in consumer preferences and rapid consolidation have created a challenging business environment for many companies. Response to these pressures can't happen fast enough, especially for companies that have historically dominated the market. Shrinking margins and revenue declines mean there is less cash on hand to invest in innovation – and that's driving companies to find new ways to improve cash flow. -Tom Roberts, SVP Global Marketing, PrimeRevenue
The growth of e-commerce is transforming the last mile at a rapid rate. Start-ups such as Deliv, Roadie and Instacart, along with Amazon’s own logistics network build-out, have caused a shakeup in the traditional hub-and-spoke system that FedEx and UPS spent years building. As a result, the Big Two have become reactive by raising rates and increasing surcharges to maintain market position while investing in infrastructure to meet changing needs. -Paul Steiner, Vice President of Strategic Analysis, Spend Management Experts
They call what they are building Puertopia. But then someone told them, apparently in all seriousness, that it translates to “eternal boy playground” in Latin. So they are changing the name: They will call it Sol.
