Global Supply Chain Management

Maintain Quality in a Complex Supply Chain With Better Information Management

May 31, 2012

John Fishell, Vice President of Product Management and Training, Apriso Corp.

The growing complexity of products, along with the continued globalization of business, has made the supply chain more sophisticated and difficult to manage than ever before. Add to this the threat of unexpected natural disasters - such as the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan last year - and suddenly manufacturers face challenges that are so complicated they warrant re-thinking the fundamental principles of supply chain management that have guided businesses for years.

Pickle Packager Pares Plant to Pump Up Production

May 31, 2012

Pinnacle Foods

In a move it says will improve its supply chain efficiency, Pinnacle Foods Group LLC announced plans to consolidate its Vlasic pickle production into one plant in Imlay City, Michigan. The company's decision to focus on its branded Vlasic business and de-emphasize its lower-margin, un-branded pickle business was the catalyst for this consolidation.

Class 8 Used Truck Volumes Down, Pricing Up in April

May 31, 2012

ACT Research

April saw a turn-around in the trend of the prior two months in the used Class 8 truck market, as volumes sank and pricing rose. The update on the used market was reported in the latest release of the State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks, published by ACT Research.

Open Borders, Integrated Supply Chains Break Down Global Trade Barriers, Report Says

May 30, 2012

World Economic Forum

East Asian economies have recorded marked improvements in their ability to enable trade, while traditional frontrunners Singapore and Hong Kong retain a clear lead at the top of the global rankings, according to the Global Enabling Trade Report 2012, released by the World Economic Forum.

Vast Majority Feel Customs Delays Hinder Management of Their Business, Study Finds

May 30, 2012

Livingston International

More than 80 per cent of small- to mid-sized businesses are concerned about customs delays impacting their ability to properly manage their business - yet nearly a third say they tend to ignore the myriad of changes to government regulations and hope for the best when transporting their goods across international borders.

Cost Savings Is Top 2012 Focus for U.S. Commercial Fleets, According to Survey

May 30, 2012

GE Capital, Fleet Services

Forty-six percent of fleet managers cite cost savings as the primary focus of executive management as it relates to their company's fleet operations, according to a recent survey conducted by GE Capital, Fleet Services. This was followed by on-time delivery and service, driver safety and resource productivity (all 15 percent).

Loyal Fortna Employee Retires After 62 Years of Service

May 30, 2012

Fortna

After sixty-two years with Fortna, Barbara "Susie" Hafer is retiring. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average employee tenure is 4.4 years. Hafer's 62-year tenure is a great achievement and a reminder of different times.

The Hunt for Talent: A Supply Chain of Its Own

May 29, 2012

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Supply-chain professionals have been sounding the warning bell about the coming talent shortfall for several years now. But who's listening? At a time when the economy at large is coping with high unemployment and sluggish job growth, the notion of a sector that can't attract enough qualified bodies is tough to grasp. Still, that's the reality in the supply-chain world today, and it's only going to get worse.

Policy Decisions on Education, Regulations Will Determine if More Manufacturing Leaves U.S., Study Finds

May 29, 2012

University of Michigan

U.S. factories produce about 75 percent of what the country consumes, but the right decisions by both business and political leaders could push that to 95 percent, say University of Michigan researchers.

Wrestling With Demand Variability in CPG

May 29, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Downstream demand signals have been available in the retail world for some time now, but it has taken a while for suppliers to take full advantage of them. Mark Kremblewski, global business expert in demand planning with Procter & Gamble, likens the situation to the mining industry, which trades in deposits of both high- and low-grade ore. The latter type is more plentiful, but it's the first that offers the biggest payback from a better use of demand data in unpredictable situations.