Analyst Insight: Supply chain has often been an afterthought for pharmaceutical manufacturers. The patent cliff, increasing reliance on generics, and price pressure from payers all create considerable margin pressures on pharma companies as well. This forces them to pay closer attention to operational efficiencies, including the supply chain. However, less noticed is the impact that evidence-based medicine and outcome-driven payment strategies have, compelling pharmaceutical manufacturers to more closely manage their entire end-to-end chain, especially on the downstream side. - Bill McBeath, Chief Research Officer, ChainLink Research
So collaborative purchasing appears feasible for the restaurant industry. But what about other business sectors? Can different companies - even direct competitors - really band together to get better deals from their suppliers?
CEVA Logistics has opened a logistics center in Jacksonville, Fla., where services will include solutions design and engineering, managed transportation, global supply chain solutions, transportation procurement, and rail fueling.
TNT Express has opened a new hub near Romania's third largest airport, Traian Vuia International Airport, in Timisoara. TNT Romania said its new Timisoara Centre was built to provide operational and technological support specifically for high-performance express services.
Challenge: A $12 billion retail consumer goods company approached us in need of a cost-effective way to ship heavy-weight products from China. In addition, they wanted a complete review of their replenishment model to improve inventory turns and reduce safety stock.
It seems like a cruel joke. At the same time we hear about the return of manufacturing jobs from Asia to the U.S., we are inundated with stories about the growth of robotics, which threatens to take away those very jobs for good.
New York-based BizSlate is launching its cloud-based resource planning tool to give small business a hand with their supply chain challenges. Unlike legacy vendors in that sector, including SAP and Netsuite, the technology is specifically designed for department stores, retail chains, small boutiques and the like. Chief executive Marc Kalman says BizSlate is ideal for companies that have "outgrown QuickBooks" but don't have ample resources at their disposal for IT.
Analyst Insight: The talk in outsource circles these days continues to revolve around the need for bigger and better collaboration and innovation. Some articles talk about the end of outsourcing, but what they mean - and a better way to put it - is to think about the end of outsourcing relationships as we know them.
- Kate Vitasek, faculty, University of Tennessee's Center for Executive Education. and Founder, Supply Chain Visions
Analyst Insight: With the government of India recently liberalizing foreign investment into the country's retail sector, many global retailers are eyeing the country as the next expansion opportunity. The experience of early entrants into India's organized retail has shown that supply chain inefficiencies are among the top hurdles to profitability. The unique Indian context requires creative sourcing approaches and significant investment in training and retaining local skilled supply chain talent.
- Viktoria Sadlovska, Chief Research Officer, Prameya Research
The latest news, analysis, services and solutions regarding warehousing and distribution systems and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are moving goods across more suppliers, vendors and customers than ever before, and warehouses are critical points in the overall supply chain. New technologies in warehouse management systems (WMS), automation, robotics, RFID and order fulfillment are transforming the way companies do business — and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these solutions continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies around the world are improving supply-chain operations through their strategic use of warehousing and distribution services.
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