Challenge: Our client's top issues included a lack of supply chain visibility and collaboration, coupled with disparate functional groups and external business partners. High seasonality compounded problems, bringing: Supply chain lags and disruptions; Poor customer service; Lost sales due to inability to deliver goods in time; Higher administrative costs due to manual, disjointed processes, internally and with external partners; Greater expediting and demurrage fees.

Data is a powerful lure, promising to turn the massive and ever-increasing volumes of data inside an organization into a pool of intelligence that promises deep, actionable insight into every aspect of a business. However, that lure can lead you into an expensive trap if you don't plan carefully.

Without a doubt, the economic downturn was difficult on everyone. Significant cutbacks in production left thousands of smaller suppliers struggling to remain in business. In the midst of this bleak scenario, some large manufacturing organizations have opted to share financial expertise, efficiency and lean manufacturing knowledge - and, in some cases, actual capital - with their smaller, highly valued suppliers to pull them from the brink.

Challenge: A multi-billion dollar automotive manufacturer of motor vehicles, engines, components and parts was experiencing significant communication challenges with their global suppliers. The high volume (200,000 parts) and diversity of parts required them to streamline their processes or risk losing customers, money, or both. Their former "push" inventory replenishment system with its one-way faxes and EDI orders could not accommodate any last-minute schedule changes nor did it provide the company or its suppliers with much visibility to stock and orders. Lastly, they needed to improve their supply chain administrative efficiencies internally and among its suppliers to reduce costs.

Challenge: As part of an initiative to centralize its global procurement operations, a Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer of engineered components and products needed a way to effectively manage its importing process and reduce procurement costs while enabling real-time collaboration with its global suppliers.

Challenge: Previously our client, one of the world's largest engines and machinery manufacturers, spent years trying to build systems and get more information from its service providers, before moving to the cloud with a pay as you go service - lower risk approach with better results.

Challenge: Our client, one of the largest steel suppliers and distributors in the Midwest, needed improvements in order accuracy and productivity, as well as real-time inventory. In addition, our client needed to track and document mill test certificates for more accurate proof of pull and ship.

Challenge: Global flooring company was experiencing growing sales and increased pressure on logistics. Client had manual processes and lacked visibility. Reports showing freight spend were nonexistent. Verifying shipment deliveries became labor intensive. Client needed to become more competitive with their delivered sales pricing.

Challenge: Our 3PL client experienced challenges handling a service parts returns operation that was added to their scope of services for a major automotive OEM. Site managers, experienced in repair and refurbishment processes but not in distribution processes, had set up the facility and operations with little advance notice. The operation was losing approximately $100K per month.

Challenge: Our client made a bold promise to its customers. Order any of its 600,000 products from its vast super store of industrial supplies by 8:00 pm EST, and get next day delivery. But with more than 2 million square feet of warehouse space and the highest SKU count in the industry, keeping that promise was a challenge.