Analyst Insight: Third-party logistics providers continue to be the recipients of outsourcing requirements and have grown to provide a critical business capability, but the business rationale in selecting an outsourcing partner appears to be changing. The use of 3PLs remains compelling, with shipping companies continuing to report productivity gains - along with cost reduction and service enhancement - but in discussions with clients, increasingly manufacturers are looking to leverage industry best practices and process knowledge as a first priority.
- Simon Ellis, Director, Supply Chain Strategies Practice, IDC Manufacturing Insights
Mike Perkins, vice president of fulfillment and manufacturing with L.L. Bean, explains how the company was able to postpone building a new distribution center, despite an increase in sales.
Rear Admiral Mark Heinrich, commander of the Naval Supply Systems Command and chief of the Supply Corps, reveals what it's like to oversee one of the world's most complex and critical supply chains.
Brent Beabout, senior vice president of supply chain with Office Depot, describes how the company slashed packaging waste by switching from corrugated cardboard to paper bags for deliveries to consumers and business. A finalist in the Supply Chain Innovation of the Year competition.
Doug Colbeth, chief executive officer of Kinaxis, delves into the new idea of supply chain management as-a-service, examines the state of cloud-based applications, and suggests a new term to replace "supply-chain management."
A discussion with Dinesh Dongre, vice president of strategy with Softeon, about how companies can shift their focus from cost reduction to growth, as a response to economic recovery.
Greg Aimi, research director with Gartner, joins us in a discussion of new ideas in logistics outsourcing, including the move from transaction-based to strategic relationships between providers and their customers.
Integrating supply chain planning and execution is vital to today's businesses, but 80 percent of the data that most companies need to achieve this integration lies outside their four walls. Mark Cosway, vice president of industry sales at GT Nexus, explains a new approach to solving this problem.
A case study examining the challenges that Red Star Traders faced in retooling its import supply chain to meet growing demand, with managing principal Lenny Vainberg.
Loren Troyer, director of order management strategy with John Deere, lays out what it takes to meet customer demand. He also discusses the benefits of "flexibility planning."
