2019 Supply Chain Management Resource Guide

This issue features more than 60 reports from top minds in technology, logistics and transportation in a variety of industry verticals.

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What’s Your Supply Chain IQ?

February 11, 2019

SupplyChainBrain

Take a look inside our annual Supply Chain Management Resource Guide — featuring more than 60 reports from top minds in technology, logistics and transportation in a variety of industry verticals.

Journey to Business 4.0: How Digital Alignment Connects the Silos

February 6, 2019

Rich Sherman, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

Supply chain management is undergoing a fundamental transformation from “chain” management to “network” management.

Five Steps to Close 2018's Warehousing Performance Gap

February 6, 2019

Joe Tillman, SCB Contributor, Donnie Williams, SCB Contributor, and Karl Manrodt, SCB Contributor

It's time to prioritize our workers' brains — not brawn.

Aligning Metrics for the Business at Hand

February 6, 2019

Kate Vitasek, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

Properly aligning metrics with supply chain partners to track and improve strategic relationships is an idea whose time has come. Simply monitoring transactions is not enough; metrics must add value.

Three Methods to Combat Supply-Chain Cyberattacks

February 6, 2019

Gregory Schlegel, SCB Contributor

Cyberattacks are on the rise — with 80 percent emanating from within the supply chain and costing an average of $6.5m.

Importing and Exporting: The Most Important Thing to Remember

February 6, 2019

Beth Pride, SCB Contributor

Before last year, companies hadn’t put much thought into their products' harmonized tariff schedule (HTS).

Supply Chain Education: How to Gain a Competitive Edge

February 6, 2019

Abe Eshkenazi, SCB Contributor

The way today's businesses view and value supply chain management is changing.

The Challenge of Strategic Alignment

February 6, 2019

James Tompkins, SCB Contributor

In today’s complex and disruptive business environment, it's more difficult than ever to establish and maintain strategic alignment among a supply chain's people, processes and technology components.

Learning by Doing: Innovation in Teaching Contracting Skills

February 6, 2019

Kate Vitasek, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

Innovative educational approaches are allowing companies to make the shift from role-playing to “real-playing.”

How to Minimize Damage From Foodborne Outbreaks Before They Happen

February 6, 2019

Angela Fernandez, SCB Contributor

The increasing complexity and interconnected nature of today’s food supply chain calls for proactive risk mitigation — at every step in the supply chain.

How Hazmat Shipping Compliance Can Impact Your Business

February 6, 2019

Alicia Saenz, SCB Contributor

Shipping and handling hazardous materials can have serious operational, financial and environmental ramifications for shippers.

Déjà Vu: Leveraging Supply Chain Analytics for Competitive Advantage

February 6, 2019

Rich Sherman, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

Goodbye, traditional "enterprise analytics." Hello, holistic "platform analytics."

State of the U.S. Auto Industry: From Manufacturers to Technology Developers

February 6, 2019

Craig Moberg, SCB Contributor

The U.S. automotive industry is in a flux — with General Motors and Ford cutting production due to low sales.

Digital Supply Networks Become Reality in Chemicals, Energy Industries

February 6, 2019

David Cahn, SCB Contributor

The chemicals and energy market is ripe for continued growth — even in uncertain times of geopolitical, environmental and regulatory compliance unrest.

The Growth — and Reality — of Online Consumer Goods

February 6, 2019

Bruce Tompkins, SCB Contributor

Why is the consumer packaged goods industry lagging behind others when it comes to online sales?

E-Tail 2019: Less Fulfillment, More Customer Experience

February 6, 2019

Rich Sherman, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

Old thinking has led many companies to look at omnichannel from a strictly fulfillment perspective.

How to Navigate ‘Direct to Consumer’

February 6, 2019

Ashwin Ramasamy, SCB Contributor

Going direct-to-consumer makes good business sense, but it calls for a different level of supply chain preparedness.

Multichannel Shipping: Are You Keeping Up?

February 6, 2019

Dan Clark, SCB Contributor

These technologies can help e-commerce and omnichannel companies compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.

The New World of Grocery: How CPGs Are Adapting

February 6, 2019

Keith Goldsmith, SCB Contributor and Matt Sinn, SCB Contributor

Food and beverage online sales are forecasted to grow 700 percent in seven years.

It’s Time to Adjust to Changing Customer Tastes, Shopping Habits

February 6, 2019

Dan Clark, SCB Contributor

Growers, manufacturers and retailers alike are suffering from thin margins, high fixed costs, new sales methods and growing competition from big-box stores.

Keeping Pace With Changing Consumer Preferences

February 6, 2019

Brian Medley, SCB Contributor

Changing consumer tastes and preferences are rocking the food and beverage industry — and fueling business innovation.

Funding Smarter, More Integrated Manufacturing

February 6, 2019

Nathan Feather, SCB Contributor

Advanced technologies like AI, predictive analytics, internet of things and automation are reshaping industrial manufacturing.

The Future of Healthcare Product Fulfillment Is Unrecognizable

February 6, 2019

Benjamin Patipa, SCB Contributor

In the health products e-commerce race, the fastest and most agile win.

When Hospitals Become Distributors, There Are More Ways to Save

February 6, 2019

Daniel Johnson, SCB Contributor

A growing number of healthcare systems are moving to self-distribution — where they order products directly from manufacturers and handle their own storage and order fulfillment.

The New DC: How Technologies Are Changing Distribution Design

February 6, 2019

Chris Slover, SCB Contributor

Pricey real estate, cheaper technology and continued labor challenges will continue to drive automation in tomorrow's distribution centers. What’s on the horizon?

From Same-Day to Same-Hour Delivery: An Outlook

February 14, 2019

The state of last-mile logistics is in flux, with new vendors popping up in each corner of the market offering delivery solutions for a wide variety of locations, fees, time windows and services options.

Global Small-Parcel Market Growth Will Remain Strong in 2019

February 6, 2019

John Haber, SCB Contributor

Led by the growth in e-commerce — and despite some political risks — the market will benefit from both consumer and business demands.

Dynamic Transportation Planning for Times of Unpredictable Global Trade

February 6, 2019

Daniel Sears, SCB Contributor

The escalating trade war has significant transportation strategy and operations implications.

No More Heavy Lifting: Logistics Outsourcing for the Building Materials Industry

February 6, 2019

Matt Brinker, SCB Contributor

To increase productivity in the midst of the truck driver shortage, businesses must do more with what they already have.

Spare Parts Supply Chains in the Era of Servitization

February 6, 2019

Andy Prinz & Alex Cheesman, SCB Contributors

Spare parts are an often-overlooked component of supply chain management.

Last-Mile Delivery: A Pothole in the Road to E-Commerce Growth

February 6, 2019

Rich Sherman, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

New categories of last-mile delivery companies and sharing services are emerging to meet growing challenges.

It's Alive: How Digital Technology Convergence Enables Business 4.0

February 6, 2019

Rich Sherman, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

We still can’t “beam” goods to people, but we can “beam” data at the speed of light.

The Future of AI and Supply Chain Management

February 7, 2019

PJ Jakovljevic, SCB Contributor

In a world of big data and bigger customer expectations, the future of supply chain management rests in the predictive and prescriptive power of artificial intelligence.

How Industrial IoT Impacts Today’s Supply Chains

February 7, 2019

Alan Griffiths, SCB Contributor

There is nothing new about the internet of things. What’s changing is its cost-effectiveness — and ability to integrate with other systems and processes.

The Evolution of Supply Chain in the Cloud

February 6, 2019

Chris Elliott, SCB Contributor and Joe Tillman, SCB Contributor

What was once a disparate set of green-screen applications is rapidly becoming web-based, high-speed and powered by AI.

Three Cost-Effective Reasons to Invest More in Your Suppliers

February 11, 2019

Nathan Feather, SCB Contributor

Supply chain finance programs often center on the buyer’s path to free cash flow, but innovative companies are finding — and purposefully investing in — supplier benefits, too.

Digital Transportation Management and the Promise of Machine Learning

February 6, 2019

Steve Banker, SCB Contributor

Here's how big data and machine learning will transform transportation management.

How to Offset Driver Shortage in the Heavy Materials Industry

February 6, 2019

Jason Campbell, SCB Contributor

There is a tremendous opportunity to improve on existing processes and increase trucking capacity — without adding more trucks or hiring more drivers.

Digital Transformation and the Supply Chain

February 6, 2019

PJ Jakovljevic, SCB Contributor

While supply chain management has typically focused on lowering costs, today’s trends are about business growth through digital transformation.

How to Achieve Perfect Order Accuracy With RFID

February 6, 2019

Susan Pichoff, SCB Contributor

Up to a third of inventory is not visible to businesses in today’s retail industry.

The Retail Revolution: Five Key Components to Winning Customers

February 6, 2019

Scott Moon, SCB Contributor

History has never known a single marketplace for shoppers and vendors from anywhere in the world, until now.

Time for TMS: More Shoppers Demand Real-Time Shipment Visibility

February 6, 2019

Dan Clark, SCB Contributor

Traditional shipping processes are disappearing by the wayside.

How Collaborative Tech Can Ease the Tight Trucking Market

February 6, 2019

Patrick Pretorius, SCB Contributor

Transportation sourcing is always a challenge in times of scarcity. But today's trucking market — with its unprecedented demand for capacity — has many shippers frantic.

Combating Transportation Costs and Challenges With a TMS

February 6, 2019

Frank McGuigan, SCB Contributor

As capacity constraints, driver shortages, government regulations and robust economic conditions continue to drive up logistics spending, companies are seeking new ways to cut costs.

Cost Visibility for Effective Supply Chain Decision-Making

February 6, 2019

Andy Prinz & Jack Johnson, SCB Contributors

One of the biggest challenges for supply chain executives is balancing trade-offs between cost reduction and supply chain performance improvement.

How Data Management Drives Omnichannel Supply-Chain Planning

February 6, 2019

John Richardson, SCB Contributor

The scale at which companies are compiling data is pushing them to explore new ways to manage that information.

Elevating Integration: Steps to Improving Supply-Chain Communication

February 6, 2019

Jeff Godwin & Stephen Bullard, SCB Contributors

Linking, sharing and synchronizing data from diverse technology sources — also known as systems integration — is a critical aspect of supply chain management.

It’s Time for Late Adopters to Embrace Digital Transportation Management

February 6, 2019

Dave Donaldson, SCB Contributor

Transportation management systems showed the highest ROI of all technology expenses, according to a recent survey of CIOs.

Making the Digital Pivot in Supply Chain Management

February 6, 2019

Arun Samuga, SCB Contributor

More and more businesses are employing next-generation thinking — and technologies.

Next-Gen S&OP: Profiting Through Predictive Analytics, Big Data

February 6, 2019

Gregory Schlegel, SCB Contributor

It’s not easy to start a sales and operations planning process — and it's even more difficult to sustain one.

Reinventing Supplier-Relationship Management

February 6, 2019

Marisa Brown, SCB Contributor

Traditional supplier-relationship management is incomplete, misaligned and unbalanced.

S&OP Maturity in Today’s Market

February 6, 2019

Andy Prinz & Jack Johnson, SCB Contributors

More companies are undergoing Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) transformations today due to increased understanding of their value, as well as increased capability of new forecasting technologies such as machine learning and demand sensing.

The Volatile Global Economy Demands End-to-End Cooperation

February 6, 2019

Kate Vitasek, SupplyChainBrain Contributor

In the current climate of “economic populism,” buyers, sellers and their supply chains have an opportunity to step up and cope with major challenges through cooperation, transparency and flexibility.

Top Technologies to Improve S&OP

February 6, 2019

Ryan Sullivan & Mercy Harper, SCB Contributors

Sales and operations planning is often stymied by unreliable data, information silos and scheduling challenges. These solutions promise to improve and streamline the process.

Construction's Slow Digital Transition Is Becoming Dangerous for Business

February 6, 2019

Ed Rusch, SCB Contributor

The improving economy has significantly increased construction activity, which has put additional pressure on the availability of materials, equipment and skilled labor.

Automated Warehousing Is Outstripping Growth of Bots in Manufacturing

February 6, 2019

Jim Serstad, SCB Contributor

Though less mature, robotics for the warehouse are expanding at a faster rate than those in manufacturing.

Today's Express Delivery Model Is Not Sustainable

February 6, 2019

Chuck Doty, SCB Contributor

A growing number of e-commerce companies use next-day or same-day delivery to motivate their customers to click. But many current distribution methods can't keep up.

Collaborative Bots Will Assist a Third of Warehouse Workers: Five Year Outlook

February 6, 2019

Dwight Klappich, SCB Contributor

How next-generation autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are transforming warehouse operations.

The Next Breakthrough in Distribution Technology

February 6, 2019

Tim Johnson & Roger Counihan, SCB Contributors

The next big breakthrough in warehousing and distribution will not come from bots, drones or new hardware technologies.

Bots for the Warehouse: Seven Scenarios That Call for Increased Investment

February 6, 2019

Luke Nuber, SCB Contributor

Should distribution centers adopt now or wait for the technology to mature?

How RFID Spreads Benefits Throughout the Supply Chain

February 6, 2019

Jon Wood, SCB Contributor

Much of the hype surrounding radio frequency identification (RFID) highlights retail environments and store inventory management. Here's how the technology is driving forward warehouse operations, too.

The New Retail: Born in China, Going Global

February 6, 2019

Michael Zakkour, SCB Contributor

Are we approaching a retail apocalypse or retail renaissance?

Flexible Online Fulfillment and the ‘Power of Two’ in Canada

February 6, 2019

Jeff Ashcroft, SCB Contributor

This solution allows Canadian sellers to reach major urban markets for next-day delivery.

Blockchain, Emerging Tech and Supply Chain Gender Gap to Headline ProMat Show

The manufacturing and supply chain conference is coming to Chicago April 8 to 11

February 11, 2019

SupplyChainBrain

Keynotes focusing on leading trends, best practices and what's next in best-in-class solutions promise to give attendees actionable insights into making their entire supply chains work more efficiently and profitably.