Supply Chains market segments different from Marketing In the drive for cost reduction, businesses have emphasised the higher utilisation of machines. This has resulted in no spare capacity on internal equipment, and the outsourcing of manufacturing has also removed capacity buffers. This leaves inventory as the buffer against variability of demands from customers, consumers or internal sources and the supply … Read More
Segment elements in your Supply Chains to reduce Risk
Can the future be forecast? The amount of complexity within the planning and scheduling of supply chains has enabled software suppliers to promote ‘solutions’ that provide answers to planning questions to four decimal places. But is this required? Think of yourself; you know more about you than anyone else. How far into the future (by week) can you forecast your … Read More
Reducing Complexity for planning your Supply Chains
Complex and Complexity When discussing Supply Chains and their Flows (of items, money, data and information), the terms Complex and Complexity (or complicated) are commonly used. While sounding similar, they are different. The Supply Chains Network of a business is an example of a system that is complex. The Network contains many organisations with varying relationships that can be dependent, … Read More
What structure for your Supply Chains Organisation?
Is there a ‘best’ structure for a Supply Chains group? What organisation structure can work best for your Supply Chains group? Either a Centralised or Decentralised structure is the obvious approach, but do these consider the multiple functions in and supporting supply chains? A Centralised supply chain model is best suited when the products generated from each business unit are … Read More
Reduce waste for Sustainability through Supply Chains
Waste happens When waste is discussed, it typically refers to waste generated within a business. However, an increasing requirement for Sustainability of organisations means that the waste of time and materials must include that occurring throughout the supply chains. The extent of the challenge can be assumed to be large, but is dependent on the industry sector and the strategies … Read More