The Lean Supply Chain
The Road Map Out of This Mess
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the shortcomings of a supply chain that is perhaps too lean. However, to be “lean” doesn’t mean keeping extremely low inventory levels with no coordination or backup plan.
Accounting for Lean
Lean accounting coupled with a lean supply chain can ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction to reach the maximum, long-range goals and benefits of Lean thinking.
Supply Chain AI: This Time It’s for Real
While Artificial Intelligence is not a new concept, what has changed is the power of computing, cloud-based service options and the applicability of AI to supply chain and logistics.
Drilling Deeper Into Your Supply Chain
Many industries use supply chain analytics to drive insight, make better business decisions and verify or disprove existing models or theories.
The View From the Control Tower
Control towers can be a critical component in managing a lean and agile supply chain.
IBP and Lean: A Match Made in Heaven
Integrated Business Planning (IBP) uses an outside in type of thinking approach, which is more appropriate in today’s business world.
Managing Change in Turbulent Times
The rules that keep goods moving across borders are only going to get more complex. Staying compliant, let alone keeping track and making sense of scores of countries’ customs and compliance rules, international trade agreements, and a host of new pacts that will soon be coming online is a daunting task.
Omnichannel Retail: 4 Rules for Success
It is possible to anticipate and plan for future omnichannel retail challenges by following these four rules.
Riding Out the Rapids
A lean, agile supply chain helps companies anticipate and minimize the impact of disruptions.
Store Delivery Keeps Retailers in the Game
The fulfillment part of multi-channel e-commerce is tricky; store delivery is one possible last-mile option.
Are You Ready for Omnichannel Retail?
While many challenges arise from an omnichannel retail strategy, supply chain professionals must rise to the occasion and stay ahead of these changes.
Don't Let Your Office Go to Waste
It can be easy to ignore the efficiency of administrative activities in the supply chain but office activities can constitute approximately 50 percent of the order to shipment lead time. Here’s how to apply lean tools to your office.
Internet of Things to Come
The Internet of Things offers greater differentiation and innovation of the supply chain, which can lead to a competitive advantage.
Peak Season Planning: A Year-Round Venture
This year, you may want to start your holiday planning earlier with a more structured methodology. Here’s why.
Sometimes It's Better Not to Be So Pushy
It’s worthwhile to consider the push/pull boundaries already in place at your company and where they should be to best serve your customers–and shareholders–in the future.
Global Supply Chain Risk: Don’t Wait, Mitigate
Having a global supply chain risk management strategy in place can not only increase value to your customers but also reduce your costs and increase performance.
Stay Competitive with a Flexible TMS
Volatile demand, shrinking lead times, and new consumption patterns have impacted transportation systems in many ways. That makes it ever more important to maintain an agile, flexible supply chain to gain a competitive advantage.
What's Your Sourcing Strategy?
Despite Lean traditionally being thought of as a “pen and pencil” technique, it is in fact a key enabler of a lean supply chain linking lean thinking with available and affordable systems and technologies to get the most out of improved processes.
Predictive Analytics Takes Forecasting to a New Level
Predictive analytics utilizes various statistical techniques and models that analyze current and historical facts to make predictions about future.
Using Network Optimization Technology To Enable Your Lean Supply Chain
From a Lean and agile supply chain perspective,an optimally designed supply chain can significantly improve margins,support expansion into new markets,enhance the customer experience,and reduce operating costs.
How Supply Chain Strategies Impact
E-commerce Success
The emergence of e-commerce as part of a company’s omni-channel marketing program requires not only an agile, lean supply chain but also a strategy to get there.
Lean: It’s Not About Pens and Pencils Anymore
Despite Lean traditionally being thought of as a “pen and pencil” technique, it is in fact a key enabler of a lean supply chain linking lean thinking with available and affordable systems and technologies to get the most out of improved processes.
Does Your Supply Chain Need an Alignment?
If your company’s supply chain isn’t aligned with your overall business competitive strategy, then performance may fall short of expectations, with higher costs, poor execution, and reduced revenue and profits.
Saving Green While Going Green
Supply chain sustainability, while good for the environment, can also be good for the bottom line if incorporated into a company’s supply chain strategy.
RFID: More Than Just a Better Barcode
Radio Frequency Identification Technology has a multitude of benefits that can have a significant impact on reducing and eliminating waste in the extended supply chain.
Measuring to Manage or Barely Managing to Measure
It is critical to set meaningful, relevant, and attainable targets to ensure that everyone is focused on a Lean supply chain.
Procurement and Purchasing:
Buying into Lean
When applying Lean principles to procurement and purchasing processes, non-traditional sources of waste can be identified, which benefits the entire supply chain.
How to Cut Seven Non-Traditional Wastes
These seven non-traditional forms of waste can have a direct impact on your bottom line.
How Location Decisions Impact a Lean Strategy
When trying to avoid waste in your supply chain, it’s all about location, location, location.
Designing a New Strategy for a New Year
Debunking these five myths helps retailers and manufacturers see the real value of dedicated returns management.
Supply Chain Integration + Collaboration = Time Travel?
Debunking these five myths helps retailers and manufacturers see the real value of dedicated returns management.
A Lean and Agile Supply Chain: Not an Option, But a Necessity
Companies can benefit from have a hybrid supply chain that is not only Lean, but also agile.
Selecting the Right Technology to Support Your Lean Operations
Before choosing enterprise solutions, companies should conduct intensive requirements research.
Lean Retail: It’s About Time – and Money
Retailers can identify and eliminate waste from their retail strategy, merchandise management, and store operations.
Streamlining Inventory Through SKU Rationalization
The number of stockkeeping units has increased considerably. Doing an ABC analysis helps eliminate unneeded inventory.
Collaborative Programs: Not a Chore But an Opportunity
Programs such as vendor managed inventory (VMI) and efficient consumer response (ECR) fuel supply chain growth.
Tapping Technology To Improve Lean Warehouses
Tools such as electronic data interchange (EDI) and advanced picking solutions support lean supply chain operations.
Putting a Lean Spin on Reverse Logistics
Managing reverse logistics with a Lean outlook can not only improve profitability, but also add value for customers.
We’re All in This Together: Teamwork in a Lean Workplace
Building strong teams can facilitate Lean initiatives in warehouses and supply chain operations.
Reducing Defects and Errors: Don't Make the Same Mistake Twice
Apply Lean concepts to eliminate product defects and operator errors in supply chain and logistics operations.
Are Your Processes Adding Value or Waste?
Value-added warehouse processes such as kitting and assembling may be introducing overprocessing waste into your supply chain.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Overproduction
Producing or purchasing too much inventory leads to waste and carrying costs. Companies can apply the Lean principle of Takt time to ensure the right level of product is on hand to meet customer needs.
Playing the Waiting Game
Identify the sources of delay to reduce the time workers spend waiting for instructions and supplies. Lean tools such as Kanban and Total Productive Maintenance can help, writes Paul A. Myerson.
Eliminating Wasted Motion
Lean concepts such as 5S, Visual Workplace, and Kanban help reduce motion waste to create safer, more efficient workplaces.
Minimizing Wasted Movement
Eliminating unnecessary movements in warehousing operations goes a long way toward improving your supply chain’s Lean profile.
Inventory…What a Waste
Carrying excess inventory ties up valuable capital and warehouse space. Using lean tools to analyze and optimize inventory levels helps companies operate more efficiently.
The Journey to Continuous Supply Chain Improvement
Applying lean manufacturing principles to supply chain and logistics operations can help businesses reduce costs and gain efficiencies, writes Paul A. Myerson of LPA, LLC.
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