Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 2, 2025

For my long-time readers, you know that fewer than 3% of companies outperform their peer group in our Supply Chains to Admire analysis , and that the Gartner Top 25 is essentially a beauty contest for underperformers. The companies that people believe are top performers typically are laggards.

Optimal Sourcing 195

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Design Software 195

ToolsGroup

JUNE 2, 2023

Once upon a time, the world of manufacturing was a relatively stable place. Suddenly, managing inventory is the name of the game for companies trying to manage working capital and maximize profit while keeping customers happy. So how does a manufacturer navigate this rollercoaster?

Real-time Visibility 294

Real-time Visibility Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 294

Logistics Viewpoints

JANUARY 17, 2022

When companies consider implementing enterprise software, standard operating procedure would be to look at a public company’s financials before deciding to implement the solution. If the software company is private, the prospective customer often asks for the right to view their financials. The Rule of 40. The problem?

Logistics Network Optimization Software 296

Logistics Network Optimization Software Modeling Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Software 296

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 19, 2020

My second observation is that for 96% of public companies supply chain excellence is slip-sliding away. The supply chain is complex non-linear system that is easily thrown out of balance through a focus on functional metrics. The supply chain today efficiently pollutes the planet but does not create value for 96% of public companies.

Supply Chain Design Software 429

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Agile and Lean Supply Chain 429

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 18, 2022

The company sources goods from 34,000 suppliers out of 30 nations. The company is piloting secure lockers for stock at their major sites. Adding to the complexity of the supply chain is that Ferguson is an acquisitive company. The company recorded 1.9 The company has shown sustained improvement on this metric.

Supply Chain Design Software 298

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Network Design Software 298

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Executive teams strive to drive improvement in supply chain results; yet, sadly, only four percent of public companies succeed. In this area of research, I find that companies are like dogs chasing cars. The grass is always greener at another company. Now, I view the company as a supply chain laggard. The reason?

Procurement Analytics 353

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 353

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

Commerce is global and regional at the same time, the world is getting smaller and more interconnected, and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturers operate in this build-anywhere and sell-anywhere market. Here we have compiled a list of the top six challenges that CPG companies face in the post-pandemic market.

Supply Chain Planning Software 278

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 278

RFgen

DECEMBER 19, 2024

That’s the power of manufacturing data collection. Manufacturing data collection is your secret weapon for boosting efficiency, cutting waste, and staying ahead of the competition. Manufacturing data collection is your secret weapon for boosting efficiency, cutting waste, and staying ahead of the competition.

Manufacturing Procurement 98

Manufacturing Procurement Optimization Software Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction 98

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Strangely, in the last decade, while companies had the opportunity to use technology better, supply chain performance declined. Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. Both companies outperformed their peer groups.

Supply Chain Planning Software 418

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 418

The Logistics of Logistics

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Jonathon McKay , Sarah Ahern , and Joe Lynch discuss how exceptional companies grow. Focused on logistics, manufacturing, and distribution channel strategies, Jonathon helps organizations make confident decisions for bold growth. Use data to know who their best customers are and what they want – exceptional companies don’t guess.

Price Reduction 278

Price Reduction Company Supply Chain Strategy Logistics Network Optimization Software 278

Logility

MAY 18, 2020

Retail giant Amazon uses predictive analytics to study the behaviors of over 200 million customers who produce over 1 billion GB of website data per year, which results in tailored product suggestions that earn the company over $2 billion in sales a year. But your company doesn’t have to be a retail giant to use predictive analytics.

Predictive Analytics 228

Predictive Analytics Analytics Software Predictive Analytics Software Procurement Analytics 228

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 15, 2022

” In this work, my observation is that large companies have a more difficult journey to drive organizational alignment, than smaller companies. Companies became less clear on the definition of supply chain excellence and how to implement decision support technologies. Functional Metrics. False Beliefs.

Manufacturing Procurement 396

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics 396

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

As companies across industries have discovered, a well-optimized supply chain can drive significant improvements throughout their operations. In the automotive sector, manufacturers are simultaneously reducing inventory costs and delivery times. This post delves into the core drivers of supply chain efficiency.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Inventory Reduction Waste Reduction Expense Reduction 96

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 9, 2021

of revenue on information technology (IT), only six percent of manufacturers drove performance at the intersection of growth and margin. Yes, companies held more inventory (measured in days of inventory) in 2019 than at the start of the 2007 recession. Despite spending 1.1% Rise in Inventories. Less Effective at Inventory Management.

Supply Chain Planning Software 367

Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics Supply Chain Performance Manufacturing Procurement 367

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 3, 2025

According to a survey by ARC Advisory Group, only 10% of industrial companies are ready to apply artificial intelligence/machine learning. The percentage of industrial companies broadly applying agentic AI and generative AI would be a small fraction of that number. The company has 55 manufacturing sites across the world.

Negotiating Skills 180

Negotiating Skills Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Planning Software 180

DELMIA Quintiq

OCTOBER 7, 2020

With a small, fast pivot of the business and supplies we can enable companies to do things they thought they might not have otherwise been capable of doing. Digitalization has enabled companies to pivot faster to new and more innovative products, processes or never-produced products needed to save lives in the pandemic.

Supply Chain Design Software 358

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Analytics Software Supply Chain Software 358

RFgen

DECEMBER 19, 2024

Mobile barcoding helps supply chain companies achieve their green and sustainability initiatives. Many modern companies still use paper processes and spreadsheets to record inventory movements before manually transcribing these transactions into their ERP. Which warehouse performance metrics should be tracked?

Optimal Sourcing 97

Optimal Sourcing Optimization Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 97

DELMIA Quintiq

JUNE 22, 2021

In this final blog on agility and why you should consider becoming an agilist to survive the new completion (of the continuous mention) of the application of enterprise decision management systems (EDMS) from Taylor and Raden cited in the first blog, I turn to the metric of agility and a new ROI metric of decision yield.

Metrics 156

Metrics Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Optimization Software 156

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 18, 2023

For organizations layered in functional metrics and driving a cost agenda, this is a tough nut to crack. Companies needed quicker answers with better insights, but current organizational processes are slow, putting supply chains on the back foot. Companies participating get a copy of the results. Tougher than most understand.

Supply Chain Planning Software 401

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Software 401

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

” Here is an excerpt from the article: “…it isn’t by becoming more efficient that the supply chains of Wal-Mart, Dell, and Amazon have given those companies an edge over their competitors. Only supply chains that are agile, adaptable, and aligned provide companies with sustainable competitive advantage.”

Supply Chain Planning Software 329

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Software 329

Logility

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

From retail and food and beverage to manufacturing and life sciences, companies from a wide variety of industries are realizing the benefits of the technology, revolutionizing how they operate, collaborate, and generate value. The cloud has emerged as the cornerstone of modern business and supply chain innovation.

Supply Chain Planning Software 197

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Pharmaceutical 197

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

No company interviewed was able to successfully use their current what-if solutions to model pandemic impacts. Companies need an easy-to-use sandbox deployment to visualize supply chain constraints and the impact of variability. Advanced planning evolved with a focus on modeling manufacturing constraints. Next Steps.

Supply Chain Planning Software 303

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 303

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 7, 2022

Customers, investors, and regulatory agencies are demanding that companies actively address the climate crisis. These include: Challenges getting ESG metrics from suppliers, partners, and other third parties. Time-consuming manual processes to report on ESG metrics. Air and water pollution. Start with your supply chain.

Material Savings 315

Material Savings Waste Reduction Resource Reduction Supply Chain Design Software 315

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 25, 2021

Only four percent of companies outperformed their peer groups. While market potential declined, individual company performance declined faster. I strongly believe that we adopted practices in the last two decades that degraded performance and threw companies out of balance. The Focus Inside-out Supported by Functional Metrics.

Procurement Analytics 370

Procurement Analytics Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software 370

Logistics Viewpoints

OCTOBER 4, 2021

And how can consumer goods companies learn from their performance in this pandemic to prepare for the future? The company provides demand and inventory planning solutions based on a public cloud architecture. They provide these solutions to some of the largest consumer goods and food & beverage companies in the world.

Inventory Reduction 284

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Performance Cost Reduction Strategies Supply and Demand 284

Jaggaer

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Forward-thinking organizations have transformed the department into an untapped gold mine that creates value for the entire end-to-end manufacturing process—from design and sourcing to production and delivery. Our latest e-book, “ Is Manufacturing Missing Out On Procurement’s Value Add? Here are some key insights from the e-book.

Manufacturing Procurement 52

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Frank, the line manager for manufacturing, dominated the meetings. Despite goals to improve agility and resiliency, functional metrics for manufacturing efficiency continually throw the supply chain out of balance. Strong manufacturing organizations do not make the most effective manufacturers.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 301

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 301

Logistics Viewpoints

JANUARY 31, 2024

As regulations across the globe strengthen, the pressure to collect, report, and organize emission-related metrics has never been higher. This added responsibility for companies will have lasting effects on business operations, corporate partnerships, supply chain logistics, compliance requirements, and data integrity.

Report 313

Report Data Material Savings Manufacturing Procurement 313

DELMIA Quintiq

MARCH 30, 2023

The widespread supply chain disruptions that happened when the global pandemic hit in 2020 highlighted several important lessons regarding manufacturing and supply chain visibility. Powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, DELMIA takes a model-based, data-driven approach by connecting the virtual and real worlds of manufacturing and operations.

Manufacturing 156

Manufacturing Real-time Visibility Industrial Industry 156

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2023

A large consumer products manufacturer with nine Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) instances and several divisions wanted to discuss forecasting. The Center of Excellence at the company wanted to improve base-level capabilities but struggled to move forward due to the traditional views of the planning team, which they felt were self-serving.

Supply and Demand 391

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Supply Chain Planning Software 391

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

He was proud of his work at the company, and made many strides to drive improvement, but was forced to leave. I worked three layers down in the organization for a well-established leader in manufacturing named Dan. Dan had a very manufacturing view and Fred focused on logistics. The metrics were not aligned.

Supply Chain Planning Software 357

Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software Cost Reduction Strategies 357

ivalua

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

For example, consider the challenges in the automotive industry that stem from the supply chain issue in chip manufacturing. Massive delays have led to serious, financial, operational and performance impact across a wide range of companies. . Tracking the Metrics that Matter. Inflation Metrics. Risk Metrics.

Procurement Analytics 130

Procurement Analytics Metrics Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing 130

Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

In a survey of 150 global manufacturing executives, 47% committed to improving supply chain visibility and tracking. Supply chain visibility often means “where’s my stuff,” or the ability to trace parts in transit from the manufacturer to the final destination. What is supply chain visibility?

Supply Chain Visibility 329

Supply Chain Visibility Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning 329

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

He feels he has the answer for companies. ” However, his company remains small with a couple of clients. If it was an answer, why is the company not growing? As I analyze business results , I see that most companies are really stuck. How did the company perform against the plan?” On average, it takes 2.8

Supply Chain Planning Software 359

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 359

Logistics Viewpoints

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

COVID of course taught companies the need for agility. There can be surprises that potentially offer a better upside: demand is higher than expected, it is possible to raise prices without affecting demand based on what is happening with competitor products, technology has allowed manufacturing capacity to ramp up faster than expected, etc.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 292

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Network Software 292

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 5, 2019

In many deployments of telematics, companies get visibility on truck status, but the data is an overkill. What most companies want is a system with prescriptive analytics to tell them when a shipment is expected to be late and what action to take. Companies are drowning in data, but struggle to get insights. 2) Latency.

Supply Chain Design Software 308

Supply Chain Design Software Real-time Visibility Prescriptive Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software 308

The Logistics of Logistics

JUNE 14, 2024

Karl is the CEO and Co-founder of Pull Logic , an AI-enabled tech company focused on reducing lost sales for retailers, brands, and manufacturers due failure points in the supply chain and selling processes. Gain insights into the massive problem of inventory distortion and its trillion-dollar impact on companies.

Inventory Reduction 264

Inventory Reduction Inventory Inventory Management Software Modeling 264