Browsing: Supply Chain Analysis

China’s compelling cost structure is leading many retailers and manufacturers to view it as the land of opportunity. But what are the hidden costs of a China supply chain?

Leaner, greener and meaner must be the way ahead for the automotive supply chain of the future. But is the sector tunned-up for high performance?

A new generation of technology is giving supply chain collaboration a greater impetus. But are all parties prepared to play the game of sharing data?

TNT’s decision to exit logistics has come as a major surprise and will raise some questions on past strategic moves.

‘Managing a business is really about managing the supply chain,’ says the global operations director of De La Rue Cash Systems.

This month acquisition activity has focused around global Swiss logistics provider Kuehne + Nagel International.

Inventory management used to be about lean systems and JIT but accurate real time information is now more essential as demand-driven supply networks come on-stream. Perhaps one day, stock-outs really will be consigned to history.

The engineering sector is late on the supply chain bandwagon but the challenge of low cost overseas manufacturing means logistics is fast moving up the agenda. What does the future hold?

With so many variables – cost, lead-time, response to consumer trends – it can seem as though the odds are stacked heavily against the retailer. How can buyers make the best sourcing decisions to beat the odds?