Posts Tagged ‘supply chain’

Now is the time for retail giants to knock Santa off his pedestal – and to do it, they can become reverse logistics experts. The younger generations have become accustomed to trying products before they buy them and being able to return them conveniently when products do not live up to their expectations. In both […]

Customers are demanding a personalized experience, and manufacturing is no different. One-size-fits-all manufacturing is now becoming a thing of the past. Today, we are seeing a decline in the mass production of identical products in exchange for personalization and niche products. As consumers intensify their expectations for on-demand personalization and delivery within days of purchase, […]

In the dynamic world of business-to-business (B2B) distribution, mastering the art of distribution can be both rewarding and challenging. Distributors play a crucial role in the supply chain, acting as intermediaries between manufacturers and end customers. Turning B2B challenges into opportunities often requires a proactive, adaptable, and innovative approach. It’s essential to stay customer-focused, monitor […]

If you’ve been paying close attention to the automotive market lately, specifically the electric vehicle market, you will have noticed that OEMs are beginning to invest in battery production as a critical component of their overall electric vehicle transition. Most notably, they are doing so within their own borders. This begs the question: Why would […]

Consigned Inventory is today’s supply chain reality to reduce inventory carrying cost as well as reducing related warehouse infrastructure and maintenance cost. Companies have adopted this model as an alternative to owning stock of inventory for a variety of reasons: Lowers the risk of price fluctuation impacting inventory valuation. Augments working capital utilization. Lowers manufacturing […]

As proposed by the World Economic Forum as well as Harvard University, a fourth Industrial Revolution, aka Industry 4.0, is starting.

Industry 4.0 enables companies, governments, and public sector agencies to use innovative digital technologies, smart automation, and advanced analytics to transform operating processes. This blending of technologies combines the physical and digital (“phygital”) worlds, enabling unique and positive industry improvements and impacts.

The path to Industry 4.0 is powered by pervasive connectivity, cloud computing, and enriched data. It requires high-performance, secure networks that can integrate with legacy environments to support critical processes with 24/7 availability, high speed, and very fast responsiveness. These networks have the capability to connect all systems and machines, people, and business processes and offer deep data insights that will enable agile, proactive operations. 

Control Tower Tale from the 1970s Many of Perficient’s Supply Chain consultants work long hours talking with executives about how their companies handle information, including procurement and information flow between their companies and suppliers. When a consultant needs the inspiration to continue putting in the hours, all they have to think of is the business […]

Captain/Trader Kirk is on the bridge making multiple trades in multiple asset classes with his Klingon counterparty. Spock is in the middle office, reviewing trades, and determining that they’re entirely logical, Captain. Meanwhile, with both normal and extended settlement, initial and variation margins flow in and out of the bank as if the cash was […]

Readers of a certain age will remember when Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, in Top Gun told Goose that it was time to“Buzz the Tower,” which meant the fighter pilots had to execute a low fly-by passing very close to the control tower at high speeds. The officer spilled his coffee over himself because of […]

In the Bronx, NY in April of 1998, it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.  The Yankees had won a World Series two seasons prior and had started their 1998 season with their young shortstop, Derek Jeter, on his way to his first All-Star game. The Yankees would win […]

In the last blog in this series, Blockchain: The Secret Sauce to Supply Chain Visibility, we covered why visibility is so important in the supply chain for all parties and gave several examples of firms using distributed ledgers to help improve customer service, reduce inventory costs, provide proactive status updates, and even help mitigate risk.  […]

In “Behind the Golden Arches” by John Love, the author shares an anecdote of how in the early days of McDonald’s, the company was having cashflow problems despite its being a significant source of revenue for many farmers. In a meeting with a particularly large farmer who had made significant money from selling tomatoes, lettuce, […]