Connect
Autumn 2008

 Imagine the Unimaginable—An Underlying Principle of Supply Chain Risk Management – Supply chain risk management is a key imperative for supply chain managers. Supply chains now being extended into multiple nations, combined with the threat of terrorism, is increasing the risk of single points of failure as goods flow through several logistics hubs. The increasing electronic requirements for suppliers could also pose a hindrance with many suppliers located in underdeveloped countries.

This article focuses on the importance of changing our way of thinking and using our imaginations to help combat the "hidden assumptions" in today's supply chains.

In order to create a business that can thrive and flourish through the inevitable ups and down of geo- politics, experts suggest that companies participate in various exercises to evaluate risk along a trade-off curve of flexibility and cost and implement strategies that promote agility, redundancy, sound network planning and sharing or pooling risk.

Read how "Supply Chain 2020," a research project developed by Dr. Mahender Singh of MIT, could assist in making supply chains more resilient to risk. This study devised possible future scenarios to help the supply chain community explore different operating models to support the overall business strategy.  Read the full article »

Connect
Summer 2008

 Connecting the Supply Chain with Corporate Financial Performance – It's up to the person overseeing the supply chain to make everything run smoothly in spite of the increasing complexity. The first step is to gain the interest of the C-level executives, which can be done by speaking their language. The significant impact the supply chain has on key drivers of financial performance must be demonstrated.

Steve Shaw, FORTE's Vice President of Marketing, explains how a supply chain executive can not only gain the respect of the senior level, but also their share of capital appropriations for ongoing supply chain improvement initiatives.  Read the full article »

 Seven “Coping Skills” for High Fuel Prices – Today's supply chains are especially vulnerable to volatility in transportation costs; rising fuel costs have been cited by such companies as Kraft and Procter & Gamble as the primary reason for raising prices for certain products.

"As fuel costs have doubled in the last two years, and tripled since 9/11, the modern, international supply chains that emerged after 1989 are challenged in ways that their less complex predecessors never were," explains Ian Hobkirk, FORTE's Director of Consulting.

In this article, Hobkirk provides seven ways to cope with high fuel prices in the supply chain.  Read the full article »

Connect
Spring 2008

 A No-Hype Guide to Network Optimization – With companies looking to lower supply chain operating costs while simultaneously increasing customer service levels—coupled with the downright painful rise in fuel costs—many are turning to network optimization as a key strategy to obtain these twin objectives. But is network optimization really the cure for supply chain ailments? Read the full article »

 NA2008: Market Analysis – FORTE Director of Supply Chain Consulting Ian Hobkirk visited the recent NA2008 Conference in Cleveland. Hobkirk provides his analysis of the current market and the latest trends as seen at this year's show. From the Green Supply Chain to the latest uses of speech-enabled computers, learn about the new technologies and concepts that are sure to have an impact on logistics for years to come.  Read the full article »

Connect
Autumn 2007

 Slotting: A Winning Strategy – Optimizing your warehouse is not a gamble when you properly use slotting. Slotting SKUs to determine optimal product storage and inventory is one of the most effective ways to reduce warehousing costs and improve productivity. Read the full article »

 Picking Methodologies for High Performance – The Aberdeen Group found that best-in- class companies are twice as likely as their peers to implement advanced picking methodologies as a means to increase efficiency and reduce labor costs. Here we take a closer look at the picking strategies used by best-in-class distribution facilities.  Read the full article »

 Technologies to Support Advanced Picking – Picking can account for more than 50 percent of recurring warehouse operation costs. Implementing advanced picking technologies can help increase efficiency and reduce costs when combined with advanced picking methodologies. Read the full article »

Connect
Summer 2007

 Filling the Footprint – Minimizing space requirements while maximizing space utilization yields a more productive DC. It's important to find a balance between optimizing storage density and maximizing flexibility. Read the full article »

 Postponement Profitability – To reap maximum efficiency in value added services, don’t put off measuring productivity. Here are some thoughts on productive, and profitable, coexistence of these services within your DC, managed through measurement. Read the full article »

 Getting the Most from a Real-Time Warehouse – Real-time solutions allow you to meet customer demands while simultaneously offering information for analysis and internal improvements. A combination of technology and analytics yields peak responsiveness and performance. Read the full article »