Blog
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Doing more with less: Learning from Kanban
The manual Kanban cards that were the precursor to Lean Manufacturing have evolved into eKanban systems that automate inventory replenishment and reduce material waste… READ MORE on our guest post on EBN, the premier online community for global supply chain professionals.
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The Magic Bullet for Real-Time Supply Chain Collaboration? Cloud Visibility.
Jessica Twentyman reported in the Financial Times, that for many manufacturers, supply chain collaboration is stuck in the dark ages. When it comes to ordering materials and components, managing inventory levels, or organizing the delivery of finished goods to customers, companies are forced continually to chase business partners – mostly suppliers, logistics companies, and retailers…
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Why Demand-Driven Manufacturing is Focused on Metrics for Action
Driving Continuous Improvement. In Demand-Driven Manufacturing, there is only one measurement that is important to drive performance: Throughput. There are two subordinate measurements: Inventory and Operating Expense. These three measurements cover the gambit of what needs to be measured because they are directly related to customer orders, cash captured inside the organization, and the cash…
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Demand-Driven Supply Chain Transformation
End-to-end Visibility for Real-time Coordination, Communication, and Commitment By applying demand-driven methods and synchronizing processes, manufacturers are reaching new levels of communication, profitability, and customer responsiveness. Demand-Driven Manufacturing incorporates the best of Lean manufacturing, Theory of Constraints (TOC), and Lean Six Sigma principles. In demand-driven environments, production is based on actual customer demand, with everything…
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Supply Chain Visibility and Collaboration – How ERP Falls Short
TR Cutler, Inc. Market Research (TMR) just released the results of a survey conducted in the first two weeks of February, 2017. The respondents were all discrete manufacturers and all held VP or C-level titles. The universe of completed surveys totaled 401 and inquired about the highest priorities for manufacturers today. (The sample size…
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Aligning Metrics to Strategy
Measuring your strategic goals against their value and the time, money and attention they need When we began our metrics discussion, we talked about how behaviors are too often dictated by metrics—and whether or not these behaviors actually “move the needle” for sustainable supply chain improvements. Mark Davidson’s blog about aligning metrics to larger goals…