Supply chain management: the sad reality of modern day slavery
Despite being abolished over 150 years ago, it seems slavery not only still exists but is thriving. In the last year alone, a number of businesses have received fierce criticism over claims of wide spread exploitation including accusations of forced and child labour. Given that recent reports suggest that enslavement is rife across modern supply chains, the true extent of the issue is yet to fully emerge. Modern slavery in...
Supply Chain: is it time automotive businesses fine tune their operations?
Over the last few years, the automotive industry has endured a bumpy ride as the double dip recession hit businesses at every level of the automotive supply chain. Although the rest of Europe continues to struggle with slow demand, car production in the UK is booming. As the sector now enters the 29th month of consecutive growth, are automotive supply chains prepared for the challenges that lie ahead? Demand drives british automotive...
E-commerce: Is the battle between bricks and clicks finally over?
Retailers suffered a huge drop in sales as we turned away from traditional stores in favour of online outlets. With high streets up and down the country looking increasingly bare, there is no questioning that e-commerce has changed the way we shop. However, will a new trend in consumer purchasing behaviour unite the traditional bricks ānā clicks retail model with a more modern e-commerce alternative? A new approach to e-commerce we...
JIT “Just In Time” Measuring The Impact
A smooth flow of stock and semi assembled items just as many as you need, just when you need them. No waste, no hidden inventory costs and reduced issues with obsolescence. JIT (just in time) implemented into a companies supply chain seems to provide a lot of benefits, and in most cases it does. The internal logistics and accounting departments of many companies have come unstuck with the hidden costs of implementing JIT however, and...
Hidden Stock Issues
The question of stock control often, and necessarily begins with the preceding question of, “How much stock do we have at the moment”. Issues of return on investment, “stock turns” and safety margins for critical items of production or supply should be understood by any company that holds stock. The one time this is rationalised for many might be the annual and legally required stock take for accounting...