Tag Archives: industry

Addressing Burnout in Supply Chain Management

Posted on by
Addressing Burnout in Supply Chain Management

Addressing Burnout in Supply Chain Management

Supply chain employees mean so much to our economy but as a group they’re suffering from burnout –– and for good reason. They’re navigating heavy workloads, long hours, inefficient technology, constant pressure to meet demands, and inadequate health and wellness support.

Additionally, the global electronics supply chain has encountered an unprecedented series of disruptions during the past two years.

Addressing burnout in supply chain management is critical because worn-out employees don’t perform at their best, which disrupts the operation’s workflow and overall success. Employees and management have a role in addressing burnout in supply chain management. Let’s talk more about this below.

Employees must speak up

Burnout manifests as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that results in diminished work performance, motivation, and engagement.

Working in a high-pressure industry like supply chain management can cause chronic stress that has workers constantly on edge. In addition, those in supply chain roles are often overworked and strained due to the increased commerce demand, leading to more burnt-out employees.

Mitigating burnout and bettering the work conditions for supply chain employees starts with them. Employees must take responsibility for their own mental health and wellness.

Employees need to communicate their wellness needs and suggestions for accommodating them. They should set boundaries at work and speak up when toxicity threatens their productivity and peace of mind.

They must also work on their holistic health outside of work. Practicing gratitude and self-compassion to cope with workplace stress, implementing daily self-care, and attending therapy are great places to start. While this should be encouraged, managers and leaders also have a crucial role in addressing workplace burnout.

Read more at Addressing Burnout in Supply Chain Management

Subscribe to us to get updates. Share your opinions in the comment box below.

Cold chain logistics market to grow by USD 9.48 billion

Posted on by
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Cold Chain Logistics Market for Pharmaceuticals Industry by Service and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Cold Chain Logistics Market for Pharmaceuticals Industry by Service and Geography – Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024

The cold chain logistics market is expected to grow by USD 9.48 billion during 2020-2024, according to the new report from Technavio. This marks a significant market slow down compared to the 2020 growth estimates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the first half of 2021. In addition, the report projects the market to accelerate at a CAGR of over 10%.

The cold chain logistics market for the pharmaceutical industry is driven by the increase in global demand for pharmaceuticals. In addition, the growth in demand for reefer containers from the pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to boost the growth of the Cold Chain Logistics Market for the Pharmaceuticals Industry.

The growth in pharmaceutical sales has globally increased the volume of pharmaceuticals trade. Several government initiatives on health insurance schemes contributed to the high growth of pharmaceutical sales. Therefore, for efficient transportation of pharmaceuticals, warehousing, and distribution in large volumes, the end-user companies would require cold chain healthcare logistics services. This will drive the growth of the global cold chain logistics market for the pharmaceutical industry through the forecast period.

Major Five Cold Chain Logistics for Pharmaceuticals Industry Companies:

Agility Public Warehousing Co. K.S.C.P

Agility Public Warehousing Co. K.S.C.P provides storage in multiple temperature zones, cold chain solutions, reverse logistics, and advanced tracking and tracing technologies.

Deutsche Post AG

Deutsche Post AG provides life sciences & healthcare products and solutions transport services in the market such as DHL Air Thermonet – Standard Temperature Controlled Air Freight, DHL Ocean Thermonet – Temperature Controlled Ocean Freight, DHL Freight Cold Chain – Temperature Controlled for life sciences and health care products, DHL Medical Express – Temperature Sensitive Corporation.

FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. provides end-to-end temperature control services such as FedEx Temp-Assure, FedEx Deep Frozen shipping solution, Fed Ex Thermal Blanket solutions, FedEx Freight Freezable protection service.

JWD InfoLogistics Public Co. Ltd.

JWD InfoLogistics Public Co. Ltd. provides services of transportation and distribution management, special attention towards dangerous goods port safety, logistics software development, etc services are available.

Kerry Logistics Network Ltd.

Kerry Logistics Network Ltd. provides a complete cold chain integrity solution, warehousing and distribution service, and other value-added services.

Read more at Cold chain logistics market to grow by USD 9.48 billion

Subscribe to us to get updates and leave your opinions in the comment box below.

 

How a Unified Logistics Approach Drives the Customer-Centric Supply Chain

Posted on by
How a Unified Logistics Approach Drives the Customer-Centric Supply Chain

How a Unified Logistics Approach Drives the Customer-Centric Supply Chain

No matter the hurdles of 2020, Logistics was up for the challenge. It kept production running and critical supplies flowing while adjusting to the shocks in demand and supply patterns and delivering essential goods.

The industry has already begun its transformation into a pull paradigm. To adjust to a new logistics footprint, operations are catering to smaller and more frequent shipments, while increasing its stronghold in eCommerce. With shippers and Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) attempting to increase their capabilities for market share gain, gone will be reactive bulk handing, serial execution, and long planning cycles.

Now it’s time for logistics to up its game — again.

How can it morph from inside-out, efficiency-focused to a model that’s outside-in and centered around the customer experience? We believe the future of logistics is unified logistics, where shippers and LSPs can seamlessly plan, optimize, and orchestrate across nodes and networks, resulting in consistently higher customer service levels and efficiencies.

Let’s discuss the aspects that make unified logistics a reality.

Boundaryless Orchestration

Existing logistics systems are usually configured with static, pre-setup actions, and often lack advanced visibility. Even if visibility exists, the functionality does not allow timely execution. Warehouse systems may not be able to consider transportation information and vice versa.

Upstream Supply Chain Knowledge

Traditionally, transportation systems lack order visibility and updated supply chain plan information. In the warehouse, traditional distribution and fulfillment operations rely on aggregate and longer-term forecasts to plan labor schedules. The inventory positions in warehouse systems are determined by historical patterns and longer-term forecasts, causing operations to be reactive.

Digital Ecosystem and Network

The historic approach to collaboration and point-to-point integration won’t create an easy path to real-time communications for carriers and LSPs. Now with access to the digital network, shippers can tap into carrier networks, take capacity into considerations for order promising, and select last-mile delivery providers. Before, the carrier selection process was highly manual and used static rates, and now shippers can perform Dynamic Price Discovery to view freight rate quotes from carrier marketplaces.

Unified Logistics, powered by our Luminate Logistics and Luminate Platform solutions, arms shippers and LSPs with the ability to seamlessly plan, optimize, and orchestrate supply chain execution. They can gain consumer confidence by truly delivering the right product, to the right place, at the right time — even if the lot size is small.

Read more at How a Unified Logistics Approach Drives the Customer-Centric Supply Chain

Leave your comments below for discussion and subscribe to us for more updates.

DHL: transforming logistics with startup partnerships

Posted on by
DHL large electirc vehicle

DHL large electirc vehicle

Supply Chain Digital gets an insight into DHL’s partnerships with startups to drive digitalisation and sustinability within the business.

When it comes to innovations at DHL, the company values its partnerships both big and small. In recent years many startups have entered into the logistics industry. Markus Kückelhaus, VP of Innovation and Trend Research at DHL raises the question of why?

“The logistics industry is a very fragmented sector that is still catching up. Which is why this industry is interesting to startups,” says Kückelhaus who highlights that due to the industry’s small attempts at digitalisation, in addition to growing investments into logistics, there has been an increase in opportunities for startups.

Effidence

Founded in 2009, Effidence is a French research and robotics startup that develops collaborative robotic solutionsin logistics and agriculture. DHL has partnered with Effidence to develop its ‘follow me’ robotic trolleys.

Locus Robotics

Founded in 2014, Locus Robotics is an American robotic technology company that develops warehouse solutions to improve productivity. DHL has partnered with Locus Robotics to develop its Aisle picking robots.

University of Aachen

Established in 1870, the University of Aachen strives to drive innovative discoveries that impact global challenges. The German university partnered with DHL in 2012 on a new initiative to combat global warming. DHL worked with the university to develop its own electric vehicles as part of its mission to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. Currently DHL has 10,000 electric vehicles out on the roads aiming to replace all 55,000 global vehicles in its fleet to electric.

Read more at DHL: transforming logistics with startup partnerships

Share your opinions with us in the comment box, and subscribe to us to be the first one to get our updates.

SEE ALSO:

  1. DHL – the world’s leading contract logistics provider
  2. DHL’s innovation center driving digitalisation and sustainability
  3. DHL: Talent management within logistics
  4. Read the latest issue of Supply Chain Digital here

Reefknot Investments launches $50 million fund to invest in logistics and supply chain startups

Posted on by
Reefknot Investments launches $50 million fund to invest in logistics and supply chain startups

Reefknot Investments launches $50 million fund to invest in logistics and supply chain startups

Reefknot Investments, a joint venture between Temasek, Singapore’s sovereign fund, and global logistics company Kuehne + Nagel, announced today the launch of a $50 million fund for logistics and supply chain startups. The firm is based in Singapore, but will look for companies around the world that are raising their Series A or B rounds.

Managing director Marc Dragon tells TechCrunch that Reefknot will serve as a strategic investor in its portfolio companies, providing them with connections to partners that include EDBI, SGInnovate, Atlantic Bridge, Vertex Ventures, PSA unBoXed, Unilever Foundry and NUS Enterprise, in addition to Temasek and Kuehne + Nagel .

Dragon, a veteran of the supply chain and logistics industry, says Reefknot plans to invest in about six to eight startups. It is especially interested in companies that are using AI or deep mind tech, digital logistics and trade finance to solve problems that range from analyzing supply chain data and making forecasts to managing the risk of financing trade transactions. Data from Gartner shows that about half of global supply chain companies will use AI, advanced analytics or the Internet of Things in their operations by 2023.

“There is a high level of expectation from vendors that because of technology, there will be new methods to do analytics and planning, and greater visibility in terms of information and product, materials and goods flowing throughout the supply chain,” says Dragon.

Read more in Reefknot Investments launches $50 million fund to invest in logistics and supply chain startups

Write your comments below and subscribe us to get updates.

Separating Long-Term Supply Chain Technology Developments from Temporary Industry Disruptors

Posted on by

While technological innovations can revolutionize how supply chain businesses advance, it’s important for all participants to be a little bit skeptical when supposedly new game-changing technologies are introduced.

Third-Party Providers Navigate Supply Chain Technology Trends

Technology partners with a long-game approach to development and implementation understand that trends come and go, and it can make little sense to heavily invest in trumpeted technological advancements just because they’re “the new thing.”

While technological advancement brings with it solutions that can revolutionize how businesses in the supply chain interact, it’s important for all stakeholders to be a little bit skeptical when any company introduces a supposedly game-changing new technology.

First Adopters of New Technology

3PLs are typically the first adopters of new technology, as a huge part of their value proposition to their clients is their ability to utilize advanced technology to solve their supply chain challenges.

These logistics providers constantly keep their ears to the ground attending conferences and researching the latest technologies seeking new capabilities. 3PLs can make a single investment in technology and leverage that capability across many shippers.

Technology Partners

Technology partners aren’t simply there to help companies adapt to new technologies. Technological advancements in the supply chain have brought increasing amounts of logistics data to industry stakeholders.

This has, in turn, led to a jump in advanced analytics to turn that data into actionable information, a skill in which technology providers excel. Shippers are using analytics in conjunction with real-time visibility data to identify bottlenecks within their own processes and providers’ networks. This visibility allows them to estimate when shipments will arrive at the intended destination with greater certainty. The future is very bright in this area due to improving visibility technology, more advanced analytics, and integrated collaboration tools.

Technology Advancements

Rapid advancements in technology are changing the industry for the better, and at SMC³, our goal is to incorporate these new technologies into the supply chain processes of our clients. SMC³ truly is a neutral third party; we work for the good of the entire supply chain, helping supply chain companies separate lasting supply chain advancements from temporary industry disruptors.

SMC³ accomplishes this flexibility and adaptability by building our solutions for fast, painless integrations to TMS systems and other applications. SMC³’s goal is always to help our clients get up and running as quickly as possible, so they can start consuming data via our solutions and begin to optimize the lifecycle of their LTL shipments.

Read more at Separating Long-Term Supply Chain Technology Developments from Temporary Industry Disruptors

Share in the comment box below if you have any opinions and subscribe us to get updates.

The Growing Maturity Of Blockchain

Posted on by

Speakers from the technology community included Anant Kadiyala, Director of Blockchain & Industry Solutions at Oracle; IBM’s David Noller, Executive Architect Watson IoT – Blockchain and Industry 4.0; and Steven Kim, a Senior Director at SAP. The user community was represented by Jeff Denton, the Senior Director of Global Secure Supply Chain at AmerisourceBergen.

Blockchain technology is incredibly elastic. It can be shaped in different ways, to fit different processes, network node architectures, and participants. It is difficult to generalize about blockchain for business in a way that is universally true. But IBM, Oracle, and SAP – probably the three largest players in the business application blockchain space – were all addressing this topic in a very similar way.

One point all participants agreed on is that blockchain for business applications is not Bitcoin. Bitcoin was the first blockchain application, it is an unregulated shadow-currency, and it is widely seen as a mechanism more conducive to financial speculation than conducting business.

IBM, Oracle, and SAP all built their blockchain platforms on Hyperledger, a technology more suitable to building business applications. Like blockchain for cryptocurrencies, there are mechanisms to make sure transactions are authenticated across a network of participants with distributed databases.

There are several differences between cryptocurrencies and blockchain for SCM. Business blockchain does not include a cryptocurrency, although there may be network style applications that develop that will punch out to the banking system; it is not an open community that any participant can join, but will instead generally involve closed networks of supply chain partners that have been invited to join (permissioned blockchains); blockchain for managing an end to end SCM process can, and probably will, include more business logic and can even utilize IoT sensor data.

Read more at The Growing Maturity Of Blockchain For Supply Chain Management

Share your opinions at the comment box below and subscribe us to get updates.

Related articles

ONE Blockchain Platform to Provide Enhanced Transparency and Security for Supply Chains

Posted on by

One Network Enterprises, the global provider of a multi-party digital network platform, today announced a new, flexible and cross-industry Chain-of-Custody solution built on its Real Time Value Network (RTVN).

By providing serialization and tracking across complex supply chains that involve multiple parties and hand-offs, this latest offering leverages the powerful capabilities of Blockchain to help mitigate threats such as product diversion, counterfeiting, grey market distribution, spoilage, substandard products, and unauthorized introductions.

“The global implications of substandard, falsified, and counterfeit and substandard products are huge,” said Ranjit Notani, CTO of One Network.

“While some of the compromises in traditional Blockchain solutions must make the difficult choice between confidentiality, single-version-of-the-truth, and a lack of scalability, ONE Blockchain is fully integrated into One Network’s global fulfillment backbone offering a completely secure application with fine-grained confidentiality at all levels, while maintaining a single, trusted record for every transaction without requiring any expensive integration into supply chain operations.”

The new Chain-of-Custody solution was developed to deal with the realities of today’s supply chains where end-to-end serialization – from raw materials to consumers and beyond – is not an all or nothing proposition.

Accordingly, the solution is designed to increase the lengths of chain-of-custody segments until the segments merge to form a full end-to-end secure chain.

The Chain-of-Custody solution supports serial tracking, lot tracking, hybrid tracking, lot splitting, tracking through consolidation and deconsolidation, tracking through blending and discrete mixing, hierarchical IoT operations, partial chains-of-custody, and targeted recalls.

Read more at ONE Blockchain Platform to Provide Enhanced Transparency and Security for Supply Chains

Subscribe us to get more updates about related topics, and share your opinions in the comment box.

Related articles

How to Measure Supply Chain Performance

Posted on by

The appropriate metrics to manage and measure the success of a company’s operation vary significantly by industry, by individual company, and by the scale of the business. What does not vary, however, is the universal need of all companies to employ a well-structured, hierarchical framework to organize and manage their metrics.

The absence of a cohesive framework to house metrics greatly increases the likelihood that a company’s performance measurement system (PMS) will provide inadequate management support, and that resources will be wasted developing duplicative, unaligned and even conflicting metrics.

There are a number of well-known models and frameworks for operations, logistics and supply chain management. Two of the most prominent are the SCOR model and the Balanced Scorecard, and the interested reader is referred to these.

Figure 1 depicts an integrated hierarchical supply chain performance measurement system. The framework contains three levels (the strategic, tactical and operational), and within each level, it has both external and internal measures. In this PMS framework, it is the scale of an operation or activity that a particular metric monitors which determines its place in the hierarchy.

Figure 2 provides additional insight on how this hierarchical PMS framework works, displaying sample external and internal metrics for a distribution organization at each level of the hierarchy. The external metrics measure outputs and/or services that flow across the supply chain and evaluate some aspect of serving the customer. The internal metrics have an “inward” focus; and as shown in Figure 2, they evaluate how efficiently the overall distribution organization and each of its sub-functions operates.

Read more at How to Measure Supply Chain Performance

Leave your comments below and subscribe us to get updates by email.

Related articles

Transportation Predictions That Will Shake-Up the Supply Chain Industry In 2018

Posted on by

In the book, The Living Supply Chain, the authors argue that “Speeding up the supply chain is at the root of everything that is good: improved revenue, reduced working capital, higher profitability, and less obsolete inventory.

Conversely, slowing down the supply chain is at the root of everything that is bad: working capital write-offs, reduced profitability, and slowing revenues.”

To “speed” up the supply chain is to invest in change and change will come with the digital transformation of the supply chain, which is the major focus for executives in 2018.

Much change in the supply chain industry will be due to innovative technologies for digital transformations, along with the recent tax reforms (see below), and the still-current driver shortage/capacity crunch.

The digital transformation of the supply chain will change everything – for the better.

These are the innovative technologies that I predict companies must use to undergo this transformation within their supply chains:

  1. Cloud-based technology
  2. Advanced Analytics
  3. Tracking and Tracing
  4. Supply Chain Visibility
  5. Blockchain
  6. Artificial Intelligence
  7. Predictive Analytics
  8. The Internet of Things

“In 2018, shippers must embrace change in order to succeed. Waiting and seeing what will happen is no longer an option,” adds Clark.

“Transportation management systems are poised as the fundamental tool for supply chain transformation, helping businesses to position themselves above the competition with sustainable profits and better service levels.”

Read more at Transportation Predictions That Will Shake-Up the Supply Chain Industry In 2018

Share your opinions in the comment box below and subscribe us to get updates in your inbox.

Related articles