Supply Chain Brain - January 2010

model. Greg Johnsen, executive vice president, explains how combining software-as-a-service with an integrated network of users significantly expands customer value.

Collaborative Planning Gets Strategic David Johnston, Sr.V.P., Manufacturing & Distribution, JDA Software Group;Nov. 17, 2009 Collaborative forecasting between retailers and manufacturers is moving beyond short-term, tactical activities to more strategic, longer-term planning, says David Johnston, senior vice president of JDA Software Group. He explains what is driving this change and how it is enabling partners to better manage demand from the store all the way back to the manufacturer.

Synchronizing Demand in the Consumer Electronics Industry

Kedar Kulkarni, Director, Supply Chain Division, VTech Communications Inc.;Oct. 20, 2009 Consumer electronics makers are starting to do a better job of matching production with actual demand. Kedar Kulkarni of VTech talks about how far they’ve come.

Reducing the Bullwhip Effect in Manufacturing Linda Peel, Strategic Solution Specialist, Value Chain Planning, Oracle;Oct. 20, 2009 A company’s inability to communicate key sales intelligence, both within the organization and with external partners, can have a serious impact on the bottom line, according to Linda Peel of Oracle Corp.

The Changing World of Voice Technology Ric Huck, Business Development Manager, Vocol-lect;Oct. 20, 2009 What began inside the warehouses of a handful of industries is spreading to embrace a slew of new applications, according to Vocollect’s Ric Huck.

Leggett & Platt Embraces Capacity Planning and Modeling Randall A. Wood, Staff Vice President, Leggett & Platt, Inc.;Oct. 20, 2009 A renewed emphasis on profitability leads the company to synchronize operations across its supply-chain network. Staff vice president Randall Wood reveals how it’s being done.

Are You Really Thinking Outside the Box? Shekar Natarajan, Director, Supply Chain, Pepsi Bottling Group;Oct. 20, 2009 A company’s approach to strategic supply-chain planning might not be as innovative as it thinks. Shekar Natarajan of Pepsi shows how to make sure that you’re considering all the angles.

The Secrets of Successful Change Management Karen LaBombarda, Principal, TMG Associates; Oct. 20, 2009

A sales and operations planning approach can yield big benefits to the organization, says Karen LaBombarda of TMG Associates. But first, companies must overcome people’s natural resistance to change.

Dynamite Those Corporate Silos With S&OP Guy Yehiav, VP Sales & Strategy, Value Chain Planning, Oracle Corp.;Oct. 20, 2009

Sales and operations planning systems, coupled with good business processes, can help companies to achieve a common internal“language” when tackling issues of supply, demand and customer service, says Oracle Corp.’s GuyYehiav.

Times Are Tough—But Don’t Wait To Automate Gary Frank, Vice President, Automated Systems, Westfalia Technologies;Oct. 20, 2009 Companies stand to realize some major efficiencies in their supply chains if they act now to automate their inventory storage and retrieval systems, says Gary Frank, vice president of automated systems with Westfalia Technologies.

How to Keep Your Suppliers in Line Andre White, Mgr.of Performance Excellence, Appliance Ctrls, Emerson Appliances;Oct. 20, 2009 Emerson, a global technology giant, has a complex supply chain with multiple vendors.Andre White, division manager of performance excellence, reveals how the company effectively manages product quality from both ends.

How United Technologies Ensures Supplier Quality Anand Stanley, Dir., Supplier Dev., UTC Operations, United Technologies; Oct. 20, 2009 The company’s “Supplier Gold” program rewards its highest-quality vendors and yields benefits at both ends of the supply chain, according to UTC’s Anand Stanley.

Reaping the Benefits of Vendor-Managed Inventory Programs Sara Roberts, Buyer, Planner, L- 3 Communications;Aug. 5, 2009 Sara Roberts, buyer and planner with L- 3 Communications, gives the lowdown on how manufacturers can improve their operations through the use of vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs.

Customer Support: It’s Not Getting Any Easier Rick Cameron, Vice President, Customer Support Services, Glasshouse Technologies;Aug. 5, 2009 In tough economic times, customer retention, through excellent support and service, is critical. Rick Cameron, vice president of customer support services with Glasshouse Technologies, outlines the cornerstones of his discipline.

In Selecting Your ERP System, Get Everybody on Board Vince Marchesani, Managing Partner, DDP Inter-national;June 15, 2009 From choosing the right ERP system to implementing it, all internal business units and all external trading partners need to be involved, says Vince Marchesani, managing partner of DDP International.

Driving Growth Up in a Down Economy Ron Wilson, Director, Business Development for Consumer Goods, River Logic;June 15, 2009 An integrated business planning solution simultaneously models supply chain processes, products, market requirements, financials, constraints, and interdependencies, says Ron Wilson, director of business development for consumer goods at River Logic.

The Need to Optimize the Warehouse and Distribution Gains in Intensity

Ken Ruehrdanz, Market Manager, Distribution, Dematic Corporation;June 15, 2009 Labor, accuracy, speed, space, inventory, and green are still the biggest issues in warehousing and distribution, but are more intense than ever, says Ken Ruehrdanz, Dematic’s market manager for distribution.

Making SAP, Lean and Sales and Operation Planning Work Together Kelly Slate, Dir., Supply Chain & Bus.Process Mgmt., Milliken & Co., Chem.Div.;June 15, 2009 Kelly Slate, director of supply chain and business process management for the chemical division of Milliken & Co., describes the challenges of this ambitious project, and offers some advice on getting started.

Harmon Has ‘No Finish Line’ For Supply Chain Improvement Lalit Panda, Sr.V.P., Supply Chain & I T, Harmon Consumer Grp, Harmon Intl.Ind.;June 15, 2009 Harmon Consumer Group, a division of Harmon International Industries that makes high-end consumer audio electronics, has implemented a number of supply chain initiatives to meet the particular challenges of the consumer electronics industry. These challenges include high demand variability, very short product life cycles and long lead times on the inbound side, says Lalit Panda, senior vice president of the supply chain and I T.“With the supply chain, we believe there is no finish line. There is always something to improve on,” says Panda.

Maximizing Savings in Trying Times William Talerico, Director, Global Manufacturing, CombineNet;June 15, 2009 Squeezing more than 4 to 5 percent in savings from your supply chain should not be a problem, even in this difficult economy, says William Talerico, director of global manufacturing at CombineNet.

The Three Pillars of a Virtual Supply Chain Tanya Quinn, Director, Global Supply Chain, The Medicines Company;June 15, 2009 The Medicines Company uses a virtual supply chain to support its young and growing pharmaceutical business. Tanya Quinn, director of global supply chain for the company, says that this supply chain model, in which all activities are outsourced, depends on three pillars of success: partnerships, people, and processes.

Ryder’s Control Tower

James W. Moore, Vice President, Supply Chain Solutions, Ryder Systems;May 5, 2009 The provider’s“Control Tower” concept is much like a flight plan in aviation. When a part or product is released into the Ryder system, it travels according to its plan and issues real-time reports, which makes everything in its life electronically visible.An interview with James W. Moore,Vice President Supply Chain Solutions, Ryder Systems.