Gary Hutchinson

Régine Honoré Villain of Ochsner Health shares some fascinating insights on how systems can benefit from a broader view of supply chain operations. Her innovative approach to rethinking traditional supply chain operations can transform efficiency, enhance resilience, and drive significant value in the healthcare industry. Regine, touch on some game-changing strategies! 🌟 #SupplyChainManagement #HealthcareInnovation #Leadership #OperationalExcellence #OchsnerHealth #RethinkingSupplyChain

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In an article last week on its Logistics Report, WSJ reported that “this year’s run of deadly storms in North America is showing just how fragile U.S. healthcare supply chains are.” The article quotes Justin Kistler, a supply chain management professor at University of Tennessee who says disruptions to healthcare supply chains have higher stakes than shortfalls of typical consumer goods. Our latest blog article, What is Healthcare Supply Chain Resilience, address how companies can prepare for disruptions like the storms that hit the southeastern U.S. What did you learn from the past few months? Have you changed any strategies? Let me know in the comments below. Or if you want to talk about your current supply chain strategy, send me a DM. You can read our article here: https://lnkd.in/gTSQA2tg 

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Join #ProvisionAi at #Kinexions. Hear supply chain executives discuss their use of innovative technology to address current challenges and add value. #transportationplanning

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💡 Supply chain disruptions, policy changes, and tariffs—navigating these challenges requires more than just stockpiling inventory or ramping up headcount. From my experience working alongside our customers, the recent Forbes article by Edward Segal, CAE suggests solutions that will only inflate capital expenditures and workforce demands without addressing the root issues. Instead, forward-thinking companies are choosing smarter strategies to stay ahead: ✅ Implement workflows and tools to better manage and baseline the increasing number and diversity (e.g., geolocation) of suppliers. ✅ Leverage AI to enhance visibility, predict disruptions, and automate key supply chain decisions. ✅ Focus on inventory efficiency, turning stock faster instead of creating unnecessary bottlenecks with excessive stockpiles. Implementing strategic processes and tooling (like Leverage AI) can help organizations seamlessly execute on all three of these critical strategies—reducing costs, improving efficiency, and staying ahead of disruptions. How is your organization preparing to thrive in this evolving landscape? #SupplyChain #Automation #LeverageAI #Efficiency #Innovation https://lnkd.in/erWmgdvW

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Check out our latest episode of 'Supply Chain Insight,' featuring the key takeaways from #TPM24, a market outlook and a sneak peek at #TPM25 from two of the industry's most influential voices, Chris Brooks and Mark Szakonyi. Brought to you by the 'Port of Choice,' the Port of Long Beach! #polb #ports #supplychain #supplychainmanagement

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The New York Times report aligns with what we’ve already been observing at Leverage AI: our customers are shifting their purchasing strategies to account for observed and forecasted shipment timeline delays. While the article covers the direct impacts on the transportation and logistics industry, I’ve found you often have to go upstream to de-risk the issue. There is a looming double bullwhip effect on the horizon, and we have been sprinting to further enable our customers with actionable insights and risk mitigation levers to maintain their positions as industry leaders.

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📣📰 Did you catch Eric Walters, DHL's VP of Operations Excellence, Analytics & Performance Management, in the latest edition of Modern Materials Handling? He contributes to the conversation on AI use cases within logistics operations, citing DHL's effort to optimize inventory management and aim to provide real-time data to operators. Check out how AI is changing the game across the industry: https://okt.to/0Xxz43

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BevNET.com/Nosh did a great job of outlining the debate over UNFI's new Simplified Supplier Approach (SSA). Here's a breakdown of the changes and their pro's/con's to give you a better idea of why the debate rages: Key Changes in UNFI's SSA 1. Consolidation of Fees: ✏Change: UNFI has replaced its previous, complex multiple fee structure with a single flat rate of 2.5%. 🔍Effect: Simplified, flat rate pricing. ✅Pros: Reduces administrative and financial unpredictability, allowing for easier budgeting ❌Cons: Potentially leads to higher cost for suppliers who were subject to lower combined fees under the old system. 2. Access to Critical Data: ✏Change: The SSA provides suppliers with better/broader access to data to manage their supply chain. 🔍Effect: This enables suppliers to make more informed decisions regarding inventory management, transportation/logistics, and market strategies. ✅Pros: Improves operational efficiencies and can help optimize supply chain. ❌Cons: Data privacy! There could also be some hurdles with systems integrations and how these data are ingested by ERPs, IMS/OMSs, TMS, etc. 3. Streamlined Processes: ✏Change: UNFI aims to "reduce complexity" in its interactions with suppliers through more transparent and straightforward policies. 🔍Effect: This one's a little more qualitative, but new and existing suppliers can expect a more predictable and less cumbersome supplier<>customer experience. ✅Pros: Encourages new suppliers to onboard and helps existing suppliers in adapting to new and variable markets. ❌Cons: In theory, none; however, streamlining processes often comes with growing pains, and adapting to new procedures can cause potential oversights in addressing specific supplier needs. What are your thoughts?

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Chris Gaffney and I are going live today at 12:15pm CDT from the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) Conference in Austin, TX. Our podcast today is on “Impactful Leadership Lessons for Today’s Constantly Evolving Supply Chains”. Hope you can join us! #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #supplychaincareers

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From Skeptic to Superfan: How to Win Over Your CFO With college football season underway, we all know those dedicated superfans who live and breathe the game, tracking every play and stat with intense passion. What if we could channel that same level of enthusiasm into the boardroom? 🚀 In my recent article, "How to Make Your CFO a Supply Chain Superfan," I share strategies on turning your CFO from a skeptic into your biggest advocate. 💰 Want to learn how to bridge the gap between supply chain operations and financial decision-making? Check out the full article in Supply Chain Management Review Magazine's Global Links November-December issue. 👉 What’s your experience? Share how you’ve engaged your CFO in supply chain innovation! https://lnkd.in/equiFp2R #SupplyChain #CFOEngagement #AIinSupplyChain

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Insulin Supply Chain: A Critical Link in Diabetes Care The insulin supply chain is vital for millions of people with diabetes. This temperature-sensitive medication must be stored between 2-8°C (36-46°F) to maintain efficacy. At DeSpir Logistics, LLC, we use our real-time transportation visibility (RTTV) system and best-in-class sensors to ensure proper insulin delivery. Our system doesn't just detect deviations - it enables us to correct them on the go. This means even if a truckload experiences temperature fluctuations, we can adjust quickly, ensuring our insulin shipments remain viable. Proper handling of insulin throughout the supply chain is crucial. Even minor temperature fluctuations can impact its effectiveness, potentially endangering patients. That's why we're committed to maintaining the highest standards in insulin transportation and storage. #DeSpirLogistics #pharmalogistics

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Kardex is helping us improve our nations military operations. #supplychain #logistics #supplychainmanagement #warehouse #business #logisticsmanagement #logisticscompany #procurement #manufacturing #logistica #supplychainsolutions #warehousing #ecommerce #Kardex #automation #eccomerce #manufacturingautomation #pharmalogistics #warehouseautomation #manufacturingengineering #3pl #intralogistics #logistics #warehousemanagement #warehousing #supplychain #industrialautomation #smartfactory #smartwarehousing #smartwarehouse

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Dilemma of a Procurement Head Managing the supply chain for a large automobile parts maker is no easy feat. Jessica Stevens, the head of procurement at Anderson Auto Manufacturing, knows this all too well. For the past 5 years, she's been working tirelessly to keep the supply chain running smoothly, despite numerous challenges. One of the biggest obstacles Jessica faces is dealing with supply shortages and price fluctuations for raw materials. With global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, trade disputes, and other factors, it's become increasingly difficult to get the materials needed at a stable cost. Jessica spends countless hours renegotiating contracts, sourcing alternative suppliers, and trying to hedge against price swings through futures contracts and stockpiling inventory when possible. But it seems like every time she solves one fire drill, another one flares up. Supplier relationships are also a minefield to navigate. Larger suppliers try to squeeze the company for higher prices and volume commitments, while smaller suppliers are at risk of going out of business. Jessica must carefully manage each relationship. On the internal front, Jessica is constantly being second-guessed by other departments. Manufacturing complains about quality issues with suppliers she vetted, engineering changes product specs without checking stock implications, and sales makes commitments to customers that procurement can't back up. Jessica's team is overworked and understaffed, and she struggles to hire and retain good negotiators and analysts as the job market for supply chain talent is red hot. She is at a juncture, where she does not know, what will take her out of all this mess. Any suggestions.. Note: This is a fictitious story with no resemblance to any living person or organization!! #procurEngine #B2B #Source2Pay #DigitalNegotiations #eNegotiations #eProcurement

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Nice article on the value of Strategic Sourcing and building resiliency and responsiveness into Supply Chains while reducing TCO. #Procurement #SupplyChain #StrategicSourcing

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Join #ProvisionAi at #Kinexions, which will address current supply chain issues like disruptions, shortages, and changing customer expectations. Learn about our innovations. #Kinaxis #transportationplanning #loadoptimization

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Ouch - It’s hard to imagine that when a company invests over $150 million in automation that the project would fail. Unfortunately, this scenario happened, and this and other similar challenges is leading to significant layoffs in the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) industry. A recent McKinsey study of a consumer goods company highlights how ambitious plans can go awry without proper execution. Their automated facility aimed to streamline online and in-store orders but ended up with unused automation due to inaccurate forecasts and poor implementation. So, what can we learn from this? Here are four key takeaways from supplychainbrain.com to avoid similar pitfalls: > Avoid Relying on Pilots > Align the Organization > Empower Middle Management > Choose the Right Partner Warehouse automation is complex and requires a collective effort. From executives to warehouse workers, everyone needs to be on board. #SupplyChain #Leadership #ChangeManagement

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This post highlights the growing trend of incorporating AMR and AGV robots in manufacturing and supply chain operations, presenting a series of challenges that come with their adoption: - Selecting the appropriate robotics vendor poses a crucial decision. - Integrating these robots into the WMS and WES system requires careful planning. - Managing and monitoring the robots effectively, ensuring clear visualization and redirection when needed, is key. - The process of expanding the fleet of AGV's or AMR's raises the question of sticking with the original vendor or exploring alternatives. The overarching solution lies in achieving interoperability, where all robots can be managed through a unified platform regardless of their vendor or warehouse technology. However, the current reality falls short of this ideal, making interoperability a critical hurdle that must be overcome to fully unlock the potential benefits of industrial robots. #Robotics #AMR #AGV #WMS Read more about the challenges and promises of warehouse robotics interoperability at the provided link.

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