Joseph Harris

When you cant make it to Gartner for Supply Chain due to client commitments, but then see you are there in spirit! Stop by and see Mike Raftery and Patrick Green! SCM Connections #supplychainplanning #digitaltransformation #lookmomiamontv

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The CSCMP - Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals EDGE Conference would not be the same without the tireless work of the amazing staff, including my bestie Debbie Durrbeck (who definitely needs adult supervision!). Thank you to the whole CSCMP team for this great event! 🙏 ~Mr. Supply Chain #AlwaysBeLearning #CSCMP #SupplyChain

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Great point by Lora. Supply chain variability can be significant given the environment: Suez Canal re-routing, East Coast/Gulf Coast Labor Negotiations, Israel/Iran Tensions, Ocean Carrier Service Levels/Cost Management, GDP Growth Levels, Potential Persistent US Inflation, etc. Are inventory levels optimized for risk?

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While total manufacturing cost (TMC) is a good barometer of success at multiple stages of the supply chain universe, its use is hardly universal. Companies track the elements of the analytic, but not all of them view the entire picture, says Jim Fleming, CPSM, CPSD, who is Manager, Product Development and Innovation at Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®). However, he says, that could be changing amid the growing strategic focus on the end-to-end supply chain. Read more: https://hubs.li/Q02F8DNF0 #tmc #totalmanufacturingcost #endtoendsupplychain

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The most recent data for new orders for manufacturing from both the U.S. Census Bureau and Institute for Supply Management provides further evidence that manufacturing demand remains muted. Two charts. Thoughts: •Top chart shows ISM’s new order subindex. This is a diffusion index where readings > 50 indicate expansion and < 50 indicate contraction. These data capture month-over-month momentum in new orders. Large upticks have historically corresponded to bull market trucking cycles (2014, Q2 2017 – Q3 2018, H2 2020 – H1 2022), whereas weaker readings at or below 50 correspond to weak market periods. October 2024 came it at 47.1 (suggesting ongoing weakness). •Bottom chart shows seasonally adjusted (but not inflation adjusted) new orders for the set of manufacturers considered to make-to-order, excluding the volatile defense and nondefense aircraft sectors (hence representing core new orders for manufacturers with unfilled orders). Sharp upticks in new orders in 2014, Q2 2017 – Q3 2018, and up till Q1 or Q2 2022 again represent bull markets. Declines or neutral readings tend to indicate weakness (since new orders not changing during a period with inflation means real new orders are declining). The last data is through September and is moving sideways. •How quickly can new orders change? My best estimate is that it takes ~1 quarter for a meaningful increase in new orders to start to materialize. As I’ve repeatedly noted, this would suggest a meaningful, seasonally adjusted uptick in freight demand won’t materialize until late Q1 2025. Implication: 2024 has reinforced an argument I’ve long made that manufacturing activity is fundamental to understanding the trajectory of for-hire trucking demand. The latest data don’t suggest a fundamental change in manufacturing activity is yet upon us. #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #shipsandshipping #manufacturing #freight #trucking

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Ways to take on the “Supply Chain Plan Drift” problem that causes million of dollars in lost value One difficult problem in Supply Chain Planning that does not get the attention it deserves is the “Plan Drift”. Whether you are planning for a store/DC replenishment, or planning your production or purchasing, you would expect execution to follow the plan. I have seen companies go live amidst much fanfare with a leading supply chain planning software, only to be disappointed with the results in due course. As time progresses, the plan falls more and more out of sync with and "drifts away" from execution. This happens due to two primary reasons. 1️⃣ Inputs that don’t reflect the real world 🌐: The assumptions, rules, and policies that are inputs to generate the supply chain plan have fallen out of sync with the realities of the world as time progresses⏱and do not get updated enough, resulting in “garbage in, garbage out”. There is not much learning if any that happens from real world events resulting in inputs getting stale over time. 2️⃣ Software systems 🖥 that don’t flex with evolving business: The implemented software tends to be rigid and requires IT intervention to make any advanced configuration changes to the system. The planners are not empowered to make the changes. This results in manual workarounds, excel bypasses further aggravating the "Plan Drift". When the “Plan Drift” happens, it increases the level of firefighting👩‍🚒and introduces cracks in a carefully laid end-to-end decision making fabric. It results in missed expectations 😥 and leakage of business value in millions of dollars 💵 . Here is how RELEX Solutions is taking on the “Plan Drift” problem. For 1️⃣ above in staying tuned into real world and also challenging the assumptions. Here are a couple of examples: 🥇 Demand sensing to stay tuned into the Retail POS data or changing weather 🌦 and making short term course corrections to the forecast to what is realistic in light of emerging information. 🥈 Use of ML to predict inventory drift and detect inventory inaccuracies in the records. The actual inventory may drift from what is recorded in the systems for any number of reasons including theft/shrinkage etc. By learning from the real world data, we can make predictions that help correct inventory inaccuracies. This is an example of where we simply don’t take the input data at the face value but challenge the assumption and course correct. As for the second challenge of software systems that don’t flex, RELEX has a capability called “Business Rules Engine” which allows users to configure business rules/workflows that accommodate changes without having to write code. This reduces burden on the IT resources and empowers business to flex the system to meet the changing business needs. These are some of the ways in which we are taking on the “Plan drift” challenges. How are you addressing "Plan Drift"? Would love to hear!

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Scalable palletizers simplify complex operations and reduce warehouse traffic. Learn more here. https://bit.ly/4bGfVMe #WeMakeItRight

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The Biggest Mistake Supply Chain Professionals Make in Case Study Interviews (And How to Avoid It)     The biggest challenge I see supply chain professionals face in interviews is a lack of structure when analyzing the problem and presenting recommendations. Without a clear framework, it's easy to get lost in the details and fail to provide a cohesive solution. To avoid this mistake and ace your next supply chain case interview, follow this proven structure: 1️⃣ Clarify the Problem: Restate the key issues to demonstrate your understanding. Ask clarifying questions to gather any missing information needed to analyze the case. 2️⃣ Map the Supply Chain: Visualize the end-to-end process from sourcing to delivery. Identify potential bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or risks in areas like procurement, production, inventory management, logistics, etc. 3️⃣ Analyze Key Factors: Dive deep into operational factors (capacity utilization, lead times), financial factors (costs, profitability), service level factors (on-time delivery), and supply/demand factors impacting performance. 4️⃣ Develop Solutions: Methodically propose improvements to address the core challenges you identified, quantifying impacts on metrics like cost, service levels, inventory turns, etc. where possible. 5️⃣ Summarize Recommendations: Clearly state your final recommendations, highlighting the key benefits to the company's supply chain operations. You don't need to be perfect - interviewers value a structured approach and your ability to think through the problem logically. Present your analysis with confidence, back up your points with relevant experience or data, and invite feedback to demonstrate strong communication skills. Share this framework with others preparing for supply chain interviews. A little structure can go a long way in showcasing your problem-solving abilities. #supplychain #jobseeker #interviewtips

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One of the most common problems I see during the WMS implementation process is a customer who underestimates the importance of getting buy-in from the workforce. You know the ones: they are the people on the floor who have worked with the existing system for years and hold critical knowledge about how things actually work. They’re comfortable with the way things are. They know the ins and outs. They can make decisions or adjustments and have reasonable expectations about the results. They’ve built a daily rhythm and routine – all based on their existing system. And now you’re just… changing everything? In this month's blog post, Bob Kennedy shares findings from a recent Gartner survey that supports what years of experience has taught him: that managing "internal change resistance" can make or break your WMS implementation.

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🚨 4 Signs Your Warehouse Needs Automation ASAP 🚨 Is your warehouse struggling to keep up with your growing business? From labor costs spiraling out of control to inventory nightmares, the pressure is on to rethink warehouse operations. Here’re some glaring signs that your warehouse needs a technological makeover: ❗  Overworked and understaffed  ❗ Inventory chaos instead of inventory control ❗ Outdated systems impeding your progress ❗ Gut-feeling guidance, rather than fact-based decision-making Ready to learn how to fix it? Dive into our guide for all the details! 👉 https://lnkd.in/ds33FK-E #instinctools_services #warehouse #warehouseautomation #softwaredevelopment #productdevelopment #softwaredevelopmentcompany 

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Struggling with bottlenecks in your warehouse operations? Estimate your labor needs and streamline your picking and packing with our Warehouse Labor Planning Template. Download now and optimize your workforce efficiency: https://bit.ly/3wsuHqX #FulfillBrilliantly #FMS #Warehousing #FulfillmentManagementSystem

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Ever wonder: 🏭What can automation in warehouse and fulfillment operations do for me? ⚙️What technologies work today and for what applications? 🤔How can I even get started with automating my operations? Then don't miss industry leaders next week at the ‘Warehouse and Distribution: The Automation Revolution’ panel discussion during the NextGen Supply Chain Conference! We will answer all these questions and more. For a personal meeting with an automation expert, sign up here: https://hubs.li/Q02TmZGJ0 #SupplyChainAutomation #WarehouseAutomation #Manufacturing #NextGenSupplyChainConference #OrderFulfillment #AutomationRevolution

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CSCMP - Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals EDGE Conference Update Bumping into John Fitzgerald from project44 is always one of the highlights of my CSCMP conference experience! ~Mr. Supply Chain #AlwaysBeLearning #SupplyChain #CSCMP

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Hot off the press! The October LMI Report from CSCMP - Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Thanks to Zachary Rogers, Dale Rogers, and team for this valuable data collection and analysis. ~Mr. Supply Chain #AlwaysBeLearning #SupplyChain #LMI #CSCMP The October Logistics Manager’s Index reads in at 58.9, up (+0.3) from September’s reading of and at its highest levels since September 2022. The overall index has now increased for eleven consecutive months, providing strong evidence that the logistics industry is back on solid footing. The clearest example of this is the jump in the expansion for Transportation Prices which were up (+5.7) to 64.1, which is the fastest rate of growth for this metric since May of 2022. Transportation Capacity was fairly consistent with last month, increasing very slightly (+0.8) to 50.8 and implying very minimal levels of growth. Interestingly, Transportation Capacity actually contracted in the first half of October (45.8) before expanding again later in the month (54.3). It will be interesting to see if capacity continues to loosen in November or if it moves back towards no change. It is possible that as Transportation Prices continue to rise more idle capacity will come off the sidelines to take advantage of the increased opportunity, leading to the somewhat counterintuitive situation that we now find ourselves in where both Transportation Prices and Capacity are increasing. By contrast, our three warehousing metrics have remained fairly stable as capacity grows at a steady rate (-0.1 to 55.8) and Warehousing Utilization (+1.9 to 62.9) and Warehousing Prices (-1.1 to 65.8) are relatively consistent with the changes observed in September. Underlying all of this is the continued expansion of Inventory Levels (-0.4 to 59.4) and Inventory Costs (-5.5 to 65.8). Breaking the streak of the last 6 months, more Inventory Level expansion is now coming from Downstream retailers (65.7) than from Upstream firms (56.3), suggesting that retailers are stocked up, and will likely continue to stock up, for the holiday shopping season. https://lnkd.in/eKftREHP https://lnkd.in/eEJQuZZP https://www.the-lmi.com/

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Ready to transform your manufacturing supply chain into a well-oiled machine? Check out our latest video with our very own Amy Warnock for practical tips on upgrading your WMS. Learn how to simplify the upgrade process and optimize your operations. Watch the full episode here: https://bit.ly/3LDTwnH #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #WMS #Upgrade

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With Standard Electric's Inventory Management Solutions, you will only have the inventory on-hand that you need. 📦 Advanced reporting details inventory turns, shipment history, dollars shipped, min/max levels, spike amounts, and part number indexes. Eliminate the eye sore and increase your profitability today ➡️ https://hubs.ly/Q02tRyQb0 #settingthestandard #inventorymanagement #valueadds

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