Supply Chain Managament

As a key component of Supply Chain Management, Supplier Management refers to the strategic management and control of a company’s relationships with its suppliers. Punctuality, quality and sustainability in particular play a decisive role in the selection and evaluation of the right suppliers, as these aspects automatically impact procurement. In this article, we explain how you can utilize smart supplier management and thus optimize purchasing processes. Further, we discuss the role that data exchange and transparency play in this context.

Delays in freight transportation are not always avoidable and sometimes they do lead to high additional costs. Disruptions to the unloading and collection of containers in the port and delays on the subsequent journey can result in significant surcharges. In our latest article on the blog, we explain the benefits of demurrage and detention management and discuss how it helps to reduce demurrage times, as well as the over-utilization of storage and freight capacity in order to avoid unnecessary charges.

In many companies, data from the various phases of the value chain is increasingly being generated and combined for analysis. To avoid confusion and to be able to draw profitable insights from the digital information, it is crucial that the sometimes highly sensitive data is strategically managed and processed. With Advanced Reporting, companies can collect and process the real-time data on their goods movements and receive proactive reporting on the current status of their supply chain processes through appropriate tools.

Supply chain laws, compliance requirements, the new EU CSRD and changing consumer behavior – in view of a new awareness of sustainability and against the backdrop of legal regulations, acting in an ecologically responsible manner is increasingly becoming a strategic corporate goal. An important factor in this context is the reduction of CO2 emissions: Yet, how high are the emissions generated during the transport and delivery of goods? Where is potential for optimization in order to make transports more efficient and environmentally friendly? In this interview, Tobias Ruscheweyh, Head of Branch Group Service and Lead Sustainability & Risk Management at Hermes International, explains how companies can use the 3-phase model of Hermes International, a business unit of Hermes Germany, in order to reduce and offset their CO2 emissions when transporting goods.

Resources are finite and unequally distributed on a global scale. Thus, a shortage of or difficult access to raw materials can result in economic risks such as production bottlenecks and rising prices. In order to minimize procurement risks, conserve resources and meet increasing sustainability requirements, the reuse and remanufacturing of products and materials in a Circular Economy is becoming increasingly important. In our most recent blog post on Circular Economy, we discuss the infrastructure that is needed in order to transform a linear supply chain into a sustainable supply cycle and how logistics can support this process.

Ecological responsibility and the use of digital technologies are currently among the key trends in supply chain management. According to the 18th Hermes Barometer "Trends in Supply Chain Management "*, this view is held by around two-thirds of a total of 150 logistics managers from German companies surveyed. For greater supply chain resilience, the respondents also rely on stable supplier relationships and the establishment of an efficient risk management. The basis for the latter is a detailed and transparent data overview – however, companies still see potential for optimization in this context.

In order to increase the resilience of their supply chain, resolve dependencies and reduce susceptibility to disruptions, German and other European companies are increasingly seeking to diversify their supplier network and look for new, alternative procurement sources. In the first two articles of our Vietnam series, we explained why Vietnam offers a promising perspective and how the market entry can succeed. In a joint interview, Adrian Biasi, Head of Commercial at SEKO Logistics Vietnam, and Ralf Boelicke, Head of Strategic Sales at Hermes International, now shed light on the challenges companies face when entering the market and explain how the two experienced service providers, through their strategic partnership, can support the development of logistics and supply chain management through consulting and implementation.

Cyber attacks, the COVID-19-pandemic and geopolitical tensions – the challenges of the past few years have shown how quickly supply chain processes can come to a standstill worldwide. This makes it all the more important for companies to implement strategic risk management. In our latest blog article, we discuss the current risks that supply chain managers should keep an eye on, and explain how they can create well-founded forecasts, take measures at an early stage and increase the resilience of their supply chain.

This spring, companies worldwide continue to be affected by disruptions in their supply chains and need to protect against a wide range of risks. The international consulting firm Deloitte surveyed 121 supply chain managers on the current challenges and risks in their supply chain management – with interesting results, also about Germany as a business location. We have summarized the most important findings for you.

Especially in times when markets are changing rapidly, reliable suppliers are of crucial importance: The productivity and efficiency of many companies depends on whether agreed delivery commitments and quality are met – or not. However, strategically optimizing supplier development requires time, knowledge and resources. In our latest article on the blog, we explain the advantages that working with suppliers in a spirit of trust provides. Further, we discuss the challenges that companies face is this context and the strategies that they can apply in order to increase their competitiveness through viable relationships with their suppliers in the long term.