Supply Chain Managament

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.

Disruptions in global supply chains affect the world economy. With quite severe consequences, as those disruptions can quickly lead to delays or even failure in the delivery of goods or services. To ensure that the complex logistics processes function as smoothly as possible even in times of crisis, effective collaboration between all supply chain partners and the intensive exchange of all relevant information have become indispensable. In our latest blog post, we explain the key benefits that collaborative work has for companies, the technologies that support them and the obstacles that those involved must face in order to successfully establish and build a transparent, resilient and efficient supply chain.

After three turbulent years, global supply chains have eased considerably – freight rates are falling and the flow of goods is more reliable again. Nevertheless, companies will continue to face challenges in 2023 that need to be mastered strategically. Resilience, agility and transparency remain important goals. So will reconciling cost efficiency, performance, security and sustainability. We discuss six trends to show which strategies are gaining importance in procurement, what is fueling their implementation, and what synergies digital solutions promise.

Where do German companies stand in the digital transformation of their supply chains? Which technologies are already being increasingly used and what are the main drivers? Also – what are the obstacles that logistics managers are facing on their way to the logistics of the future? The comprehensive online study "Digitalization of Supply Chains" conducted by the German Association of Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics (BME) and Fulda University of Applied Sciences, provides valuable information on this topic.
We have summarized the most important findings.

The success of trading and manufacturing companies is strongly tied to the fact that the quality and reliability of supply of products, preliminary products or raw materials is always guaranteed. Selecting the right suppliers is all about efficiency and cost-effectiveness, yet sustainability and reputation must also be considered. Companies that rely on supplier assessment according to ISO 9001 have an advantage – they benefit in terms of management and optimization of their supply chain. For example, the implementation of the Supply Chain Act, which has been in force since January 1st, can be firmly based on a systematic assessment of suppliers. We explain the added value that is associated with the certification and discuss which criteria are relevant.

Collaboration and data exchange within the supply chain is a decisive factor for German companies that aim to increase the efficiency of procurement processes. This view is held by two-thirds of the total of 150 logistics and supply chain managers surveyed for the 17th Hermes-Barometer on "Collaboration in the Supply Chain". Factors that promise a better overview within the supply chain, a higher degree of efficiency and more precise coordination of processes are rated as particularly critical to success. However, when it comes to implementation, companies face technological and personnel obstacles. Our recent blog post provides a detailed insight into the results of the survey.

The global pandemic, severe weather events or new legislations such as the Supply Chain Act – in the face of continuing risks and rising demands, companies in the manufacturing sector are increasingly looking for approaches to optimize their supply chains. 3D printing processes, also known as additive manufacturing, have paved the way to new opportunities that are aimed to make supply chains more cost-efficient and sustainable, whilst keeping the risks low at the same time. We explain how the innovative manufacturing technology can be applied and discuss the benefits that it offers.

Change of leadership at Hermes International: After more than a decade, Stephan Schiller, former Managing Director of Hermes Europe GmbH and CEO of Hermes International, is taking on a new role at his own request.. In this challenging time for logistics and supply chain management, he is handing over to Henning Udo Goldmann, who has already been with the company as an expert on digitalization topics. We spoke with the previous and the new managing director about the development of the logistics industry, current requirements, shared values and how Hermes International will accompany its customers into a future characterized by transformations.

Digitization can make a decisive contribution when it comes to achieving Germany’s climate targets by 2030. This was the conclusion of a study conducted by Accenture for the digital association Bitkom, which examined the influence of various digital technologies on the net savings potential of CO2 emissions using case studies in seven sectors of the economy. Accordingly, the areas of industrial manufacturing and mobility offer the greatest reduction potential. Following the results of the study, a decisive lever can be the optimization of routing and freight management.