Supply chain optimization

Effective supply chain management is a key concern for all companies operating in a global business environment. Push and pull strategies form the backbone of supply chain management and determine how companies manufacture, store and deliver their products to customers. But how do managers find the right balance between supply and demand to avoid risks and remain flexible at the same time? We discuss the difference between push and pull strategies and why ever more companies are adopting a hybrid approach.

Supply chain management encompasses all the steps involved in delivering a product or service from production to the end consumer. The longer and more complex a global supply chain is, the greater the risk of disruption between the extraction of raw materials and the point of sale (POS). So how can companies set up to be as resilient as possible in order to respond to volatile consumer behavior and rapidly changing economic conditions? In our latest article on the blog, we discuss the Lean and Agile models for supply chain management and explain how companies can benefit from the advantages of both strategies with a hybrid approach.

In the globalized business world, supply chain optimization is crucially important for companies. The focus has shifted significantly in recent years: instead of concentrating exclusively on raising internal efficiency, meeting customer expectations is increasingly becoming the focus of strategic corporate alignment. Nowadays, customers appreciate being able to trace the route and origin of goods in order to make fact-based decisions about their purchases. In our blog article, we explain how real-time transparency in supply chain management (SCM) can help to significantly improve the customer experience.

Global business processes are in a constant state of flux. This means that the requirements for modern supply chains are becoming increasingly complex. In order to maintain a balance between corporate stability and security on the one side and a flexible adaptation to changing market conditions and technological developments on the other side, business leaders are increasingly turning to hybrid supply chains. The latter combine different logistics approaches to ensure efficiency, resilience and flexibility. In this article, we explain which models of hybrid supply chains are available and what advantages and challenges they entail.

Today’s customers expect a seamless shopping experience: Orders should be placed without major hurdles and returns must be processed easily. It’s the task of logistics to move the required goods from one place to another as safely, efficiently and sustainably as possible. For this to succeed, orders need to be optimally planned and coordinated, and the individual sections of the supply chain must be precisely matched. We explain the key role of an active Order Management in this context and discuss how companies benefit from intelligent Order Management.

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.

Coordinating and monitoring international supply chains and cross-border logistics is a challenge. Freight forwarders need to deal with different customs regulations, trade agreements and laws, while at the same time demands for environmentally friendly and sustainable transport solutions are rising. Freight forwarding is therefore increasingly using technology in order to simplify and streamline processes: Digital transformation has significantly changed the way goods are moved. We discuss how the different areas of freight management can be optimized with the help of digital solutions.

It is a long way from production to delivery of a product to the end consumer. For many companies, it’s a key priority to ensure that the ordered goods are available on the agreed dates. After all, the more efficient, reliable and punctual the transport of goods, the higher the level of customer satisfaction. To achieve this, it is worth focusing on the middle mile. As the interface between procurement and the final provision of the goods, the latter represents a crucial and complex section of the supply chain. Find out here how strategic supply chain management can help to optimize transport between warehouses with the help of digital solutions in order to shorten delivery times, better manage inventories and meet customer expectations.

The challenges of recent years have prompted organizations to put their supply chains to the test and strive to minimize dependencies on established production sites. For example, many companies are currently using a China+1 strategy to expand their supplier network and relocate production or branches to new locations with attractive conditions. We discuss which countries are becoming promising alternatives in the context of diversification efforts, as well as the factors that play a role in the China+1 strategy and the tasks that go hand in hand with it.