Key learnings from Supply Chain Insights’ Global Summit
It was a pleasure to attend this month’s Supply Chain Insights Summit in Philadelphia. The conference, organized by Supply Chain Shaman Lora Cecere and her team, was structured around a compelling theme: “imagine the supply chain of 2030.” In this blog post, I’ll summarize some key learnings I drew from the event and share some insights on Demand Driven supply chains and the industry’s technology landscape.
How Peapod drives supply chain innovation and efficiency with analytics
An interview with Daniël van Gool at Peapod
It’s an exciting era for retail as companies continue to focus on creating and providing a great experience for their customers, while driving innovation and market share. There’s no doubt that the role of data, technology and analytics in retail decision-making is growing, and that this trend will further heat up over the next few years. I spoke with Daniël van Gool, Director of Supply Chain Development at Peapod, a leading U.S. online grocer who serves the East Coast and Mid-West, to hear about how he views the role of analytics and technology in driving supply chain innovation at his company.
Advanced analytics meets social good: how Angel Flight West optimizes flight routes for families in need
There are many great examples where advanced analytics have contributed to social good. North Star Alliance, for instance, uses optimization to find optimal locations for its mobile HIV-AIDS clinics in Africa. The Dutch Delta Program Commissioner used analytics to prevent flooding and was recognized with the 2013 Edelman Award. Most recently, we encountered Angel Flight West, a non-profit organization that is using AIMMS-based optimization to plan flights for families in need.
Angel Flight West (AFW) arranges free, non-emergency air travel for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling needs. The organization’s network of 2,000+ volunteer pilots donate their aircraft, piloting skills, and all flying costs to help families receive vital treatment that might otherwise be inaccessible because of financial, medical, or geographic limitations. In the summer months, they also run around 500 flights to transport children to summer camps like Camp Kindle (a camp for kids affected by HIV/AIDS), Champ Camp (a camp for burn survivors) and The Painted Turtle (a camp for children with serious medical conditions), among others.
We spoke with AFW’s Stephan Fopeano to learn more about their work.
Summer Reading 2018: Top 6 Blogs on Supply Chain Analytics
Want to avoid summer stagnation? To help you stay informed during the summer months and close the year with impact, we prepared a list of our most popular content for your reading and viewing pleasure. The list includes trending blog posts, our latest webinar and a brand-new Buyer’s Guide for S&OP. Read on to get all the goodies.
From import tariffs to the next tsunami: how Prescriptive Analytics can help you build agility and resilience into your Supply Chain Network
In a world full of turmoil, change has become the new normal. New import tariffs being introduced across the globe, extreme weather events, Brexit… The list goes on and on. What can Supply Chain leaders do to mitigate the risks that these disruptions bring to the Supply Chain? Businesses are constantly reminded that they need to be more agile and resilient in order to survive. But what does this mean when it comes to Supply Chain Network Design?
How to make S&OP meetings a highlight in your team’s calendar
Sales and Operations Planning has become a standard process to improve business performance, collaboration and predictability. In fact, it’s become internalized to a degree that companies often have several (competing) S&OP processes in different geographies & business units. Why is it that despite its popularity, only 42% of companies rate their S&OP process as effective?
Optimizing the food industry: a conversation with UniSoma’s Luis Pinto
The food supply chain is complex and challenging. Changing consumer preferences, rising competition and new technologies are compelling food companies to rethink their approach to supply chain management. AIMMS formed a partnership with CAT Squared and UniSoma to help companies in the food industry tackle these challenges. The first product of this partnership is TacticalOps, a Planning & Optimization solution for Food Manufacturers. I spoke with Luis Pinto, Partner at UniSoma, to understand the need for new planning and optimization solutions in the global food supply chain.
No chicken, no gravy, no customers – KFC’s planning woes are entirely preventable
KFC, a fast food favorite, made headlines last month for suffering a chicken shortage that brought 900 restaurants in the UK to a halt. Recently, the chain announced it was suffering from a gravy shortage as well. Not ideal for a chicken restaurant. No chicken and no gravy mean no customers. The whole debacle could have cost Yum! Brands Inc., KFC’s Parent company, up to £1m in losses per day. Not to mention a PR crisis that, despite a cheeky apology, will follow the company for years to come. What went wrong?
Why I joined AIMMS
For three decades now I have been helping my clients with their Supply Chain questions….I have seen a lot of change along my journey. Some of my early projects included initiatives like helping large retailers transform from a pure paper-based operation inside their 4 walls to a first-generation Warehouse Management System (WMS). I also helped my clients with Sales & Operations Planning and with Distribution Network Design and Transportation Optimization Projects, to name just a few. In the past, all of these projects shared a few common traits including long, tedious and expensive implementations involving small armies of consultants. It would take a long time and a lot of money before businesses could see improvement. That is not the case any longer. Today, I am happy to say that I am still helping clients make better decisions. The big difference is AIMMS. Today, with our Agile approach and extremely cost-effective cloud native technology, my clients are using our software in a matter of days to improve their business.
Why chemical companies need prescriptive analytics for S&OP
The chemical industry is facing some powerful changes that are directly impacting revenues and margins. It’s also highly competitive. Everyone is trying to dominate their niche. This means chemical companies need to be adept at managing costs and profitability. But doing this ad hoc is too difficult. Having the right technology is key.
Spreadsheets and legacy tools are no longer enough
There’s a lot of flux in the chemical industry. Raw material prices fluctuate constantly. Selling prices vary depending on international markets and what’s happening in certain countries. That margin between selling prices and raw material prices needs to be carefully managed.
At the same time, the industry is consolidating and changing rapidly. As mergers and acquisitions increase, managing demand in large geographies becomes even more complex. Companies that spin off due to M&A activity need to find ways to manage their own destiny. Many chemical companies are using S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) as a tool to tie up operational planning and activity with financial goals and strategy. Many are still using spreadsheets and legacy tools to support this process. These tools may provide a good starting point for S&OP, but do not always provide the sustainability or flexibility that companies require to be agile during times of rapid change.
