Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) offer numerous benefits to businesses operating in California, especially in light of the current tariff rates of 30% on imports from China and 10% on imports from other countries. These zones are designated areas where goods can be imported, stored, and manufactured without being subject to customs duties until they enter the U.S. market.
The world is VUCA-laden (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) and trending to greater volatility as risk heightens, supply chains unravel and short-term priorities remain intact.
VMI (vendor managed inventory) is the process where the supplier manages the customer's inventory so that the customer has the "right" item in the "right" place at the "right" time to ensure high service levels, efficient and productive operations, and the least amount of inventory tied up unnecessarily. The best VMI programs ensure that the end-to-end supply chain gains with both the supplier and the customer achieving improved results or benefits.
Supply chain shortages have improved from their all-time high in Q1 2024. Yet, risks remain high, especially with the increased level of vulnerabilities.
In today's VUCA-laden (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) environment, every executive must focus on common sense solutions that cut through the sludge to deliver increased productivity, profitability, and performance. Only those companies that are prepared to pivot and enhance customer value while delivering bottom line results will thrive in the [...]
One of the most common issues executives raise is the inability to secure reliable delivery dates upfront when communicating with customers and taking orders. Clearly, this bottleneck results in frustration and the potential for lost orders as customers demand reliable delivery dates, stable lead times, and expedited performance.
Executive interest in transforming their supply chain has increased to heightened levels. The pandemic highlighted the risks in the end-to-end supply chains.
In the latest evidence of the heightened concerns related to geopolitical risk, Biden has cracked down on most Chinese cars and trucks with a rule that software and hardware cannot come from China. There is concern about having millions of cars on the road with a potential threat to national security.
Every CFO seems to wonder why they spend millions on ERP upgrades yet critical decisions seem to boil down to spreadsheets.
Fulfilling customer demand successfully is not as easy as it was prior to this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. As supply chain disruptions continue to rage, planners jump through hoops, expedite, and are a bit frazzled trying to support customer requirements while meeting operational objectives, pushing back when needed on sales commitments, and addressing cost concerns.
