No client has enough high-skilled talent. In fact, it is the single largest issue facing executives. The skills gap is severe for high-skilled roles. Yet any company that wants to succeed is automating, digitizing, and utilizing advanced technologies such as robotics, additive manufacturing, and predictive analytics.
The White House has launched a cabinet-level supply chain council as the criticality of the topic rises to the top.
Simple metrics drive results. Whether a food and beverage manufacturer or an aerospace distributor, measuring the "right" metrics will focus attention on key issues and drive results.
In the last month, clients have been proving the critical importance of SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning), also known as S&OP or IBP (Integrated Business Planning) time and again.
Israel was attacked by Hamas, and the world has another war in another region of the world. Since the global supply chain is interconnected, in addition to the devastation in the region, supply chain impacts will emerge.
Manufacturing appears to be turning the corner. According to the ISM, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) recorded a contraction but at the slowest pace of the recent cycle. In fact, this is the third straight month of improvement.
Sustainability remains in the news; however, the technology doesn't always keep up. For example, Lego has abandoned its most high-profile effort to ditch oil-based plastics from its bricks after finding that its new material led to higher carbon emissions, according to the Financial Times.
There has been a run of strikes or threats of strikes lately with the latest UAW strike impacting the Big 3 automobile manufacturers. If it lasts longer than a few days, there will undoubtedly be a huge impact on the end-to-end supply chain as well as the economy.
In the last month, there has been a flurry of ERP related discussions. A client went live on an aggressive timeline with an ERP system with little to no data migration as there simply wasn't time.
Manufacturing is making a resurgence in the U.S. and other countries around the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a shortage of 550,000 stable manufacturing jobs to be filled in manufacturing businesses nationwide.
