Since the pandemic, it has been a constant battle to ensure material availability, let alone to proactively manage cost and service. Even the most proactive and successful clients have experienced brief shortages of key materials and extended lead-times. The rest have been plagued with these issues.
As our long-term newsletter subscribers and ProVisors (trusted advisor network) colleagues are aware, we have used the Strongest Link in Your Supply Chain” as our tag line for a decade or longer. However, it has never been more relevant than it is today! As has been proven through the pandemic and continuing supply chain disruptions, any company’s performance is only as strong as the weakest link in their supply chain.
According to the Wall Street Journal, consumer prices are the highest in 40 years. It certainly doesn’t seem to be letting up. In fact, with the Russia-Ukraine war, there will be continued inflationary pressures on products related to oil, gas, commodity, and food at a minimum.
Lisa Anderson, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert and President of LMA Consulting Group, talks about the coming months and keeping an eye on cash balance."Proactively managing cashflow is critical right now".
Inflation has taken root. Businesses everywhere are dealing with annualized cost increases of nearly seven percent--the fastest pace in 40 years and significantly higher than the 1.8 percent average of the past decade. The resulting upticks in operating costs can cause serious damage to the bottom line.
Every client wants to support growth goals while improving service levels (OTIF, on-time-in-full), operational efficiencies and inventory turns. These are timeless objectives for every planner. During the pandemic, the priorities shifted to service levels because clients struggled to keep up with dramatic increases in demand and extreme volatility.
In today’s manufacturing environment, uncertainty has become the norm. Geopolitical disruption, inflation, changing customer expectations, labor shortages, and volatile demand patterns are forcing manufacturers and distributors to make faster and more coordinated decisions than ever before. Companies that continue operating in reactive silos frequently struggle with excess inventory, [...]
We have entered a new era of with inflationary pressures. It started during the pandemic due to limited supply, but it has been spurred on with the rising oil and gas prices, commodity shortages, and rising food prices. Navigating successfully through these inflationary times will make the strong companies [...]
Inflation rose to 7.9% in February and continues to soar! Russia invaded Ukraine and trade has been halted. Oil and gas prices will continue to rise and seem to have no end in sight with some saying it will get to $200 a barrel.
In this episode of Since Sliced Bread, Lisa Anderson, president of LMA Consulting Group, explains where the supply chain stands now, how it got this way and what she sees successful companies doing to get through the crisis.
