California's minimum wage went up to $20/hr. for fast food restaurants with at least 60 locations nationwide that do not make bread. This law is causing widespread unintended consequences. For example, Fosters Freeze in Lemoore closed suddenly after the wage hike. Mod 5 Pizza is closing five locations.
Manufacturing promotes safety and security and mitigates risk. Controlling your supply chain and mitigating geopolitical risk can become paramount overnight as geopolitical events occur, natural disasters emerge, and supply chain challenges arise (strikes, disruptions, shortages).
Clients typically set goals; however, goals without an understanding of where you stand is non-value added. Although it is common to set goals and expect employees to achieve them, it is far less common for clients to understand how they will get from the current state to the desired future state.
Enterprise resource planning systems, CRMs and other tech such as RFID, barcoding, customer and supplier portals, blockchain, IoT, and GPS tracking all support this goal.
In the last month, we've participated in at least six economic forecast presentations or discussions with experts (economic, banking, investment, manufacturing). Although they each had nuances, common themes emerged. Adding our expertise into the mix, we see volatility on the horizon.
40% of the goods movement from Northeast Asia to the U.S. East Coast go through the Panama Canal, and so the Panama Canal issues are driving shortages, late deliveries, and re-routing of goods.
Lisa Anderson emphasizes the critical necessity of prioritizing supply chain optimization as global disruptions continue. Key issues, such as the worsening conditions at the Panama Canal, have been highlighted as significant contributors to the ongoing supply chain crisis.
As companies are searching for ways to successfully navigate these turbulent times, the best ones are achieving a win-win focus on the customer and costs. Since the pandemic, there has been a heightened awareness of the customer experience as companies struggled with supply chain disruptions, delays, shortages, and the lack of resources.
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.
