SCM Insights Go or no-go? The business case provides the answer Every supply chain project begins with a close check of its economic efficiency. After all, investments in a new solution should not only pay off, but also lead to noticeable cost reductions over the medium and long term. And it is this savings potential that must be determined in advance - precisely, comprehensibly, and with a solid foundation - because without a specific business case, top management will not provide the necessary budget approval. But what exactly are the decisive factors to calculate the success of a SCM solution? (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology Visibility & Analytics – Full transparency in the supply chain Many companies are determined to improve their use of information from individual internal and external IT systems as a way of meeting the challenges of a digital supply chain.Traditionally, planning, procurement, logistics and transport management have been separate processes. Whereas material planners determine how many parts are needed for production during the manufacturing process and order them while keeping an eye on safety stocks, suppliers use their own systems as do the transport service providers. What is delivered when and in which quantity can usually not be determined until the goods receipt. (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology Looking into the future: Predictive analytics in supply chain management As a branch of business analytics, predictive analytics is focused on making projections about relevant events in the future. Although not known by this particular term, the discipline itself has long been used to manage supply chains.The VMI process is a good example of a long-standing predictive analytics approach. When regulating supply using VMI, the customer defines inventory thresholds that suppliers are not allowed to exceed or fall short of over the course of their deliveries. (more…)
SCM Insights Digitalization of the aerospace supply chain – the dream and the reality 70 percent of respondents in a new study on the digitalization of the aerospace supply chain say they are convinced that digitalization can be advanced only if all parties use the same system. But the reality proves to be different. More than 80 percent of the respondents confirm having to use multiple portals to communicate with customers – and this, even though approximately 90 percent of the respondents were convinced that the multitude of different portals undermined the positive effects of digitalization.The continued digitalization of the supply chain across all levels – as the study also clearly found – is viewed as being one of the most important measures for mastering the future challenges in the aerospace industry. (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology Easy transfer of inspection certificates with the Advance Shipping Notification (ASN) We are frequently approached by customers seeking a solution for transferring quality and production data generated by a supplier as part of the manufacturing and quality assurance processes. As an attachment to SupplyOn's electronic delivery note, the so-called ASN (Advance Shipping Notification) is exactly what they are looking for. Following the transfer, structured electronic certificate data can be seamlessly processed, analyzed and saved. (more…)
SCM Insights · Use Cases Successful supplier rollout in China: Strategic onboarding in the Middle Kingdom January 1, 3:55 a.m. Just back from a New Year's Eve party and full of excitement, I take a look at the Seeburger EDI monitor and press the refresh button again. Then once more. Then again and again. But nothing happens.4:09 a.m. Still nothing. I'm starting to get a little nervous. My customer in Shanghai wanted to go live at 10 a.m. local time. That was nine minutes ago, which seems like an eternity to me.4:13 a.m. Nervously, I press the refresh button on the EDI monitor every 20 seconds. Finally! A delivery instruction and three call-offs. Status: "SUCCESS!" I quickly log into SupplyOn to check if posting is correct and find everything is just as planned. Relieved, I pick up the phone to call my Chinese colleague and tell him about the successful posting. "Liang, the initial messages were booked successfully. Let's go!" (more…)
Industry News · SCM Insights · Use Cases Success factor Supply Chain Visibility: Gartner presents SupplyOn project as best practice Supply Chain Visibility (SCV) is one of the most important success factors when it comes to managing complex supply chains successfully. And it is an initiative at the top of every CSCO´s agenda. Therefore, Gartner has focused a recently published report "Lessons Learned from Supply Chain Visibility Initiatives – Supply Chain Logistics and Transportation" on this subject by presenting four best practice examples, one of these being a transport management project realized through SupplyOn. (more…)
SCM Insights Freight cost invoicing begins with the transport order Perhaps you’ve encountered the following situation:You’ve negotiated the best conditions with your carriers, but you’re still paying too much for your transport services. And might we presume that you are not able to fully verify the freight cost invoices that you perhaps still receive in paper form from your carriers?Why not approach the situation from a different angle: (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology True Software as a Service (SaaS) vs. ASP: What are the differences and why does true SaaS provide benefits in an SCM environment? Over the past few years many companies have shown a growing interest in applying the software-as-a-service concept to a wide range of processes. This can be attributed to the many benefits provided by SaaS compared with conventional software licensing models. (more…)
SCM Insights Do you also manage complex aerospace supply chain networks? To successfully manage aerospace supply chain networks, it is essential to tackle special challenges. Efficient processes in complex, international networks require thinking that spans departmental and even corporate boundaries in customer/supplier relationships.This begins with the organization of networks and extends to the planning and execution of processes on through to controlling.Expectations are high when it comes to the digitalization of the supply chain: (more…)
