Operations
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Kohl's investor group proposes sourcing, inventory changes to win back margins
The group said the retailer is overpaying for purchases in a sourcing agreement it has with a third-party agent, which accounts for 20% of its total purchases.
By A.B. Brown • Feb. 25, 2021 -
Biden orders review of US supply chains after a year of shortages, delays
The review will start with understanding where suppliers are located, but experts say that making big changes could require government assistance.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 25, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Maersk
TrendlineWarehouse automation
Robotics, conveyor belts and software become staples of the warehouse as e-commerce grows.
By Supply Chain Dive staff -
Courtesy of Spirit Aerosystems
Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems consolidates warehouse space with digital logistics center
The new Global Digital Logistics Center brings what was 500,000 square feet of warehouse space into a seven-story, 150,000-square-foot facility.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 24, 2021 -
Packaging manufacturers compete for raw materials as takeout shakes up food service
One company has seen its lead times double for the materials it needs to make packaging.
By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Michelle Rock/Supply Chain Dive, data from Getty Images
Deep DiveWhy the automotive supply chain is in a semiconductor jam
A shortage with no quick fix is shutting down production lines around the world, and capacity constraints at tier 3 put automakers' lean operations into question.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 23, 2021 -
La-Z-Boy ramps production to shorten up to 9-month lead times
The furniture company reported order backlogs and a "long tail" of production and deliveries.
By A.B. Brown • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Pfizer set to double weekly production of coronavirus vaccine
The drugmaker will expand its production network and work to reduce manufacturing timelines from 110 days to an average of 60 days.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Unilever
Unilever finds short-term sustainability costs lead to long-term savings
Company leaders credit savings of $1.5 billion since 2008 to sustainable sourcing and operations, and they say ongoing sustainability practices will produce more cost benefits over time.
By A.B. Brown • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Winter storm slams Texas food supply chains, logistics networks
Even with improving road conditions, logistics managers may experience capacity challenges and delayed shipments.
By Shefali Kapadia • Feb. 19, 2021 -
Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart says its automated supply chain is 'ready to scale'
There's a limit to how much the retailer can pick, fulfill and ship from stores, the CEO said. Walmart is banking on automation to change that.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 19, 2021 -
Column
Gone fishin': Lack of succession planning is a supply chain risk
Supplier disruptions can happen almost overnight. A buyer could be left with a sourcing nightmare — one that should have been anticipated.
By Rich Weissman • Feb. 18, 2021 -
Courtesy of Toyota Core Electric_Turret
Warehouse operators seek nimble forklifts in the e-commerce era
Supply chain managers are turning to technology to address the labor crunch and transform warehouses into more adaptable platforms.
By Gary Wollenhaupt • Feb. 16, 2021 -
Maersk
Supply chains divided on plans to increase safety stock, stick with lean methods
The desire to build buffer stock varies by industry and even SKU, with many companies developing inventory health metrics to decide which items need, and don't need, safety stock.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 16, 2021 -
Ball, Molson Coors increase production and sourcing to combat aluminum can shortage
Ball Corporation anticipates "demand continuing to outstrip supply well into 2023," President Daniel Fisher said.
By A.B. Brown • Feb. 12, 2021 -
Master Sgt. Hecht, Matt. (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Deep DiveThe PPE supply chain is a case of the 'haves' and the 'have nots'
Gloves and masks are in short supply, and many organizations are blowing through their budgets as they attempt to source in-demand equipment.
By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Feb. 11, 2021 -
jotoler. (2016). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/photos/worker-industry-man-manufacturing-4395772/.
Training, technology vital for manufacturers recruiting younger workers, study says
As the industry struggles with labor constraints, attracting millennial and Gen Z workers could be key.
By Ryan Golden , S.L. Fuller • Feb. 10, 2021 -
6 River Systems
E-commerce warehouse productivity could improve up to 20% with greater automation: Prologis
Researchers estimate that the adoption of automation could reduce the demand for industrial real estate as existing facilities become more productive.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 09, 2021 -
Clorox plans to double wipe production by year's end as it struggles to fill retail inventories
The company is adding capacity for a new line of wipes at a manufacturing facility in the Atlanta area and working with more contract manufacturers.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 09, 2021 -
Courtesy of website
Peloton will incur 10 times its usual transportation costs as it ships by air, expedited ocean
The fitness equipment company is spending $100 million to speed deliveries to frustrated consumers.
By Shefali Kapadia • Feb. 08, 2021 -
Courtesy of BioNTech
Pfizer gets boost from DPA, adds suppliers to make 2B vaccine doses
The company plans to distribute 200 million doses within the U.S. by the end of May and is working with the federal government on shipping schedules.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 08, 2021 -
Column
Reading between the supply chain lines: Labor, work-life balance and a coup across the world
There is often more to a headline than meets the eye. These news stories may impact supply chain managers in unexpected ways.
By Rich Weissman • Feb. 08, 2021 -
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch to invest $1B to expand capacity, sustainability initiatives
The company said $50 million would go toward expanding its seltzer brewing capabilities and $100 million for new lines to produce cans.
By Christopher Doering • Feb. 05, 2021 -
The Container Store: 3PL surcharges 'much more impactful' than expected
The retailer pegged a double-digit slide in its margins on increased shipping costs that "more than offset" a nearly 21% YoY increase in sales, executives said this week.
By Matt Leonard • Feb. 05, 2021 -
Courtesy of Sysco
Sysco plans warehouse, driver hiring push to prep for pandemic recovery
Volumes were low in December, but the company wants to be ahead of the curve. It's thinking ahead to SKU rationalization as a way to improve throughput.
By S.L. Fuller • Feb. 05, 2021 -
Permission granted by Home Depot
Home Depot opens automated Dallas fulfillment center with hydrogen-powered forklifts
The facility is part of the retailer's $1.2 billion supply chain investment and includes six miles of mechanized lines.
By Shefali Kapadia • Feb. 04, 2021
