Technology

Shake Shack takes on procure-to-pay, supplier management in tech upgrade

A digital transformation and new ERP systems gives Shake Shack a more granular picture of its procurement operations and frees up in-restaurant teams from administrative tasks.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 27, 2020

Internal actors account for 30% of cyberattacks in manufacturing

Proper network segmentation can minimize the threat from internal actors by limiting access to applications or databases to specific employees. 

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 25, 2020

From legacy systems to connected tech, manufacturers face cyber risks

The potential for damage in an operations environment can dramatically affect revenue, if not shut businesses down completely.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Feb. 25, 2020

How to trust tech vendors

They can sell a bevy of products to a variety of customers. With so many options, sales require customization.

By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 21, 2020

Opinion

Spend per buyer is reaching critical levels: time to sound the alarm?

It's easy to empathize with overloaded buyers in this new, ultra-lean procurement era. But procurement professionals must adapt or risk going the way of the dodo bird, writes Rich Ham, CEO of Fine Tune. 

By Rich Ham • Feb. 20, 2020

Coronavirus could reduce electronics and automobiles output by millions of units, research finds

While automotive or computer manufacturers are more likely to have risk management teams in place to pre-identify points of failure in a supply chain, they are still expected to take a hit.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 20, 2020

Advance Auto Parts credits WMS, distribution upgrades for Q4 margin boost

The upgrades are part of a long-term supply chain and IT strategy where the majority of potential margin growth in the near future won't be dependent on sales but on internal optimization, executives said. 

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 19, 2020

With shrinking budgets, finance spending goes to new tech

As companies attempt to curb spending in advance of an unpredictable economy, finance teams continue pooling resources to implement the newest tech, a Hackett Group study found.

By Jane Thier • Feb. 18, 2020

Machine learning is nearly ubiquitous in accounting operations, ERPs

The technology is mainly used to set up touch-free processes for repetitive functions such as accounts payable and receivable.

By Robert Freedman • Feb. 13, 2020

XPO cuts brokerage headcount nearly 20%, credits automation

Revenue for XPO's brokerage division was down 14% year-over-year for 2019, but the company is finding cost savings by automating the process.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 11, 2020

Tyson sees double-digit inventory accuracy improvement from computer vision

The new inventory tracking system reads SKU information and weight for chicken packed in trays, replacing what Tyson described as communication by hand gestures followed by manual inventory entry.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 11, 2020

Inaccurate maps cost logistics companies $6B: survey

Even small problems can result in major losses for logistics companies, especially as e-commerce puts more delivery trucks on city streets.

By Jason Plautz • Feb. 11, 2020

Column

Patent Pending: Zebra's plan for managing large RFID populations

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 07, 2020

Nuro's autonomous delivery vehicle cleared to hit the road

The company will begin public road testing with 5,000 of its R2 units in Houston over the coming weeks, carrying consumer products, groceries and restaurant orders.

By Kristin Musulin • Feb. 07, 2020

60% of procurement leaders say lack of transparency is a risk, survey finds

Respondents in a Basware survey reported a direct correlation between their level of transparency and the success of their business.

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 06, 2020

Macy's lays out a massive supply chain overhaul

Macy's new Chief Supply Chain Officer Dennis Mullahy took over a supply chain with siloed management and data and little strategic influence. That's all about to change. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 06, 2020

How online order fulfillment is changing grocery in 3 charts

Meeting the tight deadlines consumers desire has pushed grocers to get creative with fulfillment.

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 06, 2020

How manufacturers are preparing for the next recession

More than half of respondents in a BDO survey said they were working to increase production efficiency to guard against a future recession and 42% said they were monitoring the financial health of their suppliers. 

By Matt Leonard • Feb. 04, 2020

Opinion

Learning from Adidas' Speedfactory blunder

Adidas will end its revolutionary manufacturing program this year, but that doesn't mean the principles of distributed operations should be abandoned by other players.

By Adrián Hernández • Feb. 04, 2020

Mercedes-Benz taps blockchain to track emissions in cobalt supply chain

The blockchain platform aims to trace carbon emissions and help the automaker hold suppliers accountable for ethical supply chain practices. 

By Morgan Forde • Feb. 03, 2020

How Lush ditched manual invoicing for automated accounts payable

Before 2017, the skincare company printed hundreds of thousands of supplier invoices annually. Now 92% of invoices are touchless.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Jan. 30, 2020

McCormick plans to drop up to $350M on transition to SAP ERP

The transition to the ERP coincides with the growth of the company and SAP ending support for McCormick's current system

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 30, 2020

UPS and Waymo partner on self-driving parcel pickup

Waymo's autonomous vans will pick up parcels from UPS stores in the Phoenix metro area and deliver them to nearby UPS sorting facilities.

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 30, 2020

'Extreme, unprecedented' trucking market changes hit CH Robinson

C.H. Robinson forecasted in October the market would remain favorable to shippers through the first half of 2020, and so far, the data shows the 3PL's prediction to be true.

By Shefali Kapadia • Jan. 30, 2020

Union Pacific releases new APIs to increase visibility for shippers

The railroad says the connections can also be used for intermodal planning, shipping actions, managing a rail network, validating pre-gate reservations and other functions.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 30, 2020