Supply chain needs pros

CONCERNED by the lack of supply chain management professionals in the country, 2GO of the Aboitiz Transport System Group encouraged youth leaders to embark on a “unique” career in the supply chain business.

Belle Pacetes, 2GO training manager, revealed during the Third Aboitiz-organized Future Leaders Business Summit last Friday that the company has observed a “wide gap” in the supply chain industry caused by the lack of professionals in the business.

“There is, currently, no formal training or education (to produce) professionals. Most practitioners in the supply chain industry (acquired) their expertise from experience, training, simply being on the job (and) learning the ropes,” she said.

2GO is the supply chain solutions provider under the Aboitiz Transport System (ATS), the transport and logistics company of Aboitiz and Co. (ACO) that is owned by publicly-listed Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV). From the release of the goods from the manufacturer to the delivery of the products to customers nationwide, 2GO’s supply chain services include warehousing, order entry and releasing, transport planning and routing, delivery to customers nationwide, and document management, among others.

To address the high demand and help the youth develop core competencies required for the job, 2GO launched a supply chain management course with the Jose Rizal University (JRU), De la Salle College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB), Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) and the Society of Fellows in Supply Management (SOFSM).

Scholarships

2GO recently granted 15 full four-year scholarships in JRU that now offers Bachelor of Commercial Science major in Supply Management, focusing on sourcing and procurement, manning and replenishment, logistics operations, and customer service.

DLSU-CSB and TIP will offer a similar course as post-graduate studies to be launched this year.

Pacetes explained that these courses can be taken as a certificate course to be completed in two years or a full degree completed in four years.

2GO is also planning to partner with local higher education institutions, such as the University of San Carlos in Cebu City.

“Our mission is to help our customers and our country gain competitive advantage through reduced overall cost by eliminating processes and layers or middlemen,” said Pacetes.

She said that by diversifying its product offerings and getting into the supply chain business, 2GO has been able to weather the negative effects of rising fuel prices. (NRC)
Source-sunstar.com.ph

Manufacturing Executives Eye Supply Chain to Drive Growth and Control Costs

Manufacturing executives plan to use supply chain as a key mechanism to improve both top- and bottom-line performance, despite challenges of the current economic environment, according to results of a recent survey prepared by management consulting firm Archstone Consulting.

Nearly three-quarters of the 265 manufacturing executives surveyed in Archstone's Manufacturing Executive Agenda for 2008 felt that the current market pressures, including sharply rising commodity prices, a sluggish economy and foreign competition, may be triggering significant transformational changes within manufacturing organizations.

"Over 80 percent of manufacturers have responded to the current economic climate by devising aggressive agendas to boost sales and cut costs," said Todd Lavieri, president and CEO of Archstone Consulting.

Two of the four most common ways that executives plan to bolster performance in 2008 depended upon the capabilities of supply chain.

"An interesting pattern emerged, in that manufacturers across the board have high expectations for their supply chains to both boost revenues and reduce costs," said John Ferreira, industrial manufacturing practice leader at Archstone Consulting.

"In the past manufacturers simply used their supply chains as a means to control costs by improving efficiencies," Ferreira continued. "Now they are using their supply chains as a mechanism to boost revenue and improve customer satisfaction through capabilities like better management of highly customized products, quicker delivery times and more integrated services."

The four executive agenda items shared by manufacturers in all industries include:

• Increasing revenue growth by leveraging supply chain capabilities to add value to products and services.
• Reducing costs with supply chain efficiency improvements.
• Improving product innovation.
• Controlling direct material costs.

Industry Trends
Archstone also identified several major industry trends in its Manufacturing Executives Agenda for 2008 surveys, including:

• Aerospace & Defense: Nearly 70 percent plan to simultaneously increase revenues and reduce costs by 3 percent or more.
• Consumer Packaged Goods: Nearly 90 percent anticipate cost reductions of 3 percent or greater. CPG executives cited managing direct material and commodity costs as the most important to achieving cost targets.
• Electrical & Electronic Equipment: Over 90 percent consider the sluggish economy to be a major constraint, and less than half expect revenue growth of 3 percent or more.
• Pharmaceuticals: Nearly 70 percent expect to reduce costs by 3 percent or higher, and 72 percent anticipate revenue growth of 3 percent or more.

Archstone Consulting launched the Manufacturing Executive Agenda for 2008 survey in April to examine which macroeconomic constraints are having the most significant impact on manufacturing executives, what cost and revenue targets have been established, and what strategies or areas of focus executives are evaluating to achieve those targets. Over 265 respondents participated in this survey.
Source-sdcexec.com

RedPrairie launches unified supply chain solution

RedPrarie has announced the release of its E2e Supply Chain Execution suite, which incorporates both RFID and automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technologies in hopes of simplifying and unifying the supply chain process.

For the new release, RedPrairie has integrated the asset management capabilities of its stand-alone mobile resource management application into its E2e warehouse management module. The system can now support the use of RFID, two-dimensional bar codes and other AIDC technologies to track inventory and assets from distribution centers, throughout the transit process, at customer sites and within a retailer's store network.

Both serialized and non-serialized assets can be tracked at each location, and the system enables customers to track the condition and status of each asset, as well as its movement throughout the supply chain. This enables reusable assets such as freight containers to be tracked at the same time as their cargo, with the hopes of decreasing inefficiencies in the supply chain.

Other elements of the E2e Supply Chain Execution suite include transportation management and work force management. The platform is built on a service-oriented architecture framework enabling it to be operated remotely as well as run on a user's own network.
Source-rfidnews.org

Enporion Named Among Top Innovators by Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100

Enporion, a leading provider of supply chain solutions and professional services, has been named to Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine's Top 100 companies for the third consecutive year. This achievement recognizes Enporion's continuing commitment to its customers and to delivering best-of-class supply chain solutions.

"Our readers turn to Supply & Demand Chain Executive to learn about new solutions and best practices for enabling the supply chain, to understand trends in supply chain technology, and to benchmark their own companies' enablement initiatives with those of other enterprises across industry verticals," explained Andrew K. Reese, editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive. "Enporion was chosen for the Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100 this year because of its ability to leverage established supplier networks as a 'single point of contact' with suppliers from order issuance through e-invoice settlement. The company has truly shown itself as an innovator in end-to-end e-procurement."

"Enporion has always strived to provide innovative solutions to its customers and we are thrilled to be recognized for our innovation in end-to-end e-procurement as it truly represents the full suite of what we offer customers -- a complete source-to-settle solution," said George Gordon, Chairman and CEO of Enporion. "In addition, we are continuing to introduce significant innovation as we enable the integration of physical and financial supply chains, also acknowledged in the magazine."

This year the magazine focused the criteria for its "100" feature on supply chain innovation. Supply & Demand Chain Executive has identified leading providers of supply chain services and technologies who are at the forefront of innovation. Based on submissions to the "100" from end users and solution providers, the judging committee for the "100," including the editorial staff of the magazine, in conjunction with the editorial advisory board, has compiled a list of leading supply and demand chain innovators.

About Enporion

Enporion is a supply chain management solutions and services company, providing strategic sourcing and e-procurement applications, and related professional services. Enporion is delivering results for customers in the gas and electric utilities, manufacturing and distribution industries.

Enporion's Supply Chain Manager(R), an integrated suite of e-commerce tools, delivers cost reduction through price and process savings, and includes capabilities in catalog management, supplier enablement and connection, spend reporting, e-sourcing including auctions and electronic RFx's, and contract management. These applications are delivered in a Software-as-a-Service environment, resulting in quick implementation and early realization of benefits. Visit Enporion online at www.enporion.com.
Source-marketwatch.com

Financial Insights Releases First Global Benchmark Comparison of Bank Financial Supply Chain Offerings

Financial Insights has now established the first consistent definition of financial supply chain management services that can be used to make valid comparisons between competitors and provides a snapshot of what is being offered at this point in time. Financial supply chain management is still an emerging area, therefore considerable variation in product offerings and even definitions still exist.

Based on this pioneering study, Financial Insights considers JPMorgan to be in the lead at this time, followed closely by American Express and Bank of New York Mellon. JPMorgan's leading position is based primarily on the comprehensive scope of its offerings, as well as the organizational focus it has shown with regard to the financial supply chain opportunity. The report further states how important it is for financial institutions to support purchasing cards, as this is one of the fastest-growing market segments of the card business and also combines payments and financing, making these cards a natural fit for financial supply chain management.

According to Aaron McPherson, practice director and author of the report, "Financial institutions will have to work together to connect their individual buyer-supplier networks into a single network-of-networks, similar to what is happening in the check image exchange market. Financial institutions still have to agree on a remittance data standard and push their customers to use it in a coordinated fashion as the focus of competition will become comprehensive service, reliability, and quality, rather than proprietary buyer-supplier networks or connectivity standards."

The seven financial institutions profiled in the report have made impressive strides by being willing to buy as well as build the necessary technology and overcome conflicting internal goals to present a unified face to the market. The following financial institutions are benchmarked in this report: American Express, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo.

A review of the benchmark data and results will be discussed during a Financial Insights Webinar on August 21. The Webinar is open to all: registration is required.

Clients of the Financial Insights' Payments research advisory service may download the report, others are encouraged to contact Financial Insights to discuss how this research fits into strategic technology investments and ongoing go to market services. Please contact us at info@financial-insights.com. To arrange a press briefing with Aaron McPherson, please contact Deborah Stark, 508 935 4318 or email dstark@idc.com.

About Financial Insights, an IDC company

Financial Insights provides independent research, custom consulting, and detailed multiclient studies on the technology issues and challenges facing the financial services industry. Our global research covers topics of strategic importance to corporate and retail banks, insurance carriers, asset management firms, securities and brokerage firms. Our local practices in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Canada add an in-depth regional viewpoint. Financial Insights, an IDC company, is headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading IT media, research, and exposition company.

Source : marketwatch.com

Made-from-India.com – Global B2B Portal out of beta

Made-from-India.com Launches New Global Marketplace for Indian Manufacturer and Exporter

India, 01/03/08 - Made-from-India introduces new services to its online business-to-business (B2B) portal, which provides a professional business platform for the Indian exporters, manufacturers, suppliers and businessmen of any country who are involved into import-export trade. This portal is far more advanced and extensive in terms of its features and not just an online version of any other portals. It aims at qualitative and genuine data, rather than quantitative approach.

Made-from-India firmly believes that today is the age of information and half baked or incomplete information is always as suicidal as wrong information. Here, quality meets both genuineness and seriousness in business, as business always means profit. We have just tried to emerge as a reliable and complete information hub, and for that we are doing every effort to make it most complete one to meet the competitive environment. Our editorial team brings latest industry news, does research and brings out sartorial analysis, articles and highlights, along with brand launches, product catalogues and news features. Adding to the multitude are the Editor blogs, Expert comments and many more to come.

Exclusive services from Made-from-India.com:

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v News (Keeping you updated with latest happening from niche markets)-be in the competition, be with the latest of the world with analysis.

v General Information (Informational articles, whitepapers and case studies from industry veterans)- many more will be updated under the segment as information is never complete and never stops to become perfect.

v Trade services (professional support and assistance).

Made-from-India ensures that this is one of the most user-friendly portals focusing on multiple areas while catering to the requirements of countless individuals belonging to import-export, in a simple and comprehensive manner. At the same, we always seek your advice for improvement at info@made-from-india.com

About Made-from-India

Made-from-India is an innovative and comprehensive online business-to-business (B2B) portal. It’s not just another B2B portal, but is meant for serious businessman only who care for Costing, Profit, Turn Over, Brand Promotion, Brand Creation, Brand Make Over, Edge Over others, and Growth.

For more details,

Please visit http://www.made-from-india.com/Contents/About_Us/Our_Services/

www.made-from-india.com

MFI TRADE LINKS PVT LTD.

205-214 Advait Complex,

B/S Sandesh Press Road,

Vastrapur, Ahmedabad – 380015

Gujarat, India.

Or, email at info@made-from-india.com