PathGuide Technologies, a leading provider of warehouse management systems (WMS) for wholesale and industrial distributors, today announced that the company has been included on the Supply & Demand Chain Executive annual '100' list of supply chain solution providers, consultants and other organizations that help lead the way in transforming companies' supply and demand chains.
The special focus of this year's '100' was supply chain innovation.
'We're delighted to receive this recognition from Supply & Demand Chain Executive,' said Eric Allais, president and CEO of PathGuide Technologies. 'Delivering warehouse management solutions that meet each customer's unique distribution requirements, and wrapping those solutions in the industry's best dedicated service and support is our core focus. It's a pleasure to be part of the annual ‘100' ranking.'
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 editorial staff of the magazine, in conjunction with the editorial advisory board, has compiled a list of leading supply and demand chain innovators.
'Our goal with this year's ‘100' is to highlight a broad range of solutions and services targeted at a variety of industries, addressing the needs of companies of varying sizes and assisting in the transformation of a diverse mix of the functions that make up the supply chain,' explained Andrew K. Reese, editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive. 'Therefore, our judging committee looked for solutions across a variety of industries, addressing the needs of companies of varying sizes, and assisting in the transformation of a diverse mix of the functions that make up the supply chain.'
Final recipients are featured in the cover story of the June/July issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive, and can be found online at www.SDCExec.com/SDCE100.
About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the executive's user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation, utilizing hard-hitting analysis, viewpoints and unbiased case studies to steer executives and supply management professionals through the complicated, yet critical, world of supply and demand chain enablement to gain competitive advantage.
About PathGuide Technologies
PathGuide Technologies, Inc., a privately held company founded in 1989, is a leading provider of WMS solutions for wholesale and industrial distributors across North America. PathGuide's software and services help suppliers increase productivity and order accuracy, improve customer service and lower labor costs, ultimately driving greater profitability. To learn how distributors of all sizes can benefit from improved warehouse management, visit www.pathguide.com.
Source-pr-inside.com
Showing posts with label Global Supply Chain Management News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Global Supply Chain Management News. Show all posts
Monday, August 4, 2008
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:
Industry Trends
Archstone also identified several major industry trends in its Manufacturing Executives Agenda for 2008 surveys, including:
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
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
Friday, August 1, 2008
Where Does the U.S. Stand in the Global Market?
Customers and competitors alike used to be just a short drive away. All business was local. But the entire world has changed over the last twenty years thanks to globalization. The forest products industry is no stranger to this trend. What has taken place abroad, especially in Asia, has forever impacted the business landscape in North America. Although the furniture industry and some other large wood users have primarily moved offshore, there remain some bright spots for the future of America’s forest products industry.
Hakan Ekstrom, president of Wood Resources International LLC (WRI), agreed to discuss with the TimberLine recent developments in the global wood market. As a leading consultant and publisher of market reports, Ekstrom keeps tabs on international markets. His expertise includes on-site evaluations of forest resources, raw material flows (logs and wood chips), forest products trade, wood cost outlook (pulpwood prices and sawlog prices) and forest industry developments worldwide.
WRI has successfully completed more than 200 consulting assignments in over 35 countries. WRI publishes two quarterly timber price reports The North American Wood Fiber Review and the Wood Resource Quarterly.
Ekstrom talked about some of the most pressing issues facing the global forest products industry and shared a surprisingly optimistic view of America’s position in the market.
TimberLine: Russia has announced that it will impose stiff tariffs next year on exported logs in an effort to encourage more domestic production of finished wood products. How will this impact the global market given the vast forest reserves that Russia holds?
Ekstrom: If we assume that there won’t be any changes in the new tariffs, then there will be a lot less logs coming out of Russia. Small hardwood logs are exempt from the higher tariffs, but large Birch logs mainly going for plywood in Finland and all softwood logs will stay in Russia after January 2009.
Countries that are currently importing these logs (mainly Finland, China and Japan), have to look elsewhere for softwood logs if they want to continue to supply their industry. Indirectly this may increase competition for logs coming from other parts of the world. This will lead to higher log costs in some markets. Some businesses and even countries will have to evaluate whether or not they want to scale back production or keep current levels in place.
The Russian situation will lead to increased opportunities for raw logs coming from the United States and Canada. This trend has already started as more Hemlock on the West Coast is being sent to Korea. I believe that some companies are not waiting until January to start looking for alternative sources of material. Companies in Finland are looking at Sweden and the Baltic states for additional logs. The global flow of logs has already started to change, and we will see more of that in the near future. In the long term, we may see more countries decide to import more finished products and process fewer logs.
TimberLine: Newspapers are filled with reports about illegal logging taking place around the globe. Will efforts to encourage certification and cut down on illegal logging really make much of a difference?
Ekstrom: If we talk about Russia, which is the country that exports the most illegal logs, obviously the export tax won’t have an impact since those logs are illegal. A lot of those volumes are going to China for material that doesn’t have to be certified anyway. It will take a long time before certification will have a big impact on illegal logs from Russia.
The impact of certification on tropical wood will move a little bit faster. Most of that material or finished goods are going to Europe, and they are starting to be tougher on making sure that wood is not illegally cut and has some kind of certification stamp on it. If you are talking about tropical wood going into Japan or China, they care less about certification. Those cutting forests in Brazil or Africa may just decide to ship the material to Asia instead of Europe if they are concerned about certification. As long as you have a market for those products, it will be hard to eliminate much of the illegal logging taking place in some countries.
Then there are some countries like Malaysia that stand out as a producer of certified tropical wood. They are major exporters of tropical wood products. And they are really trying to do a good job and develop an image that they only export products that come from legal sources and have certification stamps.
TimberLine: American hardwoods have a strong reputation around the world. How will U.S. producers fare in the future? What will be the key drivers that will enable or limit success?
Ekstrom: Smaller hardwood logs in the southern U.S. are going primarily into the pulp market. That industry is pretty competitive. If you look at the cost of the raw material going into pulp mills in the South compared to the rest of the world, it looks pretty good. I believe the pulp industry in the South will remain fairly competitive, which should fuel strong demand for small hardwood logs.
Larger hardwood logs and the demand for American hardwood products will do fairly well in the future for a couple of reasons. The raw material is fairly steady. You have a good market working with lots of buyers and sellers. Right now and probably over the next 3-5 years, maybe longer, the weak U.S. dollar makes it easier for exports to compete. Over time demand for tropical wood products will decline as consumers begin to look for a stamp that indicates the wood came from a legal source and was managed in a sustainable way. Certification is something that U.S. companies can deliver on in the future.
The key thing is that the industry needs to invest and be more efficient. Companies should not try to cut back even if times are hard but rather increase investments in scanners, optimizers and other equipment to be competitive now and in the future.
TimberLine: What are major competitors around the globe to the U.S. hardwood industry when it comes to log and lumber exports? How do you think this will change in the future?
Ekstrom: On the tropical side, major competitors are Latin America, Asia and Africa. But we will assume that the supply coming from regions will decline. When you talk about temperate hardwoods, there are not that many places out there – primarily Germany and France. If you look at Russia, it has Birch, Oak and Ash that could be competitive in the future. They are not competitive now because they don’t have a working industry.
More Eucalyptus will come on the market as more sawmills figure out how to use it to produce lumber, furniture and components. Eucalyptus is fast growing and cheap. You are starting to see Eucalyptus for cabinet doors and flooring. You can stain it to make the material look like Cherry or other hardwoods. There will definitely be applications for Eucalyptus. IKEA, the furniture company, is looking into using more Eucalyptus in the future.
TimberLine: What do you see taking place right now in the low grade markets in this country? What impact will these trends have on prices?
Ekstrom: It all depends if you are a buyer or a seller. It looks pretty good if you are in the South and are a buyer of logs and lumber. Competition is not as strong for material as it was a couple of years ago. If you go back two years, you may have had competition for the same log from a sawmill, an OSB plant and pulp mill. Right now, it is mostly the pulp mills competing for the low grade material because the OSB plants and sawmills have curved production. It is always difficult to generalize for the Southern U.S. because it is such a big market. There are some places where landowners are less eager to harvest timber because they are starting to use more land for recreation and other purposes. Generally, in the South you see less pressure on the resource in 2008. Therefore, prices for logs have started to come down. However, this downward trend will change when lumber markets improve in 2009 or 2010.
On the West Coast, the market is shifting a little bit the other way. There is more pressure on the round wood resources. Sawmills have been cutting back production so there are fewer residual wood chips. Pulp mills are forced to go out and look for round wood instead of chips, which results in more competition and higher costs. This is a good thing if you are a landowner, but a bad thing if you are buying logs for pallets or other uses.
Looking ahead as long as the housing starts stay where they are and lumber production is down, I don’t see any major changes that will impact prices of logs in the U.S. market.
TimberLine: Asia is a huge consumer of the world’s wood supply. Do you believe there will be huge opportunities for American exports to continue to grow in this region?
Ekstrom: Japan is the big consumer of lumber. They are the big importers of softwood logs. There are opportunities for the U.S. to export more logs to Japan and long term to China as well. It’s just that in China they don’t build houses the same way that the Japanese do. They don’t need as much lumber. They are two very different markets.
When it comes to hardwood, there will be import opportunities of both logs and lumber because domestic consumption is rising and the manufacturing of wood products for export continues to go up because it is cheaper to do a lot of things in China than North America or Europe. Neither China nor Japan have large forest reserves so much of their raw material has to be shipped in from other parts of the world.
TimberLine: How is the rise in energy costs impacting finished good producers in Asia that have to buy raw material from other countries? Could high fuel prices cause some of those jobs to come back to North America?
Ekstrom: Even though energy costs have gone up significantly, it is still a fairly small share of the total cost of producing items, such as furniture. Their labor costs are so much lower than our costs. Higher energy costs are affecting their margins. But it will not have any major impact on the trade of logs or lumber.
A little more logs are shifting into Vietnam than China just because it is slightly cheaper to produce in Vietnam than China. But you won’t see a shift back to the U.S. again. We have to accept that Asian countries will continue to do the more labor intensive things while American companies will have to do more sophisticated things requiring automation.
TimberLine: Timber production from Latin America has boomed over the past decade. Do you believe this trend will continue? Why?
Ekstrom: Yes, they will continue to expand plantations in Brazil. They will continue to grow more on every acre five years from now than they do today. You see the same in Uruguay. This could also happen in Venezuela, Colombia, or Nicaragua. It all depends on what happens with the politics in those countries. As a continent, Latin America can certainly boost its production capacity. Trees grow faster down there than in more temperate climates, and they have a lot of land that is not used for anything.
When it comes to plantations and developing the right tree clones, Latin America countries are probably ahead of the rest of the world. If we want to learn something about fast growing Eucalyptus, we have to go down to Brazil.
Brazil has become a large producer of hardwood pulp to the world. Brazil and Uruguay have invested the most money in this technology over the past five years and have the most modern pulp mills in the world.
TimberLine: Is Latin America a major competitor for U.S. raw wood exports? Please explain the competitive tension between these two regions.
Ekstrom: No, the U.S. doesn’t really export lots of logs outside of North America. Its exports are limited to Canada, Japan, Korea and China. And in terms of lumber, a lot of that material is unique species, Doug Fir, Cedar, Oak, Beach, Red Alder, and you don’t have those species down in Brazil. What they produce down there on plantations is fast growing pine. Some markets that the South sells into with SYP may experience competition from Brazil. That is probably the only area where Brazil would compete in an export market against the U.S. sawmills.
Russia, not Latin America, is the largest exporter of raw logs around the globe.
TimberLine: Since Russia is such a big player in the export market, won’t its recent tariff decisions increase opportunities for U.S. exports?
Ekstrom: It is definitely going to change how things are done in some areas, especially Japan and China. There are not a lot of places they can go for softwood material. They can source from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the U.S. They have to decide if they want to buy logs or lumber.
Some exporters in North America are looking into the prospects of putting lumber, logs and even wood chips into cargo containers for return trips back to Asian countries.
With favorable exchange rates, there could definitely be good opportunities for U.S. companies to export both logs and lumber to Asia. The U.S. has the resources and now a pretty competitive cost structure. Asia is where the demand is increasing for all different kind of forest products. The next step is to see if American companies can find the right distribution channels and understand the markets in Asia.
Source-timberlinemag.com
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
New BSR Report Outlines Lessons on Building Supply Chain Capacity for CSR
While many companies concerned about corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues in their supply chain tend to focus on monitoring factory conditions, a new report by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) reveals that companies working directly with factory managers to equip suppliers with skills, knowledge and systems to take ownership of CSR issues are more effective in addressing persistent issues such as labor standards violations, environmental degradation, and poor health and safety protections.
BSR's "Pilot Summary Report: Building Capabilities to Implement CSR Management Systems at ICT Suppliers in China" is based on a series of recently completed pilot projects aimed at breaking through common barriers to improving factory conditions. Organizations in this collaborative project include BSR, the World Bank Group’s investment climate advisory service, the Foreign Investment Advisory Service (FIAS), the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and the Shenzhen Electronics Industry Association (SEIA). In 2007, the collaboration published a report identifying the root causes of poor factory conditions, and providing recommendations for how customers, suppliers, government and civil society can all contribute to improved capacity among factories in China.
Based on findings from these reports and the recent pilot projects, there are several steps companies can take to build capacity in their supply chains:
For more information about BSR's work in this partnership, please contact Laura Commike Gitman at lgitman@bsr.org.
About BSR
Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing socially responsible business solutions to many of the world’s leading corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco and with offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, New York and Paris, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.
About the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition
The EICC consists of 30 companies that have come together in their common interest to improve working conditions and environmental stewardship throughout the electronics supply chain. This group supports a common code of conduct for electronics companies, the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. The code covers expectations for performance across a range of issues, including labor, health and safety, environmental practices, ethics and management systems. Through its board, steering committee and working groups, the group is working to implement the code of conduct, engaging with stakeholders and keeping the code up to date. For more information, visit www.eicc.info.
About the Global e-Sustainability Initiative
GeSI is a joint initiative of an international group of ICT service providers and suppliers, industry associations, the Carbon Disclosure Project and WWF, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and International Telecommunication Union. GeSI seeks to contribute to sustainable development in the ICT industry by taking a leadership role in collaborative exploration and responsible management of the evolving interfaces among industrial, ecological and social systems. The EICC and GeSI are working together on development and deployment of a consistent set of tools and processes to measure, monitor and improve supply chain corporate responsibility performance across the ICT sector. Information about GeSI members and ongoing activities can be found at www.gesi.org.
Source-csrwire.com
BSR's "Pilot Summary Report: Building Capabilities to Implement CSR Management Systems at ICT Suppliers in China" is based on a series of recently completed pilot projects aimed at breaking through common barriers to improving factory conditions. Organizations in this collaborative project include BSR, the World Bank Group’s investment climate advisory service, the Foreign Investment Advisory Service (FIAS), the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and the Shenzhen Electronics Industry Association (SEIA). In 2007, the collaboration published a report identifying the root causes of poor factory conditions, and providing recommendations for how customers, suppliers, government and civil society can all contribute to improved capacity among factories in China.
Based on findings from these reports and the recent pilot projects, there are several steps companies can take to build capacity in their supply chains:
- Support multiple capacity-building strategies. Approaches can include providing generic tools (such as a factory committee or worker hotline to address concerns), conducting trainings, creating supplier-support networks and implementing factory-specific projects.
- Focus on the business case. To achieve buy-in from suppliers, identify real incentives and allow supplies to shape their own approach to CSR improvements within the factory.
- Integrate a mentoring system into the monitoring process. Work with the supplier to identify root causes of compliance issues. This strengthens the relationship between the company and the supplier, shifting focus from immediate compliance to continuous improvement.
- Foster ongoing dialogue among stakeholders. These include customers, suppliers, NGOs, local government and industry associations. This reinforces each group’s efforts, creating the potential for a much bigger impact on everyone’s CSR efforts.
For more information about BSR's work in this partnership, please contact Laura Commike Gitman at lgitman@bsr.org.
About BSR
Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing socially responsible business solutions to many of the world’s leading corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco and with offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, New York and Paris, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.
About the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition
The EICC consists of 30 companies that have come together in their common interest to improve working conditions and environmental stewardship throughout the electronics supply chain. This group supports a common code of conduct for electronics companies, the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. The code covers expectations for performance across a range of issues, including labor, health and safety, environmental practices, ethics and management systems. Through its board, steering committee and working groups, the group is working to implement the code of conduct, engaging with stakeholders and keeping the code up to date. For more information, visit www.eicc.info.
About the Global e-Sustainability Initiative
GeSI is a joint initiative of an international group of ICT service providers and suppliers, industry associations, the Carbon Disclosure Project and WWF, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and International Telecommunication Union. GeSI seeks to contribute to sustainable development in the ICT industry by taking a leadership role in collaborative exploration and responsible management of the evolving interfaces among industrial, ecological and social systems. The EICC and GeSI are working together on development and deployment of a consistent set of tools and processes to measure, monitor and improve supply chain corporate responsibility performance across the ICT sector. Information about GeSI members and ongoing activities can be found at www.gesi.org.
Source-csrwire.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Green Supply Chain Management, It's Good For the Environment, It's Good For the Bottom Line
While the majority of global executives consider carbon reduction an important aspect of purchasing and supply chain management, only a minority follow through:
That's too bad, according to the McKinsey study. Not only are these companies not helping fight climate change as much as they could, they are also missing out on some cost lowering opportunities. The facts:
- For consumer goods marketers, high-tech, and other manufacturers, between 40-60% of their carbon footprint is in their supply chain.
- For retailers, the number is even higher, 80%.
- Many of the opportunities to reduce emissions carry no net life-cycle costs, with the upfront investment more than paying for itself through lower energy or material usage.
- Others may require tradeoffs between emissions and profitability, in areas such as logistics and product design.
- Forward-looking companies are using such discussions as opportunities for supplier development.
- This opens up the possibility of still lower costs and improved operational performance, in addition to helping suppliers remove carbon from their supply chains.
Source-cleantechblog.com
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Elders increases commitment to livestock supply chain
Elders Rural Services managing director Mike Guerin says Elders will create a Customer Solutions Management unit solely focused on meeting customer demand for Australian meat and livestock.
“As well as servicing Australian agricultural producers, one of the most important core functions performed by Elders Rural Services is the supply of livestock to our processor, feedlot, live export and retail purchasing customers from our producer client base,” Mr Guerin said.
The new Customer Solutions Management unit will be led by Elders’ National Marketing Manager for Meat & Livestock, Hamish Browning, reporting to Elders’ General Manager Meat & Livestock, Jack Gleeson.
Mr Gleeson says the core functions of this Customer Solutions Management business unit are to:
• Develop and deliver improved and targeted service to key livestock purchasing customers.
• Facilitate the introduction of strategic innovations that drive value creation for key purchasing customer businesses.
• Mobilise, influence, and coordinate network supply chain capabilities to meet identified purchasing customer demand requirements.
Source : sl.farmonline.com.au
SSAB steels itself for supply chain success
SSAB’s steel plate division says it is upgrading its use of i2’s supply chain solutions and migrating to the i2 Agile Business Process Platform to improve efficiency and supply chain visibility.
Mats Carlsson, quality, planning and service manager at SSAB, explains that the company has been using i2 for forecasting, planning and order management, but that migrating to the new platform will further improve ease of use, as well as business process and workflow management.
“With this upgrade, SSAB Plate Division will ensure stability on a very important part in our order fulfilment process and also gain some advantages of new functionality,” he adds.
That’s because i2’s Agile Business Process Platform has better supply chain data management, staging and integration, an enhanced studio for development, testing and deployment, and an expanded collection of the company’s best practices and supply chain workflows.
i2 distributor ROCE Partners is the prime contractor.
Source by mcsolutions.co.uk
Mats Carlsson, quality, planning and service manager at SSAB, explains that the company has been using i2 for forecasting, planning and order management, but that migrating to the new platform will further improve ease of use, as well as business process and workflow management.
“With this upgrade, SSAB Plate Division will ensure stability on a very important part in our order fulfilment process and also gain some advantages of new functionality,” he adds.
That’s because i2’s Agile Business Process Platform has better supply chain data management, staging and integration, an enhanced studio for development, testing and deployment, and an expanded collection of the company’s best practices and supply chain workflows.
i2 distributor ROCE Partners is the prime contractor.
Source by mcsolutions.co.uk
Monday, May 5, 2008
Supply-Chain Fraud Risks Primary Concern for Companies
Vulnerability to supply-chain fraud risks are on the rise as supply lines of South Korean companies become more extended and complex.
As a result, experts say, companies have become the target of an array of frauds ranging from simple theft, misrepresentation of inventory, gray market diversion, counterfeiting and even piracy.
Fraud thrives on complexity and companies are faced with fraud from the very beginning because of global growth and increased outsourcing, according to a recent Global Fraud Report released by Kroll, the New York-based risk consulting firm.
South Korean IT giants, which have already acknowledged the significance of such issues in managing their businesses on overseas markets, are planning to inject fresh capital to strengthen their supply-chain management systems.
With hefty investment, LG Electronics has recently finished the completion of its ``Global Supply-Chain Management System.’’
``The system is intended to face off increasing financial damages triggered by poor supply-chain management on overseas markets,’’ an LG official said Monday. LG, the world’s No. 3 flat-screen TV and No. 4 handset maker, reaps some 70 percent of its sales overseas.
``We could increase productivity by 10 percent as the system makes it possible to cut inventory levels and lead times, and to check the current status of product shipments in real-time,’’ the official said.
Samsung Electronics doesn’t have immediate plans to invest more in supply-chain management. However, the company is tightening it to cut costs.
``We are in an expansionary track in some emerging markets, meaning we don’t have a set cutoff in terms of pricing’’ a Samsung Electronics official said. In a first-quarter earnings briefing, the company’s Vice President Chu Woo-sik reported an impressive performance due to its advantage in supply-chain management.
Over 90 percent of Samsung Electronics’ sales are overseas.
Hynix Semiconductor, which has been accelerating efforts to expand the foundry (contract) business with Taiwan-based strategic partners to cut costs amid the bearish global chip market, also plans to complete its global supply system, embracing clients by early 2009.
Unlike the information technology sector, the pharmaceutical industry has struggled to tackle increasing supply-chain problems because of the sector’s ``increasingly complex patterns of production, distribution and sales.’’
Citing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Kroll said the volume of counterfeit drugs in the supply chain increased fivefold between 2001 and 2007, with fraudulent e-pharmacies raking in up to $6 billion per year..
``It is really difficult to have a strong supply-chain management system because drugs are easy to copy,’’ an official from Pfizer said, adding internal theft throughout the supply chain is a major risk as well.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr
As a result, experts say, companies have become the target of an array of frauds ranging from simple theft, misrepresentation of inventory, gray market diversion, counterfeiting and even piracy.
Fraud thrives on complexity and companies are faced with fraud from the very beginning because of global growth and increased outsourcing, according to a recent Global Fraud Report released by Kroll, the New York-based risk consulting firm.
South Korean IT giants, which have already acknowledged the significance of such issues in managing their businesses on overseas markets, are planning to inject fresh capital to strengthen their supply-chain management systems.
With hefty investment, LG Electronics has recently finished the completion of its ``Global Supply-Chain Management System.’’
``The system is intended to face off increasing financial damages triggered by poor supply-chain management on overseas markets,’’ an LG official said Monday. LG, the world’s No. 3 flat-screen TV and No. 4 handset maker, reaps some 70 percent of its sales overseas.
``We could increase productivity by 10 percent as the system makes it possible to cut inventory levels and lead times, and to check the current status of product shipments in real-time,’’ the official said.
Samsung Electronics doesn’t have immediate plans to invest more in supply-chain management. However, the company is tightening it to cut costs.
``We are in an expansionary track in some emerging markets, meaning we don’t have a set cutoff in terms of pricing’’ a Samsung Electronics official said. In a first-quarter earnings briefing, the company’s Vice President Chu Woo-sik reported an impressive performance due to its advantage in supply-chain management.
Over 90 percent of Samsung Electronics’ sales are overseas.
Hynix Semiconductor, which has been accelerating efforts to expand the foundry (contract) business with Taiwan-based strategic partners to cut costs amid the bearish global chip market, also plans to complete its global supply system, embracing clients by early 2009.
Unlike the information technology sector, the pharmaceutical industry has struggled to tackle increasing supply-chain problems because of the sector’s ``increasingly complex patterns of production, distribution and sales.’’
Citing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Kroll said the volume of counterfeit drugs in the supply chain increased fivefold between 2001 and 2007, with fraudulent e-pharmacies raking in up to $6 billion per year..
``It is really difficult to have a strong supply-chain management system because drugs are easy to copy,’’ an official from Pfizer said, adding internal theft throughout the supply chain is a major risk as well.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr
Monday, April 28, 2008
Supply chains should be kept on a short leash
The big business idea of the last 20 years is going rancid. Last week, Boeing's embarrassed chief executive announced the third major delay to its much-hyped 787 Dreamliner project.
Unbelievably, although nearly 900 of the aircraft have been sold, its profitability is in question as the firm's global supply chain cracks up. At the heart of the problem is the 'Dell model' (after the computer manufacturer), applied to the project's funding and management. Industry researchers say that Boeing's attempt to minimise financial risks by maximising the number of development partners has had the opposite effect: outsourcing on this scale (80 per cent, including large and complicated components) has actually increased the risk of project and management failure.
Boeing should have paid heed to the experience of Dell, which posted a powerful warning on the dangers of paying more attention to the supply than the demand chain: being good at giving customers what they get is not the same thing as being good at giving them what they want. But it's not only computer and aerospace companies that are learning these lessons. One automotive component maker was shocked to discover that parts arriving for final assembly in the US had spent up to two years shuttling between 21 plants on four continents - when it had only actually taken 200 minutes to make them. Much of the work was done in China to benefit from lower labour costs, but any advantage was more than offset by the costs of managing and scheduling inventory in the tortuous supply line. With hindsight, the China move was rated 'a disaster'.
Yet undeterred, service industries are now making exactly the same mistakes. In theory, since there is nothing physical to make or transport, services are ideal candidates for disembodied processing and reassembly by low-cost labour in foreign parts. But state-of-the-art call centres and distant graduates are quite often the wrong answer to the wrong question. A friend trying to get to Norwich over Christmas spent ages on the phone to India working out how to do it without taking 24 hours. When he got to Liverpool Street the man on the spot told him: 'Go to King's Cross, mate: trains to Cambridge aren't affected, then change for Norwich.' Similarly, when your cable broadband is down, you don't need someone thousands of miles away reading from a script, but a spotty youth around the corner who will sort it out for £60 and a supply of cola or coffee.
Why do companies - and public-sector organisations - continue to get this so wrong, pursuing the will-o'-the-wisp of cost reduction with measures that end up increasing them? Aided and abetted by consultants and computer firms that should know better, they are prey to three management myths.
One is economies of scale. Manufacturers and service outfits alike think they can cut costs by mass-producing processes in vast specialist factories. They can't, because of all the unanticipated costs noted earlier: carrying and transport costs (for physical inventory) ramifying the possibility and consequences of mistakes, re-work (mopping up complaints about things not being done or being done wrongly), knock-on costs up and downstream, and finally the management costs of sorting it all out. If consumers no longer rush to pick up undifferentiated products that companies can mass-produce and toss over the factory wall, economies of scale lose their point, becoming diseconomies.
The second myth is that there's no alternative because quality costs more. Yet quality - in the sense of giving customers what they want, no more, no less - costs less, not more. This is because if you do just that, a) you don't incur the cost of giving them what they don't want, and b) indirect costs fall too, since there are fewer mistakes to rectify.
Third, browbeaten by free-market fundamentalists, companies habitually overestimate the coordinating power of markets (and thus the attractiveness of short-term outsourcing to India and China) and underestimate the role of organisation. But while the internet can undeniably cut the cost of some market coordination, for any complex task a good organisation can still out-compete what can be supplied unaided by the market - which is why we still have organisations in the first place.
For both products and services, the principles are the same. Supply chains should be as short as possible in both time and distance; small and local, from police stations and GPs' surgeries to banks and computer firms' call centres, almost always beats large and remote. Expertise should be upfront, whether on the production line or the phone, where it can respond immediately to the customer. The title of a report from the Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing, Making the Right Things in the Right Places, says it all: in a globalised, virtual world, location and supply-chain decisions are more critical, not less.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Unbelievably, although nearly 900 of the aircraft have been sold, its profitability is in question as the firm's global supply chain cracks up. At the heart of the problem is the 'Dell model' (after the computer manufacturer), applied to the project's funding and management. Industry researchers say that Boeing's attempt to minimise financial risks by maximising the number of development partners has had the opposite effect: outsourcing on this scale (80 per cent, including large and complicated components) has actually increased the risk of project and management failure.
Boeing should have paid heed to the experience of Dell, which posted a powerful warning on the dangers of paying more attention to the supply than the demand chain: being good at giving customers what they get is not the same thing as being good at giving them what they want. But it's not only computer and aerospace companies that are learning these lessons. One automotive component maker was shocked to discover that parts arriving for final assembly in the US had spent up to two years shuttling between 21 plants on four continents - when it had only actually taken 200 minutes to make them. Much of the work was done in China to benefit from lower labour costs, but any advantage was more than offset by the costs of managing and scheduling inventory in the tortuous supply line. With hindsight, the China move was rated 'a disaster'.
Yet undeterred, service industries are now making exactly the same mistakes. In theory, since there is nothing physical to make or transport, services are ideal candidates for disembodied processing and reassembly by low-cost labour in foreign parts. But state-of-the-art call centres and distant graduates are quite often the wrong answer to the wrong question. A friend trying to get to Norwich over Christmas spent ages on the phone to India working out how to do it without taking 24 hours. When he got to Liverpool Street the man on the spot told him: 'Go to King's Cross, mate: trains to Cambridge aren't affected, then change for Norwich.' Similarly, when your cable broadband is down, you don't need someone thousands of miles away reading from a script, but a spotty youth around the corner who will sort it out for £60 and a supply of cola or coffee.
Why do companies - and public-sector organisations - continue to get this so wrong, pursuing the will-o'-the-wisp of cost reduction with measures that end up increasing them? Aided and abetted by consultants and computer firms that should know better, they are prey to three management myths.
One is economies of scale. Manufacturers and service outfits alike think they can cut costs by mass-producing processes in vast specialist factories. They can't, because of all the unanticipated costs noted earlier: carrying and transport costs (for physical inventory) ramifying the possibility and consequences of mistakes, re-work (mopping up complaints about things not being done or being done wrongly), knock-on costs up and downstream, and finally the management costs of sorting it all out. If consumers no longer rush to pick up undifferentiated products that companies can mass-produce and toss over the factory wall, economies of scale lose their point, becoming diseconomies.
The second myth is that there's no alternative because quality costs more. Yet quality - in the sense of giving customers what they want, no more, no less - costs less, not more. This is because if you do just that, a) you don't incur the cost of giving them what they don't want, and b) indirect costs fall too, since there are fewer mistakes to rectify.
Third, browbeaten by free-market fundamentalists, companies habitually overestimate the coordinating power of markets (and thus the attractiveness of short-term outsourcing to India and China) and underestimate the role of organisation. But while the internet can undeniably cut the cost of some market coordination, for any complex task a good organisation can still out-compete what can be supplied unaided by the market - which is why we still have organisations in the first place.
For both products and services, the principles are the same. Supply chains should be as short as possible in both time and distance; small and local, from police stations and GPs' surgeries to banks and computer firms' call centres, almost always beats large and remote. Expertise should be upfront, whether on the production line or the phone, where it can respond immediately to the customer. The title of a report from the Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing, Making the Right Things in the Right Places, says it all: in a globalised, virtual world, location and supply-chain decisions are more critical, not less.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Integration is key to global supply chain success
To find success with global supply chains, companies need to integrate operations both vertically and horizontally, a new briefing paper from the Economist Intelligence Unit has warned.
The study, which is sponsored by Oracle, highlights the problems suffered by aeroplane manufacturer Boeing, which in October announced a six month delay in the delivery of the 787 Dreamliner.
“After months of touting the benefits of its new collaborative supply chain management system . . . the company cited shortages of key materials and slow deliveries by suppliers as primary reasons for delaying initial deliveries of the Dreamliner until late 2008,” the EIU said.
The study, entitled “Global supply chains: understanding risks and rewards”, provides a tour of the key issues involved in managing risk as globalisation extends supply chains across continents. It also provides a number of case studies.
Source: logisticsmanager.com
The study, which is sponsored by Oracle, highlights the problems suffered by aeroplane manufacturer Boeing, which in October announced a six month delay in the delivery of the 787 Dreamliner.
“After months of touting the benefits of its new collaborative supply chain management system . . . the company cited shortages of key materials and slow deliveries by suppliers as primary reasons for delaying initial deliveries of the Dreamliner until late 2008,” the EIU said.
The study, entitled “Global supply chains: understanding risks and rewards”, provides a tour of the key issues involved in managing risk as globalisation extends supply chains across continents. It also provides a number of case studies.
Source: logisticsmanager.com
Software Provider Offers Supply Chain Guidelines
Basware, the leading provider of financial process automation software, has released guidelines designed to help companies create green supply chains. These guidelines were developed for the growing number of companies that are basing purchasing decisions not only on the value that vendors deliver but also on their compliance with green initiatives and other key corporate values.
"Companies realize that an environmentally friendly supply chain helps them to fully support their corporate values, attract and retain key talent, and create goodwill among customers and prospects," said Jari Tavi, chief technology officer, Basware Corp. "Just as vendors have been required to be compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, they will soon need to achieve a certain level of compliance with environmental initiatives and other social responsibility imperatives."
According to industry analyst firm, Gartner, Inc., "‘Going green’ is no longer just a phrase. Future suppliers will need to be certified green just to remain on shortlists for enterprise consideration. The green movement will pick up steam in 2008 and change the way businesses approach environmental conservation. Strategic Planning Assumption: By 2011, suppliers to global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials via an audited process to retain preferred supplier status."
There are several key steps to establishing green supply chains including:
• Determining your organization's purchasing strategy. Companies should first identify and prioritize the purchasing criteria that are most important to them.
• Establishing good processes that are streamlined and flexible. This will enable companies to effectively implement the green policies that they are establishing.
• Finding ways to cut down on paper. By automating your invoicing processes, you can dramatically decrease your use of paper and gain greater efficiency and environmental benefits. Invoices represent the largest number of legally required documents in a company, and for every invoice, there are typically two to 10 times that amount of supporting documents, such as goods received, contracts, etc.
• Making purchasing democratic. Any system you implement must be easy to use to encourage user adoption. It is also important to put purchasing systems in as many hands as possible so that it becomes an organization-wide initiative to support green suppliers and other favored vendors.
• Recognizing and rewarding the true value in your supply chain. Price alone should no longer be the major factor in selecting a vendor. The value a vendor provides, such as quality and reliability, as well as adherence to corporate values, are key areas that companies should consider.
Source: eponline.com
"Companies realize that an environmentally friendly supply chain helps them to fully support their corporate values, attract and retain key talent, and create goodwill among customers and prospects," said Jari Tavi, chief technology officer, Basware Corp. "Just as vendors have been required to be compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, they will soon need to achieve a certain level of compliance with environmental initiatives and other social responsibility imperatives."
According to industry analyst firm, Gartner, Inc., "‘Going green’ is no longer just a phrase. Future suppliers will need to be certified green just to remain on shortlists for enterprise consideration. The green movement will pick up steam in 2008 and change the way businesses approach environmental conservation. Strategic Planning Assumption: By 2011, suppliers to global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials via an audited process to retain preferred supplier status."
There are several key steps to establishing green supply chains including:
• Determining your organization's purchasing strategy. Companies should first identify and prioritize the purchasing criteria that are most important to them.
• Establishing good processes that are streamlined and flexible. This will enable companies to effectively implement the green policies that they are establishing.
• Finding ways to cut down on paper. By automating your invoicing processes, you can dramatically decrease your use of paper and gain greater efficiency and environmental benefits. Invoices represent the largest number of legally required documents in a company, and for every invoice, there are typically two to 10 times that amount of supporting documents, such as goods received, contracts, etc.
• Making purchasing democratic. Any system you implement must be easy to use to encourage user adoption. It is also important to put purchasing systems in as many hands as possible so that it becomes an organization-wide initiative to support green suppliers and other favored vendors.
• Recognizing and rewarding the true value in your supply chain. Price alone should no longer be the major factor in selecting a vendor. The value a vendor provides, such as quality and reliability, as well as adherence to corporate values, are key areas that companies should consider.
Source: eponline.com
Sunday, April 27, 2008
No rice supply crisis in Canada, industry says
If you're having trouble finding some specialty rices in Canada, blame flaws in the retail system, says an industry insider.
Ali Bilgen, president of A & BB Rice Inc. in Toronto, told CTV.ca on Friday that rice in general is in good supply in Canada.
Most of this country's rice -- such as the long grain typically served in Chinese restaurants -- comes from the United States, which is producing plenty of rice, he said.
But jasmine rice comes from Thailand, and reports have indicated the Asian country may have problems meeting its export obligations, Bilgen said. "They are having some serious issues."
The country's finance minister has since said Thailand can meet its contract obligations, but the price has still rocketed up to US$1,000 per tonne -- three times its January level.
"That's fuelling the frenzy a bit," Bilgen said, but his firm is having no real problem obtaining rice.
There were reports of U.S. retailers Wal-Mart and Costco limiting rice sales earlier this week, but Bilgen said, "Personally, I think they're over-reacting."
Herman Poon of T and T Supermarkets told CTV Newsnet on Thursday that his chain has no plans to ration rice sales.
If some supermarkets are running out, "to a certain extent, that's their own doing," he said.
Supermarkets require 30 to 60 days notice of a price increase. With prices rising so rapidly, importers are seeing their replacement costs go up just as quickly, Bilgen said.
"We don't have the luxury to continue supplying these supermarkets at well below the market prices for 30 to 60 days. So some of the importers may restrict quantities they are shipping to the supermarkets."
So while some supermarkets might be running out of some types of rice to sell, there is no supply issue at the wholesale level, he said.
David Wilkes, senior vice-president of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, told CTV.ca that his members aren't having any supply problems.
"We are not seeing any changes in consumer shopping patterns with respects to rice at the current time either," he said.
Poon seconded that, saying some customers are stocking up, but most are not.
Difference of opinion
Wilkes disagreed with some of Bilgen's analysis, saying the importers are often buying on the futures market to protect themselves.
"Depending on your point of view, you're always going to claim you're getting squeezed on the way," he said.
Costs do get passed along in any supply chain, and everyone wants it to be orderly, he said.
"But at the same time, if there's an unavoidable change because commodities have gone up, I know that conversations go on between individual trading partners to make sure those adjustments take place in the most reasonable way possible."
The rice situation should also be looked at in the context of the apparent structural shifts going on in the global food market, Wilkes said. He listed some factors:
* Changing consumption patterns;
* Food being converted into ethanol;
* Agricultural land being taken out of production.
Foods based on the commodities being affected are rising in price as a result, he said, citing bread and pasta as two other examples.
On Friday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the sharp rise in food prices a global crisis and asked for an additional $755 million in funding for the UN's World Food Program.
Bilgen said the high value of the Canadian dollar has protected consumers here. "If we still had currency at $1.30, $1.40, certainly there'd be a lot more concern."
Compared to developing nations, Canadians pay a relatively small proportion of their income on food. A price hike doesn't hurt the average Canadian consumer as much, he said.
But in parts of Asia and Africa, some poor people direct more than half their income to food, he said.
"So when the price of rice doubles, now they have to spend 100 per cent of their income on rice. Or their income is not even enough to cover their daily diet," Bilgen said.
Source: ctv.ca/servlet
Ali Bilgen, president of A & BB Rice Inc. in Toronto, told CTV.ca on Friday that rice in general is in good supply in Canada.
Most of this country's rice -- such as the long grain typically served in Chinese restaurants -- comes from the United States, which is producing plenty of rice, he said.
But jasmine rice comes from Thailand, and reports have indicated the Asian country may have problems meeting its export obligations, Bilgen said. "They are having some serious issues."
The country's finance minister has since said Thailand can meet its contract obligations, but the price has still rocketed up to US$1,000 per tonne -- three times its January level.
"That's fuelling the frenzy a bit," Bilgen said, but his firm is having no real problem obtaining rice.
There were reports of U.S. retailers Wal-Mart and Costco limiting rice sales earlier this week, but Bilgen said, "Personally, I think they're over-reacting."
Herman Poon of T and T Supermarkets told CTV Newsnet on Thursday that his chain has no plans to ration rice sales.
If some supermarkets are running out, "to a certain extent, that's their own doing," he said.
Supermarkets require 30 to 60 days notice of a price increase. With prices rising so rapidly, importers are seeing their replacement costs go up just as quickly, Bilgen said.
"We don't have the luxury to continue supplying these supermarkets at well below the market prices for 30 to 60 days. So some of the importers may restrict quantities they are shipping to the supermarkets."
So while some supermarkets might be running out of some types of rice to sell, there is no supply issue at the wholesale level, he said.
David Wilkes, senior vice-president of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, told CTV.ca that his members aren't having any supply problems.
"We are not seeing any changes in consumer shopping patterns with respects to rice at the current time either," he said.
Poon seconded that, saying some customers are stocking up, but most are not.
Difference of opinion
Wilkes disagreed with some of Bilgen's analysis, saying the importers are often buying on the futures market to protect themselves.
"Depending on your point of view, you're always going to claim you're getting squeezed on the way," he said.
Costs do get passed along in any supply chain, and everyone wants it to be orderly, he said.
"But at the same time, if there's an unavoidable change because commodities have gone up, I know that conversations go on between individual trading partners to make sure those adjustments take place in the most reasonable way possible."
The rice situation should also be looked at in the context of the apparent structural shifts going on in the global food market, Wilkes said. He listed some factors:
* Changing consumption patterns;
* Food being converted into ethanol;
* Agricultural land being taken out of production.
Foods based on the commodities being affected are rising in price as a result, he said, citing bread and pasta as two other examples.
On Friday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the sharp rise in food prices a global crisis and asked for an additional $755 million in funding for the UN's World Food Program.
Bilgen said the high value of the Canadian dollar has protected consumers here. "If we still had currency at $1.30, $1.40, certainly there'd be a lot more concern."
Compared to developing nations, Canadians pay a relatively small proportion of their income on food. A price hike doesn't hurt the average Canadian consumer as much, he said.
But in parts of Asia and Africa, some poor people direct more than half their income to food, he said.
"So when the price of rice doubles, now they have to spend 100 per cent of their income on rice. Or their income is not even enough to cover their daily diet," Bilgen said.
Source: ctv.ca/servlet
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Trimble First Quarter 2008 Revenue Up 24 Percent to $355.3 million
Sunnyvale, CA, - Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) today announced results for its first quarter of 2008 ended Mar. 28, 2008. In the first quarter of 2008 revenue was $355.3 million, up approximately 24 percent from revenue of $285.7 million in the first quarter of 2007.
Operating income for the first quarter of 2008 was $58.0 million, up 48 percent from the first quarter of 2007. Operating margins in the first quarter of 2008 were 16.3 percent, compared to 13.7 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Amortization of intangibles increased from $7.9 million in the first quarter of 2007 to $10.8 million in the first quarter of 2008. The impact of stock-based compensation expense was $4.0 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $3.4 million in the first quarter of 2007. There were no in- process research and development or restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2008, while there was a $2.1 million in-process research and development expense and a $2.7 million restructuring expense in the first quarter of 2007. In addition, amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up was $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to no amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up in the first quarter of 2007. Excluding these impacts, non-GAAP operating income of $73.0 million grew by 32 percent compared to the first quarter of 2007. Non-GAAP operating margins were 20.5 percent in the first quarter of 2008, up from 19.4 percent in the first quarter of 2007.
Net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $40.1 million, up 40 percent compared to net income of $28.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2008 were $0.32, up 35 percent from diluted earnings per share of $0.24 in the first quarter of 2007.
The tax rate for the first quarter of 2008 was 33 percent, compared to 32 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Trimble's tax rate was lower than forecasted due to the implementation of a global supply chain structure which is expected to result in a structural tax rate of 33 percent for fiscal 2008 and beyond.
Adjusting for the amortization of intangibles, in-process research and development, the impact of stock-based compensation expenses, restructuring, and the amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up, non-GAAP net income of $50.1 million for the first quarter of 2008 was up 26 percent compared to non-GAAP net income of $39.6 million in the first quarter of 2007. Non-GAAP earnings per share for the first quarter of 2008 were $0.40, up 22 percent from non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.33 in the first quarter of 2007.
"The first quarter of 2008 emphasized the growing diversity of the Trimble business portfolio. Although E&C continued to be impacted by slow U.S. economic conditions, we saw strong growth across all other geographies. In addition, we experienced almost 75 percent growth in our TFS segment, driven by strong agriculture product sales," said Steven W. Berglund, Trimble's chief executive officer.
"While monitoring the continuing uncertain economy, our view for revenues for the entire year remains generally unchanged with an expectation for higher earnings per share than previous guidance."
Trimble Results by Business Segment
Segment operating income is revenue less cost of goods sold and operating expenses, excluding general corporate expenses, amortization of intangibles, amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up, and in-process research and development. In addition, for each segment, non-GAAP operating income excludes the impact of stock-based compensation expense.
Engineering and Construction
First quarter 2008 Engineering and Construction (E&C) revenue was $194.2 million, up approximately 11 percent when compared to revenue of $175.6 million in the first quarter of 2007, with strong international sales.
First quarter 2008 operating income in E&C was $37.0 million, or 19.0 percent of revenue compared to $42.2 million, or 24.0 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in E&C was $37.9 million, or 19.5 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $43.0 million, or 24.5 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. The decline in operating margins resulted primarily from unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates, the impact of recent acquisitions and product mix.
Field Solutions
First quarter 2008 Field Solutions (TFS) revenue was $88.0 million, up approximately 73 percent when compared to revenue of $51.0 million in the first quarter of 2007. Sales were strong across all geographic regions and product lines, with the majority of the increase coming from the agriculture business.
First quarter 2008 operating income in TFS was $35.1 million, or 39.9 percent of revenue compared to $16.6 million, or 32.6 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in TFS was $35.3 million, or 40.1 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $16.8 million, or 33.0 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin expansion was due primarily to higher revenue.
Mobile Solutions
First quarter 2008 Mobile Solutions (TMS) revenue was $44.0 million, up approximately 47 percent when compared to revenue of $29.9 million in the first quarter of 2007.
First quarter 2008 operating income in TMS was $2.5 million, or 5.6 percent of revenue compared to $1.0 million, or 3.4 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in TMS was $3.9 million, or 8.8 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $1.8 million, or 5.9 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin expansion was driven by higher subscription revenue and operating synergies which were partially offset by higher new product development costs.
Advanced Devices
First quarter 2008 Advanced Devices revenue was $29.1 million, approximately flat when compared to revenue of $29.3 million in the first quarter of 2007.
First quarter 2008 operating income in Advanced Devices was $4.7 million, or 16.1 percent of revenue compared to $3.3 million, or 11.4 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in Advanced Devices was $5.0 million, or 17.3 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $3.7 million, or 12.6 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margins improved due to product mix.
Stock Repurchase Program
In January, Trimble announced a stock repurchase program for up to $250 million. As part of this program, in the first quarter of 2008, Trimble repurchased approximately 968 thousand shares of Trimble stock at an average purchase price of $26.71.
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location-including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has a worldwide presence with more than 3,600 employees in over 18 countries.
For more information visit Trimble's Web site at http://www.trimble.com.
Operating income for the first quarter of 2008 was $58.0 million, up 48 percent from the first quarter of 2007. Operating margins in the first quarter of 2008 were 16.3 percent, compared to 13.7 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Amortization of intangibles increased from $7.9 million in the first quarter of 2007 to $10.8 million in the first quarter of 2008. The impact of stock-based compensation expense was $4.0 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to $3.4 million in the first quarter of 2007. There were no in- process research and development or restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2008, while there was a $2.1 million in-process research and development expense and a $2.7 million restructuring expense in the first quarter of 2007. In addition, amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up was $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2008, compared to no amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up in the first quarter of 2007. Excluding these impacts, non-GAAP operating income of $73.0 million grew by 32 percent compared to the first quarter of 2007. Non-GAAP operating margins were 20.5 percent in the first quarter of 2008, up from 19.4 percent in the first quarter of 2007.
Net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $40.1 million, up 40 percent compared to net income of $28.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2008 were $0.32, up 35 percent from diluted earnings per share of $0.24 in the first quarter of 2007.
The tax rate for the first quarter of 2008 was 33 percent, compared to 32 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Trimble's tax rate was lower than forecasted due to the implementation of a global supply chain structure which is expected to result in a structural tax rate of 33 percent for fiscal 2008 and beyond.
Adjusting for the amortization of intangibles, in-process research and development, the impact of stock-based compensation expenses, restructuring, and the amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up, non-GAAP net income of $50.1 million for the first quarter of 2008 was up 26 percent compared to non-GAAP net income of $39.6 million in the first quarter of 2007. Non-GAAP earnings per share for the first quarter of 2008 were $0.40, up 22 percent from non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.33 in the first quarter of 2007.
"The first quarter of 2008 emphasized the growing diversity of the Trimble business portfolio. Although E&C continued to be impacted by slow U.S. economic conditions, we saw strong growth across all other geographies. In addition, we experienced almost 75 percent growth in our TFS segment, driven by strong agriculture product sales," said Steven W. Berglund, Trimble's chief executive officer.
"While monitoring the continuing uncertain economy, our view for revenues for the entire year remains generally unchanged with an expectation for higher earnings per share than previous guidance."
Trimble Results by Business Segment
Segment operating income is revenue less cost of goods sold and operating expenses, excluding general corporate expenses, amortization of intangibles, amortization of acquisition-related inventory step-up, and in-process research and development. In addition, for each segment, non-GAAP operating income excludes the impact of stock-based compensation expense.
Engineering and Construction
First quarter 2008 Engineering and Construction (E&C) revenue was $194.2 million, up approximately 11 percent when compared to revenue of $175.6 million in the first quarter of 2007, with strong international sales.
First quarter 2008 operating income in E&C was $37.0 million, or 19.0 percent of revenue compared to $42.2 million, or 24.0 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in E&C was $37.9 million, or 19.5 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $43.0 million, or 24.5 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. The decline in operating margins resulted primarily from unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates, the impact of recent acquisitions and product mix.
Field Solutions
First quarter 2008 Field Solutions (TFS) revenue was $88.0 million, up approximately 73 percent when compared to revenue of $51.0 million in the first quarter of 2007. Sales were strong across all geographic regions and product lines, with the majority of the increase coming from the agriculture business.
First quarter 2008 operating income in TFS was $35.1 million, or 39.9 percent of revenue compared to $16.6 million, or 32.6 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in TFS was $35.3 million, or 40.1 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $16.8 million, or 33.0 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin expansion was due primarily to higher revenue.
Mobile Solutions
First quarter 2008 Mobile Solutions (TMS) revenue was $44.0 million, up approximately 47 percent when compared to revenue of $29.9 million in the first quarter of 2007.
First quarter 2008 operating income in TMS was $2.5 million, or 5.6 percent of revenue compared to $1.0 million, or 3.4 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in TMS was $3.9 million, or 8.8 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $1.8 million, or 5.9 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin expansion was driven by higher subscription revenue and operating synergies which were partially offset by higher new product development costs.
Advanced Devices
First quarter 2008 Advanced Devices revenue was $29.1 million, approximately flat when compared to revenue of $29.3 million in the first quarter of 2007.
First quarter 2008 operating income in Advanced Devices was $4.7 million, or 16.1 percent of revenue compared to $3.3 million, or 11.4 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007.
Non-GAAP operating income in Advanced Devices was $5.0 million, or 17.3 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to $3.7 million, or 12.6 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margins improved due to product mix.
Stock Repurchase Program
In January, Trimble announced a stock repurchase program for up to $250 million. As part of this program, in the first quarter of 2008, Trimble repurchased approximately 968 thousand shares of Trimble stock at an average purchase price of $26.71.
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location-including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has a worldwide presence with more than 3,600 employees in over 18 countries.
For more information visit Trimble's Web site at http://www.trimble.com.
Integration Point Expands Presence in Asia
Global Trade Management Software Provider Continues Successful Growth
Integration Point, a provider of real time global trade management solutions, announced its expanded Asian presence with the opening of a new office in Gujarat, India. Integration Point is conducting this expansion in response to the continued market growth in the Asia region.
Integration Point provides a web-based Global Trade Management (GTM) system which allows users to securely access up-to-date global trade content, compliance and connectivity at each point of the supply chain transaction. By integrating critical information from otherwise separate systems such as logistics, ERP, warehouse management and local country databases, Integration Point creates a global trade network connecting multiple members of the trade community electronically to regulatory agencies around the world.
“Web-based Global Trade Management technologies provide a lot of potential to help companies improve efficiency and reduce costs in the global supply chain,” noted Integration Point’s Senior VP of Global Markets, Clay Perry. “There is a clear increase in the demand for our products in Asia, and we are responding to that demand with an increased local presence.”
About Integration Point, Inc.
Integration Point®, Inc.’s Real Time Global Trade Management helps many of the best known companies import and export goods more effectively by providing up-to-date international trade compliance. Integration Point’s solution is a comprehensive suite of fully integrated, web-based software products that provide consistent and secure access to information around the clock including: Import/Export Management, Global Classification, C-TPAT, AEO, Denied Party Screening, Free Trade Agreement qualification and Duty Deferral Program participation. Companies dependent on efficient import/export of goods rely on Integration Point to help them quickly and accurately navigate through the often complex and dynamic requirements of global trade. Contact Integration Point at www.IntegrationPoint.net or 704-576-3678.
Integration Point, a provider of real time global trade management solutions, announced its expanded Asian presence with the opening of a new office in Gujarat, India. Integration Point is conducting this expansion in response to the continued market growth in the Asia region.
Integration Point provides a web-based Global Trade Management (GTM) system which allows users to securely access up-to-date global trade content, compliance and connectivity at each point of the supply chain transaction. By integrating critical information from otherwise separate systems such as logistics, ERP, warehouse management and local country databases, Integration Point creates a global trade network connecting multiple members of the trade community electronically to regulatory agencies around the world.
“Web-based Global Trade Management technologies provide a lot of potential to help companies improve efficiency and reduce costs in the global supply chain,” noted Integration Point’s Senior VP of Global Markets, Clay Perry. “There is a clear increase in the demand for our products in Asia, and we are responding to that demand with an increased local presence.”
About Integration Point, Inc.
Integration Point®, Inc.’s Real Time Global Trade Management helps many of the best known companies import and export goods more effectively by providing up-to-date international trade compliance. Integration Point’s solution is a comprehensive suite of fully integrated, web-based software products that provide consistent and secure access to information around the clock including: Import/Export Management, Global Classification, C-TPAT, AEO, Denied Party Screening, Free Trade Agreement qualification and Duty Deferral Program participation. Companies dependent on efficient import/export of goods rely on Integration Point to help them quickly and accurately navigate through the often complex and dynamic requirements of global trade. Contact Integration Point at www.IntegrationPoint.net or 704-576-3678.
Xterprise Announces Clarity-CCITM Cold Chain Integrity
Ensuring Safe Shipment, Storage and Handling While Increasing Yield, Quality and Accountability in the Cold Supply Chain
DALLAS, TX - Xterprise Incorporated, the leading global supplier of Solutions for the High Definition Enterprise ™ and a Gold-Certified Microsoft™ ISV partner, announced today the general availability of its Clarity™ CCI - Cold Chain Integrity solution. The solution addresses the need to ensure safe handling, storage and shipment of pharmaceuticals, engineered materials, produce, foods and beverages, and volatile raw materials by continuously monitoring and analyzing various environmental variables that affect the integrity and quality of these products.
"The risk is real and the stakes are high. Whether your industry is pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, beverage, specialized material, or logistics providers to these industries, the loss of a single shipment can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Jim Caudill, SVP of Marketing and Strategy at Xterprise. "The Clarity CCI™ solution minimizes this risk using Active RFID technology to continuously monitor temperature, movement, humidity, and many other variables, providing highly granular visibility and analysis of these variables across all stakeholders."
By defining the thresholds, limits, sampling intervals and transmission frequencies, the Clarity CCI™ solution can provide detailed statistical analysis, event reporting and alert triggering based on event detection. Continuous process improvements are facilitated with tools to quickly identify error and failure points, and assist with the detection of the root causes.
The solution leverages active Wi-Fi RFID tags from Tyco Electronics that use the G2 Microsystems technology, tested and field deployed by Xterprise and found to meet the unique requirements of the cold chain market. The tags communicate location, sensor measurements, and customer-specific data over existing Wi-Fi infrastructure using industry standard protocols, reducing typical upfront infrastructure investments. With highly sensitive sensory technology, the Tyco tags can accurately monitor and record temperature and humidity, and both are capable of integration to other sensors with built in IO capabilities. The tags also can store sensor data; ensuring a full tracking history of a tagged shipment is available and may be accessed whenever the tag establishes a suitable wireless connection.
For organizations with existing RFID infrastructures, Xterprise combines the Wi-Fi sensor tags with passive Gen 2 tags in the same form factor. This results in maximum reuse of existing Wi-Fi and RFID infrastructures.
Xterprise has a number of current and deployed projects and pilots using Clarity CCI™ in their cold chain supply chains including:
-- Tracking the temperature of reagents used in pharmaceutical
manufacturing from Asia to the U.S. and on to Europe, throughout the
duration of their journey;
-- Tracking temperature exposure of volatile chemicals used in the
semiconductor manufacturing process during shipment and storage.
ABOUT XTERPRISE
Xterprise Incorporated was founded in 2002 as a provider of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) applications. Today our solutions combine Microsoft platform technology, continuous improvement and lean supply chain expertise, enterprise supply chain systems integration along with RFID technology to deliver previously unachievable levels of visibility, assurance, accuracy, process improvement and value to clients. The Xterprise customer list includes Abbott Labs, Alcon, Allergan, Chicken of the Sea, Dow Corning, Dairy Fresh, Dial Corporation, Eureaka, ExxonMobil, General-Mills, Georgia Pacific, Kraft, iGPS, Intel, L'Oreal, Nokia, Samsung, Schoeller Arca Systems, ShopVac, Continental AG, The Libman Company, The US Department of Veterans Affairs, TIMCO Aviation Services , TNT Express, Toyota Motors N.A., Wells Fargo Bank and many others. The Xterprise global headquarters is located in Carrollton, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) and its European office is located in Beverley, UK. For additional information call +1-972-690-9460 US, email info@xterprise.com or visit www.xterprise.com.
DALLAS, TX - Xterprise Incorporated, the leading global supplier of Solutions for the High Definition Enterprise ™ and a Gold-Certified Microsoft™ ISV partner, announced today the general availability of its Clarity™ CCI - Cold Chain Integrity solution. The solution addresses the need to ensure safe handling, storage and shipment of pharmaceuticals, engineered materials, produce, foods and beverages, and volatile raw materials by continuously monitoring and analyzing various environmental variables that affect the integrity and quality of these products.
"The risk is real and the stakes are high. Whether your industry is pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, beverage, specialized material, or logistics providers to these industries, the loss of a single shipment can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Jim Caudill, SVP of Marketing and Strategy at Xterprise. "The Clarity CCI™ solution minimizes this risk using Active RFID technology to continuously monitor temperature, movement, humidity, and many other variables, providing highly granular visibility and analysis of these variables across all stakeholders."
By defining the thresholds, limits, sampling intervals and transmission frequencies, the Clarity CCI™ solution can provide detailed statistical analysis, event reporting and alert triggering based on event detection. Continuous process improvements are facilitated with tools to quickly identify error and failure points, and assist with the detection of the root causes.
The solution leverages active Wi-Fi RFID tags from Tyco Electronics that use the G2 Microsystems technology, tested and field deployed by Xterprise and found to meet the unique requirements of the cold chain market. The tags communicate location, sensor measurements, and customer-specific data over existing Wi-Fi infrastructure using industry standard protocols, reducing typical upfront infrastructure investments. With highly sensitive sensory technology, the Tyco tags can accurately monitor and record temperature and humidity, and both are capable of integration to other sensors with built in IO capabilities. The tags also can store sensor data; ensuring a full tracking history of a tagged shipment is available and may be accessed whenever the tag establishes a suitable wireless connection.
For organizations with existing RFID infrastructures, Xterprise combines the Wi-Fi sensor tags with passive Gen 2 tags in the same form factor. This results in maximum reuse of existing Wi-Fi and RFID infrastructures.
Xterprise has a number of current and deployed projects and pilots using Clarity CCI™ in their cold chain supply chains including:
-- Tracking the temperature of reagents used in pharmaceutical
manufacturing from Asia to the U.S. and on to Europe, throughout the
duration of their journey;
-- Tracking temperature exposure of volatile chemicals used in the
semiconductor manufacturing process during shipment and storage.
ABOUT XTERPRISE
Xterprise Incorporated was founded in 2002 as a provider of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) applications. Today our solutions combine Microsoft platform technology, continuous improvement and lean supply chain expertise, enterprise supply chain systems integration along with RFID technology to deliver previously unachievable levels of visibility, assurance, accuracy, process improvement and value to clients. The Xterprise customer list includes Abbott Labs, Alcon, Allergan, Chicken of the Sea, Dow Corning, Dairy Fresh, Dial Corporation, Eureaka, ExxonMobil, General-Mills, Georgia Pacific, Kraft, iGPS, Intel, L'Oreal, Nokia, Samsung, Schoeller Arca Systems, ShopVac, Continental AG, The Libman Company, The US Department of Veterans Affairs, TIMCO Aviation Services , TNT Express, Toyota Motors N.A., Wells Fargo Bank and many others. The Xterprise global headquarters is located in Carrollton, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) and its European office is located in Beverley, UK. For additional information call +1-972-690-9460 US, email info@xterprise.com or visit www.xterprise.com.
Friday, April 25, 2008
New courses on IIMM platter
Jamshedpur: The city chapter of Indian Institute of Materials Management (IIMM) would soon start internationally certified courses for managers and entrepreneurs of Adityapur industrial area.
The initiative comes after software giant Microsoft adopted Adityapur industrial area to develop it into an auto cluster around two months ago.
Those engaged in the supply chain management are now aiming to get certified by institutes of international repute, including World Trade Organisation (WTO), right next to their industrial houses.
The move, a joint initiative of Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) and IIMM, would see the courses begin from June at the ASIA office at Adityapur.
“Last October, we had an interactive session with the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at Adityapur. There, a need was felt for more organised courses that would help them deal better in both national and international markets. So we proposed to start the courses,” said G.D. Pandey, the IIMM course co-ordinator.
The two international courses that are on the launch pad are a six-month certificate programme in supply chain management from Institute of Supply Management, US, and diploma courses from United Nations Council for Trade and Development, which is under the aegis of World Trade Organisation.
On completion of the courses, the students would be provided with certificates not only from IIMM, but also from these global organisations.
“Today, supply chain is an important part of the entire business set-up. So these courses would be of immense help,” added Pandey.
The move also comes in wake of IIMM adopting supply chain management as its theme for the week- long foundation day celebrations that began on Wednesday.
“We had decided to adopt enhancing efficiency of supply chain management as our theme for this year. That is why, we decided to concentrate on these specific courses,” he added.
Next in the line after the international courses would a two-year MBA programme from Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University in Bhopal.
Tailor-made for purchase managers and supply chain managers, one can avail a full MBA degree for just Rs 45,000-50,000.
Apart from this, there are also regular courses in material management at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
A panel discussion on the prospects and challenges in supply chain management is also scheduled on Friday.
Source: telegraphindia.com
The initiative comes after software giant Microsoft adopted Adityapur industrial area to develop it into an auto cluster around two months ago.
Those engaged in the supply chain management are now aiming to get certified by institutes of international repute, including World Trade Organisation (WTO), right next to their industrial houses.
The move, a joint initiative of Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) and IIMM, would see the courses begin from June at the ASIA office at Adityapur.
“Last October, we had an interactive session with the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at Adityapur. There, a need was felt for more organised courses that would help them deal better in both national and international markets. So we proposed to start the courses,” said G.D. Pandey, the IIMM course co-ordinator.
The two international courses that are on the launch pad are a six-month certificate programme in supply chain management from Institute of Supply Management, US, and diploma courses from United Nations Council for Trade and Development, which is under the aegis of World Trade Organisation.
On completion of the courses, the students would be provided with certificates not only from IIMM, but also from these global organisations.
“Today, supply chain is an important part of the entire business set-up. So these courses would be of immense help,” added Pandey.
The move also comes in wake of IIMM adopting supply chain management as its theme for the week- long foundation day celebrations that began on Wednesday.
“We had decided to adopt enhancing efficiency of supply chain management as our theme for this year. That is why, we decided to concentrate on these specific courses,” he added.
Next in the line after the international courses would a two-year MBA programme from Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University in Bhopal.
Tailor-made for purchase managers and supply chain managers, one can avail a full MBA degree for just Rs 45,000-50,000.
Apart from this, there are also regular courses in material management at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
A panel discussion on the prospects and challenges in supply chain management is also scheduled on Friday.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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