Sat.Sep 02, 2023 - Fri.Sep 08, 2023

article thumbnail

Spend Matters: Uniting manufacturing CFOs and procurement for margin expansion

Arkestro

As the economy teeters between a so-called ‘soft landing’ and all-out recession, an emerging consensus across C-suites has taken shape: the time to cut costs is now. Once again, all eyes are on procurement. A recent study from CreditSafe showed an eye-popping 95% of North American manufacturers plan to push for cost reductions with their suppliers in the next six to twelve months.

article thumbnail

7 focus areas for negotiating procurement contracts

Supply Chain Dive

Reviewing clauses and KPI disclosures can help procurement managers minimize supply chain risks.

professionals

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

What will prevent AI from successfully transforming procurement efficiency and effectiveness?

Procurement Insights

In 1998, when I leveraged advanced algorithms to procure MRO products for the DND IT infrastructure, I learned something early: Algorithms are an extension of human experience and expertise multiplied. For example – and this is the crucial difference between using an agent-based versus equation-based model, I knew only by experience that the time of day an order was placed for a part significantly impacted cost and SLA performance.

article thumbnail

The power of supplier diversity in procurement: Driving business success through inclusion — Part 1 (Definition and Importance)

Spend Matters

In today’s diverse society, businesses have a crucial role to play in fostering equality and inclusion. However, the business world often needs to improve to reflect the true diversity of society, both within companies and in their supply chains. To bridge this gap, organizations are increasingly embracing the concept of supplier diversity in their procurement processes.

Suppliers 117
article thumbnail

Tariffs on the Table: How to Brief the Board and C‑Suite With Confidence

“What should we do about the tariffs?” There’s no straightforward answer — every leader has a different expectation. CFOs want numbers. COOs want action. CEOs want strategy. And supply chain and procurement leaders need to be ready with the right response — fast. That’s why GEP has created a simple three-part framework that will help CPOs and CSCOs brief the board and C-suite with clarity and confidence.

article thumbnail

Do you agree with this view of procurement?

Procurement Insights

“But many purchasing managers’ skills and outlooks were formed 20 years ago in an era of relative stability, and they haven’t changed. Now, however, no company can allow purchasing to lag behind other departments in acknowledging and adjusting to worldwide environmental and economic changes. Such an attitude is not only obsolete but also costly.” In what way does procurement have to change or evolve?

article thumbnail

Supply Chain Weekly Wrap-Up 09/01/2023-09/07/2023

All Things Supply Chain

First American Uranium Reports on New Mexico’s Past Uranium Mining First American Uranium is highlighting the historical uranium production in New Mexico, particularly in the Grants district, where the company’s…

More Trending

article thumbnail

Strategic Responses to Supply Chain Trends

Supply Chain Brain

Companies are always going to face the unexpected and unpredictable. The hard part is knowing how to prepare for these supply chain trends strategically.

article thumbnail

CPO SPOTLIGHT: JON WILLESCROFT

Procurement Heads

For our latest CPO Spotlight, Jon spoke with James Dobbin about how he entered the world of procurement and some of the challenges CPOs currently face. You went to the University of Bath, achieving a BSc honours in Business Administration. What made you choose a career in procurement? Could you tell us a bit about your career journey so far? The University of Bath was – and I think still is – a real centre of excellence for Procurement and Supply Chain.

article thumbnail

Niger Coup Heightens Worries Over France’s Uranium Reliance

All Things Supply Chain

In the Sahel region of Africa, political instability and corruption has run rife since decolonisation from European nations. Arbitrary borders were drawn without the consideration of who they will affect.

article thumbnail

Why it’s time for shippers to reevaluate their air cargo agreements

Supply Chain Dive

Three logistics experts on why customers are looking to secure six- to 12-month contracts.

Contract 134
article thumbnail

How to Modernize Manufacturing Without Losing Control

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

article thumbnail

China State Media Declares Huawei Phone a Victory in U.S. Tech War

Supply Chain Brain

Speculation swirled that the device achieved 5G capabilities, which would make it the first such handset since the Shenzhen-based electronics firm lost access to advanced chipmaking technologies in 2020.

124
124
article thumbnail

Mainframe and the cloud? It’s easy with open source

IBM Supply Chain Blog

This is part four in a five-part series on mainframe modernization. The secret to mainstreaming the mainframe into today’s modern, cloud-centric IT environments is to make the experience of working with the mainframe like the experience of working off the mainframe—especially the developer experience (DX). Historically, working on the mainframe was an entirely different experience from the distributed world.

Sourcing 120
article thumbnail

Cranking the M&A engine: Basware takes aim at Glantus

Spend Matters

Basware recently announced it was acquiring Glantus (subject to final regulatory and shareholder approval), an Ireland- and UK-based AP automation and recovery audit firm which also has operations in North America and Poland. The deal is valued at £29.5 million including debt assumptions implying, based on Glantus’ recent tepid financial performance, a top-line forward multiple which we would estimate at somewhere in the neighborhood of 3X.

115
115
article thumbnail

UPS unveils 5.9% shipping rate increase, higher peak season surcharges

Supply Chain Dive

The rate hike applies to Ground, Air and International services and will take effect Dec. 26.

132
132
article thumbnail

A Roadmap For Modernization: How To Break Free From Your Monolith Before July 31, 2026

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

article thumbnail

Maintaining Warehouse Equipment During Peak-Season Demand

Supply Chain Brain

This year, among the most challenging curveballs that warehouses will face is getting the equipment they need when they need it.

Demand 116
article thumbnail

Generative AI: Meet your partner in customer service

IBM Supply Chain Blog

Brands that deliver an excellent customer experience (CX) will always be more resilient than those that don’t. Giving our customers personalized support at every stage of their journey is proven to earn their longtime loyalty—and keep them from switching to a competitor. The challenge, however, is that many teams operate in siloes that inhibit them from applying their customer insights in meaningful ways.

article thumbnail

Uniting manufacturing CFOs and procurement for margin expansion

Spend Matters

This content does not express the views or opinions of Spend Matters. As the economy teeters between a so-called ‘soft landing’ and all-out recession, an emerging consensus across C-suites has taken shape: the time to cut costs is now. Once again, all eyes are on procurement. A recent study from CreditSafe showed an eye-popping 95% of North American manufacturers plan to push for cost reductions with their suppliers in the next 6 to 12 months.

article thumbnail

Joann eyes $60M in product cost savings as suppliers offer concessions

Supply Chain Dive

The craft retailer thinks it can cut $200 million in business costs, the bulk of that coming from its supply chain as inflation eases.

Suppliers 128
article thumbnail

State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

article thumbnail

The Benefits of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electrifying Industrial Equipment

Supply Chain Brain

The improved sustainability, cost-efficiency and positive global impact of lithium-ion batteries prove it to be a better overall product.

article thumbnail

Data is essential: Building an effective generative AI marketing strategy

IBM Supply Chain Blog

Generative AI is powering a new world of creative, customized communications, allowing marketing teams to deliver greater personalization at scale and meet today’s high customer expectations. The potential of this powerful new tool spans the entire end-to-end marketing process, from internal communications and productivity to customer-facing channels and product support.

Data 112
article thumbnail

The Market Speaks: Procurement practitioner requirements and the tech vendor response — INVERTO

Spend Matters

Spend Matters constantly updates its understanding of the state of the procurement tech market via RFIs for our SolutionMap dataset, vendor interviews, global event attendance and product demos with the aim of keeping tech-selection decision makers ahead of market trends. But we also endeavor to grow our understanding of the wants and needs of the customers using that tech – the practitioners.

article thumbnail

Target offers more details on its delivery strategy

Supply Chain Dive

The retailer opened its 10th sortation center and is testing larger vehicles for delivery.

Strategy 126
article thumbnail

How Companies Are Navigating Tariff Chaos with GEP’s AI-Powered Procurement Platform

Tariffs are no longer just policy noise. They’re driving real, bottom-line impact. One policy shift and your sourcing strategy is upside down. This bulletin cuts straight to the point. How Market-Leading Companies Are Navigating Tariff Chaos with GEP’s AI-Powered Procurement Platform breaks down how procurement teams are staying ahead of the chaos with real-time insights, smarter sourcing moves and AI-powered agility.

article thumbnail

Watch: Driving Sustainability From the Root of the Supply Chain

Supply Chain Brain

There are multiple trends driving sustainability in the supply chain right now, says Frank Clary, vice president for sustainability at multi-business operator and investor Agility.

article thumbnail

Reliable Middle Mile for the Unreliable World

SCMR (Supply Chain Management Review)

Transportation planning for the furniture and home goods industry presents a complex puzzle, and traditional planning methods often fail to account for the inherent randomness and variation in real-world operations.

104
104
article thumbnail

Building AI for business: IBM’s Granite foundation models

IBM Supply Chain Blog

It’s an exciting time in AI for business. As we apply the technology more widely across areas ranging from customer service to HR to code modernization, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping increasing numbers of us work smarter, not harder. And as we are just at the start of the AI for business revolution, the potential for improving productivity and creativity is vast.

Quality 101
article thumbnail

Crate and Barrel to ramp up supply chain investment

Supply Chain Dive

The retailer's “Bring it Home” plan seeks to improve inventory optimization, demand forecasting and delivery speeds.

article thumbnail

Staying Ahead of UFLPA Enforcement: Best Practices for Retail Supply Chains

Speaker: Ethan Woolley, Director at Kharon

This webinar will explore how companies can proactively address compliance risks–rather than reactively responding to–UFLPA enforcement actions. Ethan Woolley will provide insights into the latest CBP enforcement trends, entity list updates, and industries under increased scrutiny, with a look at potential shifts under the Trump administration. Ethan will also explore how predictive data and strategic due diligence can help organizations stay ahead of regulatory challenges and strengthen complia

article thumbnail

OEMs Confident They Can Overcome Supply Chain Issues

Supply Chain Brain

Almost two-thirds of senior automotive executives say they cut their backlogged orders by 61% while another 34% expect to reduce their backlogs over the next 12 months.

article thumbnail

Crucial MRP Metrics Every Supply Chain Pro Should Know

SCMDOJO

This blog explains The Key MRP Metrics in Supply Chain whcih every supply chain professional in Manufacturing or Distribution Businesses. Supply chain professionals will be familiar with the term Material Requirements Planning (MRP). This is a fundamental principle of supply chain management, it constitutes a juggling act that is at the heart of any well-orchestrated manufacturing process.

article thumbnail

What is the vulnerability management process?

IBM Supply Chain Blog

Modern enterprise networks are vast systems of remote and on-premises endpoints, locally installed software, cloud apps , and third-party services. Every one of these assets plays a vital role in business operations—and any of them could contain vulnerabilities that threat actors can use to sow chaos. Organizations rely on the vulnerability management process to head off these cyberthreats before they strike.

article thumbnail

Ulta Beauty nearly triples ship-from-store locations

Supply Chain Dive

The fulfillment method offers faster and more cost-effective deliveries to customers, CEO Dave Kimbell said.

124
124
article thumbnail

From Rigid To Resilient: Why Enterprises Need Modular Commerce Now

Speaker: Benjamin Woll, Tiffany Spizzo, and Jaime Santos Alcón

Enterprise commerce is at an inflection point. Rigid, monolithic platforms slow brands down, but a full replatforming is disruptive and costly. Modular architecture offers a flexible, scalable alternative - allowing enterprise brands to modernize without ripping and replacing their entire stack. Learn how a composable approach helps modernize commerce stacks while maintaining control over critical systems.