There I was. The shipping manager of a multinational consumer goods corporation. Pending orders were piling up. Sales & marketing managers were calling, asking, and following up why shipments weren’t arriving at stores. The manufacturing lines were running. The warehouse was full. The shipping department was loading trucks. Why weren’t orders being served? There wasContinue reading “Seeking Success from Order-to-Delivery Systems”
Tag Archives: inventory
What is the Aim of Serving Orders?
The CEO of the consumer goods multinational put me on the hot seat. “Why aren’t we serving these pending orders?” He pointed to the pages of computer printouts on the conference room table. I didn’t understand why I was the only one there. Where was the chief supply chain officer or the logistics director? ItContinue reading “What is the Aim of Serving Orders?”
Don’t Underestimate an Old-Fashioned Manual Inventory System
Ben (not his real name) was the warehouse-in-charge person at a printing press company. His job, as the title suggests, was to receive, store, and issue materials and products going to and coming from the printing press’s production lines. Ben tracked the inventories of items via his Daily Warehouse Status Report (DWSR). It essentially wasContinue reading “Don’t Underestimate an Old-Fashioned Manual Inventory System”
Inventory: When It’s More of a Problem Than It is an Asset
Inventory consists of items owned by enterprises and which flow through supply chains. Items include raw & packaging materials, ingredients, parts, components, assemblies & sub-assemblies, work-in-process, and finished products. People aren’t inventory nor are equipment or assets which enable the transformation, storage, handling, or conveyance of items. Inventory typically also does not include operating supplies,Continue reading “Inventory: When It’s More of a Problem Than It is an Asset”
What is the Problem in the First Place?
I went to a branch of a local drugstore to buy a small bottle of mosquito repellent lotion. The branch didn’t have any stock but the nice lady behind the counter checked her computer and told me to go to another branch which was a short five (5) minute walk away. I went to theContinue reading “What is the Problem in the First Place?”
Lost Opportunities are Unsolved Problems
A company was stuck in a vicious cycle. The company delivered orders late. Customers did not pay right away for deliveries received, citing the tardy arrivals of their orders. The ensuing tight cashflow caused delays in purchasing and importing critical raw materials. Manufacturing could not make products on schedule. Logistics, therefore, could not deliver pendingContinue reading “Lost Opportunities are Unsolved Problems”
The Challenges & Benefits of The Physical Count
A finance executive of a metals manufacturing corporation wanted a physical count of all items at the company’s plants. And he wanted it done in two (2) days. A physical count consists of a team identifying, counting, and tagging items, such as products, work-in-process, and raw materials. The purpose of a physical count is toContinue reading “The Challenges & Benefits of The Physical Count”
Inventory Record Accuracy: A Step to Supply Chain Improvement
Managers of a large food condiments manufacturer bragged that their finished products Inventory Record Accuracy (IRA) was 99%. They added that they met this level constantly, not just when I as a consultant was there auditing the manufacturer’s supply chain operations. How do you compute the IRA? I asked the warehouse manager. The warehouse officeContinue reading “Inventory Record Accuracy: A Step to Supply Chain Improvement”
The Need for Clarity Before AI in Supply Chains
It’s near the end of 2025. Just about everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how technology firms are racing to capitalise on it. Executives want AI to be integral in just about every business area. That includes supply chains. Aside from all the automation firms are installing into their operations, executives are aimingContinue reading “The Need for Clarity Before AI in Supply Chains”
What’s the Metric for Resilience?
Many executives insist their organisations need to be resilient. Given all the adversities and disruptions businesses had experienced, it’s understandable to believe resilience is vital. Resilience is “an organization’s ability to adapt to and recover from disruptions, such as natural disasters or market shifts, while maintaining core operations and continuing to function.” But how doesContinue reading “What’s the Metric for Resilience?”
Ellery's Essays 