Gartner has released its latest Supply Chain Top 25, and while it highlighted several familiar names there are some new members whose supply chain excellence led to them being among the elite in their industries.

Topping the list at No. 1 was Apple. The company's financial performance alone makes it stand out, with outstanding peer votes indicating the respect it garners from other supply chain professionals. Also among the top five leaders on the list were Dell, P&G, Research In Motion and Amazon. Beyond great performance and the admiration of their peers, all the Supply Chain Top 25 companies demonstrate leadership by promoting the role of supply chain within their own organizations, as well as to the broader business community.

Among new companies added to the list this year: Nestle, 3M, Kraft Foods and Starbucks.

Long gone is the day when materials management and production planning were a reactive function admired primarily for the ability to expedite. We've entered a new era where supply chain professionals are knowledgeable about business strategy and profitably serve managed demand. This, of course, is a journey where each company must assess its position along a path, with the greatest obstacle often organizational inertia.

The complete list of the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 is available here

Source: Gartner