• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Merck's End-to-End Supply Chain Vision

Merck's End-to-End Supply Chain Vision

March 21, 2016
SupplyChainBrain

Merck's end-to-end supply-chain vision centers around efforts to build an unbroken flow of information and inventory throughout its supply chain - "making sure all the nodes are connected, so they don't work in isolation," Walker says. The company is determined to take true customer demand data and drive it all the way up to manufacturing sites and suppliers. In the process, says Walker, it can respond more quickly to doctor and patient needs.

The pharmaceutical industry has undergone dramatic change in recent years. Walker cited increases in imported medication, and a large number of drugs coming off patent. With the entry of new competition into the market, those trends are resulting in lower margins. Merck and others need to response by boosting the efficiency of their delivery systems.

The last 20 years have seen relatively few leaps in technology to support such efforts, says Walker. Now, though, new tools are on the market that are “one step ahead of the game, in terms of our ability to connect all the dots. We’re very excited about the possibilities.”

Merck’s “whole new approach to demand planning” has allowed it to view all the information that it needs to run its supply chain in a single place. The company can more easily see where things are “broken” – such as excess or inadequate inventories – and take corrective action. The tool from Kinaxis has been “very important in its contribution to our P&L [profit and loss statement],” Walker says.

Merck’s biggest challenge in adopting the new technology was altering nearly 20 years of standard business practices. “It flips people’s heads in terms of what you can do,” says Walker. “As a consequence, they get nervous.”

Merck headed off the problem by involving key staff in the design of the new capability. In the event, says Walker, “they can see the fruits of their labors, and the outcome.”

To view the video in its entirety, click here

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Global Logistics Sales & Operations Planning Forecasting & Demand Planning Supply Chain Finance & Revenue Management Supply Chain Planning & Optimization Supply Chain Visibility Technology Pharmaceutical/Biotech
KEYWORDS Andy Walker Forecasting & Demand Planning Global Logistics head of supply chain strategy Inventory Management Inventory Planning Medical Supply Chain Merck pharmaceutical supply chain Pharmaceutical/Biotech Sales & Operations Planning SC Finance & Revenue Management SC Planning & Optimization supply chain Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management: Pharmaceutical/Bio-Tech Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Risk Management Supply Chain Visibility Technology
SupplyChainBrain

U.S. Regulators Claim Amazon Used Secret Algorithm to Increase Prices

More from this author

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • A HAND HOLDS A CELL PHONE IN FRONT OF A LAPTOP. A FLOATING QR CODE CAN BE SEEN BETWEEN THE PHONE AND LAPTOP.

    The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing QR Code

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
  • A WORKER IN COLD WEATHER GEAR WRITES ON A CLIPBOARD IN A WAREHOUSE

    Automating the Cold-Chain Warehouse

    Business Strategy Alignment
  • A RACK OF FASHION CLOTHING IN NEUTRAL COLORS

    Five Visibility Benefits for Fashion and Retail Supply Chains

    Global Logistics
  • Multiple cars are being put together by robotic arms on an assembly line inside of a factory. Photo: iStock.com/Traimak_Ivan

    Podcast | Will an Investment ‘Supercycle’ Spark the Revival of American Manufacturing?

    Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
  • A LOOKING-DOWN VIEW OF AN OPEN PIT RARE EARTH ELEMENTS MINE

    U.S. Weighing Record $1B Loan for Massive Lithium Mine in Nevada

    Education & Professional Development

Digital Edition

Scb august 2023 lg

2023 100 Great Supply Chain Partners

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • JLL Finds Perfect Warehouse Location, Leading to $15M Grant for Startup

  • Robots Speed Fulfillment to Help Apparel Company Scale for Growth

  • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

  • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

  • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

Visit Our Sponsors

Antuit Zebra Anvyl AutoStore
BEUMER Group Blue Ridge Global Brother
CHEP Cleo Coenterprise
Data Capture E2open Enveyo
Eva Air ForwardX Robotics Frayt
GAINSystems Generix Geodis
GEP Global Supply Chain Marketing Summit GreyOrange
Here Holman Logistics Infor
Inmar Kinaxis Lexis Nexis
Locus Robotics Logility LogistiVIEW
Lucas Systems MCA Connect MPO
Old Dominion OneRail Overhaul
PartnerLinQ (Visionet) Port of Virginia Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash
Saddle Creek Logistics SAP Shyft
Sourcemap SPS Commerce Tecsys
TGW Systems Thomson Reuters Veho
Verusen Walmart Workshop
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing