Challenge: A company's engineering and sourcing departments were siloed and lacking access to historical information and accurate market data (pricing, availability and risk). The engineering department partially designs based on performance, but the bills of materials (BOMs) sent to the sourcing department were not procurable. The company needed access to the right data to increase contract negotiating power and reduce product launch risks due to inventory and manufacturing issues.
Truck maker AB Volvo beat first-quarter expectations thanks to strong demand for trucks and construction equipment across most markets but cautioned that its supply chain was coming under pressure.
Supply chains are under tremendous pressure to perform better. The average consumer now spends considerable time researching the best prices for the products they want, they’re comfortable ordering online, and they expect swift delivery at a time that suits them.
Maersk and Rockstart, a European startup accelerator, have partnered in an initiative called FoodTrack to foster startups with ideas for tackling global food loss.
DHL and IBM have released a joint report on the development of artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology and its potential to change the logistics industry — noting that, in many ways, A.I. is already making profound changes to the retail environment, not all of which are positive.