Apple sold 150 million iPhones last year, each carrying dozens of parts made by other companies. That's why Apple is a perennial kingmaker among component manufacturers: Each time the company releases a model, some suppliers end up winners and others losers.

Automation may be the single most important issue for distributors across the country as they tackle the escalating costs associated with multichannel distribution.

Onset Computer Corp., a vendor of data loggers for performance monitoring, has developed the HOBO MX1101.

The issue of ethical sourcing is a point of contention among procurement and supply chain professionals. The general sentiment is that the balancing act of being globally competitive and remaining a genuine corporate citizen is getting harder and harder. This is especially true for the rag trade. Apparel companies are consistently faced with the challenge of reducing costs while upholding ethical labour practices within their supply chain. How procurement and supply chain professionals in the sector manage this plays an increasingly important role in protecting company margins, brand reputation and growth. So what are the issues and factors at play and how can the risks involved be managed?

Organic foods have long carried a price premium along with a certain snob appeal or caricature, depending on your view: Fancy eats for affluent folks, not the hungry and thrifty masses. So much for that stereotype. Organic products sold under Kroger’s store brand are about to top $1bn in annual sales.

The trends favor a centralized inventory under one roof, but the question whether it is the most effective response to the challenges of multichannel distribution persists.