Technology

Brewing Supply Chain Transformation at Caribou Coffee

January 25, 2013

Four years ago, Caribou coffee's supply chain was managed with spreadsheets. Their only method of gauging demand was the order-fill numbers of product leaving the warehouse - basic replenishment. The team knew they were missing a big opportunity - accurate visibility to drive a more efficient operation, right-size inventory, improved customer service, as well as the expansion of product sales. The supply chain team also knew they were faced with a lot of risk. Could they respond to demand variability?

Bridging the Agility Gap in an Age of Uncertainty

January 25, 2013

SupplyChainBrain

Glen Margolis, chief executive officer of Steelwedge, shows how an understanding of the "agility gap" can help companies to cope with uncertainty in markets.

Celestica Pioneers the Model for Supply Chain Managed Services

January 25, 2013

SupplyChainBrain

After working from 2007 to 2011 to transform its own supply chain, Celestica took what it learned to the market, offering managed supply chain services that complement its contract manufacturing business. Erwin Hermans, vice president of supply chain solutions, explains Celestica's strategy.

Amazon to Open Third Fulfillment Center in California

January 25, 2013

Amazon

Amazon announced plans to open a new million-square-foot, fulfillment center in Tracy, California, which the company says will create hundreds of full-time jobs with benefits at the site.

Manhattan Associates Partners With Kronos, Debuts Store Commerce Activation

January 24, 2013

Manhattan Associates

Manhattan Associates is partnering with Kronos Inc. to aid retailers in integrating their physical stores and digital sales efforts.

JDA Issues App to Manage Customer Engagement for Retailers

January 24, 2013

JDA Software Group Inc.

JDA Software Group Inc. has released JDA Customer Engagement Cloud, an application that supports multichannel retail commerce and optimization logic in real time.

With Ship-from-Store Initiative, Macy's Has '800 Fulfillment Centers'

January 24, 2013

MultiChannel Merchant

Back in the fall, Macy's spokesman Jim Sluzewski said his company would consider further expansion of its ship-from-store initiatives after it evaluates its 2012 holiday sales figures. The chain already expanded the project to more than 290 stores before the holiday season began.

A Control Tower Approach to Response Management

January 24, 2013

SupplyChainBrain

Mike Landry, president of Barkawi Management Consultants, North America, explains the "control tower" approach to supply chain management and why he believes this approach can enable companies to go beyond incremental improvements to real transformational change.

Japanese Clothing Store Chain Uses RFID for Inventory Control and POS Information

January 24, 2013

RFID Journal

Tokyo-based retailer BEAMS Co. Ltd. has incorporated radio frequency identification technology at five B:MING Life Stores that it recently opened in Japan. The stores are employing RFID technology for both tracking inventory and improving efficiency at the point of sale.

Don't Underestimate Importance of Mobile and the Wide Array of Uses in B2B World

January 24, 2013

ChainLink Research

Of course mobile is important"”really important. There is a huge platform war under way among the Android, iOS, and Microsoft operating systems that intersect with an array of hardware players that intersect with social and search giants. And for the aggressive and innovative players, the stakes are high as they move in the battle for market share.

Technology

The latest news, analysis and trends regarding technology solutions and their impact on supply chain management. New technologies in forecasting and demand planning, supply chain visibility, big data analytics, the internet of things (IoT), cloud and software as a service (SaaS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and transportation management systems (TMS) and WMS are transforming the way companies do business - and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these solutions continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies around the world are improving operations through their strategic use of supply chain technology solutions.