Reshoring seems simple: bring manufacturing back home. The counterargument—offshoring saves money—is also simple, and for decades has been perceived as a winner. Reality lies somewhere in between, as the total cost of ownership needs to be considered, including intangibles. Conceding for the moment that there is real cost savings from low–cost offshore labor, let’s look at the other factors...
I have spent the last fifteen years in manufacturing and supply chain, working on and off with companies in China. I’m used to expecting the week off for Labor Day in May and Golden Week in October. I know the time difference by heart. And every year I start planning ahead for Chinese New Year...
One year ago, I graduated with degrees in communications and writing. In high school, I reluctantly took a physics class and regularly got somewhere around 50% on the tests. The last time I stepped foot in a math class was in May of 2014. Suffice to say, I don’t know everything that’s going on technology-wise...
Growing companies often struggle with managing their inventory in the following ways: The production line is down because it’s out of one component Someone thought they could save money by buying in bulk, and now it takes up way too much space The company is short on liquid assets yet sitting on excess raw materials...
In my 20+ years working in supply chain, I’ve visited hundreds of suppliers in multiple states and countries. Qualifying suppliers is essential both in building a relationship with the supplier and ensuring that customers’ needs are met. But what happens when global travel restrictions shut down trips to qualify a new supplier? Like many other...
It took just 10 days for China to build two hospitals in Wuhan to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. It was a massive undertaking: 7,500 people worked around the clock on-site preparation, pouring concrete, putting up walls and ceilings, and installing high-tech equipment for two 1,000+ bed facilities. The weather in Wuhan is temperate, similar to...