When the supply chain doesn’t work, products get delivered late or not at all. It’s inconvenient if it’s that desk ordered two months ago. It can be deadly if the product is a ready source of light for Ugandan mothers giving birth in darkness. During the past three years, a variety of factors have rocked…
We all know everyone has been affected by the shortages in the supply chain. Everyone is tired of talking about it, but it doesn’t make the problem go away. For companies with physical products, their survival is dependent upon their ability to navigate unpredictable part shortages. This session will be a conversation about the challenges,…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Zebulon Solutions Adds New Engineering Partner Zebulon Solutions is pleased to announce that Joseph Steinman has joined the firm as a partner, where he will lead the mechanical engineering team. Joe joins a mature team, bringing 35 years of design, change management, and startup experience. Previously, he worked as a consultant for…
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…
Let’s talk toilet paper. We all know there’s a shortage, but where does toilet paper come from? What is its supply chain and how is it made? As a company full of supply chain and engineering professionals with spare time on our hands for a change, we want to know. Like every product, it starts…