Hardware Marathon Detour: Selecting Your Supply Chain
Explore the complexities of building a supply chain in the ‘Hardware Marathon’ series. Learn about selecting suppliers and preparing for production in this essential detour.
Category: Supply Chain
Unlock Your Product’s Potential By Outsourcing Design & Engineering
Outsourcing design and engineering has been a popular trend in business, but it’s not a new concept. Take the example of Live Power Intelligence, who has since been acquired by Yes! Energy. They partnered with Zebulon Solutions to redesign and improve the reliability of their sensor network, leading to cost savings and enhanced data quality. …
Navigating Supplier Management for Small Businesses
Companies developing physical products know the struggle to get products to manufacturing in an efficient way, and the headache of issues that hinder progress. Many businesses rely on contract manufacturers or suppliers to provide the necessary parts and materials for their products, but effectively handling supplier management effectively can be complex. In 2020, a small…
Mitigating Supply Chain Disruptions
The supply chain is the backbone of any company that depends on physical products for revenue. From raw materials to finished products, your supply chain is responsible for ensuring that everything is in the right place at the right time. But along with the importance of the supply chain comes potential downsides. Supply chain disruptions can…
Contract Manufacturing Isn’t What You Think It Is Anymore
A few years ago, the phrase “supply chain” was known only to industry professionals. With a global supply chain crisis affecting every sector of industry, it’s become a term within the common vernacular. A variety of factors have contributed to supply chain fluctuations over the past three years. The global pandemic caused factory shutdowns that…
Delivering During Supply Chain Shortages
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…
Making Physical Products In A Supply Chain Crisis
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,…
Why Reshore?
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…
Kanban Basics and Diced Tomatoes
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…
How to virtually qualify a supplier
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…