A Case Study in Reverse Logistics Optimization!

The application of advanced forecasting and planning methodologies improve inventory management in a critical, high-volume repair and reverse logistics optimization business, dramatically reducing costs and fulfillment cycles while improving customer satisfaction.

When one of the world’s leading manufacturers of personal computers set new goals for its European operations, ModusLink was there to help.

The OEM turned over management of one of the most critical, high-volume segments of its reverse logistics program—the processor business—saving the manufacturer millions of dollars each year; reducing excess inventory; increasing same-day, on-time ship rates; and improving customer satisfaction.

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Our 2018 Top 10 List (Part 2)!

As 2018 comes to a close we offer a list of the Top 10 most viewed articles that we have published over the last half of the year.

When you look at this list you will see that there is a common theme amongst most of the articles.  That theme is one of “Definitions”.

Based upon tremendous viewer interest this year we began our “What Exactly Is … ” article series to describe definitions and commentary on terms which we often see and hear but don’t always truly understand.

For instance, the term “Supply Chain Management” itself has innumerable definitions and our article What Exactly Is Supply Chain Management? 10 Different Definitions! proved to be one of our most popular articles ever.

So here it is, our Top 10 list for the second half of 2018!

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What’s the Difference Between Fulfillment and Replenishment?

People who do not work in Supply Chain may hear the terms Fulfillment and Replenishment and consider that they mean the same thing.

Interestingly many people who do work in Supply Chain consider the terms Fulfillment and Replenishment to be synonymous.

I have worked in many different industries and all around the world but the place where I heard these terms used most frequently was in Retail.

Given that there is some ambiguity in the understanding of these terms it makes sense to provide the distinction.

What is the difference between Fulfillment and Replenishment?

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How Much Money Could You Make by Disposing of Old Equipment as Scrap Metal?

When we think of old equipment, we often view it as old and useless, without considering the hidden value it might hold.

If hardware is no longer functional or is technically obsolete, it can still turn a profit for those savvy enough to exploit it as a resalable resource.

That’s achievable thanks to the vast and potentially lucrative scrap metal market. And the more material that’s tied up in the body and components of your outdated equipment, the more you stand to make.

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Urgent Appliance Repairs? Same-Day Service Can Save the Day!

Having an appliance break down in the middle of its use can be very frustrating. It can leave you wondering what you’ll do next and how much it will cost to repair or replace it.

When experiencing severe issues with the functionality of an appliance, immediate attention is needed to minimize the effect on your daily routine.

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Why is Supply Chain Such a Great Career Path?

When I started my career the term “Supply Chain” had just been coined. As such it was many years before I actually heard of the term “Supply Chain Management”.

Regardless I pursued my interests and took on an increasingly diverse set of progressive jobs as time went on. Now as I look back on my career virtually everything I did falls under the banner of Supply Chain management.

Given the phenomenal opportunities that Supply Chain offers for personal and professional growth it is a career path which I highly recommend to anyone.

What is it about Supply Chain that makes it such an appealing career path?

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The Downside of Free Returns and Exchanges!

A new survey from Brightpearl found that 42 percent of U.S. retailers say they have seen an increase in the number of returns and “serial returners” over the last 12 months.

What’s more, 61 percent of the retailers surveyed said they would ban serial returners.

This is an interesting change in an industry that has put so much emphasis on facilitating free returns and exchanges.

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Imagining the Supply Chain of the Future!

Imagine what the future will look like in Supply Chain!

We don’t mean the near future, but the very distant future.  There are articles which describe what the future of Supply Chain will be like in 2025, or even 2030.

But is that enough of a far-reaching vision to offer much more than an incremental view of what we see today based on existing technology?

Any view of the near future is more likely to describe incremental changes and incremental advancements based on the current knowledge base.  But an extremely distant vision of the future is more likely to offer revolutionary ideas as to what future possibilities are.

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Our 2019 Top 10 List!

Here at Supply Chain Game Changer our fundamental mission has been to share experiences and expertise in the areas of Supply Chain, Logistics, Distribution, Procurement, Business, Human Resources and more. We now present our 2019 Top 10 list.

In our 3rd year at Supply Chain Game Changer we have had the tremendous opportunity to share more content created by ourselves and a growing number of Guest contributors.

With new articles provided to us every week our audience is allowing us to share ever more engaging content and their incredible intelligence for the benefit of all. We extend our thanks to all and invite everyone to submit articles for our consideration.

Here at the midpoint of 2019 we would like to share the 2019 Top 10 List of our most viewed articles of 2019!

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Linking the Supply Chain and Reverse Chain!

SC Viral The Pandemic Diaries

In the future, you will know the source of every component in the products you use or manufacture, how it was produced, the energy consumed in its production, perhaps even who will own it next through the reverse chain, and how much they will pay you for it.

This is the natural, inevitable outcome of combining circular economy principles with digitization technologies. Economically, environmentally, and socially, the logic of this is undeniable.

Only our unwillingness to change stands in the way.

We are in the midst of a digital transformation in which technology is helping businesses, entire industries and countries to enable, differentiate and fundamentally define their strategies. This is driving a tremendous amount of innovation and economic growth, while also creating unprecedented challenges as resource and energy consumption increase.

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What Exactly Is Reverse Logistics?

A summer job I had during my University years involved the dismantling of old computer input/output machines and the recovery and salvage of all of the parts.  For me it was good experience and good money.  At the same time the disassembly of most every part of the machines for refurbishment, reuse, and recovery also seemed to be a worthy cause.  It was Reverse Logistics before I knew what that was.

I considered it to be salvage, reclamation and repair activity.  Over the ensuing years I was involved from time to time in other activities that involved quality problems, returns, repair, reclamation or recycling of some kind.

And then at some point all of these activities were included under the banner of “Reverse Logistics”.

What on earth is Reverse Logistics?

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Supply Chain as a Service (SCaaS)!

I began my career working in a manufacturing plant within an international company that was completely vertically integrated. From component manufacturing through to subassembly manufacturing and end product assembly they did it all.

Within 10 years the company experienced a number of site closures and declared that manufacturing was no longer a core competency. For the site that I was a part of this meant that closure was an inevitability.

Faced with this stark reality we made the choice to spin off from the parent organization and start our own new company, entering the world of Contract Manufacturing.

This was my first experience with Outsourcing, or what I refer to as “Supply Chain as a Service” (SCaaS).

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What’s the Difference Between Logistics and Distribution?

What is the difference between Logistics and Distribution?

On the surface some people may consider them synonymous.  Without consulting a dictionary both Logistics and Distribution suggest imagery involving the movement of  goods.

But to anyone who works in Supply Chain, in particular with a title including either the term Logistics or Distribution, or if you work in a Distribution Centre or for a Logistics company, then there are distinct differences between these words.

But are there also commonalities?

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Is Your Supply Chain A Cost Centre or a Value Creator?

The Supply Chain function within your company has many responsibilities.  From planning to negotiating to buying, from moving goods to processing goods, and from managing data to managing inventory.  These responsibilities are at the core of making your company run.  But is Supply Chain a Cost Centre or a Value Creator?

Yet often the Supply Chain is undervalued.  While every function must help your company grow and prosper when the heat is on uninformed Executives can view Supply Chain as merely a Cost Centre.  As such there can be unrelenting pressure to continue to cut costs.

Why is Supply Chain often undervalued?  And how do you increase the value of Supply Chain in the eyes of your Executives and other functions?

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Design in Quality First!

The Division I had just joined was enjoying great success in Sales and Development.  They had created a modular building block design for their products.  Simply there were over two dozen different building block designs which could be configured in innumerable combinations to create the end product.

Each building block was designed to be a low-cost item.  Based on the customer requirements and specifications the building blocks could be combined in varying quantities.  Then a custom outer case, with the appropriate inputs and outputs, would be created to house all of the building blocks, interconnected on a master mother board.

It sounded great on paper and on Powerpoint slides.  But what came next was an absolute nightmare.

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