Articles of Interest

This article discusses some ways supply chain executives can plan and respond to disruption — in a day and age where the exception is, in fact, the rule.

Read MH&L

The nation’s warehouses have gone high tech in recent years, automating their operations as well as changing up their inventory and packaging. But their fire-protection systems haven’t always kept pace with the changes, says Tracey Bellamy. Here are some things you can do to better protect both lives and property.

Read DC Velocity

MIT researchers, with support from Amazon, have developed a deep-learning model that utilizes a neural network architecture for warehouse robots. The model efficiently organizes robots into smaller groups, encoding their trajectories, origins, destinations, and relationships, enhancing coordination alongside traditional algorithms for thinning out traffic in a warehouse.

Read MIT News

Reducing costs is no longer paramount in supply chain management, according to executives surveyed for a report by management consulting firm, Bain & Co. Instead, increased flexibility and resilience trump cost and improved customer service, and supply chain reinvention is now a “CEO-level problem and opportunity,” concludes the report, entitled “How CEOs Can Balance the New Supply Chain Equation,” released February 21st.

Read SupplyChainBrain

According to a study by Gartner, only 54.3% of salespeople met or exceeded their quota in 2023, down from 60.9% in 2022. This means that almost half of the sales force is underperforming, and the gap between the top performers and the rest is widening. Mike Kunkle writes that in his experience over the past 5 years, this certainly applies to wholesale distribution; he provides some steps that you can take to transform your sales organization and unleash its full potential.

Read Distribution Strategy Group

Despite the backdrop of significant supply chain disruptions in recent years, it’s evident that a number of organizations are still in the process of enhancing their preparedness. A survey conducted by Hubs, involving over 300 participants, revealed that 76% of companies encountered some form of disruption in 2022, underscoring the need for further efforts to fortify against upcoming supply chain challenges. This article addresses five key elements that businesses can use to establish a resilient supply chain.

Read NED

In this in-depth look, Steve Booz, vice president of marketing for Westlake Royal Building Products explains that integrating trim and mouldings has always been an easy, affordable way to add unique architectural details to a home. “In 2024, we expect a growing demand for classical architectural elements, such as trim, mouldings and columns, due to the increasing construction of single-family homes. New homes often incorporate these details to enhance their upscale appearance and overall market appeal.”

Read LBM Journal

Worker shortages have led many companies to invest in machines. They’ve also been training the workers they do have to use advanced technology so they can produce more with less. The result has been an unexpected productivity boom, which helps explain a great economic mystery: How has the world’s largest economy stayed so healthy, with brisk growth and low unemployment, despite brutally high interest rates that are intended to tame inflation but that typically cause a recession?

Read ABC News

Business metrics and AI can be a potent combo. Here’s a closer look at the most important metrics distributors should be measuring today and how they can use AI to recommend the next best actions in each area.

Read MDM

Digitalization tools—such as control towers, dashboards, and digital workers—have greatly improved supply chain processes. But humans still sit at the center, deciding who or what performs what task or makes which decision. Intelligent workflows may change all that.

Read CSCMP’s Supply Chain Xchange