Archives May 2023

Tony Hines talks about benchmarking your supply chain in this episode. Why is it useful to benchmark? What exactly do you benchmark or what are some of the problems and benefits in doing benchmarks?

Benchmarking your supply chain is a useful tool for determining strategy. It allows managers to understand the supply chains through the numbers and the details gathered as part of the exercise, and you can compare yourself to competitors and evaluate those benchmarks before determining what it is exactly that you want to fix or change in your own supply chain.

You can compare performance across business units and you can leverage data for restructuring and change. Benchmarks can be seen as a systematic process where you search for best practise, innovative ideas and more productive operating methods. Strategic benchmarking helps make sure that improvement efforts and of course, scarce resources are directed to those activities that will move the organisation forward. Of course you have to know where forward is, what exactly is it you want to go forward to?

Listen to the episode to find out more…

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

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Tony Hines discussed the proposed RISE Supply Chain Partnership discussed by the G7. The partnership – “Partnership for Resilient and Inclusive Supply-chain Enhancement” (RISE) – was announced in a meeting between G7 finance ministers and heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Financial Stability Board.

This is a special update on the G7 conference taking place in  Japan, and for those of you that might not know, the G7 is a group of seven nations. The world's leading economies, and they have regular meetings about policy. The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. The you and the European Commission are also involved as non enumerated members. 

The G7 countries of the world's largest IMF advanced economies and liberal democracies, and they meet from time to time to discuss international issues such as security, climate change and of course, trade. Russia was suspended from this group in 2014 for its invasion of Crimea. The IMF by the way, is the International Monetary Fund. The G7 finance leaders are putting together a new supply chain proposal in a statement in Niigata, Japan,  this new supply chain partnership is set to be included in the statement from the G7. You will have heard me talk on the Chain reaction podcast for some time about rare earth metals and China dependency, when it comes to supply and you can go and still listen to that episode, (China Dependency) you might find it quite useful to listen to. Either before or after listening to this episode on the G7, 

This new partnership focuses on renewable energy resources, and it's likely to focus on China's dominant position in some rare earth metals and policymakers from around the globe have talked about diversification. They want to make sure that they are not reliant on a single source of supply. So making supply chains more resilient and strengthening partnerships between other countries is rising to the top of the agenda.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can follow and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
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News about forthcoming programmes click here

Tony Hines talks about making your supply chain efficient.

Ask yourself a question. How do I improve efficiency in the supply chain and the sub question? Why is that important to do? Well, that's what I want to talk about today..
Improving cycle times and throughput in any supply chain is important. It's not only important to the supply chain itself, it's important to the business. It can lead to smoother deliveries. Better efficiency, faster learning, customer satisfaction. And in the long run, a better product. If you improve throughput and reduce time, you'll lower inventory and this reduces cost. You can also be sure that you're putting as many of your products on the market as possible at the lowest cost to your business, it helps companies to see how they spend their time manufacturing products and getting those products to customers to increase turnover.

There are all kinds of ways you can be more efficient. You can try to automize, you can encourage people to communicate more effectively inside the organisation to reduce cost, spot blockages and remove those blockages in the chain, reduce any interruptions that you have to your business activities. And when you have meetings, make them short and make them frequent. Keep on top of things. And keep the dialogue between all parties inside the organisation continuing. That way you won't have any big surprises and stay focused on the task and don't introduce any self-inflicted disruptions. Stay focused and when you need to change process. Do that at the best time for the organisation and do it in orderly fashion. Those are the simple things that you might wish to do. 

It always pays to keep things simple in business, and when we say keep things simple and keep them straightforward, don't over complicate things. Don't overthink things, just do what you have to. Focus on the task at hand. Keep on top of things, set reminders and review the goals on a regular basis. You might want to do it daily or weekly. Depending on the time frames involved, make sure you're not diverted away from the task and minimise any time that's wasted.

Try and do things in a timely fashion. Use any Productivity Tools that are available to you and most importantly, motivate the team. If you can motivate the team, you'd be surprised.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can follow and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
Follow like and share the Chain Reaction Podcast with colleagues and friends on social media.

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News about forthcoming programmes click here

All things impacting global supply chains this week.

Much of the news this week was about food security and what to do about it. Different interests see the problem differently. Consumers see a cost of living crisis, Farmers see increasing cost and reduced incomes. Large food processors see opportunities to extract more profit through higher process and lowering cost but smaller and medium sized producers are battling to maintain some equilibrium.

• Andrew Opie, Food and Sustainability Policy Director at the British Retail Consortium said he expects food inflation to lower to single digits.
• Minette Batters, President of the National Union of Farmers said the main problem is uncertainty and she gives specific examples.
• Windfarms being built but cannot be connected to the National Grid.
• The UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman says 'we don't need migrant labour we can train our own people'. Grow your own or employ experienced labour that can do the job required right away?
• James Cleverly, Foreign Secretary in the UK says that packaging will contain a statement on a label “Not for Sale in the EU” whuch he says is part of the agreement with the EU under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
• Peru is now the third largest producer of blueberries  behind the US and China.
• Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street this week examining food supply chain resilience. Minette Batters said that food supply chains are very vulnerable. Rishi Sunak PM said he would welcome mor migrant workers to solve the food industry problems.
• Sue Pritchard, CEO Food, Farming and Countryside Commission says food production has consolidated  with a small number of agribusinesses that is skewing the market. Listen to the plans that Sue Pritchard puts forward to address food security. She wants a national conversation.
• Stelantis owns four big car brands Vauxhall, Peurgot being two of them. They want the UK Government to renegotiate the Brexit agreement to keep production in the UK. Tariffs are the problem post Brexit.
• The SMMT has already noted a decline in British Car Manufacturing after Brexit.
• Without new gigafactories the electric vehicle manufacturing is unlikely to progress.
• Elon Musk has decided to advertise Tessla Cars something he has so far declined to do.
• Tyre Manufacturers under pressure to develop cleaner tyres without 6PPDD.
• Will the US Government default on its payments? What will be the consequences if the debt ceiling is not lifted? June 1st is the deadline to sort this out.
• Janet Yellen says there will be grave consequences if the US government defaults.

You can follow Chain Reaction on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can follow and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
Follow like and share the Chain Reaction Podcast with colleagues and friends on social media.

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Twitter
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News about forthcoming programmes click here

New Episodes Heading Your Way.

• AI and Supply Chains
• Supply Chain Skills
• How to Become A Better Supply Chain Manager
• Benchmarking Performance in Yours Supply Chain
• How to Make Your Supply Chain Efficient
• Last Mile Delivery

You can follow Chain Reaction on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

Support the show

About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can follow and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
Follow like and share the Chain Reaction Podcast with colleagues and friends on social media.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
News about forthcoming programmes click here

Tony Hines discusses what you can do to become a better supply chain manager.

• Set Goals for yourself and your team
• Learn new skills to add to your skill base
• Gain experience to become more valuable
• Get certificates that validate your skills and knowledge

Plan, prepare and be proactive. Develop yourself and your team to produce effective performances.

You can follow Chain Reaction on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage

I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon. All things impacting global supply chains in that week, so come and join us on the Chain Reaction podcast. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can follow and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform.
Follow like and share the Chain Reaction Podcast with colleagues and friends on social media.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
News about forthcoming programmes click here