When Worlds Combine

In his Checking In column, the publisher says he believes dramatic changes in the marketplace lead to supply chain worlds colliding. My view is a little different. I believe supply chain worlds are combining and evolving to better serve increasingly demanding customers.

The publisher and I do agree on one thing: There is a cohesive force that’s applicable to all worlds. If you cast an unwavering focus on the demand point, you’re not on a path to collision but on the right path. Taking a demand-driven approach is beneficial to any business. It is a catalyst for bringing together vendors and customers and buyers and sellers—from the demand point all the way back to the source.

It can be difficult to navigate any kind of evolution or change. That’s why, since its inception in 1981, Inbound Logistics has provided actionable content—across all its channels—to help you run an efficient and cost-effective demand-driven supply chain. We’ve also helped you assemble the tools and the partners you need to align your business to better serve your customers.

This blockbuster Logistics Planner edition is no exception. The cover story, 159 Ways to Amp Your Supply Chain, is a compendium of actionable knowledge—the best-of-the-best strategies and advice distilled from leading supply chain experts. From evaluating new carrier partners, to sourcing hidden capacity, to disentangling the Gordian knot of new trade regulations, this practical how-to guide can help identify possible cost leaks, plug inefficiencies, and pump up supply chain performance.

Talk about evolution! In Disrupting the Future of Grocery Retailing, leading industry analyst Brittain Ladd lays out a new plan that he says will revolutionize the way we sell and buy groceries forever.

When information from your warehouse management and transportation management systems combine, the result is greater visibility and communication and more efficient operations (see Get IT Together).

But you can’t embark on the journey to supply chain efficiency alone. You need the best technology, finance, logistics solutions, and transportation service providers. The companies profiled in the Logistics Planner are listening to your needs and developing new solutions to match them.

So whether you agree with the publisher that supply chain worlds are colliding, or take my view that our worlds are combining, use this special edition of Inbound Logistics to keep your demand-driven supply chain on the path to productivity and profitability.