In no time in my 30-year career has there been more innovation fighting to get into our mature but reliable supply chains. The MODEX show in Atlanta will be a great way to see some of this in action and more importantly to talk to people who are developing it, using it, and assessing it. It’s the time to talk about the feasible future in digitalization and automation. I hope to see you there on March 9 thru 12. At Crimson & Co we are working hard to assess the latest trends and the trends that become best practices. There are so many emerging digital ideas to get ahead of, and we are worki ..read more

Simon Clarke examines the challenges and potential approaches that promote collaboration and alignment of different functional groups. Previously, I shared the importance of being clear about the purpose of the forecast and ensuring it aligns with the organizational mission. In this blog, I’m going to spend some time discussing whether the objective of a forecast process should be to arrive at a “one-number forecast”.  The big idea is that this approach breaks down functional barriers and promotes collaboration. The benefit of this is a more streamlined, informed and efficient way to anticipat ..read more

Uber to Build Up Freight The Verge reported Uber spend $200 million annually and hire thousands of employees to set up its young long-haul trucking venture, Uber Freight. The business will be located in their downtown Chicago office with 2,000 employees they are hiring over the next three years. Launched in 2017, “Uber Freight connects truck drivers with shippers, much in the same way the company’s ride-hailing app pairs drivers with those looking for a ride.” China Export to U.S. Falling Here’s a short segment (and written report) on CNBC on the trade war and how it impacts exports in the U.S ..read more

Simon Clarke reviews critical factors to consider when addressing forecast improvements In my previous blog I shared some of the typical areas where forecasting improvement opportunities may be found. Before taking a deeper dive into what these are, and what to do about them, it is important to first take a moment to reflect on the purpose of a forecast. A forecast should never exist simply for the sake of it. There is no need for a forecast if there is certainty about the future. I know Summer follows Spring; I have no purpose for a forecast that confirms it. There is also no purpose to a for ..read more

VC Funding for Robots to Tune of $94 Million Fetch Robots Inc. raised $46 million ($94 million to date) to grow in the area of autonomous mobile robots to be use toward expansion and R&D. Automation Magazine reports that this round, led by Fort Ross Ventures, with CEAS Investments, Redwood Technologies, TransLink Capital and Zebra Ventures. Also investors – O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, Shasta Ventures, Softbank Capital and Sway Ventures. Their customers include global companies in third-party logistics (3PL), manufacturing and distribution. All Weekend Delivery Part of eCommerce Land ..read more

Big Change in Warehouse Design Fundamental changes are going on in warehouse design as a tactic to lure workers who want more during their workday. They are offering things like gyms, coffee shops, and better lighting. Here is a quick video with subtitles or the story on LinkedIn. True Value Co and a $150 Million Endeavor The WSJ reports that Hardware wholesaler True Value Co. is working to improve its supply chain to improve their performance in eCommerce and with big-box retailers. An independent hardware store supplier for thousands around the U.S. is working with $150 millio ..read more

Lanternflies and Truckers In March, Penske Truck Leasing ran a story about how the spotted lanternfly had infiltrated the United States because of the danger of the destruction of crops. WSJ picked it up at the end of June, but the report is the same. First spotted in PA in 2014 led to PA requiring training for truckers and warehouse employees. In the Penske article, they reported: “Enforcement continues to ramp up as more states, including Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland, combine forces to stop the invasive species.” Education is the key, as they feed on nearly ..read more

Why forecasting is crucial and what we can do to improve For several decades’ companies have attempted to optimize procurement, manufacturing, inventory and distribution decisions using forecasts. Despite significant investments in the development of people and technology capability, results have been disappointing. In one of the few longitudinal studies of forecast error, the annual Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) logistics survey has reported broadly unchanged performance of participating companies between 1996 and 2017. Why is forecasting so difficult and why ..read more

In no time in my 30-year career has there been more innovation fighting to get into our mature but reliable supply chains. The MODEX show in Atlanta will be a great way to see some of this in action and more importantly to talk to people who are developing it, using it, and assessing it. It’s the time to talk about the feasible future in digitalization and automation. I hope to see you there on March 9 thru 12. At Crimson & Co we are working hard to assess the latest trends and the trends that become best practices. There are so many emerging digital ideas to get ahead of, and we are worki ..read more

Over the last several months, we’ve provided some information on robots in the supply chain and logistics industry. Recently, we compiled all of it and decided to present it here for ease of use for a broad view of what we have on our site. White Paper: Here is a white paper Getting Robots to Pay for Themselves by Steve Mulaik. It’s available for download as a PDF. Operations Summit: At the 2019 Operations Summit we attended a lot of sessions, and one of our partners ran a roundtable. Here, is our update from the Ops Summit, which includes some talk of robots. 2019 NRF Conference Update: Jeff ..read more