Pull flow is not a new technique. In the industrial era, Kanban loops have been around since at least the middle of the 20th century. The principle has likely been around for much longer, since it’s so simple and logical: replace what has been consumed, to align the supply chain with actual consumption. Who knows, … Read more
In a production workshop, with a supplier, in transport, there are …brrr, it’s a bit scary… yes, yes… supply chain EMERGENCIES. In my career, I’ve seen all kinds: red, bright red, dark red, and even black. At a car parts manufacturer I once worked for, you were never to raise your hand if the boss came … Read more
Cleaning up demand histories is a classic discipline for any forecaster in the supply chain. When generating a statistical forecast, you must first ensure that the historical data has been cleaned of outliers. Otherwise, beware of GIGO! (Garbage In, Garbage Out). This historical clean-up is generally carried out on monthly buckets, sometimes on weekly buckets. … Read more
How do you manage job shop complexity? It involves manufacturing products, often complex ones, in a succession of manufacturing operations carried out on equipment specialized by technology. For example, we carry out a succession of machining, painting, and assembly operations, with detours through subcontracted operations. Each piece of equipment – a lathe, a milling machine, … Read more
