Bernard Milian

At our French user conference in June 2023, our partner DFYA reminded us that we’re constantly making a huge number of decisions. One figure put forward is 35,000 decisions per day for an adult human. If you do an Internet search on the number of decisions per day, Google will indeed give you 35,000. However, the … Read more

Implicitly, when we think to pull flow, Kanban, for example, we think of short lead time. We trigger the next supply to renew consumption, so this implies a rapid reaction time, doesn’t it? On the other hand, for components with long lead times – say, for example, an item with a replenishment lead time of … Read more

“Transformation” is the buzzword of the moment. “Digital” transformation, “Supply Chain” transformation, “Demand Driven” transformation, “Demand Driven Digital Supply Chain” transformation – let’s go for it!… ASCM is even announcing a new APICS CTSC training and certification course: Certified in Transformation for Supply Chain CTSC Exam Content Manual (ascm.org). For supply chain leaders, the ability to … Read more

In the plants I worked in, I started orchestrating S&OP processes in the late 80s/early 90s. I always considered that it should be a monthly process – without necessarily asking too many questions. In a factory, it’s natural to have reviews for each shift, daily, weekly, and monthly. A yearly budget, possibly a quarterly review. … Read more

To make use of forecasts in a conventional MRP system, you generate supply orders, called planned orders, that align perfectly with the timing of these forecasts. The example below is a consumer item – a drink. Sales of this item are driven by seasonality and promotions. Understanding Seasonality and Promotions When analyzing the sales of … Read more

The need to make manufacturing and distribution operations more agile and resilient is no longer in question. How to do it is another matter. In global companies, ambitious transformation projects are emerging, often with two opposing approaches. Or it is a group program, initiated by the general management, led by a central team, with a … Read more

In a factory, the relationship between Supply Chain and Quality teams can be tumultuous… Quality hold manufacturing batches – put on hold for inspection or rework – queues on key test equipment, release times, all this generates waiting, delays, when we are already in a hurry… Everyone agrees we must ensure that we deliver defect-free … Read more

Do you know how minimum orders, minimum production releases, and transfer batches affect your distribution network? As a supply chain professional, it’s essential to understand the impact of lot sizes on your inventory, lead times, and ability to deliver to your customers. In this article, we’ll explore how to visualize the impact and adapt to … Read more

We know that the future is uncertain. Actual demand will differ from forecasts. Supplies and production will be subject to uncertainty. Therefore, projecting inventory carries significant uncertainty – as we described in this article, projected inventory is an illusion. In today’s uncertain business environment, projecting inventory is a challenging task. While Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) … Read more

There is sometimes confusion when we talk about pull flow. When it comes to pull flow, there is often confusion with just-in-time supply chain management. In this article, we’ll define pull flow and just-in-time and explain the difference between the two. We’ll also discuss the importance of implementing buffers in a pull flow model to … Read more

The Importance of Data Science and Business Intelligence in Supply Chain Management Data science and business intelligence are key to managing the supply chain. These gimmicks are all around us in this environment. But the reality in companies is far from being as convincing as the introduction of technologies would have us believe. Effective supply … Read more