The Future of Inventory & Supply Chain Management & Execution for Wholesale Distributors

Wholesale Distributors have been in the business of managing their inventories for years...even generations. Yet most appear to be satisfied with the typical 3 to 4-inventory turns a year (some a little more, some a little - or a lot less). Why is this acceptable in an era where profits, cash flow, service levels and competitive advantage are such critical success factors?

Recent supply chain management developments have dramatically changed how wholesale distribution businesses can compete; supply chain vs. supply chain. Yes, it can be a competitive advantage, and a source of real business value.

Major Points of Discussion

• The assumptions built into the fabric of wholesale distribution organizations and their supply chain processes and systems.
• The "disconnected optimization silos" that ignore "total costs".
• Challenging wide-spread Distribution Inventory Management beliefs
• Think strategy, not tactics about "inventory drivers"
• A picture truly worth a thousand words!
• Moving forward; Embracing a "change in thinking"
• The Future; Pull vs. Push and the "forecasting facts of life" - Why?
• Aligning inventory replenishment and supply chains with actual demand - What's the customer's "buy signal"?
• Creating "continuous flow" to increase "supply chain velocity"
• The "Outcomes"; How to leverage the actions that can be taken right now to improve profits, service levels and working capital; "Accelerating the time-line for adoption".
• Why suppliers could and should think differently too; boosting meaningful collaboration with suppliers.