From distribution centers to global trade, supply chain management relies heavily on an ever evolving suite of technologies that help increase efficiency and productivity. Bridget McCrea in her recent article for SupplyChain 247, Supply Chain Execution Software, took a deep dive into the various types of technology being employed and the driving market forces behind the critical role supply chain execution (SCE) software plays in supply chain processes.

Vera Bradley is a leading designer of women's handbags, luggage and travel items, fashion and home accessories and unique gifts. Founded in 1982, the brand's innovative designs, iconic patterns and brilliant colors inspire and connect women unlike any other brand in the global marketplace. To ensure high quality products that continue to exceed customers' expectations, Vera Bradley leverages Amber Road’s Supply Chain Collaboration solutions.

For years, American Shipper has gauged how the shipping industry views supply chain visibility. But never before have they benchmarked this discipline in its own right; that time has come.

In their brand new report, A Clear View of Supply Chain: Visibility Benchmark Study, American Shipper examines how shippers get their visibility, what they do with it, its biggest benefits, and where it falls short. The report also includes perspective from logistics providers on the value of providing and consuming visibility. Highlights include:

Ask any social compliance or corporate governance executive about forced or slave labor and the response is always the same: “It is unacceptable in my supply chain.”  Yet the reality is most supply chains lack the transparency to identify and take action against suppliers who violate this policy. Even with increased regulations and growing pressure from consumers and NGOs, industries struggle to maintain compliance. 

Last month, Supply & Demand Chain Executive broadcasted a webinar entitled, How Abercrombie Deployed a Transloading Model. Presenters included:

• Chris Andrews, Director of International Logistics at Abercrombie
• Sarah Jane Chapman, Manager of International Logistics at Abercrombie
• Stephanie Miles, Senior Vice President of Commercial Services at Amber Road
• Kevin Snelling, Senior Transportation Analyst at Abercrombie

Our presenters received several questions throughout the webinar and unfortunately did not have time to address them all during the live broadcast. We have compiled their answers into a Q&A document - here is a preview:

Continued from Chapter 3: Risk & Quality Management

Transporting goods internationally requires a carefully coordinated approach. Multiple hand-offs and responsibilities across borders and trading partners add both cost and complexity. If you don’t have the right processes in place (and the tools to support them), your bottom line will suffer.

During our webinar with SupplyChainBrain last month, Ryan Miller of Dick's Sporting Goods discussed how the company has adopted new technology to automate and simplify the supplier relationship management process, making it easy for sourcing executives to make quick, informed decisions about their suppliers. Several viewers asked questions during the webinar, and while our speakers were unable to answer them all live, Ryan Miller and Gary Barraco have answered the additional questions here.

Q: Does your implementation of Amber Road integrate with other systems?

Ryan:  Yes, absolutely.  We are integrated today with Flex PLM from PTC.  That’s our main development system where we are doing all our tech packs, and that’s where our product information starts.  Amber Road comes at the beginning.  So as we are onboarding a vendor, all that vendor data is fed from Amber Road into PTC.  And then later on after development is through, we feed the data back from PTC back over to Amber Road for product testing and materials testing.  It’s one continuous back and forth integration.

Trek Bikes, a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor, has shifted its supply chain visibility and product classification into high gear with Amber Road's Trade Automation solution, aiming to lower landed costs and manage global trade.

As a result of the West Coast Port Congestion and concern of disruptions to the supply chain, Abercrombie embarked to deploy a Transloading model to help keep inventory in motion once it arrived to US ports.

Join us for a complimentary Supply & Demand Chain Executive webinar entitled Transloading at Abercrombie: The Business Drivers, Lessons Learned, and Realized Rewards, broadcasting on Thursday, September 8 at 2:00pm EDT.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) selling is not a new concept. Lured by the promise of bigger sales and better access to consumers — and driven by ultimate survival — wholesale brands are increasingly looking to circumvent traditional retailers to reach their customers directly.