Route to Market & Supply Chain Blog

Ok, I think it is fairly clear I am a big fan of S&OP. In companies without structure and process this is a way to establish a solid operational framework in a business and this does not actually cost a lot of money or need expensive or complicated…

There is enough disruption and discontinuity in supply chains without the necessary evil of new product development (NPD) and product change getting in the way. Just when everyone has become used to ordering, storing, picking, delivering or…

Thursday evening and heading out to an organic bread, cheese and wine evening. Oh yes, very sophisticated these days! After temperatures in the 30’s recently the torrential rain and the “end of the world” sky literally dampened spirits as we joined…

In a recent post I took a look at how technology has changed over a relatively short time and how it is used in supply chains. For example, the cutting edge fax machine of the 1970’s is now joining the VHS and cassette tape players in the sad and…

Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise, Abbott and Costello, Little and Large, Cameron and Clegg. These are examples of double acts where one party plays the straight/stooge and apparently serious man while the other plays the fool/jester. I admit I…

Not since Margaret Thatcher has a woman been so feared. Steely cold eyes and a grin that makes the Mona Lisa look like she is having a good old guffaw. Jet black clothes contribute to her oozing superiority complex and an image of someone certainly…

The “Famous Last words” of people can be intriguing, rude and frequently very, very funny just as much as they can be complete nonsense. In the context of Supply Chain, “Famous Last Words” are usually uttered just before something disastrous or…

Sacred blue, mon petite pois, bonjour as Del Boy would say. Against all odds, a very young and experimental England rugby team defeated France in the 2012 6 Nations. Add in the fact that this match was in France and the home team had not lost there…

In Europe at least, there is a fashion for creating a new supply chain legal entity and housing it in a friendly canton in Switzerland. The prime benefit is tax although operational and efficiency savings are often claimed to offset the nasty…

I came across an interesting problem on FMCG planning this week. The company in question was a blue- chip multi-national with well developed supply chain and business processes, e.g. a suite of relevant and stretching KPIs in place plus a living…

All major companies run some sort of ERP to support their business whether they are FMCG, pharma, brewing or indeed anyone who “makes stuff”. Many blue-chips have invested in big name software packages while others have gone for a cheap and cheerful…

Ok, now back on line after the holidays and some demanding project work. One of the first catch-up meetings I have had this year was with an FMCG MD. No name of course, but this is a medium sized player with a broad European base and I have…

How on earth did it get around to the end of September so quickly? One minute I was sniffling at our daughter’s school leaving speech and the next I see Christmas goods in shops. Who is in the mood to buy Christmas goods in September? Who plans for…

You can, there's no need to feel down I said you can, pick your sales off the ground I said you can, stop running around There's no time to be unhappy You can, there's a process you know I said you can, when your sales don’t grow You know, you are…

Previously on S&OP. The Demand Review has taken place. The Supply Review followed on time and a mutual understanding reached. Despite considerable challenges in securing a date in the diary for all the key players the Pre-S&OP happened without…