In the latest evidence of the heightened concerns related to geopolitical risk, Biden has cracked down on most Chinese cars and trucks with a rule that software and hardware cannot come from China. There is concern about having millions of cars on the road with a potential threat to national security.
According to a McKinsey study, investment in supply chain digitization is slowing down after rapid growth in 2020-2023. On the other hand, the McKinsey Global Supply Chain Leader Survey finds that nine out of 10 respondents continue to experience supply chain challenges. And, according to Reuters, supply chain glitches [...]
Every CFO seems to wonder why they spend millions on ERP upgrades yet critical decisions seem to boil down to spreadsheets.
Fulfilling customer demand successfully is not as easy as it was prior to this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. As supply chain disruptions continue to rage, planners jump through hoops, expedite, and are a bit frazzled trying to support customer requirements while meeting operational objectives, pushing back when needed on sales commitments, and addressing cost concerns.
As revenues remain volatile, disruptions plague supply chains, and interest rates remain high, executives' ability to build revenue, margin and working capital predictability and improvement takes on an elevated importance.
According to the WorldMetrics.org report, 89% of manufacturers believe automation is key to increasing productivity. More importantly to increasing profitable growth, the report also finds that automation reduces manufacturing lead time by 75%.
If you follow the stock market, you might think the economy is strong. As consumers, we are frustrated with the price of everyday supplies such as food, gas, and housing.
In the last month, we've participated in at least six economic forecast presentations or discussions with experts (economic, banking, investment, manufacturing). Although they each had nuances, common themes emerged. Adding our expertise into the mix, we see volatility on the horizon.
Disruptions have not stopped. China has been flying balloons over Taiwan. North Korea is threatening South Korea. Russia continues its war with Ukraine. Israel is at war with Hamas [...]
According to Polaris Market Research, the market size of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing is predicted to grow more than 41% during the next decade. Although the latest Sikich Industry Pulse found that less than 20% manufacturers have started to implement AI [...]
