Thinking supply chain management is relegated only to the world of academics? Today's Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required) has a lot to say about how companies are managing and optimizing their operations via supply chain and deeper thinking about how they work. Among the high points of the article:
- Pinehall Brick Co., has started putting slightly larger holes in its bricks because lighter bricks take less power to produce.
- UPS stopped looking at its repair process in a blanket fashion,"The company found a blanket maintenance schedule was wasteful, since maintenance needs vary depending on the size and even the type of tires on a truck. The logbooks are already saving the company an estimated 330,000 quarts of oil a year" (from article)
Interesting note about where ROI thinking is going in company vis-a-vis energy prices, "Economists note that most companies are hesitant to invest heavily in new processes or machinery, particularly if that means funneling money away from other goals, such as new products. But as energy prices rise, the payback on such initiatives grows shorter, making them easier to justify." (article)
Don't think this is the last thing at $72 per barrel is going to do to us.
Later,
-V
