Supply Chain and Labor Challenges add to Complexity of Inventory Management We have all now experienced supply chain challenges far beyond what any of us would have guessed months ago. With the threat of disruptions continuing, such as recent lockdowns in China show us, what we have learned the hard way is that we must […]

Keep All Your Plates Spinning When I was growing up in the Chicago area, one of the most popular daytime kid shows was Bozo Circus (yes, I am old). On occasion, the guest act would be a plate spinner. You know the routine; as he added more and more spinning plates, the suspense would build […]

Just-in-Time or Just-in-Case or Just Right There are typically two major types of inventory management: “just-in-time” and “just-in-case.” While a Just-in-Time system is highly efficient and frees up capital, it can be easily derailed due to the uncertainties caused by unknown disruptions — especially if it is working without real-time inventory information. It can also […]

“Disruptive Inventory Management Technology” for “Disruptive Weather” We do not always immediately recognize “Disruptive Technology” when we see it, but we certainly can all recognize “Disruptive Weather” when it impacts our businesses. The latest arctic blast brought a new meaning to supply chain disruptions to much of our country. Spend Matters defines disruptive technology as […]

One lesson we have all learned in the last year is that short-term events can have long-term consequences. We have spent much of 2020 dealing with immediate challenges caused by the pandemic, such as unexpected delays, shortages, and workforce disruptions. We need more than ever to consider disruption before it happens to mitigate the impact […]

The Internet of Things continues to come of age with a greater impact on our day-to-day lives. You may be using it in your home now through the use of smart thermostats and security systems. Many manufacturers use it for preventive maintenance to identify potential failures before they happen. In the case of inventory management, […]

Time is Money An often-overused phrase but still accurate none-the-less. Typically, a converter’s inventory management process for such items as stickybacks, tapes, doctor blades, and similar supplies are not done within their ERP/MRP systems but rather managed “off-line” via spreadsheets or similar processes. Although these methods are fine, they can be time consuming for those […]

From Uncertainty to Certainty… Reduce stress and costs with a clear and accurate picture of your supply inventory. The foundation for inventory management is having accurate, up-to-date inventory visibility. If a flexo printer has manual processes or relies on outside companies to keep count of such items as stickybacks, tapes, doctor blades, PPE, platemaking materials, […]

Inventory Management How do you know what you need to know before you know you need it? We are not exactly sure how to the answer this question, but one thing we do know is that predictive analytics based on real-time data can help. Ineffective inventory tools can lead to outages, rush shipments, disruption, and […]