Category: Manufacturing Best Practices

Most, if not all, manufacturers have at least one ERP system in place to house and categorize critical data. But investing and implementing ERP systems are just the first step towards achieving true inventory optimization. While ERP systems are necessary, on their own they lack the prioritization and visibility necessary for manufacturers to stay competitive and successful in today’s increasingly complex supply chain. To save both time and money, manufacturers must aim to operate as efficiently as possible. By implementing an additional analytics engine, ERPs can achieve their full potential.

It’s time to talk about the “human holdup” factor in the world of supply chain management. When it comes to building the best processes possible, we need to help procurement and factory operations teams get out of their own way. 

When it comes to technological advancements in manufacturing, many conjure up images of advanced robotics on the factory floor. While this technological investment has revolutionized the way manufacturers build their products, another technological wave is sweeping through the supply chain. This wave focuses on boosting the efficiency of the procurement and buying teams tasked with inventory management.

Software as a service (SaaS), cloud-based computing hosted remotely by a vendor and accessible over a network, has quickly proven to be a game changer in navigating the increasingly complex manufacturing landscape. Below are five major ways that SaaS can boost productivity and efficiency.

While there are many frameworks for sustainability and business ethics, one framework has proven to stand the test of time—the pyramid of corporate social responsibility. This framework provides levels of responsibility that businesses can achieve as they grow and expand their sustainability practices.

One of the reasons why the bullwhip effect has been a huge obstacle for manufacturers for decades—and why so much energy is devoted to solving it—is because it shows how rational decision makers can make things worse by trying to do their best. After all, planning and forecasting is supposed to be the way to solve production, supply, and storage issues.

But what we’re currently seeing with the prolonged impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on manufacturing and shipping capacity all over the globe is that variations in demand are being magnified more than ever before by forecasts that can’t react and adjust dynamically to changing conditions.

Buyers spend their days determining the optimal levels of inventory that should be bought at any given time, but it’s not always a straightforward process. Without the right tools at their disposal, it can be incredibly tedious and time-consuming, often leaving buyers to rely on guesswork to guide their inventory actions. Beyond the ABC analysis, which helps categorize items depending on their value and importance, there is another process that is critical in maintaining optimal inventory levels—the XYZ analysis. The XYZ analysis provides an additional layer of statistical analysis that is essential to optimizing inventory levels to prevent as many shortages as possible while also minimizing the amount of inventory being carried.

At LeanDNA, highlighting our Leaniacs’ successes is one of our great honors. It is with great pleasure that we announce that Astrid Hussonois, Senior Customer Success Manager, has been named a 2021 Women in Supply Chain Award Winner. Anyone who has worked with Astrid can speak to how deserving she is of this award and we are so proud that she has received this industry honor.

Successfully managing inventory can be difficult. There are many moving parts, from determining the level of inventory that should be kept to maintaining the inventory levels necessary to avoid shortages and excess inventory. While there are many ways to count inventory, cycle counting is one of the most efficient methods to prevent inventory shortages and target discrepancies between reported versus actual inventory. 

The LeanDNA-List celebrates the hard work of our customers, who work day-in and day-out to optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. These winners represent the tenacious, knowledgeable, and hands-on users and champions of LeanDNA.

At LeanDNA, we strive for collaboration and teamwork to create a safe space for innovation. We live and breathe our four core values, because our vision—to disrupt manufacturing by transforming every factory into a strategic force—wouldn’t be possible without our extraordinary Leaniacs. Beyond accomplishing business goals, LeanDNA continues to work towards being One Team and fostering collaborative and rewarding work environment.

Every month, we recognize the accomplishments of some of our teammates who fully embody the LeanDNA core values every day in their work.  Below are this summer’s core value winners who not only embody these traits, but take them to a whole new level.