Logistics Bureau | Supply Chain & Logistics Consultants

What are some of the greatest uses of AI nowadays? 🤔 Here are some insights from Karen Betancourt! 💡 You can watch the full video here for more details on this topic ▶https://lnkd.in/gEAQnihJ #logisticsbureau #AI #artificialintelligence #machinelearning #supplychain

⌛ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 ⌛ Managing supply chain lead time is key to efficiency and cost control. In most cases, the following factors are under the control of your company, giving you the opportunity to take direct steps to optimise lead times. 🔽 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵... 🧐 📌 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 Your manufacturing lead time depends on production efficiency and facility capacity. Labour availability, equipment reliability, and maintenance policies can either shorten or extend lead times. 📌 𝑰𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 Efficient inventory management ensures timely replenishment and prevents stockouts, which can cause inconsistencies in lead times. 📌 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒔 Transportation efficiency has a major impact on lead times. The choice between ocean, overland, or air freight matters over long distances, while local route planning ensures consistency, cost control, and customer satisfaction. Optimising internal processes helps reduce lead times and cut costs. A proactive approach keeps operations running smoothly and strengthens customer relationships. 🚀 You can read the full article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dS9E-5_f #logisticsbureau #supplychain #supplychainmanagement #leadtime

🏗 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 🏗   Supply chain management can get complicated. With so many initiatives pulling us in different directions, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. So, we’ve summed up what good supply chain management is all about in just a few key principles. 🔽 📌 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆 Many businesses don’t fully understand what their customers need. Some get too much service, while others don’t get enough. Use real data and feedback—not just assumptions—to see what customers truly value. Different customers and products may need different service levels, and every extra service comes at a cost. Find the right balance between what you can afford and what customers are willing to pay for, whether with money or loyalty. 📌 𝑴𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒘 Slower transport is cheaper, but it only works if your supply chain is well-planned. That means good forecasting, smart inventory management, and clear communication with customers. Don’t rely on expensive express shipping to fix weak processes. Plan ahead, monitor suppliers, and set the right expectations for lead times. 📌 𝑰𝒏 𝑩𝒖𝒍𝒌 Moving products in bulk saves money, both inbound and outbound. Customers may want smaller, more frequent deliveries, but a ‘cost to serve’ analysis can show how much could be saved with larger shipments. Sharing some of these savings with customers can boost both sales and market share. 📌 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒓 Try not to move products too far, and reduce handling as much as possible. Transporting goods to customers usually costs more per unit than bringing them in from suppliers, so it’s often best to store stock closer to demand. The shorter the distance, the lower the cost and the faster the service. 📌 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 You don’t need a long list of KPIs—just a few key ones for each management level that focus on what really matters. The right KPIs should help guide decisions, not just track past performance. Pick the ones that drive better results and keep the supply chain running efficiently. 📌 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 Good communication is key to a smooth supply chain. Teams need clear internal communication, customers expect real-time updates, and suppliers need shared forecasts and early warnings. Strong communication keeps everything connected and running without delays. At the end of the day, supply chain success is about getting the basics right and executing them well. Focus on service, cost, efficiency, and communication, and you’ll keep your supply chain on track. 📋 If you wish to read the full insight of this topic, here's the link 👉 https://lnkd.in/gCyJhFDw #logisticsbureau #supplychain #supplychainmanagement

An efficient supply chain strategy is one that takes every aspect of your supply chain into account, from inventory management and warehouse design to freight tendering and transport optimisation. Let’s look at some of the best ways to make your supply chain more efficient. (𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵...) 👇 📌 𝑰𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 Even with the best systems, if your master data is messy, you’ll fail. Get your reorder points, order quantities, and pack sizes right, and inventory will start running like clockwork. 📌 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝑭𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑶𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 If you’re managing 6+ vehicles manually, you’re probably losing money. Routing software spots savings you won’t catch. With 20–30 vehicles, even a 5% efficiency boost means big savings every year. 📌 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒚 A simple, clear plan beats a complex one. Set clear goals, track the right KPIs, and make sure targets are realistic. When those three align, real improvements follow. 📌 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏 Don’t pick a building first and force your operation to fit. Start with your inventory flow, peak seasons, and storage needs. Design from the inside out, and picking efficiency, storage density, and labor productivity will fall into place. 📌 𝑳𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔 𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 Finding the right 3PL takes time. Rushing the process leads to bad choices. More companies now collaborate with providers to rethink their operations, not just get a quote. A good 3PL isn’t just a vendor—it’s a partner that helps your business evolve. 📌 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 Rates matter, but they’re not everything. Mapping your freight operation often reveals bigger savings—like adjusting delivery windows instead of just haggling over costs. 📌 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 Keep it simple—three key metrics per level. A CEO doesn’t need warehouse accuracy rates, just high-level insights. KPIs should cascade through teams so everyone is aligned. Benchmarking shows what ‘good’ actually looks like. 📌 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 Check your distribution network every couple of years. It’s like an MOT for your supply chain. Stay on top of inventory flow, warehouse placement, and customer demand shifts—otherwise, you’ll end up with stockpiling in the wrong places. 📌 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 (𝑺&𝑶𝑷) S&OP only works if everyone—sales, ops, finance, supply chain—is on the same page. Ownership of the sales forecast is critical. A proper monthly cycle isn’t just about numbers; it drives decisions that impact the next 3, 6, or 12 months. 📌 𝑪𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 What we found in many businesses was shocking. It’s not about cutting customers off but about knowing the real cost of serving them and adjusting accordingly. #logisticsbureau #supplychain #logistics

What are the common mistakes I see in the outsourcing process? 🤔 One of the things that took me some time to learn is that not all business is good business. ⚠️ Find out what I mean in the short clip below! 🎥 #logisticsbureau #outsourcing #3PL #logistics

🧐 𝟒 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 🧐 Where should we locate our distribution centres, and how many should we have? 🤔 These are the kinds of questions we get all the time from company CEOs and supply chain managers. 💼 So here are my four tips! 👇 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸... For a full insight into this topic, read the full article here ▶ https://lnkd.in/g_sFeSGG #logisticsbureau #distributioncenter #supplychain #logistics

🥦 𝟕 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 🥦 Smart producers and retailers are finding new ways to tackle cool-chain challenges across global markets. These seven insights highlight innovations that can drive real improvements in supply chain performance. (𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴.) 👉 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 Fresh produce often spends half its shelf life in transit, so speed and efficiency are critical. Keeping products fresh requires specialized, costly equipment. Poor quality control leads to waste, health risks, and damaged reputations. 👉 𝑨𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 Leading companies reduce delays by taking more control or closely partnering with suppliers. Some invest in farms, while others share distribution networks and transport to move products faster. 👉 𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 Temperature control is crucial for fresh produce, and maintaining a cold chain from farm to store is key. Delays, especially at ports, can disrupt this process. Leading companies use technology like RFID tags, real-time tracking, and active monitoring to maintain temperature. 👉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 Fresh produce spoils quickly, often leading to rejected shipments and losses. Minimizing handling reduces damage and spoilage risks. Cold chain 3PLs help reduce touch points and prevent delays, while lean processes and direct-store deliveries cut down on handling. 👉 𝑾𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒕, 𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑵𝒐𝒕 Waste from spoilage and damage is a major issue. Retailers like Tesco are cutting waste by promoting "imperfect" but edible produce and streamlining supply chain processes, such as direct shipments from growers. They also guarantee orders to reduce unsold crops and run promotions to sell excess produce during over-production periods. 👉 𝑹𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 Returnable plastic crates (RPCs) are gaining popularity for shipping fresh produce, meat, and fish. They offer benefits like reusability, space-saving, durability, and better ventilation for temperature control. 👉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 Improving fresh supply chains boosts sales, reduces waste, lowers labor costs, and strengthens brand loyalty. It also decreases health risks and increases profits, as consumers prefer fresher products. For a detailed insight into this topic, read the full article here ▶ https://lnkd.in/g9Mmb_kp #logisticsbureau #supplychain #freshfoods #logistics

🏆 𝟒 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 🏆 Trying to handle freight benchmarking on your own? Learning some expert tips can make the process easier. ✨ Instead of a detailed guide, here’s a simple list of best practices to help you start your research and team discussions. 👇 ✅ 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 Make sure everyone who needs the benchmarking results has access to them. Often, important data ends up with the wrong team, like IT, which may not act on it. Involve stakeholders from procurement and logistics, as they are key to using the data effectively. ✅ 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝑷𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑼𝒔𝒆 With so many metrics available, focus on those that are relevant and actionable for your business. Avoid KPIs that may conflict or aren’t useful without context. Choose metrics that clearly support your goals and align with your operations. ✅ 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 Effective benchmarking requires meaningful comparisons. Look for peer companies of similar scale, freight volumes, and trade lanes—even if they’re in a different sector. Consulting partners can help identify the best peers and provide accurate comparison data. ✅ 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒔 For benchmarking to be effective, metrics must be consistent across companies. Work with experts who have access to reliable freight data and standardised KPIs. This ensures your comparisons are accurate and actionable. By focusing on these best practices, you’ll set a solid foundation for successful freight benchmarking. 🚀 If you have any questions or need help with freight benchmarking, feel free to let us know through this link 👉  https://lnkd.in/gYPw3ETY #logisticsbureau #freight #freightbenchmarking #benchmarking

📉 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 📉 Reducing cycle times is essential for improving working capital and streamlining operations. ✨ The following outlines practical strategies to achieve these improvements. 👇 ▶ 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 Focusing on the inbound flow of materials and payment cycles can significantly reduce working capital, with potential improvements of 10% or more. Active vendor management, supported by scorecards and service level agreements, ensures suppliers meet key performance goals like shorter lead times and accurate, on-time deliveries. This reduces uncertainty, minimizes safety stock needs, and speeds up the cash conversion cycle. ▶ 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 To improve cycle times, information needs to move quickly and easily between supply chain partners. Using integrated systems reduces delays caused by slow or manual data sharing, keeping materials flowing smoothly. This lowers the need for extra stock and frees up working capital. While you may not integrate with every partner, focusing on key ones and using affordable tools like cloud systems can make a big difference. ▶ 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 Handling materials slows cycle times, increases costs, and risks stock damage. Streamline warehouse processes, use more direct transportation routes, or explore cross-docking and drop shipping to minimize handling. As the cost of automation decreases, it’s worth exploring automation options where handling can’t be eliminated, reducing the risk of inventory loss or damage from human error and shrinkage. These steps speed up operations, protect inventory and improve profitability. By targeting these key areas, businesses can achieve significant reductions in cycle times and improve their overall supply chain performance. Each strategy not only accelerates the cash conversion cycle but also enhances efficiency and helps optimize working capital. Implementing these practices will lead to smoother operations and stronger supplier relationships, which contribute to long-term business success. 💰 #logisticsbureau #costsaving #logistics #supplychain

How well do you understand the warehouse management system in your supply chain? 📦 What key functions should your WMS have? 🔍 Is your WMS working well for your operations? ✅ #logisticsbureau #warehouse #warehousemanagement #wms