The SupplyChainBrain Podcast

Decades after its debut, radio frequency identification technology is finally poised to realize its potential in the retail sector. The key is item-level RFID – something that hasn't been possible up to now, thanks to high tag costs and the reluctance of many retailers to expend limited resources on its development. Finally, though, there's real progress being made – Macy's, Kohl's and Marks Spencer are just a few of the major retailers to have taken big strides toward the adoption of item-level RFID. Joining us on this episode to tell the story is Joseph Andraski, former supply-chain executive with Nabisco and founder of Collaborative Energizer LLC. He talks of his groundbreaking efforts in this area, including work on a new paper that outlines, for the first time, the benefits of item-level RFID for suppliers. The goal: timely access to accurate information all along the supply chain. ''That's coming,'' Andraski says. ''I'm absolutely convinced of it.''

Small or medium-sized suppliers looking to get their products into Walmart needn't fear the beast. Deserved or not, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has a reputation for dictating terms to its suppliers both large and small. Assuming the latter can even get a foot in the door, it would seem unlikely that they would get much personal attention or desirable shelf space. There is a way to work with Walmart, however, regardless of your size. In this episode, we speak with Hari Ganapathy, vice president of business development with Dun Bradstreet Credibility Corp., and Jeff Clapper, chief executive officer of 8th Walton. They discuss how small and medium-sized suppliers can approach Walmart, as well as deal with the consequences of success: pricing pressures, access to capital and a continued presence on the retailer's shelves. There really is a way to become a trusted advisor and partner of the world’s largest public corporation. Find out ''why the best and worst day of your life may be getting into Walmart.''

Manufacturers like the U.S. They really like it! So says the latest edition of the Manufacturing-Sourcing Outlook Study from AlixPartners. Believe it or not, the U.S. has become the number-one choice for companies seeking to reshore production back to the West, after decades of favoring China and other low-cost parts of Asia. Not to overstate the case, of course – manufacturers are a long way from bringing back all those jobs that fled the country over past years. But they're clearly giving thought to at least a partial return home. In this episode of the podcast, Russ Dillion, director in the Supply Chain Group of AlixPartners, reveals the factors that are responsible for the shift.

You'd like to think that the people who manage a global supply chain are as diverse as the pieces that make it up. But that's not always the case. To be sure, there are a good number of women occupying senior-level management positions in various parts of the supply chain today. Among them is Lynn Torrel, senior vice president of global supply chain and strategic accounts with Avnet, Inc. She has amassed 18 years of experience managing complex global supply chains for customers of a major distributor of electronics components and computer products. In this episode, Torrel traces the path of her career, and relates how she ended up in supply-chain management. (As with so many people in that discipline, it was something of a sideways journey.) She also offers a candid assessment of the leadership opportunities available to women today, in terms of advancement, mentorship and compensation.

Maybe people and robots can co-exist in the workplace after all. Automation isn't always about replacing humans with machines. In fact, recent advances in industrial technology are allowing them to work side by side. In this episode of the podcast, Julie Shah describes the work her team is doing on ''scheduling the choreography of robots'' in factories and distribution centers. She heads up the Interactive Robotics Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. In the past, Shah says, robots and people often have had to be segregated in industrial environments, for reasons of safety and efficiency. Now they can function in much closer quarters, thanks to new safety features and algorithms that manage changes in the production line with maximum efficiency. It's all about ''understanding where people provide the most value,'' she says.

Wanted: 60 professional, dependable long-haul truck drivers – in the midst of a nationwide driver shortage. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Longistics is just a few months away from observing 30 years as a family-owned provider of global logistics services. But it has more to celebrate than that: rapid growth in the company's business is causing it to hire 60 additional truck drivers, forming 30 over-the-road teams, by this spring. Considering the chronic shortage of qualified drivers, that's no easy task. Making matters even more challenging is the nature of Longistics' business – it specializes in the movement of sensitive, high-security pharmaceuticals. Nicole Blake, director of human resources, joins us on this episode to outline the company's strategy for attracting talent in a tight market – and retaining that talent once it's on board.

Demand forecasting would be a snap – if only people weren't involved. Retailers and manufacturers struggle to match forecasts with actual purchasing patterns. Much of the time they fail – and, despite the growing sophistication of software and analytics tools, they don't seem to be getting much better at the task. One problem is the growing complexity of markets, products and consumer demand. But the biggest obstacle might be one that's simply part of human nature: bias. In this episode, we hear from distinguished planning and forecasting expert Dr. Chaman L. Jain, professor of economics at St. John's University. He lays out some of the pitfalls that cause forecasters to deviate from the truth. And he offers some tips on how they can be avoided.

The risk of cyber crime hitting your supply chain is greater than ever before. The possibilities extend well beyond old-fashion website hacking. Global supply chains today are vulnerable to any number of scams that originate in cyberspace, says Peregrine Storrs-Fox. He is risk management director with Through Transportation Mutual Services (UK) Ltd., known more familiarly as the TT Club, an international provider of transportation and logistics insurance. Storrs-Fox lays out the many ways in which criminals can attack your business, grab sensitive information and even hold your shipments hostage. The message: be diligent. ''I don't think that anyone can think for a moment they're not exposed,'' says Storrs-Fox.

Born in the wake of one devastating hurricane, the American Logistics Aid Network found itself in the eye of another. ALAN was formed in response to a series of unusually intense storms in 2005, most notably Hurricane Katrina. Today, the organization draws on an extensive roster of private companies, trade associations, government agencies and relief organizations to respond to any manner of disaster, enabling the rapid delivery of food, clothing, shelter and other critical supplies to those in need. Kathy Fulton, interim president and director of operations with ALAN, and Richard Sharpe, chief executive officer of Competitive Insights LLC, join us to discuss how ALAN and its partners responded to Hurricane Sandy, which slammed the Caribbean and Atlantic seaboard in 2012. They talk about the lessons they learned, and how they plan on dealing with the next big disaster.

Every business has its rock stars. In the world of supply chain, you might call Joseph C. Andraski the lead singer. Joe Andraski has truly had an ''incredible supply-chain journey,'' to steal a phrase from the title of his new book. In this episode, he relates how he got started in the business, learning some valuable early lessons about working with fellow employees, both above and below his level of responsibility. Later, Joe piloted his team through the merger turmoil at Nabisco and R.J. Reynolds. And more recently, he has helped to pioneer innovative uses for radio-frequency identification technology. We get the story in a nutshell – or as briefly as this captivating raconteur can tell it.