Supply Chain Discussion: The Quest for a Unified Supply Chain

In this discussion, Robert Bowman from Supply Chain Brain speaks with two executives with EPG: Peter Bollinger, chief executive officer, and Al Rivet, vice president sales. They discuss how can companies achieve the ambitious goal of a "unified" supply chain, with total visibility across functions?

Warehouses today are asking a critical question: At a time when the typical operation might consist of multiple facilities, companies and systems, how can they acquire the right technology to support a unified supply chain?

The focus is on obtaining visibility across disparate systems, Rivet says. That’s a precursor for any effort to become “better, stronger and faster.”

A “unified” supply chain is one that deploys an integrated suite of applications across multiple functions, from financials to inventory, workforce, and final delivery, Bollinger says. “You get a big improvement in efficiency if you can make them work together.” For example, tying the dock to the rest of warehouse allows both areas to know what’s coming, and how to prepare for it.

“It’s all about systems speaking together,” Rivet says. “In 2025, they should. They don’t.”

Of course, any collection of systems within a warehouse involves multiple vendors. To make them all work in harmony, Bollinger says, it’s important to break down internal functional silos. 

In the end, a unified supply chain gives a warehouse the flexibility it needs to adjust to changes in demand, grow in line with customer needs, and deploy additional technology as appropriate.

Nucleus will point out that this is true not only for warehousing, but for all supply chain activities.

Source: Supply Chain Brain