Julie Fraser

New approaches to supply chain challenges

How do you optimize inventory across the value chain, or cope with long-lead time materials, or ensure spare parts availability? This year’s APICS show offered some fresh answers. Interestingly, the companies providing those solutions are from a variety of countries, which may be why even though the solutions are not newly introduced, many of us may not recognize these companies by name ...

Performance measures must change to reflect current business conditions

Economic conditions in the past year have led to many companies seeing their demand volume drop—and the mix change. Have companies re-weighted supply chain metrics to accommodate those shifts?

Julie Fraser: S&OP matures into strategic process

In tough times, everyone must pull together. Fortunately, companies have been learning to do that for a while. In the past five years, sales & operations planning (S&OP) has become a more common process for manufacturing companies of all sizes and segments. And it's being forged into a new and more valuable practice in the crucible of this challenging economy.

Julie Fraser: The devil’s in the industry detail for scheduling

Much of the supply chain software market had its start in detailed finite scheduling. So why is it that many companies aren't using supply chain software for detailed production scheduling? Sometimes it just boils down to specific industry needs: Some industries are so predictable they can hardly justify it, while others have such unique needs that they could not find a solution—until rec...

Julie Fraser: Commercial tools boost partner connection in the value network

Companies are more interdependent than ever. As a result, manufacturers must not only communicate instantly, but collaborate efficiently with customers, suppliers, distributors, outsourcing partners, and service providers. Fortunately, the options for e-business are much more robust than they were during the dot.

Julie Fraser: Why buy plant software in a Lean environment?

Is this a contradiction? On the one hand, several recent studies by analyst firms—including mine—place plant operations software on the top of manufacturers' shopping lists. On the other hand, most companies are pursuing Lean manufacturing—an environment where many practitioners believe there is no place for software.