Using non-tariff trade barriers. It was recently reported that a dairy company in Australia had identified a market in Shanghai for imported fresh milk; the milk would be air-freighted every day from Melbourne to Shanghai and delivered to selected retail outlets where their customers would be willing to pay the expensive price per litre for a product they considered was … Read More
Risks in supply chains
Risks are not always the same. When considering the risks associated with supply chains, you could assume they would be the same for all businesses with similar products, or goods obtained from particular countries. But is this correct? In global supply chains, the majority of risks are actually generated within the buying organisation. The reason being that at least two … Read More
Risks in your supply chains
Risks challenge businesses. Last week two events occurred that illustrate the risks you can face in operating global supply chains. The first concerned leather balls used in Australian Rules football games. Like many companies in developed countries, the brand company sources its products from low cost countries (LCC). If your company approaches suppliers that have low labour costs, the procurement staff are … Read More
Getting the careers message to students about supply chains and logistics
Promotion events are successful. Last week I was invited to take part in an information evening about careers in Procurement, for students at the University of Melbourne. It was a very successful event with about 50 undergraduate and post graduate students attending. The outcome was that 50 more people knew about the potential benefits to themselves and employers from careers … Read More
Location can cost you money
Where to locate your warehouse. The decision about locating a new distribution centre or warehouse will not be made that often in the course of a company’s business – the review of location suitability will be about every five to seven years. Selecting a site a location that is close to a freeway can be a sensible decision; new warehouses … Read More