Supply Chain Control Towers (SCCTs) are increasingly crucial for businesses to gain real-time visibility and improve supply chain performance. For technology companies offering control tower solutions, successfully positioning your product requires strategic thinking, a deep understanding of your customer’s challenges, and the ability to demonstrate clear Return on Investment (ROI). This guide walks you through a 13-point checklist to effectively sell supply chain control tower solutions and provide a Unique Selling Point (USP) to potential customers.
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024 marked another milestone in innovation, with exhibitors showcasing advancements across robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data integration, cloud computing, and more. The usual big names were there to show the world what they’ve been up to, but they were accompanied by smaller startups hoping to make a big splash. The technological breakthroughs on display in Chicago this year embody the innovative spirit the manufacturing industry requires to address an aging workforce, increased demand, and supply chain complexities.
Managing a cold chain requires precision, real-time data, and reliable technology to ensure that temperature-sensitive products—whether food, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals—are transported without compromising their integrity. As supply chain managers seek advanced cold chain monitoring solutions, understanding the critical innovation criteria is essential for making the right choice.
Working in a competitive industry demands that you become a data-driven organization. As a technology solution provider, effectively leveraging data can unlock significant advantages, such as driving market expansion and fostering innovation. Unfortunately, all too many companies lack an analytical approach to decision-making.
If you manage a supply chain of temperature-sensitive products, cold chain monitoring can help minimize spoilage/waste and boost customer satisfaction. Products like vaccines, biologics, fresh produce, frozen food, and dairy must be stored in cool temperatures throughout the entire supply chain, or they risk becoming unsellable. Every year, the biopharma industry loses about US$35 billion because of a failure to implement temperature-controlled logistics. Even worse, the lack of temperature monitoring greatly contributes to the US$1 trillion of food waste annually. Cold chain technologies like temperature sensors and software platforms can help you avoid spoilage and comply with safety regulations.
Retailers have been on a roller-coaster ride for the last few years. A global pandemic, supply chain disruptions, inordinately high inflation, and poor economic growth worldwide have profoundly impacted the industry. Consumer behavior has also changed, as evidenced by the rise in omnichannel shopping experiences. As consumer confidence fluctuates in early 2024, their appetite for goods remains surprisingly strong.
MODEX 2024 brought together the entire supply chain ecosystem to showcase end-to-end solutions, including traditional equipment, sustainability, workforce, automation, robotics, and emerging technologies. We were on the show floor—here are the key takeaways from Senior Analyst Adhish Luitel and Industry Analyst Ryan Wiggin.
Several ABI Research analysts made the trip to Las Vegas in January for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024. Although geopolitical and macroeconomic conditions continue to cast a shadow over the technology world, CES 2024 had no shortage of excitement and optimism. Our analysts heard plenty of talks from vendors and enterprise end users about investments, partnerships, new technology adoption, and applications. If you missed CES 2024, we would like to share intriguing highlights from five of our analysts who attended the show, each covering a different technology area.
Supply chain control towers are integral to successfully managing logistics operations. Modern supply chains are extremely complex, involving various stakeholders, regions, transport systems, and even standards. Adding to this complexity is the fact that various software systems used for supply chain management generate data in their own separate silos. It’s tough to draw definitive conclusions and improve supply chain operations when data are disorganized. Therefore, acquiring a unified inflection point that captures all these data in a single location is essential to keep operations running smoothly. Enter supply chain control towers, which give logistics operators full visibility into various systems, processes, assets, etc. in one platform.
Supply chain visibility is universally agreed upon to be a must-have in the modern enterprise. From tracking when a product leaves a warehouse to final delivery at the customer’s doorstep, real-time updates through the supply chain add value to the customer, as well as ecosystem partners. However, another aspect of the supply chain that needs real-time tracking software services is yard management. Yard Management Systems (YMSs) are the answer, as they provide real-time or near real-time visibility into various trailer activities within a warehouse, dock, or other logistical stop points. From there, the system can automatically schedule pickups/deliveries and allocate assets, such as trailers, trucks, and equipment. The end result is more efficient workflows and data-driven decision-making.