Page 10 - Logistics News - March_April 2022

O P I N ION

The key to on-time delivery

is a single source of truth

Courtesy SupplyChainBrain

Supply chains have long been strained by the growing demand for online retail and fast delivery,
but the challenges have gone into overdrive amid a series of black swan events. Matt Heerey,
President: Manufacturing Division at ECI Solutions, explains.

he world has yet to recover from the supply holidays, but retailers and consumers alike are already
issues introduced by COVID-19, and the ship facing unexpected hurdles.
Tshortage continues to impact a number of
sought-after products. When container ships finally Many consumers have tried to compensate for
arrive at US ports, many are forced to wait for days or shortages and possible delays by shopping well ahead
weeks until they can be unloaded. of Black Friday. A report by Oracle found that as many
as 52 percent of consumers began their holiday hunt in
The problems were severe enough to prompt an October. Retailers have done the same – stocking their
L O GI S T I CS NEWS Angeles, which now employs a 24/7 operational model felt by a strained supply chain, suppliers are also
agreement between the White House and the Port of Los
shelves well in advance of certain holidays.
While these actions may reduce the pain points
to keep up with demand. Two major shipping companies
and some of the largest retailers — FedEx, UPS and
grappling with the challenges brought on by Walmart’s
Walmart — have committed to a similar arrangement.
This will hopefully improve deliveries in time for the

8 M A RC H/A P R IL 2022 enforcement of the on-time and in-full (OTIF) supply
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