Weekly edition
| Feb. 16, 2021
By Shefali Kapadia
OEMs are designing slimmer and more agile forklifts as warehouse operators opt for narrower aisles, more rack space and increased storage. (Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.) |
Space is a precious commodity in the warehousing world, and managers will need to use every last inch of their facilities if e-commerce keeps growing at its current pace.
One method is to configure facilities in a way that creates more space for racking and narrower aisles.
That means different material-handling equipment that can work in a 7-foot aisle versus a 12- or 13-foot one. And OEMs are up to the task, designing forklifts to meet the needs of modern warehouses. Read the story.
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Stat of the week
Respondents in a Gartner survey were split on whether they would invest in safety stock, as shown in the chart below. Why are some supply chains building buffer inventory, while others are sticking to just-in-time operations? Details here.
Credit: Matt Leonard, Supply Chain Dive
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data from
Gartner
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The aluminum can shortage continues, disrupting food and beverage supply chains.
Ball Corporation's CEO said the company is capacity constrained. It's standing up a new plant and increasing production at existing ones.
Still, supply might not catch up to demand for another two years. Read more.
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The country's large healthcare organizations are faring fairly well, when it comes to inventory of personal protective equipment.
Trinity Health has 50-120 days of PPE stock, and Indiana University Health is maintaining a six-month reserve, reporting just three to four SKUs as difficult to find.
But smaller groups and facilities don't have that same abundant supply or budget to stockpile — and that's put the PPE supply chain in a divided state. Dive deeper.
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Quick Hits
Grocery Dive
Supply Chain Digest
ZDNet
HR Dive
Vice
Parting thought
The word "agility" has a lot of shades in supply chain — from the high-level concept of agile operations and planning, to the physical ability to pivot transportation, products and even forklifts.
What does agility mean to you? And how do you plan to address it and embrace it in 2021?
Shefali Kapadia
Senior Editor, Supply Chain Dive
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