The 10 best performing supply chain solution providers, 2018

June 2018
www.insightssuccess.com
Sergio Retamal
CEO
SOLUTION PROVIDERS
upply
Chain
THE
Global4PL:Enabling Organizations to Expand and Win Globally
Editor’s Choice
The Universality of IoT Technology
Business Buzz
The ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of Today’s
Business Buzzword ‘Innovation’
2018

Supply Chain:
Strengthening
Internal Chains and
Empowering Businesses
he concept of supply chain management and its benefits are bespoken in the business world.
THowever, for many years the concept remained only a putative idea. Over the last decade or so,
supply chain management has considerably gained significant traction amongst various industries;
the reason for the same being quite interesting to decipher.
With the shifting focus from manufacturing to customer value, companies are not much concerned about
manufacturing costs or producing high-quality products. On the contrary, the major challenge is to deliver
the correct product, at the correct location, at the time the customers need, in the appropriate quantity, and
at the lowest possible cost. It is quite impossible to meet up to these challenges without the help of a unit
that develops comprehensive strategies and precisely strengthens business chains. This entails the need of
supply chain management (SCM).
Supply chain management (SCM) is the perfect blend of business and technology discipline that refers to
the ways of co-coordinating the activities involved in purchasing, designing, building and selling a
product. The team of any supply chain management provider utilizes Information Technology to create a
cross functional inter-enterprise system called SCM information systems.
These systems incorporate the business processes of suppliers, purchasing firms, distributors, and custom
logistics in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing and distribution. They
maintain and streamline the flow of information between a company and its supply chain partners to
optimize the sourcing, procurement, manufacturing and delivery of products or services.

A company can deploy a supply chain management system in-house or can even hire a special team
of professionals dedicated to maintain the business chain. Most of the world’s leading brands have
witnessed numerous benefits of hiring such team, and more and more companies from various
industries are showing interest in employing the same.
However, supply chain management and its solutions vary from product to product and services to
services. Hence it becomes prerequisite for potential customer to understand the difference between
supply chain management solutions and their ability to channelize their business.
To shed light over the industry and recognize some of the best supply chain solution providers,
Insights Success has curated a list of “The 10 Best Performing Supply Chain Solution Providers,
2018” that are excelling their provision of best-in-class supply chain solutions and playing a vital
part in the success of associated organization.
Featuring as the Cover Story we have Global4PL is a leading supply chain solutions provider that
specializes in helping hi-tech companies penetrate new regional markets, optimize their supply chain
delivery models, and lower supply chain costs.
In this issue, we have also listed Adexa’s Attribute Based Planning allows user-defined dynamic
constraints and significantly enhances the speed of runs by orders of magnitude; OnProcess
Technology an award winning managed services provider specializing in complex, global service
supply chain operations; Terso Solutions, Inc. is the leading provider of automated inventory
management solutions for tracking high-value medical and scientific products in healthcare and life
science; Source Intelligence is a market-leading SaaS management company, focused on supply
chain compliance, data analytics, and risk management; ChainSequence is committed to helping
enterprises identify challenges, create innovative solutions, and implement lasting improvements in
Supply Chain processes to advance Sales & Operations goals; State of Flux is a leading procurement
and supply chain consultancy providing contract lifecycle management, category management and
strategic sourcing, and supplier management services; and RightChain offers supply chain analytics,
consulting, research and education to large and medium-size corporations in all major industries and
in all parts of the world.
Also don’t forget to flip through some insightful CXO’s written by industry leaders and articles
penned by our in-house editorial team.
Happy Reading!
Kaustav Roy

Enabling Organizations to Expand
and Win Globally
08
Article
24
Global4PL:
18
Cover Story
CONTENTS
Editorʼs Choice
The Universality
of IoT Technology
Business Buzz
The ʻWhyʼ and ʻHowʼ
of Todayʼs Business
Buzzword ʻInnovationʼ
46
How Technology is
Simplifying Supply
Chain for the Better
What Does Supply Chain
Visibility Look Like?
32
40
How Technology is Changing
Supply Chain Management
for the Better
Expert's Advice Industry Insights
Mentor's Opinion

ChainSequence:
Helping Enterprises Identify
Challenges, Create Innovative Solutions
22
OnProcess Technology:
Transforming the Service
Supply Chain
28
RightChain:
Expert Supply Chain and
Logistics Solutions
30
State of Flux:
An Expert in Procurement
and Supply Chain Practices
Adexa:
Making Supply Chains
Eﬃcient since inception
Source Intelligence:
Disrupting Supplier
Risk Assessment
38
36
20
Terso Solutions,Inc.:
Delivering Revolutionary Automated
Inventory Management
Solutions Globally
36

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Global4PL:Enabling Organizations to Expand
and Win Globally
We enable our clients’ top-line global growth
strategy as they enter new markets, region by region,
country by country. Along the way, we help them
avoid costly trade compliance errors and the
associated penalties.
CSOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

Cover Story
Sergio Retamal
CEO

We are a team of high-performance, hands-on
industry veterans that come to the table with proven
experience. We deploy experts in import/export compliance,
multi-mode transportation, partner negotiations, third
party logistics, and general operations management to
implement innovative solutions with immediate, measurable results.
Global4PL is a leading supply chain solutions
provider that specializes in helping companies
penetrate new regional markets, optimize their
supply chain delivery models, and lower their supply chain
costs. The organization delivers with quick payback
innovative, software-backed solutions to its global customer
base.
The company’s international team of industry veterans have
an accomplished track record of delivering results.
Global4PL deploys on-site experts in import/export
compliance and trade law, multi-mode transportation and
3PL negotiations, and global supply chain operations
management.
It delivers best-in-class, end-to-end solutions backed by
lean process improvement techniques and laser-focused
software analytics.
The Dynamic Leader
Sergio Retamal, whose career spans a massive 29 years in
procurement and supply chain management, is the CEO of
Global 4PL. Sergio’s professional experience includes
management roles in the United States, Asia, Europe, and
Latin America.
He has been widely recognized for his accomplishments.
Some of these accolades include recognition in the Top 50
Most Admired CEOs of 2017 and inclusion on Supply &
Demand Chain Executive Magazine’s Pros-To-Know from
2007 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2017.
Sergio has also been proﬁled on the covers of Technology
Headlines Magazine and Logistics Tech Magazine in 2017,
and by Hispanic Magazine Executive in 2015.
Most recently, Global4PL was awarded with the President’s
“E” Award for Export Service at a ceremony in Washington,
D.C. Much of this can be owed to the unwavering
contributions of Sergio and his team of professionals.
Additionally, Sergio is the CEO of POHorizon, a global
trade compliance SaaS company that helps small to midsize
companies improve compliance and navigate complex
global customs and regulatory environment. Prior to
Global4PL and POHorizon, Sergio gained considerable
experience managing logistics and import/export teams in
both established and early-stage companies.
He has led global logistics for several Fortune 100
companies and even taught logistics and held board
positions in the California State University system. Sergio
is frequently invited to speak at domestic and international
logistics forums, and has shared his perspective at the
World Development Congress in Hong Kong.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Change Management from
Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business. He
earned both a Master’s Degree in Business Administration
in International Business and a Bachelor of Science in
International Business from California State University,
Northridge.
Extensive Range of Services
Global4PL’s array of services set it apart from the
competition. They are offered in a plug-and-play model to
help companies grow internationally, and include
consulting, complete supply chain management, customs
brokerage, transportation management, and trade law
services.
The company’s software ensures trade compliance as well
as the visibility of orders and raw supply. On-site personnel
are available to support and run operations, in addition to
in-country support needed to be successful beyond national
borders.

We design and deliver holistic,
end-to-end supply chain
solutions including differentiated
supply chain delivery models
tailored to our clients’ true needs,
and a fully transparent and aligned
Sales & Operations Planning Process
underpinned by our PO/Horizon
proprietary supply chain software.
Clients benefit from an array of different skills and
resources working simultaneously that keep costs low
while maintaining compliance.
Global4L’s services include:
Ÿ IOR/EOR: A global program that enables U.S.-based
companies to export non-revenue international
shipments to other countries without paying the taxes
and duties associated with a Temporary Import
License. Acting as the client’s in-country legal entity,
Global 4PL can support the client’s sales and
customer service departments with pre-sale marketing
material and demo product shipments while also
allowing the company to keep spares inventory near
end-customer sites to support quick-turn repairs.
Ÿ Consulting: Global4PL’s Supply Chain Consulting
services are flexible to the requirements of small and
large organizations, high-tech and non-high-tech. It
can create, implement or simply conduct a review of a
client’s Supply Chain organization in benchmarking,
cost analysis, operations, etc.
Ÿ Trade Compliance: Global4PL is an award-winning
consulting firm that has developed its own SaaS tool.
Trade Compliance services are at the core of what it
does, and it helps businesses of all sizes implement
and improve their import and export compliance
programs.
Ÿ Trade Law: Global4PL’s Legal Division helps clients
manage risks and maximize opportunities associated
with the CBP/BIS audit of their international trade in
goods and services. The organization’s practice,
centered in Silicon Valley and extending across the
globe, provides a wide range of services designed to
match the scope of global trade regulation and
answer the needs of its clients.
Ÿ Customs Brokerage: Global4PL offers a
comprehensive range of Customs Brokerage services
for importers and exporters which go far beyond
what other brokers provide.
Ÿ Technology Solutions: Global4PL provides a suite of
professional services to ensure that its customers can
succeed at implementing new IT and business
initiatives. The organization focuses on SCM/Asset
Management/CRM implementations and provides
support in three key areas: Implementation,
Development and Integration services.
The Game-Changing Amazon Effect
Global4PL recognizes that the global logistics landscape
is undergoing massive transformation, largely fueled by
the “Amazon effect”, where clients demand services and
products be delivered in the shortest possible time.

We conduct a complete review of
your supply chain management
that spans all movement and
storage of raw materials, work-
in-process inventory, and
finished goods from point of
origin to point of consumption.
This demand opens a treasure trove
of possibilities as well as challenges
for manufacturers. Traditionally,
manufacturers had to choose
between one and three global legal
entities that allowed them to conduct
business in other countries. Many
were dependent on Value Added
Resellers (VARs) who managed their
operations in those countries, acting
as a liaison between them and the
end customer.
With the emergence of cloud
computing, that time-tested sales
channel model is no longer effective.
As an example, consider a Fortune
1000 company that purchases a
security appliance for global use.
They expect to interface with one
entity, which is the appliance
manufacturer, and not many of the
different VARs that are region
dependent. The security appliance
company must then be able to fulfill
this order around the globe, often
shipping not to an OEM’s facility,
but to a colocation data center.
These shifts in customer practices
are creating a perfect storm that
requires an economical way to
deliver products globally without
channel support. International trade
is ripe with opportunities for those
who can nail down the logistics of
moving products internationally in a
predictable, compliant, and cost-
effective way.
Helping Clients with Massive
Coverage and Dedicated
Employees
Doing business with Global4PL
comes with several benefits, some of
which are as basic as having the
local representation of a USA-based
corporation with coverage over 85
countries.
approach makes the crucial
difference when it matters.
The Challenge of Escalating
Products and Services
One of the biggest challenges for
Global4PL has been to escalate its
products and services to support a
customer base spread over more than
85 countries. The coverage has to be
both efficient and cost-effective
while maintaining the focus on
customers’ needs which lies at the
core of Global4PL’s values.
Global4PL’s IOR expertise is sought
by a growing number of clients,
including large corporations that see
the risk of importing into other
countries. They are drawn by its
services compliance with worldwide
regulations and the range of services
which address the needs of a global
supply chain.
Future Roadmap
Global4PL’s success is driven by its
ability to help customers navigate the
difficulties of doing business
globally and to help them succeed.
The company only considers a
project successful if the customer’s
business grows and it achieves the
best and most efficient global
footing.
Global4PL’s takes pride in
capitalizing on opportunities
provided by customers, as well as the
opportunities that it has opened to
them.
The company is currently working
on expanding its global footprint.
Within the next few years, they plan
to expand from covering 85
countries to over 140. It is what
Global4PL’s customers want.
Global4PL also has the right mix of
expertise to deliver trade compliance,
customs brokerage, Importer of Record
(IOR), Exporter of Record (EOR),
transportation services and a full suite
of supply chain services.
In one word, the organization can take
care of all its customer’s global needs
with full compliance and with an
award-winning team.
Global4PL’s employees are eager to be
part of every client’s logistics journey
and to help them grow and become
more competitive. Its customized

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Management BriefCompany Name
Manhattan Associates
manh.com
Eddie Capel
President & CEO
Sergio Retamal
CEO
OnProcess Technology
onprocess.com
RightChain
rightchain.com
Source Intelligence LLC
sourceintelligence.com
State of Flux
stateofflux.co.uk
Terso Solutions, Inc
tersosolutions.com
Dr. Ed Frazelle
Founder & CEO
Jess F. Kraus
Co-Founder & CEO
Joe Pleshek
President & CEO
Vizient
vizientinc.com
Curt Nonomaque
CEO
Mike Wooden
CEO
Adexa, Inc
adexa.com
Global4PL
global-4pl.com
K. Cyrus Hadavi
Founder
Bill Mrzlak
Co-founder &
Managing Partner
ChainSequence, Inc.
ChainSequence.com
ChainSequence is committed to helping enterprises identify
challenges, create innovative solutions, and implement
lasting improvements in Supply Chain processes to advance
Sales & Operations goals.
Global4PL is a leading supply chain solutions provider that
specializes in helping hi-tech companies penetrate new
regional markets, optimize their supply chain delivery
models, and lower supply chain costs.
Manhattan Associates designs, builds and delivers supply chain
commerce solutions that drive top line growth by converging
front-end sales with back-end.
OnProcess Technology is a managed services
provider specializing in complex global service
supply chain operations.
RightChain offers supply chain analytics, consulting, research
and education to large and medium-size corporations in all major
industries and in all parts of the world.
Source Intelligence is a market-leading SaaS management
company, focused on supply chain compliance, data analytics,
and risk management.
State of Flux is a leading procurement and supply chain
consultancy providing contract lifecycle management,
category management and strategic sourcing, and supplier
management services.
Terso Solutions, Inc. is the leading provider of automated
inventory management solutions for tracking high-value
medical and scientific products in healthcare and life science.
Vizient connects members with knowledge, solutions and
expertise that accelerates performance to ensure that they
deliver exceptional, cost-effective health care.
Adexa’s Attribute Based Planning allows user-defined
dynamic constraints and significantly enhances the speed of
runs by orders of magnitude.
Alan Day
Chairman & Founder
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018
BEST

When I ﬁrst started working
in supply chain, back in the
90s, data availability and
technology were nowhere near what
we have today. I was fortunate enough
to work with Alan Braithwaite, who
created the initial cost-to-serve
methodology. There were signiﬁcant
challenges then, but after months of
hard work, we generated a cost-to-
serve model that often led to some
surprising results and strategic choices.
This was similar for all supply chain
professionals. Projects were long,
exhausting and expensive, involving
large teams of consultants. Collecting
data was a hassle to say the least. Fast-
forward to 2018 and we are at the onset
of a digital supply chain
transformation. How exactly is
technology simplifying the supply
chain for the better?
Simplifying data collection
Gartner predicts that by 2020, over 20
Billion devices will be connected.
With the Internet of Things and IT
Chris Gordon
VP & Product Lead SC Navigator
AIMMS
18 June 2018

integration projects, data collection has gotten somewhat
easier. But this has also created other challenges: data
overload and quality issues. When you buy supply chain
optimization software, you still need to hunt around for data
to make the technology work. It often feels like you work
for the technology vendor, not the other way around. That’s
why 60% of the time spent in analytical supply chain
projects is spent collecting, cleansing and formatting data.
What if instead of trying to fit your data to the technology,
the technology’s architecture would be designed around
satisfying your broad supply chain needs? Imagine building
a comprehensive and robust supply chain data set with the
help of a wizard that tells you exactly which data you need
to answer the questions you have? This is now within reach.
At AIMMS, we’re simplifying the data collection process
with Data Navigator, an integrated cloud database that
brings structure to complexity and enables you to share data
across multiple functional areas.
I expect to see data architecture moving in this direction, as
it makes it easier to deploy additional solutions, test new
things, and embed a new strategy in your business very
quickly.
Simplifying data analysis
In the past, it could take hours or (dare I say) days to solve
a supply chain model. Today, thanks to advanced computing
power, we can solve a model in seconds. Still, not all
organizations are making use of this speed. Clunky systems
that need to be managed by experts still abound. The
promise of real-time, self-service analytics is elusive.
Take S&OP support software, for instance. We held an
S&OP workshop at a recent conference in Amsterdam
where we simulated a Capacity Review meeting. During the
workshop, we learned that virtually all attendees had a pain
point in common: they always had to go back to their desk
to test different scenarios after an S&OP meeting. None was
able to perform scenario comparisons in real-time to discuss
insights with stakeholders during the meeting. Some also
lacked advanced analytics and optimization capabilities.
New self-service technologies enriched with prescriptive
analytics, such as AIMMS S&OP Navigator, allow you to
perform easy and real-time scenario management without
data science expertise. With this capability, you can run and
compare multiple scenarios side-by-side in the executive
meeting at the end of S&OP and make conversations richer,
more entertaining and fluid. Moreover, your meetings will
be more strategic, rather than focused on granular,
operational things.
Simplifying collaboration
Besides bringing data analysis closer to end (business)
users, technology is also simplifying collaboration in supply
chain. Most organizations start their supply chain analytics
journey by using spreadsheets, using data from
transactional systems. Spreadsheets are great for personal
productivity and they tend to work well for the person that
builds them, but what happens when you work in a team of
100 spread across different regions? As more and more
people get involved, more versions of these spreadsheets
get shared. Sharing knowledge is difficult and the original
logic behind each spreadsheet is often hard for others to
comprehend.
Cloud based analytical systems that allow for version
control are simplifying collaboration across the supply
chain. Replacing spreadsheets with a central tool allows
people to gain a lot more insight into their business.
Centralizing this data and providing wide access has been
one of the biggest benefits AIMMS clients like BP have
achieved.
Simplifying decision-making
Basing complex supply chain decisions on common sense
has its pitfalls, but organizations still tend to rely on gut feel
to run their supply chain. With prescriptive analytics, they
no longer need to. As long as the system is fed the right
data, they should be able to support their decisions on fact
and predictable business outcomes. Thanks to mobile
technologies, decisions can also be made on the go,
regardless of your location or time of day. Thanks to
advances in machine learning, it is no longer difficult to
imagine a semi-autonomous supply chain, were certain
decisions are taken automatically and others are left to
human insight.
In short, technology has certainly simplified supply chain
throughout the years. But as much as that is true,
technology alone is not going to revolutionize supply chain
management. The key factor for success is people, and the
commitment of supply chain leadership and teams to
leverage new, intuitive technologies to improve their supply
chain strategy and execution.
Chris Gordon has worked in supply chain consulting and
operations across Europe, the US and India for over 25
years. He’s driven dozens of supply chain initiatives in
retail, consumer goods and manufacturing with a heavy
focus on leveraging analytics to promote major business
change. He is passionate about making supply chain
analytics accessible to everyone to drive data-driven, fact-
based decisions to drive major strategic and operational
impact.
19June 2018
Expert’s Advice

The geographical footprint of companies in virtually
every industry has grown exponentially over the
past few decades. Not only do they cater to more
clients in more countries but also manage networks of
suppliers, subcontractors, manufacturing sites and inventory
points spread over vast distances, both nationally and
internationally.
Without proper management, the incredible complexity and
unwieldiness of such a supply chain ecosystem is the
perfect breeding ground for lost revenue, lost assets, and
lost reputations.
Adexa’s technology enables you lower the operation cost,
minimize inventory cost and ensure on-time delivery of
goods.
Meet Adexa
Founded in 1994, Adexa has grown to become one of the
world’s leading supply chain planning companies. Its S&OP
and S&OE solutions are used by Fortune 2000 companies
located across five continents.
One of Adexa’s strongest features is that it creates a unified
environment which incorporates planning solutions from
demand planning to inventory optimization and supply
planning to factory planning and scheduling.
Adexa fortifies this system through the use of optimization
algorithms, heuristics and Machine Learning techniques to
deliver accurate real-time solutions across global networks.
The company is not content to let its status as a market
leader detract from its continued commitment to
adaptability and dexterity where the name is derived from.
It is already fomenting revolutionary changes in the
industry by introducing innovative technology like Attribute
Based Planning (ABP) and Artificial Intelligence. Adexa’s
Self-Improving Supply Chain© technology constantly
assesses underlying changes in the demand and supply
network and adapts itself to the environment.
Standing Out
Adexa’s comprehensive suite of solutions caters to supply
chain essentials from top-level planning to execution, all in
a unified environment. This unique approach offers
exceptional advantages:
Ÿ Attribute-Based Planning (ABP) - Adexa’s proprietary
technology that enables fast and flexible modeling of the
supply chain and the ability to adapt to supply chain
changes without any additional coding and consulting.
Ÿ Planning accuracy – the accuracy with which they can
model a supply chain means that the resulting plans are
executable and reliable.
Ÿ Low cost of ownership: When ABP technology is used,
minimal resources are required to model the
environment and make future changes as the business
changes.
Ÿ Single-environment S&OP and S&OE – Virtually every
other planning solution only uses S&OP technology
based on spreadsheet-type plans, which require
extensive manual intervention and, thus, are prone to
errors. By contrast, Adexa’s highly-accurate plans are
completely self-sustaining.
Ÿ Financial and operations planning combined -
Financials and analytics are embedded in every Adexa
planning module, giving end-users at every level their
own dashboard to understand the financial consequences
of every operational decision.
Ÿ Use of AI and Machine Learning technology – Supply
chains evolve constantly and static models become
increasingly inaccurate over time. Adexa’s Self-
Improving Supply Chain© technology allows the system
to constantly learn and adapt to its environment. Their
technology reveals hidden trends which can be
leveraged to constantly male good plans and deliver on-
time at lower cost of operations.
Making Supply Chains Efficient
since inception
Adexa:
K. Cyrus Hadavi
Founder
20 June 2018

Ÿ Risk management – AI technology
can detect potential harmful trends
before they affect the supply chain.
For example, excess inventory, and
impending shortages or weather
conditions that may affect future
deliveries.
Decisive Leadership
Adexa was founded by Dr. K. Cyrus
Hadavi in 1994. Dr. Hadavi is one of
the world’s foremost experts on supply
chain management and related fields.
Under his leadership, Adexa has
become one of the top supply chain
companies in the world with a presence
on five continents.
Dr. Hadavi’s experience has been
instrumental for many Fortune 1000
companies, including Black & Decker,
Solectron, Northrop-Grumman,
Philips, Toshiba, GM, Boeing, Hanes
and Seagate
Cyrus is one of the pioneers of
applying Artificial Intelligence to
planning problems. At Siemens, he
implemented the first-generation of his
AI planning solutions at their facilities.
This included semiconductor
fabrication lines, regarded as the
hardest planning and scheduling
scenario.
As Adjunct Professor of Operations
Management at Columbia University,
Dr. Hadavi taught courses on the
application of computer science and AI
to manufacturing. He has performed
joint research at Columbia University,
the Wharton School of Management,
Loyola University, Clemson
such diverse clientele, Adexa has to
constantly shift and adapt so its
approach fits perfectly in every
situation.
Client education can also be an
obstacle. Because change is never easy,
C-level executives on the client’s side
have to be convinced of the efficacy of
Adexa’s solutions. Adexa has to
effectively convey how its technology
simplifies the role of everyone in the
supply chain.
Finally, there is a great disparity in
terms of functionality between legacy
systems used by clients and the
cutting-edge Adexa platform. They
have to ensure that their sophisticated
algorithms do not affect its user-
friendliness and that the platform does
not require extensive end-user training.
It is Adexa’s ability to consistently
solve such problems that underscores
its reputation as one of the best supply
chain planning companies in the world.
The culture of innovation is as strong
as ever. Adexa is currently in the
process of combining animation
technology with predictive analytics to
produce notifications for critical
information across all mobile devices.
With such cutting-edge technology in
the works, Adexa is laying the
foundation for continued excellence
and market leadership.
www. Adexa.com
University, and the Max Planck
Institute in Germany.
Besides publishing numerous articles
and books on supply chain
management, manufacturing, and e-
commerce, Dr. Hadavi is a popular
speaker at business forums.
He holds a B.Sc. degree in Electrical
Engineering and an M.Sc. degree in
Industrial Management from the
University of Birmingham, UK. He
also holds an M.Sc. degree in
Computer Engineering from the
University of Southampton, UK, and a
Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer
Engineering from the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Dr. Hadavi is on the ECE Advisory
Council (ECEC) at Michigan
University, a group committed to
positive, transformational change
across all industries. He is an also an
Executive Board member of the Center
for Global Supply Chain Management
at the USC Marshal School of
Business.
Innovative Solutions, Always
Developing a thriving business in a
field which moves and evolves so
rapidly is never easy. Adexa’s stature
today is built on its ability to foresee
and avoid potential drawbacks, and to
respond quickly and effectively when
that is not possible.
One of the issues with which it has had
to contend since the very first days is
the difference in cultures between
client companies. Because it deals with
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
Supply Chain pressures and challenges are ever present in good or poor economic
climates. For over 20 years, Adexa has been dedicated to providing the most advanced
planning technologies to help its clients rise above their competition and keep their
customers happy regardless of the market conditions. I am proud to be an evangelist for
Adexa’s solutions and its passionate people.
21June 2018

For over 20 years, ChainSequence professionals
continue to deliver transformative Supply Chain
project deployments on behalf of organizations that
are seeking meaningful change to outdated, cumbersome
processes in today’s digital, cloud-based marketplace. From
both an efficiency and competitive perspective,
ChainSequence’s supply chain planning services integrate
best-practice, nimbler processes with sales and operations
objectives. Augmenting these services with advances in
benchmarking support analytics, the firm’s clients benefit
from more structured, enterprise-wide planning cycles to
ensure new systems are functioning at peak performance.
Talented Leadership Coincides with Vast Experience
With more than 25 years of experience in leading
professional teams, Bill Mrzlak is the Co-founder and
Managing Partner of ChainSequence. Equipped with an
encyclopedic knowledge and a remarkable ability to build
support for common goals at multiple levels—C-suite,
senior leadership, and cross-functional operational
teams—Bill continues to drive the development and
optimization of best-in-class supply chain planning
organizations throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. He
excels at leading these global teams in the highly technical
arena of business process re-engineering through facilitated
sessions, as well as managing enterprise-wide systems
development and project deployments.
Bill and his teams possess a sterling reputation for guiding
client groups toward getting to the heart of what’s really
holding their enterprises back. ChainSequence’s goal is to
help businesses learn how to first remove these
obstructions, and then focus energy on developing and
deploying a more inclusive framework for holistic solutions
going forward.
Holistic Approach to Solving Client Challenges
One key attribute that sets ChainSequence apart is its
knowledge-share philosophy, which prioritizes game-
changing guidance to develop client autonomy. As a
consulting group, ChainSequence focuses specifically on
business process improvement, organizational development,
and process ownership, and the firm has built a strong
following for its work in educating clients on the how’s and
why’s of best-practice supply chain planning with S&OP to
improve overall business performance. By applying these
constructive, educational components with targeted metrics
to ensure positive change management and healthy ROI,
clients achieve more transparent business processes, tied to
robust sales and operations programs, that allow for
continuous improvement over time.
E-commerce Disruptions to Traditional Business Models
E-commerce has fundamentally disrupted the status quo,
changing how business will be conducted for the
foreseeable future. Mrzlak stresses that among e-
commerce’s key traits is its elimination of much of the
human element from everyday business. Transactions arrive
at lightning speed, and in no particular order, which
subsequently dictates the increased competitive need for
speed in customer responsiveness. When humans aren’t
involved in electronic sales, a business could quickly fail if
Helping Enterprises
Identify Challenges,
Create Innovative
Solutions
ChainSequence:
Bill Mrzlak
Co-founder &
Managing Partner
20 June 2018

these transactions are processed
without a sound plan. Recognizing the
challenges this new dynamic posed to
its clients early on, ChainSequence
successfully adapted and expanded the
firm’s service frameworks to
accommodate online sales, incorporate
enhanced data modeling, develop more
customer-centric systems, integrate
multiple supply, inventory, and demand
channels, and augment educational
sessions to help client teams gain in-
house proficiencies in these concepts.
To execute rapid-fire response times
for these processes more effectively,
ChainSequence helps companies
deploy a clearly defined set of rules to
support their strategic and financial
goals. The firm emphasizes that while
it’s not possible to resolve every
unique scenario, it is essential to define
key rules supporting the most common
situations and minimize the number of
exceptions. The key to e-commerce is
to build autonomy and foster growth
potential, underscoring that as an
enterprise’s process matures and cycles
of learning continue, it can adjust the
rules as necessary to continuously
improve results.
Improving Supply Chain Practices
leads to Improving Sales and
Operations Goals
From the very beginning,
ChainSequence has focused on
developing the best business processes
around the globe, experiencing varying
degrees of the same issues from one
organization to the next. Having said
that, it doesn’t mean the team has seen
everything. Mrzlak says that changing
customer demand, the global digital
evolution, the role of data analytics,
and emerging RPA/AI-related
innovations will drive new
requirements and scenarios.
ChainSequence continues to
incorporate these new realities into its
business process models.
ChainSequence enjoys broad
partnerships with other service
providers, professional associations,
and thought leaders in technology
solution deployment. These
connections have formed a virtual
innovation lab, offering a better
understanding of market conditions,
tech advancements, and customer
nuances from one region to the next.
The firm is successfully expanding its
presence in the consumer products,
retail, and service-oriented industry
sectors in the U.S., Europe, and Asia
regions.
to support Supply Chain and Sales &
Operations Planning goals. All too
often, Mrzlak says, the firm’s practice
leaders encounter organizations or
individuals who assume that software
suites or systems can solve all their
issues. While advancements in
technology and planning tools allow us
to optimize our original models and
gain faster ROI, supply chain planning
and S&OP planning improvements are
still inherently bound by proven, rules-
based business process logic and
leadership that is committed to change
management. By ignoring the
imperative to analyze and fix inherent
process obstacles—not putting these
rules in place first—this mindset will
ultimately lead to 1) getting a bad
result faster, and 2) achieving a very
costly lesson learned. Mastering the
“tools-before-rules” opposition can be
challenging, but by working closely
with an organization through hands-on
guidance and consensus-building, we
greatly improve the chances of long-
term success.
Planning for a Productive Future
ChainSequence professionals have
worked in countless organizations
across different industry sectors all
One key attribute that sets ChainSequence apart is its
knowledge-share philosophy, which prioritizes game
changing guidance to develop client autonomy.
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
23June 2018

The
Universality
of IoT
Technology
The
Universality
of IoT
Technology
“
The gratifying tool for companies to lead ahead -
IoT Technology” The Internet of things (IoT) is a
revolutionary change for many sectors like
manufacturing, agriculture, retail, electronic, energy and
healthcare which are progressing towards the IoT
phenomenon to connect digitally. It has placed an
opportunity to build unusual results which increases a
company’s compatibility. Enterprises seeking
development are focusing on the use of real-time data
management and IoT analysis. Many of the
companies are adopting this technology to heighten
their power of consumption. Companies are
mainly concentrating on IoT application from
“sensing” instead of “doing” to grow its
competitive advantages. This element empowers
organizations by allowing them to take the IoT
advantage and adopt a more ‘innovative
connected approach’.
Infrastructure Management – Optimization of
Technology
New applications are now enhancing their level of
consumption. Likewise, manufacturing sector is also
20 June 2018

which land is fertile or which one is dry and predict
future fields.
IoT Technology Helps to Optimize Energy
Consumption
Integrated Sensing and Control system helps to optimize
energy consumption. IoT devices are integrated with
energy consumption systems in order to maintain
balance between power generation and energy usage. IoT
devices offer the opportunity to remotely gather
information. It enables advance functions like remote
controlling and changing light conditions. IoT
Technology work for home-based energy system which
provide power related information, energy consumption
and energy usage at homes. IoT devices set goals to
improve efficiency, reliability and sustainability of the
energy system.
Monitoring Environment through IoT Technology
Environment monitoring application has been involved
with sensors to assist information about environment
changes by identifying water quantity, atmosphere, air
pressure etc. It also has focus on monitoring movements
of wildlife and their habitats. Devices connected to the
internet also provide statistics about earthquake or
tsunami - early warning systems, and also used as an
emergency system. IoT device application is used to
collect geographic information and majorly instructive
information. This device also uses standardized approach
to bring wireless sensing technique and gather finest
information.
IoT Technology Helps to Sustain Building and Home
Automation
With certainty, IoT devices are used to monitor and
control the mechanical, electrical and electronic systems.
IoT devices are used in various types of home
automation and building automation systems. Control
and sensory applications offer unified information. The
integration of the internet with building creates an
energy management system which will allow prominent
energy efficiency.
There have been many ways for IoT technology to
expand compatibility in the digital world, and it will be
implemented in each sector to work as an important tool,
to enhance its affinity. After all, the IoT network makes
technology more unified and satisfying, with its tools and
applications and IoT will be a step ahead towards
numerous opportunities.
getting engrossed and achieving excellence through IoT
Techniques. Applications are liable for monitoring and
controlling operations for urban and rural manufactures
like bridges, farms, and railway tracks. It is the key
features of the applications were IoT infrastructure is
also used for monitoring the construction safety and risk
management system and operations. This major feature
represents the mechanism of IoT application which
works under infrastructure management. Benefits of IoT
Technology are cost reducing, time reducing, better in
quality, and increase productivity. It helps to make fast
decisions and save money with real-time analysis. IoT
devices help to give prominent results by monitoring and
controlling operations used in all infrastructure related
area.
Manufacturing Techniques are Growing with IoT
Technology
In the manufacturing sector, networking and controlling
have been used with IoT devices. It provides information
about data and operation stability. Network status and the
information is collected in the system by tracking IoT
device. Manufacturing control process deliver
information about industry application and smart
manufacturing details receiving form IoT device. IoT
intelligent system enables sharing information about
product demands, service management, supply chain
networks, sensors and control systems together. Small
industries can also be integrated with IoT technology
that enables real-time optimization, measurements,
production compatibility and safety management.
However, intelligent systems are determined as the
significant technique that implies user experience and
system security which ultimately saves costs.
IoT Technology brings Innovative Farming Methods
The Agriculture sector is one of the industry to
implement IoT technology for stability and better
performance. IoT technology has become a significant
method of farming. It also offers durability and
functionality to the whole process. The combination of
wireless sensors with agricultural apps and cloud
platforms benefits in gathering definite information
relating to environmental conditions like, rainfall,
temperature, humidity, wind speed etc. Farmers are
getting competent results out of it, and are able to find
real-time information easily. Linked with farmland, it
improves and automates farming techniques like weather
information, taking decision on quality and quantity, and
minimizes risk and waste. With IoT Tech farmers can
find out detailed information of farm and similarly know
25June 2018
Editor’s Choice

OnProcess Technology is a managed services
provider specializing in business process
optimization for global service and supply chain
organizations. OnProcess delivers improved business
outcomes by identifying hidden costs and optimizing the
service delivery lifecycle.
Since its inception in 1998, when it pioneered post-sale
optimization services, the company has been helping many
of the world’s leading brands intelligently scale operations,
grow revenue, reduce capital and operational costs, and
deliver superior customer experiences.
The combination of its domain expertise and the unique
way it has embedded predictive, actionable analytics into
automated decision tree processes to drive high-impact
outcomes, has made OnProcess the service transformation
partner of choice for leading companies like Comcast,
Philips, Cisco, Verizon, and AT&T. OnProcess provides
services in 23 languages and operates in four global
facilities, including its Massachusetts headquarters and
centers in Maine, India and Bulgaria.
Intelligently Powered, Analytics-Driven Services
Most companies are not able to make dramatic
improvements in their service delivery lifecycle because
they lack end-to-end-visibility, and don’t have true insights
into upstream causes of inefficiencies, customer
dissatisfaction and revenue leakage.
SM
OnProcess’ proprietary applications OPTvision and
SM
OPTiQ underly all its services. OPTvision, an actionable
control tower, provides real-time visibility into an aggregate
view of the comprehensive service delivery ecosystem, to
identify intelligent insights and resolve hidden costs and
process breakage. Within OPTvision, embedded analytics
and automated decision-tree business rules drive targeted
outcomes that deliver the strongest returns for OnProcess’
clients. OPTvision is powered by OPTiQ, OnProcess’
advanced analytics engine.
OnProcess’s services include:
SM
Ÿ IntelliForce : The company’s newest innovation is the
industry’s only on-demand digital marketplace for field
service management. IntelliForce features a dynamic
variable labor model that is powered by OPTiQ and
sourced from OnProcess’s select network of authorized
service partners. Clients benefit from 100% field
productivity, reduced costs and improved customer
experiences.
Ÿ Reverse Logistics: OnProcess intelligently expedites the
return of assets from the field or customer, and the
movement of defective parts through the repair channel
and into inventory, ultimately reducing the need for
costly new buys.
Ÿ Service Fulfillment: The company manages the dispatch
of parts and technicians to optimize service networks
and inventory, and rapidly close out service events, meet
SLAs, and improve customer satisfaction ratings.
OnProcess assures the right technician and right part get
to the right place at the right time.
Ÿ Revenue Enablement: OnProcess resolves sales order
process breakage, speeds time to revenue recognition,
drives service/account activation, and provides customer
Transforming the Service
Supply Chain
OnProcess Technology:
Mike Wooden
CEO
20 June 2018

education in order to minimize
remorse returns and increase cross-
selling.
Ÿ Triage/Customer Support:
OnProcess improves the customer
experience at every point of
interaction, expediting problem-
solving with more first-contact
resolutions, saving higher-value
tech support resources for
escalations, and reducing costly,
avoidable truck rolls.
Ÿ Warranty & Fraud Management:
The company also manages the
entire warranty process, from
product registration, repair order
diagnosis, and claims processing,
with a special emphasis on fraud
prevention, through investigation
and loss recovery.
Surprisingly Strong ROI
OnProcess reveals that because
companies have been focusing on the
forward supply chain, they are often
not aware of the enormous cost savings
and revenue enhancements that can be
gained by optimizing the post-sale
supply chain.
They are also generally unaware of the
hidden complexities and problems
inherent in their own post-sale supply
chains, and how much their operations
An Experienced Leader
Mike Wooden joined OnProcess as
CEO in 2015. He has been leading,
growing and building global
enterprises and start-up businesses for
more than two decades. From the very
start, Mike believed OnProcess had all
the ingredients to be a superstar in a
global post-sales services market that
was rife with opportunities.
He understood that business success
depends as much on what happens
after the sale of a product as it does on
the sale itself; that how efficiently and
intelligently companies handle the
post-sale supply chain makes a huge
difference to their top and bottom lines.
Even so, until recently, more attention
had been paid to the forward supply
chain, essentially getting products
manufactured. But as businesses look
for additional ways to optimize
operations and enhance competitive
standing, the post-sale supply chain
offers tremendous potential since
opportunities for optimization are vast
and largely untapped. Because most
companies don’t have the expertise to
fully optimize it on their own, there are
enormous growth opportunities for
OnProcess.
are suffering because of these issues.
By partnering with OnProcess to
digitally transform and optimize their
post-sales services, businesses save
millions of dollars annually, increase
revenue and profitability, vastly
improve end-customer satisfaction, and
streamline and accelerate the processes
underlying their services.
For instance, by working with
OnProcess, a U.S. cable operator saw
its Net Promoter Score increase 250%
while churn decreased, resulting in
more than $12M in saved subscriber
revenue. In addition, Elekta, a medical
device company, centralized its
globally-fragmented spare parts order
management so it could easily meet
SLAs for parts delivery and repair.
They saved nearly $14 million over a
three-year period by boosting field
return rates and ensuring the right
levels of inventory.
Investing in the Future
In the coming years, OnProcess will
continue investing in new capabilities,
advanced technologies and innovative
services. This will enable the
organization to accelerate clients’
digital transformations and drive even
greater value from their post-sale
supply chains.
Our ability to consistently deliver strong results can be
traced to our service supply chain expertise, advanced
analytics-based services and actionable, intelligent
control tower.
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
29June 2018

S
upply Chain Management is the art of delivering
the right product at the right time at the right place
and at the right cost to customers. Excelling at this
art is one of the world’s premier global supply chain
ﬁrms, RightChain.
RightChain offers supply chain analytics, consulting,
research and education to large and medium-size
corporations in all major industries across the world.
Among the major corporations currently using its model,
methodology and toolkits are Honda, Disney, BP,
Hallmark, Nutrisystem, and United Technologies.
RightChain is focused solely on helping clients develop
supply chain strategies that maximize ﬁnancial and
service performance.
The Dynamic Leader
The Founder and CEO of RightChain is Dr. Ed
Frazelle who is one of the world’s leading authorities on
supply chain strategy.
Dr. Frazelle’s Supply Chain Management book series
with McGraw-Hill, including Supply Chain Strategy,
Inventory Strategy, and World-Class Warehousing is the
world’s leading library on supply chain strategy and
operations. He is also the Executive Director of
RightChain Institute and the institute’s curriculum is the
world’s leading supply chain professional education
program.
Dr. Frazelle was founding director of The Logistics
Institute at Georgia Tech. As an educator, he has trained
more than 50,000 professionals in the principles of
world-class logistics and, as a consultant, he has assisted
more than 100 corporations and government agencies in
North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa
in their pursuit of world-class supply chains. Dr. Frazelle
is also a professor and has lectured at Cornell,
Northwestern, the University of Wisconsin, Waseda
University, and the National University of Singapore.
His books have been translated into six languages,
including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Russian,
and Portuguese.
Dr. Frazelle’s achievements have been recognized with a
CSCMP’s Doctoral Research Grant, WERC’s Burr Hupp
Fellowship, the Material Handling Institute’s MHEF
Fellowship, Kodak’s Educational Grant, and GM’s
Scholar Award. He was recently named Georgia Tech’s
Outstanding Professional Educator, inducted into the
North Carolina State University’s ISE Hall of Fame. He
is a former president of the International Material
Management Society.
Expert Supply Chain and
Logistics Solutions
RightChain:
Dr. Ed Frazelle
CEO & Founder
20 June 2018

Outstanding Services and
Expertise
RightChain optimizes across
financial, service and operational
implications; strategic, tactical and
executional implications; and the
long, middle and short-term
implications of the full range of
supply chain decisions. This includes
supply chain service, inventory,
sourcing, transportation, and
warehousing.
Customers increase their bottom line
by 1% to 5%, reduce inventory by
25% to 35%, elevate fill rates by 3 to
8 points, lower total supply chain
costs by 15% to 25%, and integrate
their supply chain metrics, planning,
and teams.
Every combination of products,
customer demographics, and logistics
geography requires a unique optimal
mix of e-commerce and traditional
retail. The winners will be retailers
who can determine and execute on
that mix.
RightChain will continue to develop
its proprietary algorithms and
artificial intelligence approaches.
New technologies and trends emerge
frequently in the field and
RightChain is committed to
providing its customers with the best
solutions for their business with these
developments in mind. The company
also assesses their potential benefits
for its own business and prioritize
implementation goals.
As the industry of Supply Chain
Management matures, trends and
technologies are of great interest to
their clients. RightChain is always
focused on knowing what is going on
in the market and which trends may
help to make processes more
efficient, save costs, optimize
capacity allocations, and ultimately
increase customer satisfaction.
RightChain has delivered solutions
for the aerospace, automotive,
chemicals, consumer products, food
and beverages, healthcare, high-tech,
natural resources, pharmaceuticals,
retail, semiconductor, and textiles
industries as well as many others.
Their analysts and consultants are
accomplished in supply chain
strategy, inventory optimization,
supply chain network optimization,
sales and operations planning
assessments, benchmarking, metrics
design and development,
organisation development,
warehouse operations design and
logistics provider selection and
negotiation.
A Distinctive Identity
Supply chains are becoming
increasingly complex and are
expected to become more intricate in
the future. To maintain its leadership
and status in the industry, RightChain
has decided to require each of its
employees to have a PhD as well as
advanced experience in the field.
In this data-driven world and with the modern
complexities of global businesses, RightChain
provides clients with innovative, reliable and
effective supply chain solutions.
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
31June 2018

KatherineBarrios
ChiefMarketingOfficer
Xeneta
20 June 2018

June 2018
Though the concept of supply change visibility (SCV) has
existed for some time now, its applications and definition
have undergone massive changes. The supply chain is no
longer a controlled entity within the four walls of a warehouse.
Today, the whole process involves a network of resources
scattered across facilities and entities in different cities and
countries all over the world. In order for them to be managed
properly, supply chain resources need to be linked to each other;
they need to be able to communicate with one another to achieve
maximum benefit.
Supply chain visibility works when suppliers, partners, and
customers, who all play different roles within the supply chain,
operate as a hub in the movement of goods as well as in the flow
of information.
Not very long ago, the idea of full supply chain visibility may
have seemed a utopian concept. However, today, most companies
try to afford their end users some degree of visibility in order to
keep themselves current and offer the best possible customer
experience. Although it may not be full visibility, efforts are in
place to achieve some degree of visibility across the supply chain.
Achieving full SCV involves a customer-centric approach that
will entail the perfect amalgamation of technology and processes
to deliver a rich customer experience.
“Supply chain visibility (SCV) is the track-ability or traceability
of product orders and physical product shipments from the
production source to their destination. This includes logistics
activities and transport as well as the state of events and
milestones that take place before and during transit.
The objective of SCV is to enhance and empower the supply
chain by making information easily accessible to each and every
stakeholder, including customers. The integration of SCV tools or
systems enables different supply chain divisions in an
organization to acquire real-time and precise information
regarding stock, orders, and deliveries in their incoming and
outgoing networks.”
Supply chain visibility doesn’t begin or end with just the
transportation of the product. One of the things that is often
forgotten is that a huge amount of effort happens on the cargo
procurement side. Without procurement, the product would never
make it to the sales floor. The procurement of cargo is complex
and historically there has been a lack of accessible data to make
it more efficient.
According to a study that was carried out in June 2017, a mere 6
% of companies are able to offer SCV. While everyone wants to
Katherine Barrios is the Chief Marketing
Ofcer of Xeneta with close to
20 years of B2B international product
marketing, enterprise sales, tech
PR/communication and product
management experience from various
software industries.
Previously, Katherine was at The Qt
Company (Digia, Nokia, Trolltech) as
the Director of Global Marketing for the Qt
cross-platform software
development framework, where she led
the global demand generation,
communication, product and developer
marketing strategy.
Prior to that, she worked at Unit 4 Agresso
as Marketing Communications
Manager with focus on product marketing
and communication and at Opera
Software as PR Manager. She also held
positions earlier in her career as
Account Executive at Weber Schandwick
Worldwide PR (Tech Group) and
Howard R. Miller Communications, both in
Miami, Florida.
Katherine holds a Bachelors of Science in
Communication from the
University of Miami, graduate studies in
Media and Journalism from the
University of Oslo and Project Management
Executive Studies (M.Sc) from
Boston University. Barrios is a native of New
Jersey, U.S.
About the Author
33
Industry Insights

achieve it, there is still some way to go before companies
can completely deliver full SCV. A 2017 survey of 623
supply chain professionals in 17 countries described their
challenges with visibility:
Ÿ 70% of firms described their supply chain as “very” or
“extremely complex”
Ÿ 6% said they have “full visibility” to their entire supply
chain
Ÿ 74% said they use four to five different transportation
modes in their supply chain
Ÿ 81% of firms are using one to three KPIs to assess
supply chain performance
Ÿ 84% outsource their transportation services
Source: Geodis 2017 Supply Chain Worldwide Survey
Unique Features of Supply Chain Visibility
Achieving full SCV is tough and isn’t achieved overnight.
There’s a misconception that merely implementing
technology tools will solve the challenges. The supply chain
is much more complex than that. Various modes of
transport coupled with a lack of operational standards in
many parts of the chain make SCV hard to achieve, but not
impossible.
This is what SCV looks like and can add to business:
Ÿ The ability to instantly access vital information
Ÿ An enhanced process efficiency with respect to end-to-
end business processes
Ÿ Customer requirements addressed through real-time
visibility
Ÿ Transparency and the ability to view supply chain “blind
spots”
Ÿ Optimized logistics and transportation efficiency
Ÿ Greater responsiveness to customers
Ÿ More efficient handling and execution
Ÿ Lower labor and material costs
Ÿ Efficient stock management
Ÿ Improved business metric monitoring and outcomes
For ocean freight, SCV can be achieved through connected
vessels and container tracking, as well as through rate
benchmarking where cargo buyers gain invaluable insights
on aspects such as supplier and carrier performance.
Such visibility can be a game changer when shippers
choose which company to go with to ship their cargo.
Complete visibility and transparency will amount to cost
savings, an increase in reliability and productivity and,
therefore, will enable a company to create a reputation and
an edge for itself in the market.
How to Achieve Visibility
An organization needs to factor in various aspects order to
achieve complete SCV. These include analysis,
collaboration, information-sharing, and the most crucial
aspect - efficient and quick decision making. An efficient
team that can work optimally to dissect information,
communicate with suppliers and business partners, and
model different outcomes will contribute to the greatest
degree of SCV. Adopting an analytical approach to data
will ensure improvement in current supply chain
performance and also afford an understanding of future
demands. In turn, the more data that is collected will
extend further improvement to the supply chain process,
and optimize demand forecasting and business planning.
Monetary benefits can be achieved by being able to reduce
inventory when demand is expected to be low, thereby
improving on-time deliveries and responding more quickly
to potential issues.
In 2014, Jeff Dobbs, Global Sector Chair, Diversified
Industrials and a partner with KPMG, said, “obtaining real-
time visibility across all tiers in the supply chain can
significantly increase speed to market, reduce capital
expenditures and manage risk.” He went on to make this
profound statement, “moving toward a demand-driven
supply chain is probably the single most important step a
global manufacturer can take today.” According to Forbes,
“beyond visibility is supply chain orchestration that takes
the service improvements and inventory reductions to the
next level whereby balancing supply and demand is not
merely improved through faster lead times, but the supply-
demand matching process is actively and collaboratively
managed on an ongoing basis.”
It is important to note that best in class companies are
becoming quick, flexible and using their visibility within
the supply chain as a competitive advantage. In today’s
scenario, across industries, supply chain visibility
consistently ranks near the top as the most necessary aspect
to propel a business to achieve maximum success.
20 June 2018

Today, businesses function in a
global environment. Building a
brand that delivers the right
product to the right buyer globally at
the right price requires diligent Supply
Chain Management (SCM). All areas
of operations are impacted from design
to procurement to manufacturing and
delivery. Multinational corporations,
globally expanding brands and
manufacturers require supply chain
risk assessment to ensure legal and
ethical sourcing. Ensuring a company’s
most valuable asset – it’s brand
reputation – is protected. Leading
corporations seek strategic SCM to
maximize their customers’ value and
achieve sustainable competitive
advantage. For nearly a decade, Source
Intelligence has led the industry with a
solution that uses technology to
simplify supply chain compliance and
bridge the gap between traditional on-
site diligence and a scalable supplier
risk assessment.
Source Intelligence is a market-leading
SaaS solutions company, focused on
supply chain compliance, data
analytics, and risk management. The
company’s unique blend of experts,
technology and process achieves high
response rates in securing and
verifying critical supplier information.
“Using technology to categorize
suppliers by risk allows Blue-Chip
Companies to optimize their on-site
audit resources”, commented Jess
Kraus, CEO and co-founder at
Source Intelligence. The company
brings visibility into the Supply chains
of companies globally. By
doing so, it ensures legal
and ethical sourcing while
seeking to eradicate
atrocities that harm people
and the planet such as
modern day slavery, toxic water, and
deforestation.
Entrepreneurial Architect
Jess F. Kraus, CEO and co-founder,
under whose leadership, Source
Intelligence has become the leading
provider of innovative supply chain
compliance data services and solutions.
He has over 30 years of experience in
the fields of environmental protection
and sustainability. Prior to Source
Intelligence, Jess founded 3E
Company and served as a President,
CEO and lastly as a Vice Chairman. He
is a visionary and a builder in many
business and civic organizations,
including Young Presidents
Organization/World President’s
Organization (YPO/WPO) and the San
Diego Business Innovation Center and
Disrupting Supplier
Risk Assessment
Source
Intelligence:
Jess F. Kraus
CEO Co-founder
was recently named CEO of the year
and a “Pro to Know”.
Enabling Transparency
The Source Intelligence platform
delivers a flexible and highly scalable
global supply chain solution. This
centralizes a supplier’s supply chain
information on a single platform,
simplifies compliance, enables
transparency and drives decisions with
data. Suppliers, partners, vendors,
small businesses, and global brands
can securely and proactively address
their compliance and transparency
needs.
This cloud-based platform includes:
Ÿ Multi-tier supply network, where
Companies at any tier of the supply
chain can connect to their
20 June 2018

customers and suppliers, thus
creating a true supply chain
network.
Ÿ Supplier request workflow, which
enables quick and easy
implementation of any process for
supply chain data collection at
corporate or product level.
Ÿ Supplier Data Sharing, a fully
featured multi-language supplier
platform that includes features for
users globally to self- admin their
compliance programs.
Transforming Roadblocks into a
Robust Platform
According to companies worldwide,
the product safety and social
compliance within the context of a
cross-border and decentralized market
place is a key challenge. While
traditional retail, with fixed locations
and clear sales territories enables
stricter enforcement of compliance
within a country’s regulations, a
border-less market place has led to a
supplier review challenge of global
proportions. Only a technology-
enabled approach can cost-effectively
address this problem.
Compounding the issue, a rapidly
changing regulatory landscape creates
significant roadblocks for brands to
keep pace with compliance
requirements across the globe. To
address this need. Source Intelligence
conducted roundtables with top
industry influencers to become both, an
educator and a leader, in building a
robust platform that was easily
adaptable to any industry standard,
customized company requirements or
Source Intelligence has a global
network which assists suppliers to
overcome their resistance and fatigue.
The team at Source Intelligence
comprises of dedicated experts with
deep experience in supply chain,
compliance and transparency.
Leading the Way with Emerging
Technologies
The emerging technologies are
influencing businesses to adopt new
innovations. Similarly, the impact of
those technologies has stimulated
Source Intelligence too. As a result, the
company is working to bring Artificial
Intelligence (AI) into the compliance
world. Although, it is a complex and
labor intensive task, there is a natural
fit in bringing AI to bear to help its
customers achieve greater compliance
over a larger supply chain with less
resources. Leading the way in this area,
the company has collected a massive
amount of data and raw materials
information.
Beyond 2018, Source Intelligence is
looking forward to adopt blockchain
technology. The tokenization system of
blockchain agitated company more
than its immutable ledger feature. This
is where Source Intelligence believes
the blockchain technology holds great
promise for incentivizing compliance
activities in the supply chain.
regulated compliance need in any
market. It enables all companies to
monitor and control the product
compliance and social compliance of
the brands they seek to protect.
The platform comprises of features that
covers:
Ÿ Allows customers to move past the
collection of hard, raw data and
allows for automation, evaluation,
analyzation, and streamlined
implementation
Ÿ Allows for customization by
customer / industry, and
implementing new programs and
collecting data exactly the way it is
requested
Ÿ Detailed supplier engagement
metrics allowing users to
understand suppliers that are at risk
and those that are highly engaged
Ensuring Customer Efficiency
The Source Intelligence platform that
centralizes compliance solutions.
Through this platform the company
enables its customers to optimize
supplier relationship building, data
collection, quality control
management, and customizable
assessments. Apart from these, it also
provides superior intuitive supplier
interface to its clients having a live and
personalized support with proven,
robust and audit-tested processes. The
company’s strategic data analytics and
visualization process ensures
automated flags for reporting
inconsistencies and risk. By doing so,
customers can get customizable
programs and tailored views for their
risk categories of interest.
Our mission is to use technology to disrupt traditionally labor-
intensive approaches for bringing visibility and compliance to
supply chains of companies around the world.
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
37June 2018

Now days, it is essential for organizations to
develop a vital relationship with their suppliers
to effectively manage their supply chain. Due to
primary focus on customer relationship management and
higher sales, enterprises historically may have
overlooked the opportunities and benefits that better
Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) can deliver.
However this is changing and many organizations have
started realizing the importance of building strong
relations with their suppliers. This realization has turned
into the need for streamlined and improved processes
between buyers (organizations) and suppliers, and
organizations are striving to create innovative strategies
to effectively manage their supply chain. However, very
few companies around the globe have proven excellence
in delivering innovative supplier relationship
management strategies. One of them is State of Flux, an
expert in delivering supply chain and SRM solutions.
Headquartered in London, UK, State of Flux has been
supporting clients in procurement for over 14 years. It
has grown into a leading procurement and supply chain
consultancy, providing contract lifecycle management,
category management and strategic sourcing, and
supplier management services. It works with clients
globally, and has offices across Europe and Asia Pacific.
The company helps large organizations achieve both
financial as well as non-financial benefit by working with
strategic suppliers to identify innovative and
collaborative ways to compete in an ever changing
market environment.
An Adroit Leadership
Alan Day, Chairman and Founder, is responsible for
State of Flux’s major client accounts and developing its
business outside of the UK. Having entered procurement
and supply chain with a desire to learn about
organizations operations from customer need to
fulfillment, he now has over 25 years of experience in
designing and implementing best practice.
Prior to founding State of Flux in 2004, Alan held roles
as Director of Procurement and Supply Chain at Cable
Wireless, and Director of Accenture’s Supply Chain
European Centre of Excellence, where his clients
included British Airways, Shell, Microsoft, BSkyB and
Morgan Stanley.
Alan started his supply chain career at Fisher Paykel,
the leading New Zealand-based manufacturer of
domestic appliances. His passion for learning is truly
appreciable. To retain his passion, he is currently
undertaking a course on block chain at Oxford
University.
An Award Winning Collaborative Platform
State of Flux provides a collaborative platform called
Statess for managing supplier relationships, performance
and productivity. In 2012, it became the first SRM
An Expert in Procurement and
Supply Chain Practices
State
of Flux:
Alan Day
Chairman Founder
20 June 2018

software solution to receive a Gartner
Cool Vendor Award. It was also the
first company to introduce a fully
integrated supplier innovation
capability in 2013. More recently,
State of Flux was presented a Spend
Matters ‘Company to Watch’ award
and was nominated for the
Procurement Leaders Collaboration
Award.
Through this novel platform, State of
Flux envisions continuing to focus on
growth and innovation in solutions
that help drive productivity across
clients’ supplier management
programs. It also strives to expand its
partner ecosystem of best-in-class
providers of spend analysis,
sourcing, P2P and sustainability /
corporate social responsibility
(CSR).
Fulfilling Clients Needs with
Hands on Approach
State of Flux understands that each
client is different and therefore their
offerings are tailored to the
organizations they work for. They
have learned something new and
overcome new challenges with each
and every past project, supporting
procurement functions with
procurement transformation,
navigating complex organizations,
helping to raise existing levels of
innovation, CSR, program
management, benefits management
and category management. This is a
scalable approach where an
organization can start with
performance and add risk or
contracts management later.
Longer term, State of Flux believes
that supplier management is
becoming more of a professional
discipline with its own set of
qualifications, structure and career
path. With the emergence of
technology, the company is
observing that more organizations are
opting for supplier management as a
service and embracing supplier
management technology. Within
these technologies there is further
emergence of AI capability and block
chain opportunities including smart
contracts. The company is investing
in these areas and envisions
delivering smarter procurement
solutions to help clients meet these
needs worldwide.
maturity, readiness for deployment
and managing resistance to change.
Every project has added to its
experience and strengthened its
proposition.
Driving Future with Emerging
Technologies
State of Flux is growing
internationally and envisage helping
more clients with supplier
management and supplier technology
challenges. According to a survey
carried out by the company in its
annual SRM research, 8 out of 10
global companies are looking to
drive benefits from supplier
innovation. To respond these needs,
its collaborative platform, Statess
2.0, license and support packages
offer flexible plans which enable
organizations to apply technology to
the areas of utmost business need.
Packages start with the core elements
of relationship management
including a space for collaborative
working for both buyers’ and sellers’
and a dynamic dashboard of live data
showing the status of the
relationship, which is tailored
depending on the user.
State of Flux has more recently
created a flexible choice of modules
for its customers in terms of
performance, risk, contracts,
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
We have a mission to make SRM easier to implement and
operate for our clients, helping them to become a
customer of choice and reap the benefits from this.
39June 2018

Gary Cardenas
President
TOC Logistics
20 June 2018

The logistics and supply chain management industry
is one that is constantly evolving and optimizing,
and because of the competitive nature of the
industry, innovation is key for success. Modern
technologies have not only aided in the streamlining of
supply chains and company processes, but have also set the
industry on a technologically advanced path that many
could not have even imagined fifteen or twenty years ago.
From robotics in warehouses and autonomous ships and
trucks, to computerized shipping and tracking, technology
has changed the industry for the better and has provided
new levels of visibility.
With the aid of technology, supply chains of the future may
be a bit more complex, but will certainly be more efficient
and less expensive. A few of the technological
advancements that have changed the game for the logistics
and supply chain management industry are:
Computerized Shipping and Tracking
Modern technology has drastically impacted the shipping
industry and has made for more efficient and accurate
tracking. With a wide array of different supply chain
management software programs on the market, logistics and
supply chain professionals and their clients are able to keep
an eye on their shipments during every step of the supply
chain journey. With every second being crucial in the world
of supply chain management, the ability to provide
complete transparency to clients in terms of where their
packages are and when they will arrive is something that is
extremely valuable.
Computerized shipping and tracking has also largely
reduced the amount of time spent shipping, receiving,
tracking packages and compiling shipment data, as all
necessary data can be stored in one easy-to-access place.
And in this case, saving time means saving money. Being
able to digitally organize data and monitor shipping and
tracking information also reduces the opportunities for
human error. With digital records there is no longer a worry
that sloppy handwriting or a misplaced piece of paper will
throw a wrench in a shipment being delivered on time, or to
the right place.
“Futuristic” Autonomous Vehicles
A big technological push in the industry right now is the
advancement of autonomous vehicles, electrification, use of
solar power, and energy storage, all of which will be used
across the board to both reduce cost and increase efficiency.
Right now, energy and transportation make up more than
half of total supply chain costs and labor accounts for a
little less than a third of costs. With further technological
advancements, the transportation and labor aspects of
supply chains will eventually cost very, very little compared
to what they do today.
The eventual implementation of autonomous electric
vehicles, which can be programmed to use the most efficient
routes and run throughout the night without a driver, will
drive down the cost of labor and increase capacity on the
roads. Autonomous vehicles will also address the growing
concern of truck driver shortages throughout the industry.
Also on the very near horizon is the use of autonomous
ships. Autonomous ships would address the issues of piracy,
talent shortage in the ocean shipping industry and accidents
caused by human error.
Big Data
Logistics and supply chain management professionals live
and die by data. A recent study by the Council of Supply
Chain Management Professionals shows that 98 percent of
third-party logistics firms and 93 percent of shippers feel
that data-driven decision making is key to supply chain
activities. Technological advancements have made it
extremely easy to gather and analyze key pieces of data.
Data surrounding shipping times, cargo weight, weather
patterns, traffic routes, and more can lead to greater
transparency, optimized routes, greater reliability and
automated supply chains. Having a team that is able to
accurately interpret big data is key to success, and will
likely save a company both time and money. There is a
reason UPS drivers don’t make left turns. Someone on the
UPS team analyzed large amounts of data, which is now
available thanks to technology, and determined that
eliminating the majority of left turns would use 10 million
less gallons of fuel, emit 20,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide
into the air and help deliver 350,000 more packages every
year.
Technology is something that is hard to predict and often
difficult to wrap your head around, but the logistics and
supply chain industry is benefiting from every new
technological advancement in our field. The supply chains
that we are working with today will be drastically different
in five or ten years’ time, and almost unrecognizable in
twenty or thirty years. Technology has made supply chain
management more efficient, transparent and cost-effective.
It is important to have members of your team that are
willing to embrace new ways of doing things and that are
able to stay up-to-date on new forms of technology. This
industry is constantly changing, and in order to be
successful you need to be willing to change along with it.
41June 2018
Mentor’s Opinion

Omnichannel Agent
and Customer
Engagement Solutions
Simplify and personalize the customer experience,
empower agents and achieve business success
with one workspace for all channel interactions,
application integrations, and CX reporting.

To competently grow and excel in an ever-changing
market, organizations are learning to rely on supply
chain management and automated solutions in
healthcare and life science.
Terso Solutions, Inc. provides automated inventory
management solutions for tracking high-value medical and
scientific products in the healthcare and life sciences
industries.
Terso has over 14 years of RFID product development and
implementation experience, and its product line includes
RAIN RFID cabinets, refrigerators, freezers (-80C to -20C),
smart rooms, and mobile solutions. Terso has deployed over
2,100 RAIN RFID-enabled sensors worldwide.
A Proficient Leader
Joe Pleshek is the President and CEO of Terso Solutions.
He joined the company in 2007 and has overseen rapid
growth while providing strategic direction and financial
management. Joe is committed to adopting the most
advanced RFID technology so the company’s partners can
better manage their supply chains.
Prior to joining Terso, Joe held several sales, marketing, and
general management positions at Appleton Papers. During
his tenure there, he led the development of an RFID tag
converting line which created an entirely new business
revenue stream for the company. He also managed an
acquisition for Appleton that was based in the United
Kingdom.
Joe has worked at 3M Corporation, where he was tasked
with introducing several new product and service offerings.
That experience allowed him to expand his business
development skills considerably.
Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial
Technology from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a
Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from the
University of St. Thomas.
Cutting-Edge Innovations
Terso develops RFID-enabled technology including
hardware such as cabinets, refrigerators, freezers, mobile
cases, handheld devices, and smart stockrooms. It also
maintains a Cloud-based platform,Jetstream, on which its
partners can develop tools for monitoring and managing
their RFID-enabled devices.
The organization’s ultra-low temperature freezers are the
only one of their kind. They provide real-time temperature
monitoring capabilities for healthcare and life science
organizations to manage high value assets like tissue,
implants, and supplies.
Delivering Revolutionary
Automated Inventory
Management Solutions
Globally
Terso
Solutions,Inc.:
Joe Pleshek
President CEO
20 June 2018

A Cohesive Operation
Terso works closely with all of its
clients to enable them to meet their
goals and respective customer needs.
Most of these clients offer RFID
solutions under their own brand, while
Terso collaborates with them to deliver
the right solutions to further increase
their efficiency.
All partners receive extensive hands-on
training and continued support from
the company. Terso believes in
outstanding customer service and is
constantly navigating uncharted
territory in order to deliver smart,
proven solutions.
Terso prides itself on a company
culture dedicated to collaboration,
opportunity, respect, and fun. It
believes in cultivating an environment
that breeds positive energy, one that
credits innovative solutions to people
who work well together and actively
help each other succeed.
The organization is committed to the
development of cutting-edge
technology and finding the best
possible way to solve supply chain
issues that are detrimental to its clients.
It employs smart, creative, and hard-
dollars from the healthcare supply
chain annually!” Joe enthuses.
Terso believes the Internet of Things
(IoT) will continue to expand as a
technology trend and will transform
healthcare markets. Internet-connected
devices and sensors will automatically
provide real-time data on the location
and condition of people and things that
work together in a healthcare supply
chain.
This will continue to provide a
seamless way for healthcare
organizations to meet regulatory
guidelines, increase savings, and
improve patient outcomes.
The company remains committed to
providing solutions that help its
partners achieve efficiency and
optimization for their supply chains,
through the development of both new
hardware and software.
Joe sums up, “Technology will never
stop advancing, and neither can we.
Terso will always make sure we are
offering the best and most useful
solutions to help solve complex
problems.”
working individuals who continuously
strive to find innovative solutions.
Succeeding in a Fluid Environment
The world of healthcare and
technology is always pushing the
boundaries of what is possible. As
technology and RFID adoption
continues to grow, Terso strives to
remain agile and creative. The
company is evolving with the latest
technology and developing new,
innovative solutions that drive value
and solve complex problems for its
customers.
It was only after big retail stores like
Walmart and Macy’s implemented
RFID technology that it became widely
known. Retail’s use of RFID has
accelerated the adoption of this
technology in many other sectors. The
growth of its use in healthcare is still
on the cusp of the technology adoption
lifecycle, and there is a lot of room to
expand into.
“I read a report by Intel that inventory
distortion represents approximately
$818 billion worth of lost retail sales
per year. The stakes are even higher in
healthcare. Imagine the impact of
removing waste worth billions of
We are committed to being the market leader in the
development and application of RAIN RFID solutions that
enable healthcare and life science organizations to better
manage their supply chains.
PERFORMING
CHAINC
THE
BEST
45June 2018

USINESS
UZZWORD
THE 'WHY' AND 'HOW'
OF TODAY'S
'INNOVATION'
USINESS
UZZWORD
THE ‘WHY’ AND ‘HOW’
OF TODAY'S
As technology plays the role model in our lives, in
the same way, it is and will be undoubtedly, the
driving power of the business world too. Those,
who will prove to be innovative, can only think about being
in the competition, others, strictly out of it!
Innovation is the currency of business today. No one cares
about the past, but loves to flaunt the new invention as their
asset. So is the same about the innovativeness in the
business. The more innovative idea is placed before, the
more the company gets applauded and grabs the eye of the
customer.
Well, there are a few common questions which hammer our
mind when news like, Google or Amazon has launched
some new product or some new business model get flashed.
But Why ? What’s the need of new innovations when they
have some of their master products or services so much
applauded by the audiences?
Well, the answer resides in the question itself, the clients
need something new, something innovative, and some high-
quality stuff all the time. This is the reason every company
has to be always ready with some revolutionary ideas to
lure more clients towards them. This creates the space for
innovation. But yes, there isn’t just one reason behind the
need for innovation but many.
Constant Changing Customer's Demands
It is very obvious, and any project manager will share with
you, the built up pressure after a successful launch of any
new product. Immediately after a launch, few weeks are
spent on collecting and analyzing the data about customers
likes or dislikes of the product. Once, done with the data
collection, customers start requesting for the features. What
the project manager does after that is to release the most
desired features of all for the customers and leave the least
admired for the future.
Now, the thing is though you have satisfied the customers
with their desired features but it has only made their work
easy. Now, it’s totally companies’ duty to search for
something new something innovative to make customers’
life transfer from easy to easier. If customers get offered
some new features by some other company, obviously they
will opt for them. That is the reason; every company needs
to be prompt when it comes to innovativeness. Staying up
to date with innovativeness for the customers demand is
what companies can do. Companies have to invest in
innovativeness to satisfy the future needs of the customers.
Ferocious Competition
Well, the real completion today is not the rival companies
but the start-ups sprouting up every single day, with a
hilarious new solution for the clients. On this ground, all the
companies need to gear up with their best innovative teams.
Because these start-ups knows only one thing and that is to
serve their customers with the best innovative services to
take a dive in the competition with the experienced ones.
Now, the already successful companies get only one option
and that is to be innovative with their own products and
services to retain their position in the fierce competition
with the young ones. Well, these companies also have
another option, which we have witnessed before and that is
to acquire the start-ups. Even with this acquisition these
companies are only accepting the new innovation and going
on in their journey to satisfy the needs of the customers.’
20 June 2018

So, the points discussed about can be the ‘Why’ of
innovation. Now, let's see some of the ‘How’ of innovation.
All the big companies in the business world have some
common characteristics in them, which is ‘How’ of the
innovation. It is on the basis of these characteristics that
these companies are on top of the innovation chart. The
innovations made by these companies are totally customer-
centric. The use of latest technologies and unique way of
solving a problem is what makes them on top of the
competition chart. So, here are some of the characteristics
of the innovative companies which make them stand out of
the competition.
Cherishing Innovative Culture
Innovative companies always cherish innovative culture in
their company. Innovation is never an accident. So, the
companies having right process can only come out with the
right ideas. It is not at all necessary that the innovative
employee can be only among the R D department or the
one who sits in the boardroom. The employees who are
actually implementing the plan can fetch the best idea.
Innovative ideas can usher from any department, let it be
marketing or customer care. That is the reason these
companies give equal chance to all nurturing the best
culture for innovation.
Giving Equal Importance to the Customers' Ideas Too!
Innovative companies do not measure customers as only the
users of the end product but, values them to be a good idea
enabler too! If customers get involved into the designing
process they can suggest an idea which is really important
and valuable in making of a product or solution. Innovative
companies take customers input in the whole process. This
helps to know the customer requirement in advance making
the product easily accepted, as soon as it gets launched.
Yes, being an innovative company starts with the starting
phase of the company. To get counted among them depends
on how well you know the ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of the
innovation.
47June 2018
Business Buzz

The 10 best performing supply chain solution providers, 2018

The 10 best performing supply chain solution providers, 2018

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