How Is the Coronavirus Impacting Supply Chains?

By Logan Wamsley

The novel Coronavirus is a classic black swan for 2020 — an event that is largely unforeseeable and impossible to fully mitigate. As of this writing, the virus continues to spread to new countries beyond the boundaries of China with Australia, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, the US, and others all reporting…

The Problem with Internal BOM Monitoring

By Logan Wamsley

A common attitude taken by many manufacturers is one of absolute control. This is understandable for many aspects of the manufacturing process; after all, third-party inefficiencies are one of the most common causes of supply chain disruption, such as when raw material shipments are lost or delayed, or when a contract manufacturer fails to meet…

Making a Last Time Buy? Consider Your Inventory Storage Needs

By Logan Wamsley

When it becomes clear that an OEM must make a last time buy to preserve the continuity of its business model, there are often several hang-ups that result in either delays or outright rejection of the last time buy plan altogether. One of these is the discovery of how much working capital it might take…

What Do Engineers Fear Most? Unpredictability

By Logan Wamsley

While Halloween may be the time of year that some of us expect to be scared out of our wits, the good news is that Halloween is a predictable event. Every year, it arrives on the same day, and those of us who get scared easily can plan ahead to ensure our blood pressure remains…