Vincent McGrath Senior Supply Chain Business Director   Introduction Traditional supply chains were designed to strive for lean JIT systems or holding just the right amounts of inventory in the right place at the right time to optimize cost. Globalization has led to geographical and vendor concentration in low-cost locations to reduce costs with much of the focus on Tier1 suppliers and not looking beyond that to Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers where many of the vulnerabilities and...

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We are living through the largest and most sustained supply chain challenges since the Second World War.  The Covid Pandemic has caused significant disruption and forced many global businesses to rethink their traditional supply chain strategies and models. From component shortages to dramatic escalations in international shipping costs to a shift to online retail, businesses have been forced to explore new models to cope with these unforeseen changes. The following models will become more prominent and will...

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Padraig Henry, Commercial Director Introduction Amazon net sales outside the US in their Quarter 1 (31 March 2021) are up 60% to $30bn1. Brands must stop growing across Amazon by osmosis and must instead apply an Amazon strategy in their business. An Amazon strategy can be the development of an in-house specialist team, IT systems and fulfilment capability or you can use a one-stop-shop fulfilment partner to supply Amazon. Either way, investment in a specialist capability can guarantees...

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