Comments for Supply Chain Matters

Comment on SAP Premieres Still in the Oven HANA Powered S&OP Application by SAP Support Hellas

SAP Support Hellas — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:15:50 +0000

Normally I don’t learn post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very compelled me to take a look at and do it! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice article.

Comment on Delta Airlines Looking to Practice Vertical Integration of its Supply Chain by Delta stops to buy gas—ConocoPhilips is happy to sell - AMA Shift

Delta stops to buy gas—ConocoPhilips is happy to sell - AMA Shift — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:48:17 +0000

[...] and Wall Street observers are viewing this potential acquisition with some healthy skepticism, from a supply chain lens, it can be viewed as a bold and innovative strategy,” writes Bob Ferrari, a blogger at Supply Chain Matters, noting that “some global manufacturers [...]

Comment on SAP Premieres Still in the Oven HANA Powered S&OP Application by Bob Ferrari

Bob Ferrari — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:02:07 +0000

Hi Jay,

Thanks for sharing your comments.

The dilemma you describe is a very common one for existing SAP customers. While HANA based applications have the potential to be game-changing, it appears that more work is required. Other considerations certainly include applicability to certain industry process needs, which can only be gained by additional customer implementations and use. That is especially pertinent to the pharmaceutical industry.

That stated, each company will have to make their own determination in terms of timing and cost considerations.

We at Supply Chain Matters will continue to ping SAP for more data points and customer references.

Bob Ferrari

Comment on SAP Premieres Still in the Oven HANA Powered S&OP Application by Jay Nearnberg

Jay Nearnberg — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:43:26 +0000

Bob, thanks for reporting on this, and we encourage more folllowup on this topic. We are keenly interested if SAP’s solution ultimately generates interest. It just is so logical- all the finance, marketing, orders, sales and supply chain info are in one system for Leadership reporting. Understandably, needs could vary by industry vertical.

We wonder if SAP’s S&OP solution would add value to our IBP process once we implement SAP worldwide in our company, or whether other existing IBP/S&OP solutions are a better way to go.

Comment on The Current Price of Oil- Principles of Supply and Demand (Part Two) by Nimigje

Nimigje — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:31:42 +0000

Hopefully, increasing the oil production from Saudi Arabia to the levels required by consumers, will work to bring the prices of crude oil down.
The strong economy, on crude oil countries is depended on oil exports, sustainable and reasonable prices.
The cash flow from oil on exporting countries, will be associated with investment on increasing the crude oil production and implementation on new projects, many countries have on hold because of low investment.
Sustainable economy on exporting countries is strongly depended with sustainable economies on importing countries.
Hopefully, Saudi Arabia efforts will be successful.

Comment on When a Customer Goes Public on Delivery Performance by Bill Seliger

Bill Seliger — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:24:39 +0000

With the competition between Airbus and Boeing I would have expected some strong contractual language in the sales contracts regarding delivery performance (and I’d suspect that potential customers are now making sure that type of language is in the contracts for any new orders). Since Boeing is a publicly-held company an amount this large would need to be disclosed at some point.

It will be interesting to observe if they start to execute with this supply chain (and I agree that not doing so carries tremendous financial risk for the organization).

Further evidence that new supply chain strategies carry increased risk (that must be understood and mitigated). I suspect there is enough material to write a few good books about the entire 787 saga just from the supply chain point of view.

Thanks for your blog – it’s an enjoyable read!

Comment on Redux- Can Regulatory Agencies Be Expected to Solely Police Global Supply Chains for Tainted Products by Bob Ferrari

Bob Ferrari — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:08:20 +0000

Hello Tom,

Thanks for sharing your perspective on this critical problem.

The industry can certainly be more proactive in insuring supply pedigree and safe supply across the extended life sciences supply chain. As noted, the challenge to overcome is perhaps not the availability of the technology but other organizational barriers.

Bob Ferrari

Comment on Redux- Can Regulatory Agencies Be Expected to Solely Police Global Supply Chains for Tainted Products by Tom Comstock

Tom Comstock — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:23:16 +0000

Bob, thanks for taking the time to follow up on this story and give us an update. The reality is that time is on the side of the supplier providing tainted goods. When you consider the complexity of today’s global manufacturing and supply chain processes, it is remarkable that the FDA inspectors were able to find any evidence of tampered materials – even after four years of works.

It is my perspective that an approach relying on government inspectors attempting to police global supply chain is probably not the best long term solution – and clearly not a quick one, based on the four years it took for these first actions to materialize. In the meantime, 80 people have died, which is tragic.

Not only should the industry take more of a proactive ownership on ensuring materials are legitimate, but the industry is in a far better position to actually implement a plan that could ensure 100 percent accuracy and tracking. These types of global trace and genealogy solutions exist today, and can be deployed far easier and for a lower cost than establishing an army of FDA and other inspectors trying to uncover where the next fraudulent supplier material comes from next.

Comment on The FDA Responds to Alleviate Life Saving Drug Shortages Involving the U.S. Drug Supply Chain by Procurement News from the US – Weekly Round-up — Spend Matters UK/Europe

Procurement News from the US – Weekly Round-up — Spend Matters UK/Europe — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:11:16 +0000

[...] to feature in-depth coverage of the life sciences and pharmaceutical supply chain on his site, Supply Chain Matters. Even though Bob addresses a range of supply chain and procurement-related topics, his continued [...]

Comment on New Signs of Counterfeit Drugs Infilitrating Pharmaceutical Drug Supply Chains by Adam J. Fein

Adam J. Fein — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:16:05 +0000

There was never a shortage of Avastin. The evidence shows that medical practices were the weak link in the supply chain. The 19 medical practices cited by the FDA knowingly purchased the fake product from a non-authorized distributor. By looking for a “good deal” outside of the legitimate channel, the physicians in charge of these practices were foolish, irresponsible, and unethical.

As I wrote on Drug Channels: Greedy Physicians Invite Fake Avastin Into the Supply Chain (http://www.drugchannels.net/2012/02/greedy-physicians-invite-fake-avastin.html).

The U.S. system is very safe, but only if buyers stay within it. Don’t buy from non-authorized distributors and don’t buy imported product on faith. Why is that so hard to understand?