Category Archives: manufacturer

Managing small firm supply chain pressures

A Wall Street Journal article (February 22, 2022) titled “Worried About Inflation and Supply Constraints? Try Being a Small Business”, describes the longer supply lead times, how higher prices and higher demand, yet lower bank credit access. The article claims … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, competitiveness, delivery, disruption, manufacturer, Operations Management, Prices, Supply Chain Issues, technology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Manufacturers thinking holistically about opening in the New Normal

A report published by Purdue’s DCMME (https://tinyurl.com/y5579emz) describes an approach to leverage smart technology to enable manufacturers to operate as they open after the pandemic. The report describes process adjustments to prevent infection spread and rethinking the economics of technology … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, manufacturer, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 48 Comments

Planning for Brexit related upheaval

An article in the Wall Street Journal (February 1, 2019) titled “Secret Truck Routes and backup Storage”, describes plans by one UK company, Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH. The company gets 60% of its components weekly from suppliers across Europe, assembles it … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, congestion, Cost, disruption, logistics, manufacturer, mgmt5612019, Operations Management | Tagged , , , , | 59 Comments

Tesla acquiring trucking capacity to complete deliveries by December 31

An article in the TechCrunch site titled “Tesla acquires trucking companies to squeeze in more deliveries before Dec. 31” describes the federal electric vehicle tax credit of $7,500 that winds down by Dec 31st, and is available only to customers … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, car, consumer, Cost, delivery, emb2020, logistics, manufacturer, Tesla | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments

Should the lower shipping prices from China to the US end ?

An article in the Wall Street Journal (October 17, 2018) titled “No More Mail Privilege for China as U.S. to end deep discounts in packages” describes the classification of China as a “tier 3” country while the U.S. is a … Continue reading

Posted in consumer, Cost, delivery, Global Contexts, logistics, manufacturer, Prices | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Managing the supply chain when facing “Matcha Madness”

A video posted in the Atlantic (though made by AT&T to showcase its digital capabilities and available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=129&v=u_lUD3WHz1s) describes the rush to use matcha as a food ingredient fro beverages, cupcakes and more. With harvests at select periods, volatile … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, competitiveness, consumer, Cost, delivery, manufacturer, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Exporting hurricane damaged “total loss” cars

An article in the Wall Street Journal (April 5, 2018) titled “Hurricane-Damaged Cars Moving Again as U.S. Exports”, describes the disposition of over 600,000 cars declared a “total loss” i.e., whose repair cost would exceed their replacement cost. These cars … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, consumer, Cost, delivery, logistics, manufacturer, ship, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability | Leave a comment

Fingerlings – the miniature monkey toy best seller during the 2017 Holiday season

An article in BBC.COM (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42374523) describes the Fingerling – an animatronic toy made by a Hong Kong based Canadian company, WowWee. The article describes the early launch in the UK and Canada, and an internet buzz on social media that … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, consumer, Cost, delivery, manufacturer, mgmt5612018, Operations Management, ordering, Prices, Supply Chain Issues, transport | Tagged , , , , , | 65 Comments

Ecommerce custom furniture by MaidenHome

An ecommerce company (https://www.maidenhome.com) offers customizable furniture, free delivery within six weeks, lifetime warranty, 30 day money back guarantee and prices around $2000 for furniture that would otherwise cost $6000.  They claim that working directly with craftsmen in North Carolina … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, consumer, Cost, delivery, Ecommerce, emb2019, imm2018, logistics, Made in USA, manufacturer, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

The Jones Act and Puerto Rico relief delivery costs

An article in the Wall Street Journal (September 26,2017) titled “Second-Class Puerto Rico” claims that given the Jones Act (which requires “use of vessels built, majority owned and operated by Americans” to transport between US ports i.e., US to Puerto … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, Cost, logistics, Made in USA, manufacturer, Operations Management, ship, Supply Chain Issues, transport | Tagged , , | 2 Comments