Critical Issues Manufacturing/Supply Chain

By Mark Hughes, regional vice president UK and Ireland, Epicor.

The introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies is changing expectations around what insights and capabilities ERP software should deliver to the enterprise.

Major general merchandise retailers, comprising mixed formats as well as speciality hardgoods and softgoods chains, account for 2.6 million POS software installations globally.

The pharmaceutical industry is preparing for an accelerated pace of consolidation, with the number of mergers up 39 per cent since 2017¹. This year has already witnessed its first ‘super merger’ between two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Bristol-Myers and Celgene, valued at $74 billion.²

Manufacturing output growth slowed in the quarter to February, while order books improved slightly, according to the latest monthly CBI Industrial Trends Survey.

Ultra Consultants, Inc., an independent enterprise solution consulting firm serving the manufacturing and distribution sector, has unveiled an industry survey conducted by Mint Jutras, researchers specialising in analysing the business impact of enterprise applications. The in-depth report resulting from the survey is titled The Real Facts about ERP Implementation: Busting the Myth of Failure, But Are You Overrating Your Success?

By Craig Summers, UK Managing Director, Manhattan Associates.

Embracing technology is a prerequisite for success in the modern retail environment. There are many ways in which retailers can deliver a new in-store experience – and while some retailers will undoubtedly look to emulate the human touch free Amazon Go model, for many others, human interaction is the primary and fundamental component of a positive bricks and mortar experience.

By John Perry, managing director at SCALA, provider of management services for the supply chain and logistics sector.

With EU negotiators seemingly ruling out the possibility of a second referendum, Labour demanding customs union membership, and Theresa May still doggedly pursuing her universally unpopular agreement, we seem to be hurtling ever-faster towards a no-deal Brexit.

The UK grocery retail industry could lose up to £4.5bn revenue in the three months after Brexit if retailers are not prepared by 29 March, analysis from operational improvement specialist Newton has revealed.

This year’s Annual Manufacturing Report, launched today at the House of Lords, finds UK manufacturers optimistically preparing to ride out the Brexit rollercoaster and expand their overseas exports.

Around 96,000* UK retailers are putting their business at risk by failing to grasp the importance of an effective pricing strategy. The figure was published in a report by pricing and automation specialist, Omnia Retail, which questioned retail businesses on the scope and efficacy of their pricing processes.