The SupplyChainBrain Podcast

Is the use of nanotechnology in manufacturing and poisoning workers? A recent report in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine discusses the case of a 26-year-old American factory worker who developed symptoms of throat irritation, nasal congestion and skin rash from exposure to nanoparticles used in the making of ink fluids. It's the first published case in North America of serious health effects arising from the use of materials that are one thousand times smaller than a human hair. Our guest on this episode, Dr. Shane Journeay, chief executive officer and president of Nanotechnology Toxicology Consulting Training, is a co-author of that report. He joins us to talk about its widespread implications for worker health and safety. More than 1,600 consumer products on the market today already incorporate nanoparticles, and total sales of nanotechnology are expected to reach $48.9b by 2017. Yet little is known about the long-term health effects of those materials, and regulators are still playing catch-up. Should manufacturers implement expensive precautionary measures now, or should they wait for more data?

Without question, creating sustainable global supply chains is a daunting challenge. But the biggest roadblock might be at the retail shelf. For all the progress that's been made, there remains a ''huge discrepancy'' between the supposed willingness of consumers to support sustainable products, and their actual buying habits. Until that gap is closed, items carrying the fair trade label will remain a ''niche market,'' according to Andréanne Grimard, director of economic development with Solidaridad North America. In this episode, she traces the work of Solidaridad in promoting a remarkable range of products, including coffee, tea, cotton, palm oil, soy, gold, cocoa, textiles, fruits and vegetables. She relates how Solidaridad formed its own importing companies for fair-trade bananas and bluejeans, when it couldn't find private interests to undertake the task – creating profitable ventures in the process. And she offers a candid assessment of the current state of public awareness of the sustainability issue. The verdict: there's a lot of work to be done.

Talk all you want about the deeper aspects of supplier-buyer relationships. But doesn't it always come down to price? Well, maybe. But supply-chain partners aren't doing an especially good job of managing that critical piece of the puzzle. In fact, the current approach is in many instances ''myopic and inefficient.'' So says Kate Vitasek, a member of the faculty in the University of Tennessee's Graduate and Executive Education program. The lead author of a new UT white paper on ''Unpacking Pricing Models,'' Vitasek joins us on this episode to explain how buyers can craft long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers, without ignoring the all-important element of price. She outlines the differences between controllable and uncontrollable costs, and shows how a considered approach to pricing models can address the underlying nature of cost structures, and avoid some of the traps that frustrate true collaboration.

Looking to implement new supply-chain software? Without proper change management, you're bound to fail. The most dazzling I.T. package will never deliver on its promise unless managers factor in the human element. That means dealing with a natural resistance to change. It's not just about the possibility of lost jobs, or the fear of becoming irrelevant to the organization. Many people simply resist being shaken out of their routines. Or they might be suffering from ''change fatigue'' – a common affliction within companies that are struggling to keep pace with ever-shifting markets and consumer behavior. Whatever the reason for employee pushback, executives need to pave the way for new technology, while creating a culture of teamwork and trust. Joining us on this episode with some tips and best practices are Joe Couto, senior vice president and general manager of Accellos, Inc., and Blake Barthelmess, chief information officer of Columbia Colstor, Inc.

Decades after its debut, radio frequency identification technology is finally poised to realize its potential in the retail sector. The key is item-level RFID – something that hasn't been possible up to now, thanks to high tag costs and the reluctance of many retailers to expend limited resources on its development. Finally, though, there's real progress being made – Macy's, Kohl's and Marks Spencer are just a few of the major retailers to have taken big strides toward the adoption of item-level RFID. Joining us on this episode to tell the story is Joseph Andraski, former supply-chain executive with Nabisco and founder of Collaborative Energizer LLC. He talks of his groundbreaking efforts in this area, including work on a new paper that outlines, for the first time, the benefits of item-level RFID for suppliers. The goal: timely access to accurate information all along the supply chain. ''That's coming,'' Andraski says. ''I'm absolutely convinced of it.''

Small or medium-sized suppliers looking to get their products into Walmart needn't fear the beast. Deserved or not, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has a reputation for dictating terms to its suppliers both large and small. Assuming the latter can even get a foot in the door, it would seem unlikely that they would get much personal attention or desirable shelf space. There is a way to work with Walmart, however, regardless of your size. In this episode, we speak with Hari Ganapathy, vice president of business development with Dun Bradstreet Credibility Corp., and Jeff Clapper, chief executive officer of 8th Walton. They discuss how small and medium-sized suppliers can approach Walmart, as well as deal with the consequences of success: pricing pressures, access to capital and a continued presence on the retailer's shelves. There really is a way to become a trusted advisor and partner of the world’s largest public corporation. Find out ''why the best and worst day of your life may be getting into Walmart.''

Manufacturers like the U.S. They really like it! So says the latest edition of the Manufacturing-Sourcing Outlook Study from AlixPartners. Believe it or not, the U.S. has become the number-one choice for companies seeking to reshore production back to the West, after decades of favoring China and other low-cost parts of Asia. Not to overstate the case, of course – manufacturers are a long way from bringing back all those jobs that fled the country over past years. But they're clearly giving thought to at least a partial return home. In this episode of the podcast, Russ Dillion, director in the Supply Chain Group of AlixPartners, reveals the factors that are responsible for the shift.

You'd like to think that the people who manage a global supply chain are as diverse as the pieces that make it up. But that's not always the case. To be sure, there are a good number of women occupying senior-level management positions in various parts of the supply chain today. Among them is Lynn Torrel, senior vice president of global supply chain and strategic accounts with Avnet, Inc. She has amassed 18 years of experience managing complex global supply chains for customers of a major distributor of electronics components and computer products. In this episode, Torrel traces the path of her career, and relates how she ended up in supply-chain management. (As with so many people in that discipline, it was something of a sideways journey.) She also offers a candid assessment of the leadership opportunities available to women today, in terms of advancement, mentorship and compensation.

Maybe people and robots can co-exist in the workplace after all. Automation isn't always about replacing humans with machines. In fact, recent advances in industrial technology are allowing them to work side by side. In this episode of the podcast, Julie Shah describes the work her team is doing on ''scheduling the choreography of robots'' in factories and distribution centers. She heads up the Interactive Robotics Group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. In the past, Shah says, robots and people often have had to be segregated in industrial environments, for reasons of safety and efficiency. Now they can function in much closer quarters, thanks to new safety features and algorithms that manage changes in the production line with maximum efficiency. It's all about ''understanding where people provide the most value,'' she says.

Wanted: 60 professional, dependable long-haul truck drivers – in the midst of a nationwide driver shortage. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Longistics is just a few months away from observing 30 years as a family-owned provider of global logistics services. But it has more to celebrate than that: rapid growth in the company's business is causing it to hire 60 additional truck drivers, forming 30 over-the-road teams, by this spring. Considering the chronic shortage of qualified drivers, that's no easy task. Making matters even more challenging is the nature of Longistics' business – it specializes in the movement of sensitive, high-security pharmaceuticals. Nicole Blake, director of human resources, joins us on this episode to outline the company's strategy for attracting talent in a tight market – and retaining that talent once it's on board.