Happy Supply Chain Day!

By eft writers on Apr 10, 2014

eft has been supporting and promoting the first-ever European Supply Chain Day which is occurring today (April 10th). The idea of the day is to celebrate the success of logistics as well as raise awareness of the great career opportunities that exist...


 
Over the last few weeks eft has been collecting quotes from a variety of different sources around the globe as to what ‘supply chain means to them’. We have collated quotes directly from supply chain practitioners and on twitter with the hash tag #SC4ME.
 
As expected there is no one definition – and this is a very good thing. What supply chain means to each individual and company is by its very nature diverse and personal. 
 
The great bastion of all knowledge truth….Wikipedia ;0) describes Supply Chain as follows:
 
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials, and components into a finished product that is delivered to the end customer. In sophisticated supply chain systems, used products may re-enter the supply chain at any point where residual value is recyclable
 
My old friend Ken Ackerman, summarizes his views a little more succinctly by explaining that supply chain is “moving stuff”.
 
But what does supply chain mean to me? And, can I explain it in 140 characters to fit twitter ;0) What I really want to say is that supply chain is ‘everything’….but I think I need to expand on that a little more. In the end I have cheated and come up with two definitions of what supply chain means for me (let’s just say it’s the only perk of being the writer of this article)
 
“Everything we consume & need is made possible because of supply chain. World Leaders & CEOs need to be reminded of this every day” 
 
“Without supply chain there is no commerce. It’s not just an important business function, it is the MOST important function” 
 
I do really think it is that important, and I’m still amazed that not every CEO or board always shares this opinion, but things are definitely shifting in the right direction.
 
Below you will find a number of the quotes we have received which all give a fantastic insight into how Supply Chain is perceived right now, and be sure to check out #SC4ME on twitter for the latest quotes.
“Supply Chain is the seamless planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing conversion and logistics, incorporating coordination and collaboration with partners and stakeholders through linking together major functions and processes, with an ultimate aim to focus on the customer.”
-  Joseph Fay, Supply Chain Leader, GE Water & Process

Supply Chain is the process from the supplier’s supplier to the customer’s customer and everything in between. To a lot of companies supply chain is only the process that they control.

- Hugh Williams, MD Hughenden Consulting

It meant nothing at all until I joined National Council of Physical Distribution Management back in the late '60s. Within a decade I went through the chairs of that group (now called CSCMP) and it had everything to do with enhancement of my career as an executive with a logistics service provider. In the mid '80s, the group changed its name by deleting "national" and substituting logistics for physical distribution. Then about a dozen years ago they changed the name again, dropping logistics and adding supply chain. Physical Distribution, Logistics and Supply Chain are related, and all are about "moving stuff".  I am proud to stay involved in "moving stuff", and supply chain is a good phrase to describe the process.
- Kenneth Ackerman CEO KB Ackerman

Supply chain means two main things to me. Change, not only are we involved as logistics professionals but even more so as consumers. Omni-channel, 3D printing, drones, what will these bring but even more what will come next? Global, making the globe more connected and joined up regardless of where it comes from or where it’s going"

- Nick Wyss, Head - Retail Europe, DHL Gloabl Forwarding 

 

Find all of the other quotes on twitter here #SC4ME

 
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