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    Categories: Supply Chain Management Course

Best Supply Chain Practices – How Leading Companies are Doing It

If you are working or aspiring to work in logistics or supply chain, you must have heard these phrases:-

  • Innovation is king.
  • Commitment to a reduction in non-value-added tasks is key.
  • Invest only in required inventory.
  • End-to-end visibility access should be the goal.

Supply chain online courses help you understand the heart of it all. However, there is no substitute for practical learning, right?

This is why here is a list of leading companies and their supply chain best practices that can help you make yours more efficient and robust.

  1. Ford Motor Co. – Automotive

The USP of Ford Motors is that it gives equal importance to information flow and material flow while managing its supply chain.

The big automotive conglomerate has centralised its supply chain information and functionality in a single global material manufacturing system. This gives the suppliers of Ford direct access to real-time inventory and shipping data, which is updated on a daily basis.

This allows the suppliers and vendors to have accurate information at all times so they can be prepared and equipped to deliver the requisite quantity beforehand.

Furthermore, Ford also utilises technology to provide more accurate and timely information to manage its internal and external processes and provide its customers with better information about specific vehicle locations.



  1. Unilever – Consumer Packaged Goods

As of 2019, Unilever has successfully acquired more than 400 brands, many of which were unprofitable and constricted its logistics resources.

You can gain a lot of insights into managing logistics and supply chain from Unilever’s logistics operations. The company has consolidated nearly 30 warehouses down to just five. However, don’t be mistaken; these five warehouses were turned into massive distribution centres that are now capable of shipping customer orders within a day’s time.

Furthermore, to increase asset utilisation, lower inventories, and improve overall service, Unilever adopted collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment relationships with retail customers. You can learn all about these hefty words and their application by pursuing credible supply chain online courses.

  1. PepsiCo Inc. – Food & Beverage

For PepsiCo, collaboration is the key.

The company has engineered the development of a direct store delivery (DSD) model that enables them to eliminate:-

  • The warehousing step in the process of getting high-turnover.
  • Supply of high-volume perishable goods such as soft drinks and snacks to the market.

Instead, it allows suppliers to take their products directly to the store, freeing up warehouse space for retailers. Ultimately, this practice has allowed PepsiCo to handle its product sales and inventories more efficiently.

There are a lot of resources through which you can gain in-depth knowledge about supply chain management. However, if you want to gain a well-rounded education and fulfil a supply chain management career requirement, consider enrolling for credible supply chain online courses. One such online professional course you can rely on is the IIM supply chain management online course. Offered on the Talentedge platform, this course can help you explore every intricacy and career opportunity in operations and supply chain management.

  • Dell Inc. – High-Tech Electronics

  1. As of July 2020, Dell Technologies Inc has posted $92.2 Billion of revenue.
  2. Even more impressively, the hike in revenue was accompanied by a 31.8% increase in profit.
  3. Furthermore, Dell expects to share the repurchase program of up to $1 billion over the next year.

Truth be told, the secret to Dell’s success are the direct models’ works and the single-minded adherence to supply chain excellence. The company has manufactured over 79 million units worldwide in 2020 but carries only a few days worth of inventory.

The competitors, on the other hand, carry between 20-30 days worth of inventory. Furthermore, the company has long-term relationships with its suppliers that help the brand streamline its inventory management as well.

The vendors are an integral part of the success of the supply chain for Dell.

If you want to thrive in this domain, consider scouting and enrolling in one of the best supply chain management online course in India. These courses can give you 360-degree exposure to every intricacy in supply chain and logistics, allowing you to build your technical prowess.

  1. Amazon.com – eCommerce

When you talk about supply chain management, Amazon is one name you cannot afford to miss.

Amazon is one of the biggest eCommerce and cloud computing companies and one of the world’s largest online retailers. If you are aspiring to gain some professional guidance in supply chain management, Amazon’s case study is the ideal source.

Being an online eCommerce marketplace, Amazon invests heavily in software systems, warehousing, transportation, etc. The success of Amazon’s supply chain’s success lies in the direct control the company has over the key performance areas, including order processing, packaging, delivery, replacements, reverse logistics, and, of course, customer service.

Credible supply chain online courses can help you gain hands-on practical experience in the best practices of this domain. However, if you are looking to learn from the practical experience of industry experts, the IIM supply chain management online course is the ideal choice. This course conducts sessions with business tycoons and industry experts, allowing you to learn from their personal experience.

  1. Apple Inc. – Consumer Electronics

iPhone, iPads, Macintosh, Apple TV, Apple smartwatch, etc. – all these products may be on your wishlist on every application in your phone. And why not? Apple has managed to become one of the most highly innovative companies in the world. And the highly advanced supply chain is what supports the creative drive of Apple.

Apple has found a balance between complexity and required simplicity of supply chain management through advanced software systems and tight inventory control. The consumer electronic giant is leveraging contract manufacturing, inventory rationalisation, supplier base consolidation, and distribution network integration to manage its supply chain successfully.

Bottom Line

If you want to learn the application of these lessons, it’s important that you enrol for credible supply chain online courses. The IIM supply chain management online course offers comprehensive practical knowledge into inventory management software, dynamic supply chain management, and global strategy formulation for logistics and supply chain, ultimately helping you pioneer and improve your supply chain process.

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