Supply Chain Management

Walmart U.S. has delivered three consecutive months of positive same store sales. That means big plans for growth through 2013 even though operating expenditures will decrease significantly. New stores will add between 45 and 49 million square feet worldwide in the next fiscal year. The company also forecasted sales growth between 5 and 7 percent for fiscal year 2013.

Today's supply chain is challenged by increasing variability, uncertainty and complexity. There is a need to plan globally to execute locally, but the intricacies are daunting. Find out how Conair and Newell Rubbermaid are tackling the challenge with technology.

CGT Editor Alliston Ackerman gives you a sneak peek into the trends and topics discussed in this month's issue.

After 15 years of growth by way of acquiring multiple businesses, Maple Leaf Foods was operating in a disjointed environment that created unnecessary complexity. The company is now implementing common business processes across all business units, enabled by a massive and rapid ERP consolidation.

Although Jessica Simpson and Rihanna are just a few of the celebrities for whom Parlux Fragrances creates branded fragrances, it is still a relatively small operation. The company recently gained a competitive edge with execution improvements despite a major relocation.

Sun-Maid has never had a product recall, but that doesn't mean the company isn't prepared for one. As a major contributor to the Rapid Recall Exchange, Sun-Maid points to some of the features that make it an important part of the company's product recall and market withdrawal process.

A Q&A with Robert F. Byrne of Terra Technology reveals insight for grasping downstream data opportunities, using it at different levels and harnessing its full potential in the supply chain.

The greeting card and giftware manufacturer transformed the replenishment of store-level inventories from a traditional and manual process into one that has enabled the company to optimize inventory and increase sales by more than 30 percent.