Key Themes

We’re in the process of finalizing the agenda for 2012, and key themes which are already emerging for the program include:

Supply chain in a rapidly changing world:

• Capitalizing on new market opportunities
• Analyzing impact of shift in labor costs on supply chain in North America

Volatility in commodity prices and its impact on the supply chain:

• Current trends for key commodities: oil, steel and plastic
• Impact of growing middle classes in China and India on commodity prices
• Neutralizing the risk of price change through innovative hedging strategies

Supply chain innovation:

• Reinvent production & distribution in order to reach consumers in emerging markets
• How are emerging markets contributing to innovation in the supply chain?
• Developing joint collaboration innovation with suppliers

Supply chain sustainability:

• Developing criteria for sustainably sourcing
• Identifying green initiatives that can improve productivity of your suppliers
• Ensuring successful transition to sustainable raw materials

Demand driven supply chain:

• Ensuring smooth transition from Push to Pull model
• Using Lean to convert from Make to Stock to Made to Order
• Strong fundamentals of MTO supply chains

Complexity in the global supply chain:

• Managing growing customer and supplier base
• Balancing standardization vs. customization
• Shortening your supply chain in order to improve accuracy of forecasting