Warehouse Management Warehouse Management continues to be a critical function in the global supply chain. Many innovations continue . . .

Warehouse Management

Warehouse Management continues to be a critical function in the global supply chain. Many innovations continue to be introduced to enhance operational capabilities, as well as to allow those who manage the warehouse to introduce new services to their customers and partners.

To learn more about how ChainLink Research can help you with warehouse management, please contact us via email or call us.

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• Manhattan Moves Further Into the Store -- Manhattan has roots as a Warehouse Management System vendor, but is increasingly providing a broader solution footprint for use in retail stores (and across the supply chain). Here are observations from this year's user conference.
• Omni Channel: Start Asking the Right Questions! -- So much has been written about Omni, but there hasn't been too much real guidance. ChainLink has provided actionable insights to help manufacturers, brand, and retailers think more deeply about Omni and develop strategies and methods for success.
• JDA Gets in Focus -- Updates and Insights from JDA's FOCUS 2015 Conference.
• It's 58 Shopping Days till Christmas -- Impact of Omni-Channel, Home Delivery, and the Biggest Christmas Ever on Logistics.
• A Hot Summer -- The hot market for Mergers and Acquisitions continues; and these deals are pretty big, overall. Last month we showcased several M&As. But that seems to be just the beginning of the story...
• Manhattan Enabling Retail's Transformation -- We are at a time of profound change in the retail industry, especially the role of the physical store. Manhattan seems to be in a strong position to enable and benefit from this transition. Here are some highlights from their recent user conference.
• JDA's Opportunity for Reinvention -- With the RedPrairie merger and past acquisitions, JDA has amassed what is arguably the most powerful collection of supply chain planning and execution software on the planet. At their recent annual conference, they laid out their strategy for turning that collection of assets into a more cohesive and value-generating whole.

Supply Chain Market: (Parts 1-2)

• The Value of Supply Chain Solutions -- The supply chain market continues to grow, but is changing in the types of technology that users are interested in and the value they require...
  
• Supply Chain Market - Continued -- We take a look at the role of purpose-driven supply chain platforms in attaining Omni-channel.

• Wholesale Riding High -- Wholesale Distribution continues to grow a bit faster than the US economy. Why? And what Supply Chain capablities should they master in order to continue?
• Report: Merged Channel Nirvana -- Merged Channel is a hot topic, catapulted by the suddenness of mobile popularity. Beyond the buzz, companies need to provide the right mix of services, messages, and pricing. In this special issue on Merged Channel, the writers challenge your thinking about what it takes for successful merged channel management.
• Omni-Channel Inventory: Getting the Big Picture -- Retailers want to provide a great omni-channel experience. This requires a foundation of precise, real-time inventory visibility all the way from the supplier to the end consumer and everywhere in between.
• Supply Chain's Christmas Checklist -- This document is designed to provide an across-supply-chain 'checklist' of practices and actionable suggestions to tune your supply chain for better performance, to deal with volatile and seasonal challenges, no matter what the season.
• Momentum 2012 and McKesson's Total-Cost-to-Serve Project -- Highlights from Manhattan Associates' annual conference, with a description, lessons learned to-date, and expected benefits from McKesson's implementation of Manhattan's Total-Cost-to-Serve product.
• WMS Cloud Solutions Take More than a Cloud -- The real world of successfully operating Warehouse solutions in the cloud has many technical and business components.
• Extending the Reach of the DC -- Integrating logistics, all the way from the source plant through the DC onto the store shelf, reduces errors, exceptions and transit times.


• Kiva Cuts the Ribbon on New Facility in Massachusetts -- With so much talk about off-shoring, it's nice to see building up of jobs and facilities in the US. The US overall has seen an increase of 9% in output and 13% job recovery in the manufacturing sector. Firms like KIVA support that positive trend.
• Warehouse Management Technology 2nd Decade - Report -- This report covers what warehouses do today, special challenges of warehouse integration (such as multi-channel retail, global sourcing, risk management, logistics networks, and 3PLs challenges), a framework for evaluating the solutions, industry-specific support requirements (e.g. retail, cold chain, Pharma and FDA-regulated products, high tech and light assembly), and comparisons of the leading Warehouse Management Software solutions available today. There are real differences, so it is worth your time to understand these differences before you buy.
• Responsive Supply Chains Thru Flexible Warehouses -- The benefits of more responsive supply chains are understood, but creating agile processes , especially for warehouses, to improve Customer experience can be a challenge. Several new technologies have emerged to help create flexible warehouses.

WMS Technology Series: (Parts 1-5)


• WMS Technology Part One: The 3PL Challenge -- 3PL warehouses have unique challenges that should determine their purchase of WMS software.


• WMS Technology Part Two: SaaS vs. on-premises solutions in the warehouse -- Well, actually, it's not in the Warehouse. SaaS WMS Solutions show Market Momentum.


• WMS Technology Part Three - Vertical Properties of the Warehouse Solution -- Warehouse Management Systems should be selected based on your industry. Here are some industrty-specific requirements and what's available from various WMS vendors


• WMS Technology Part Four - Returns and Recalls -- 3PL warehouses have unique challenges that should drive their purchase of WMS software.


• WMS Technology Part Five - Service Management -- Service and Maintenance as part of warehouse operations is not just warehouse management software features, but RFID, Voice, and of course, Service Parts Planning.


• Christmas Buildup in the Warehouse -- Warehouse Management Strategies need to be looked at in order to prepare for new retail realities.
• Barcoding and Bulk Warehousing - WMV video -- A key premise in warehouse optimization is design for optimal performance. But in spite of the best of intentions, items are frequently not 'where you put them,' since goods and containers keep getting moved. Barcode scanning has helped to some degree, but what really works well is a warehouse that can support a 'fixed location' (binning) environment. In this video, Toby Rush (of Rush Tracking Systems) demonstrates the problem quite well.

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