West Coast ports— the supply chain migraine
With West Coast gateways processing 60 per cent of goods shipped from Asia, John Denslinger explores contract negotiations and the importance of automation. Just as global supply problems seem to be easing, maybe not. Negotiations seeking a new multiyear agreement between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) opened in early May. On 1 July, the current West Coast Port contract expired with no agreement in place. Undoubtably, wages, job security and automation will be the most contentious issues at the center of any deal. Talks are expected to linger. Fortunately, sanity reigns for…
Unravelling global supply chains, a catalyst for smart factories
John Denslinger explores the idea that the cost savings offered by smart factories, Industry 4.0 and AI lay the foundations for a new generation of localized supply chains. Since the early 1980s, global supply chains were developed with cost minimization as the driving force. Given that as the prime metric, success was commonplace and adoption flourished. In the decades that followed, combined advancements in systems, communication technology and transportation modes helped spearhead more complex multinational networks further lowering operational and procurement costs. The ability to build anywhere, in any country, across any region seemed limitless. It was limitless until a…
Smart-home: it’s a matter of time
Using his own experience planning and integrating a Smart-home, John Denslinger, is looking forward to new device compatibility technology due in 2022. Forty years in the electronics industry and still fascinated by innovative technology: how great is that? So, when I decided to build a new house in 2021, I knew it had to be Smart. Typically, I wouldn’t expound on a personal activity, but the experience produced some real eye-openers worthy of honest, technical discussion. Planning a Smart-home was easy, integrating one was not. The market is flooded with products covering every imaginable function and under-estimating the importance of…
Quest for sustainable electronics
As consumers escalate environmental, social and governance expectations for publicly traded companies, John Denslinger argues there is only one downside: failure to act. ESG, carbon neutral, zero emissions, e-waste, sustainability and similar environmental stewardship labels are more than just talking points in company boardrooms and investment communities. Maybe it was the pandemic that elevated consciousness and the social value of safeguarding the health/safety of employees, workplace, consumer and environment. To be that socially responsible is not a small undertaking. It requires unconditional resource allocation and perhaps a total revamp of business. One only needs to look at the epic investment…
Forecast and procurement’s 2022 Bucket List
John Denslinger future gazes into 2022 and prepares a Bucket List for procurement professionals to help them handle the wave of demand about to reach shore. From a business perspective, it all starts with a forecast and one key baseline is global GDP. According to its world economic outlook released October 2021, IMF projects global GDP at +4.9 per cent for 2022, down slightly from 2021’s post-pandemic rebound of +5.9 per cent. Lingering supply chain and capacity issues are expected and will likely hamper growth throughout the first half. Not factored are the consequences of Covid variants which could derail…
Unsnarling America’s supply lines
In this article, John Denslinger investigates the scope of work required to unsnarl America’s supply lines, covering causal, flow and macro-economic factors. After years of stellar operational performance applying lean manufacturing and efficient JIT techniques, America’s supply lines have broken down. This isn’t to say lean and JIT are the cause, but rather highlight the need to stretch the scope of work if we are to unsnarl America’s supply lines in short order. The movement to globalize supply chains started around the time China was admitted to the WTO in 2001. The success that followed delivered positive results to many…