In the 2008 time frame, appliance giant Whirlpool was touting its new "supply chain of the future," based on combining its own network with that of acquired rival Maytag, speeding deliveries to customers, reducing inventories and built to managing heady growth.
All was well - until the Great Recession hit, and unit volumes tumbled. Now, the network needed to be rethought yet again. Get the idea? Constant change.
All of which led Whirlpool's supply chain execs to realize that supply chain network design is a core competence that needed to be developed and exercised on a continuous basis, leading to the creation of small team under the leadership of Brian Streu to developed that competence and create a network design center of excellence.
In other words, Whirlpool transformed supply chain network design from a "project" undertaken based on some major event or need (merger, dramatically changing economic conditions) to a "process" that was baked into Whirlpool's overall approach to supply chain.
That transformation is summarized in the slide below, which Streu presented in a recent Videocast on our Supply Chain Television Channel, as he partnered with Toby Brzoznowski of network design solution provider LLamsoft on the broadcast.
Whirlpool's Supply Chain Network Design Transformation
Source: Brian Streu, Whirlpool
During the broadcast, Streu describes this evolution at Whirlpool in detail and its success, while Brzoznowski summarized four new key network design competencies that supply chain leaders are developing. The on-demand version of this excellent Videocast can be accessed here: Supply Chain Design as a Continuous Business Process.
"The question becomes what can you do well, and how can you accelerate it and drive value in the organization," Streu said on the broadcast, adding "Because once you drive value there is no doubt people will come looking for help."
Any Feedback on our Supply Chain Graphic of the Week? Let us know your thoughts at the Feedback section below.
Your Comments/Feedback
|
