@Risk

Pharmaceutical companies are facing increasing pressure to update their supply chains.

For some, it’s going to be an uphill battle.

A new report from PwC US concludes that many pharmaceutical supply chains have suffered from what amounts to benign neglect. Now, they are inefficient, under-utilized and ill-equipped to cope with new medicines, cost pressures and health reform expectations.

Essentially, the pharma supply chain needs to adopt a new consumer-oriented focus. As a result, PwC says we can expect the pharma supplier network to become: (more…)

Earlier this month, retailers declared the holiday season a huge success.

Now, it looks as though buying for Valentine’s Day will follow suit.

The latest eBillme Online Spending Index is out, and it shows that:

• 19 percent of consumers plan to spend more money this year on Valentine’s Day gifts, a seven percent increase over last year.

• Interestingly, nearly one-third (32 percent) of consumers plan to do their Valentine’s Day shopping online this year, a nine percent increase over last year

The eBillme Online Spending Index is a quarterly survey conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research and released by eBillme. The Index polls 1,200 consumers to measure projected online spending for the quarter and the influencing factors.

So, what are shoppers planning to purchase for their Valentines? According to the survey, (more…)

Component suppliers for tablet computers are shifting into overdrive.

Last week, Elizabeth Woyke at Forbes reported that one Chinese supplier of iPad components shipped more than 6 million parts to Apple during the third quarter of the year. This same supplier expects to ship 7 million more in the fourth quarter.

The article also says that Brian White, an analyst from Ticonderoga Securities, has heard that sales numbers for the iPad could reach a whopping 45 million in 2011.

Of course, this is all speculation because Apple, staying true to form, remains tight-lipped about its iPad sales figures. We know that the company sold more than 3 million tablets in the first three months after its launch. However, no new numbers have been revealed since then. The most analysts can hope for is an update later this month when Apple reports its earnings.

(Just as a point of reference, let me offer this: As remarkable as it sounds, Johnny Evans at Computerworld estimates that an iPad is now sold every second of every minute of every day.) (more…)

Container manufacturers aren’t the only ones ill-equipped to meet a significant upturn in demand.

New research from PRTM suggests that global corporations, in general, face significant hurdles with their supply chains now that the economy is starting to rebound.

PRTM’s Global Supply Chain Trends 2010–2012 Survey—the largest annual survey of global supply chains ever conducted by the firm –polled nearly 350 senior management execs from Europe, the Americas and Asia. The study found that even though these execs are optimistic about the future, most are concerned that their global operations won’t be able to keep pace with new demand.

For example: (more…)

General Motors is abandoning its traditional summer-shut down in order to keep up with buyer demand.

Typically, GM plants in the U.S. shut down for two weeks in late June-early July. But, last week the company announced that this year, most of its domestic plants will forego the traditional shut-down to help meet increasing demand from buyers.

The decision is expected to generate up to 56,000 additional vehicles. (more…)