2015 MHI Annual Industry Report: Supply Chain Innovation – Making the Impossible Possible

Supply chains face constant pressure to do more with less.

After years of cost-cutting and efficiency improvements, the pressure to reduce costs while simultaneously boosting performance continues unabated - with no end in sight.

These conflicting challenges are putting pressure on margins and creating headaches for supply chain executives who are often stuck between the rock and hard place of slashing expenses and building new capabilities.

As many supply chain organizations have spent years cutting costs and eliminating waste, incremental improvements are leading to diminishing returns.

This is driving the need for supply chain executives to seek more innovative solutions.

Eight Technologies that are Reshaping the Supply Chain Landscape
The survey focused on eight technologies that are driving next-generation supply chains:

• Inventory and network optimization tools
• Sensors and automatic identification
• Cloud computing and storage
• Robotics and automation
• Predictive analytics
• Wearable and mobile technology
• 3D printing
• Driverless vehicles and drones