technology and supply chains

getting future ready - tomorrow's supply chain skills today

Mark McKenzie, CEO, Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association

The bushfires that ravaged so many parts of Australia last summer brought into sharp focus how integral supply chains are to our lives. The crisis caused highway closures, production stoppages, power outages, flight cancellations and delays, revealing what we normally take for granted: an invisible and seamless network of planning, coordination and delivery.

understanding interconnected supply chains is a key skill in horticulture and related industries

Esther Ngang, Chair of the Amenity Horticulture, Landscaping, Conservation and Land Management Industry Reference Committee

Knowing where the needle in that strawberry came from or how a plant became contaminated by a chemical spray can be a make-or-break proposition for a business. Unfortunately, though, such end-to-end traceability is not front of mind for most horticultural and landscaping businesses…until disaster strikes. The grower might have no idea about a disgruntled employee on another farm. While they would know which trucking company they used, they may not be aware of what other products had been in the truck carrying their consignment.

big data and automation are transforming the local petrol station

Mark McKenzie, CEO, Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association

Supply chains are changing dramatically in the fuel industry. No longer does the pump operator go out to physically check how much fuel is left in the tank or count how many packets of chips are still on the shelf. These things are being done by sophisticated software.

the circular economy is creating demand for new talent

Meriel Chamberlin, Founder of Full Circle Fibres

‘Knowing your supply chain gives you the power to do good,’ says Meriel Chamberlin, Founder of Full Circle Fibres and member of the Australian Government’s Cross Sector Supply Chain Skills Project Reference Group.
Yet, the compulsion to get everything for the lowest price or to produce something as cheaply as possible is still hardwired into today’s commerce. Things are, however, beginning to shift as environmental conditions force change and consumers become more discerning. Buyers want to know that the person who made their T-shirt did so under decent working conditions, that the farm where the fibre was grown paid their workers properly. People are also realising that retail prices need to account for the costs of water and carbon.

ethical procurement is just the right thing to do; it's good for business too

Tanya Harris, Global Procurement Manager for the Fred Hollows Foundation

Supply chains touch everything and everyone. They represent much more than just a box making its way from the factory to the home. Rather, they are the sum of a whole lot of complex human interactions in a product’s country of origin, the factory, the packaging company, the warehouse, along various modes of transport, at border and customs controls, in the retail outlet or the post office. We all need to understand these processes and to appreciate the complex skills that underpin them, says Tanya Harris, Global Procurement Manager for the Fred Hollows Foundation and member of the Australian Government’s Cross-Sector Supply Chain Skills Project Reference Group.

tracking the digital footpath from manufacturer to customer in the printing industry

Brett Maishman, National Sales Manager, Channels Production at Fuji Xerox Australia

What first comes to mind when you think about the technology that is shaping the printing and graphic arts industry? 3-D printers, inkjet and large format printing, digital design, perhaps. As well as these, the industry is being transformed by digital supply chains. These unified computing environments integrate numerous technologies, activities, outputs and supply chain flows. They are revolutionising procurement and inventory management and helping to promote sustainability across the industry. The flow on from these changes is a demand for new skills in all parts of the printing community, from the technology manufacturing hubs, paper merchants, consumable suppliers and the vast range of printing businesses, who cater to a myriad of end customers.