Supply Chain Integration
For a major manufacturer of pharmaceuticals,
Harkness Wilder was engaged to evaluate the overall effectiveness of
the entire supply chain, including materials purchasing, sales
forecasting, inventory control, order processing and customer
service, warehousing, and transportation. The focus was on process
efficiencies, internal controls, costs, technology, and industry
best practices. With information gathered from internal and external
interviews, historical data and site visits, we conducted an
analysis to determine Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and
Opportunities in the current environment. We also developed a
benchmarking study and secured involvement from other leading
healthcare companies, to compare best practices. Our recommendations
were prioritized based on ease of implementation and value to the
organization, and were delivered in a formal presentation with
supporting data. Our recommendations included a shift in the
logistics organization, improved freight management practices,
technology enhancements, distribution network consolidations, a
standardized forecasting process, an SKU-based inventory model, a
strategic sourcing and collaborative planning approach for critical
ingredients and services, and more.
