As many of us know there is a big difference between a ‘Boss’ and a ‘Leader’ and it’s all down to leadership. I feel leadership is a word that gets thrown around a bit too much because, like most things, there are different standards or ‘levels’ of leaders and they are all very different. LeadershipContinue reading “The 5P’s of Leadership”
Category Archives: Operations
What is an e-highway?
First of all I will tell you what it’s not – its nothing to do with email or the internet! An e-highway, ehighway or electric highway is a modified section of highway (or motorway in the UK) for the use of electric vehicles, principally heavy goods vehicles (HGV). But we already have electric vehicles? IContinue reading “What is an e-highway?”
Why do people drive so badly?
According to the charity Brake, a million people die each year on the World’s roads. What causes so many deaths? Why do people drive so badly? What can an employer do to help? Well, actually there are lots of reasons. It may be bravado, carelessness, being in too much of a hurry, or just sheerContinue reading “Why do people drive so badly?”
How cross-docking can accelerate your despatch
Anyone who has managed any form of traditional warehouse can understand how precious time is to daily operations. So even the slightest improvement in efficiency or accuracy can be a huge benefit and boost to warehouse productivity. Time and process strategies such as Lean management can help reduce some wasteful processes but tend to focusContinue reading “How cross-docking can accelerate your despatch”
International Procurement
International procurement can give your company a wider variety of potential suppliers and provides more options for competition. Many international suppliers are happy compete competitively for international contracts. Before making your supply chain global by jumping into international procurement there are some points to consider: Supply Volume Large-scale manufacturing sites in operation often require aContinue reading “International Procurement”
Tender Types and Procedures
Before a tender is prepared and released to prospective suppliers the purchasing company will need to decide on the type of tender procedure they wish to use. The tender procedure used will define the interaction with any prospective suppliers and how these suppliers will submit their tender contract application. Each procedure has its advantages and disadvantagesContinue reading “Tender Types and Procedures”
Ethical Procurement
Ethical procurement is no longer just a matter of trust between the buyer and supplier in the supply chain. There are a number of factors that must be considered. Of course, purchasing ethics plays a part in both global and local procurement but it can be more of an issue internationally. A willing or previouslyContinue reading “Ethical Procurement”
UK Port Congestion – what happened?
Most of the UK seaports have been (and some still are) suffering from severe congestion. It is extremely frustrating for the ports, freight forwarders and importers alike. If you have been effected, like me, you may be wondering – what happened? From what I can observe, like most problems, a number of factors have contributedContinue reading “UK Port Congestion – what happened?”
The Five Main Tender Principles
Tendering is the process of enabling prospective suppliers to bid and compete for a specific purchase or service requirement for your company. The tender document outlines the specific requirement and the whole process filters prospective suppliers to determine the most suitable to fulfil the requirement. There are five main ethical and legal principles that mustContinue reading “The Five Main Tender Principles”
Energy – The Hidden Waste
No company likes waste, in fact many companies implement systems to actively try and eliminate waste such as Lean 5S and Six Sigma. The problem is – these systems are designed for reducing time and process waste and do not directly address company energy waste. Surprisingly, the most efficient ‘Lean’ manufacturing or logistics company canContinue reading “Energy – The Hidden Waste”
AK Logistics and Supply Chain 