This group of Supply Chain executives comes together each month for an hour-long “virtual roundtable” to discuss Supply Chain topics and best practices. The call typically includes an Industry guest speaker who offers a point of view on a selected topic. Discussion on the topic is moderated by Bill Cantwell, the former (and recently retired) senior vice president for supply-chain management at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
The objective of the roundtable is to maintain an intimate forum for shared perspectives. Group members are not expected to attend each call - but to participate on a regular basis. Topics are chosen based on input from the group and members connect via conference call and webex. Nothing is recorded. Starting in 2009, we have opened this group up to all process industry customers, not just chemicals.
This month our guest speaker is Stephen Crane, CSCP, Director Strategic Supply Chain Management, NAFTA, at Wacker Polymers LS. Stephen will offer his point of view on the following:
"In today's business environment, it is important that a business be agile as well as efficient. Supply chains can help achieve this through the ability to respond quickly to customer demand and by reducing operating costs. Heightened customer expectations and shorter channel response times will be difficult to achieve for some companies, but for those that can deliver the right product in a timely fashion, increased market share and profitability will be the reward. The Performance Polymers business at Air Products has successfully transformed its' supply chain to become more agile and responsive to effectively deal with the increased volatility in the chemical industry.
- Learning what supply chain agility is and what it entails
- Understanding the impetus behind why chemical companies should become more agile
- Assessing what the characteristics are of agile organizations
- Recognizing and taking home the key strategies and approaches this business utilized to create a more agile supply chain"
