Tom Raftery

Tariffs have the entire world on edge, and the Supply Chain Now hosts are staying abreast of the very latest developments on the tariffs front to share them with listeners. But believe it or not, there’s a lot more going on in the world that affects the supply chain industry than tariffs, and Supply Chain Now is keeping listeners informed about all the topics important to them. Tariffs, Of Course, and Government Regulations The Trump administration has cranked up trade tensions with its 145% tariff on most imports from China and the end of the de minimis exemption that allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the United States duty-free. The Port of Los Angeles, the United States’ largest maritime gateway, is one of the American powerhouses that has been bracing for the impact. Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said on April 24 that he expected within the next two weeks container ship arrivals would “drop by 35% as essentially all shipments out of China for major retailers and manufacturers have ceased, and cargo coming out of Southeast Asia locations is much softer than normal.” At Supply Chain Now, we’re constantly monitoring what’s happening in LA and Washington —…

Lean manufacturing is all about reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Manufacturers have been implementing lean practices for decades and have stood the test of time. Now, with technological advancements, lean methodologies can be more transformative than ever before. “Integrating automation into lean manufacturing is a powerful strategy. Unlike traditional automation, which often aims to increase production capacity without considering real needs, lean automation focuses on the smart and selective application of technologies to meet specific continuous improvement goals and eliminate inefficiencies,” the Kaizen Institute said. “Digital transformation provides an unprecedented opportunity for implementing lean,” it continued. “When applied within lean, tools like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics can revolutionize how organizations detect and eliminate waste.” What is Lean Manufacturing? In “The Machine That Changed The World,” published in 1990, lean production is hailed as “Toyota’s secret weapon in the global car wars.” The Toyota Production System was developed following World War II from “a series of simple innovations … to provide both continuity in process flow and a wide variety in product offerings,” according to the Lean Enterprise Institute. In “Lean Thinking,” a 1996 follow-up to “The Machine That Changed The World,” authors James…