John DeSarbo

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now! We kicked this week off with a new episode in our Supply Chain Real Estate Series produced in partnership with Prologis. Scott Luton and special host Ward Richmond welcomed Managing Partner Will O’Donnell and Vice President Todd Lewis from Prologis Ventures. For Monday’s This Week In Business History episode, Scott tells an interesting story of one of the most captivating and influential movie rental businesses in American history. On Tuesday, we released a new episode of TEKTOK, with host Karin Bursa. In this episode, Karin talks with Ben Cubitt, SVP of Consulting and Network Services for Transplace. They discuss the future of supply chain logistics into next year, from continued network disruptions to taking smart steps today to regain a proactive footing. On Wednesday’s Supply Chain Now episode, Scott and special guest host Crystal Davis welcomed the Vice President of Transportation for Home Depot, Sarah Galica, to the show. She gives insight on some of the improvements that resulted in $34 billion dollars in growth for The Home Depot. For Thursday’s Supply Chain Now episode, Scott and guest host…

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…