Supply Chain NOW

                                         Courtesy of NewStart

This week, the Institute of Supply Management shares the vigorous movement of the Supply Chain Industry. Get the latest updates and learn on how you will go through it.

Commodities largely up in 3rd quarter but remain down for full year to date 

Commodity prices mostly made a comeback in Q3, led by sharp rises in many agriculture products driven by the drought in the U.S., but all told prices are mostly down for the full year, as the steady, multiyear rise in input prices has reverse itself since early 2011. MORE 

Source: Supply Chain Digest 

Bring your warehouse into the future with new security innovations 

In the past, warehouses may have been seen as a quite separate entity in the overall supply chain; merely as storage for merchandise until it was transported onto its final destination. But businesses are increasingly discovering the advantages of moving towards integrating the modern day warehouse into the greater supply chain, in order to reap the enhanced inventory management, greater loss prevention and shrinkage protection. MORE 

Source: Supply Chain Digital   

7 ideas for 'greening' your shipping strategy 
    
Whether they're sent by land, sea or air, packages can yield immeasurable amounts of pollution across the globe. But there are many ways to lessen the environmental impact of shipping freight. Here are seven relatively simple ideas that experts recommend to help keep the Earth green — and in some cases keep a little more green in your shipping budget. MORE

Source: Entrepreneur

Sustainable procurement makes good business sense 

With "sustainable" and "eco-friendly" becoming more and more important in the corporate world, we look at how to make your company more green from the bottom up in eight easy steps. MORE

Source: Supply Chain Digital    

Will innovative ethylene process create a supply and value chain reaction? 
  
Recent headlines about Honeywell's new one-step conversion process from natural gas (methane) to the monomer ethylene (also known as ethane) may not grab your attention right away; but, don't be too quick to dismiss this recent innovation. This little, symmetrical molecule is more integral to your professional and personal supply chain than you may think. MORE  

Source: Packaging Matters, ISM

PMI Philippines September 2012: Above the growth threshold

                                          PMI Manufacturing September 2012

PMI Manufacturing in September 2012 settled firmly above the growth threshold at 54.09. Although slightly lower than the index in August, this month’s index indicates steady month-on-month expansion of the economy in 2012. 

Correspondingly, Retail/Wholesale PMI (R/W PMI) registered at 58.70, slightly faster from the previous months’57.45. Services PMI in September 2012 remains well above the growth threshold of 50 at 61.35. All PMI Index are still above the growth threshold.

An index above 50 indicates expansion, and an index below 50 implies a contraction.

Seeing What's IN the Supply Chain

This month, the Institute for Supply Management shared the current situations in the Supply Chain Market.
Sharing the latest.

Cyber era brings new kinds of supply chain threats 
Federal Computer Week    
Problems in the Defense Department's supply chain aren't a new issue. The military has always been at risk from enemies and had a need for tight security. A GAO sting operation earlier this year highlighted some vulnerabilities, for example. But the prevalence of digital systems brings a newer kind of threat: one that can be tiny in size but huge in potential impact. It is the risk of electronic components that have been altered to digitally infiltrate U.S. defense systems. MORE 

China's growing pork sector could strain global corn supplies 
National Hog Farmer  
If China's pork sector continues to grow at the current pace, the industry's demand for corn within the next five years could have a significant impact on the world's supply. According to a new report, "The Industrialization of China's Pork Supply Chain," issued by Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory Group, China's corn imports could approach 22 million tons, annually. MORE

Opportunities increase in automotive supply chain 
Supply Chain Standard   
The U.K. has become a destination of choice for global vehicle manufacturers — creating major supply chain opportunities, according to a report compiled by KPMG for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Automotive manufacturing is forecast to grow by 9 percent a year to 2.2 million vehicles in 2016, the report said. MORE 

The cutting edge of supply chain sustainability 
Supply Chain Brain     
Dan Cassler, assistant chair of the Information Logistics Technology Department at the University of Houston, offers an update on supply chain sustainability — and details both the benefits and pain to be derived from such efforts. MORE 

Source: Institute for Supply Management (ISM)