Within organisations, such as a manufacturer or distributor, Supply Chains will include all the areas involved in receiving and fulfilling any customer requests.
Purchasing – Purchasing personnel are in a position to consider every stage of a business’ processes, from sourcing and purchasing raw materials to waste management.
Manufacturing – This is the process of turning the Raw Materials into the final product. It is at this stage that it can be readied for sale or customisation.
Warehousing – Warehousing facilities play a vital role in the overall Supply Chain process. Warehousing itself is the performance of the admin and physical functions that are required to store goods and materials.
Transportation – Transportation is the efficient movement of products at all stages of the Supply Chain, right up to the delivery to the final customer.
Demand planning – This process is used to create reliable forecasts and can help improve the accuracy of revenue forecasts whilst aligning inventory levels and enhances the chance of profitability for a product.