Logística de México (LDM), GS1 México and EGADE Business School of the Tecnológico de Monterrey presented the results of the study “The Supply Chain as a Driver of Competitiveness”, which showed that 90% of the 50 companies surveyed consider logistics and supply chain as key factors in achieving their business objectives in their respective industries.
Said research designed by the aforementioned institutions yielded data that position the supply chain among the priorities of corporations, in the case of large companies, the involvement of senior managers is 92%, while in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is 84%.
Knowing that decision makers participate from the design, strategy and monitoring to the management of the supply chain is a positive indicator. Because the most prepared and successful companies are those that minimize the delivery time of the products they offer, they always seek to guarantee a memorable shopping experience .
Planning and production, distribution centers (CEDIS), transportation, outsourcing of logistics services (3PL and 4PL) and the different roles played by both suppliers and customers in the supply chain were the main parameters on which the study focused.
Large companies are two and a half times more likely to be efficient. They are also two times more likely to be agile and about one and a half times more devoted to being more flexible than SMEs.
It is worth mentioning that participating organizations have wide areas of opportunity to implement Justin Time methodologies, since only between 20 and 30% implement this method, which helps to minimize waste, waste and storage costs.
The report states that they are one of the great bases for competitiveness in the industry, and the strategies they support are concentrated in: a higher level of service (59%), reduction of transport costs (41%), reduction of costs of warehouse (39%), and simplification of the structure (22%).
However, most companies think that it is not necessary to consider customer expectations in the design of their logistics operations (59%), while 41% do take their buyers into account for that purpose.
The core of the entire supply chain must be the customer: it must be placed at the center of the strategy, because otherwise, they will eventually look for another supplier that does suit their needs.
The study revealed that technology-based planning tools do have a great impact on the performance of their companies: 53% of the companies surveyed affirm this. Although 76% do not have automated forecasting and planning tools.
Relevant differences were also found between mature, large, world-class and medium-sized organizations, because SMEs are the ones that are entering the logistics issue the least, but at the same time they are the most important in our country.
Finally, the managers agreed that the companies that invest in their logistics and supply chain do have greater competitiveness, expressed in levels of customer service, better market ratios and higher margins.
According to the study’s conclusions, the challenges in Mexico will be focused on making companies aware of the importance of the supply chain and the strategic role it plays within the organization to achieve its business objectives.
