Lean Logistics/Supply Chain Management Technology Roadmap: Highlights

The Context

In a global economy, parts and materials can be sourced from anywhere. At the same time customers are demanding customized products delivered in short time frames. The pressure is on producers to have rapid production with long supply chains.

The Challenge

Just to stay even with their competition businesses are under tremendous pressure to make tangible productivity gains and to hold costs in check. They must adopt and adapt a variety of hardware and software technologies that are fundamentally changing the economics of supply chain and logistics management. These innovations include information and communications technologies linked with electronic commerce and integrated logistics management concepts. New border technology requirements force Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be innovative and connected with their trading partners.

The Objective

The goal is to improve the productivity level and the supply chain technology adoption of all Canadian SMEs that are suppliers of large North American customers in order to maintain or increase their presence in those specific supply chains.

Key Participants

• Manufacturing: Domtar, Colgate Palmolive, Thales Avionics, L'Oréal, Bombardier, Lafarge, IBM, Celestica
• Retail: Wal-Mart, Alimentation Couche-Tard, Sobeys, The Brick, Societé des alcool du Québec (SAQ)
• Energy: Irving Oil, BC Hydro, Husky Oil
• Transport: CN Intermodal, Progistix, Canada Post, Ryder, Halifax Port Authority
• Pharmaceutical: Astra Zeneca, Source Medical, Sunnybrook Hospital, Medis
• Government: Industry Canada, Transport Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Ontario and Quebec provincial governments

Benefits and Key Results

• HRSDC and the industry have committed up to $1.1 million to fund a National Skill study that will be the foundation of a Logistics Sector Council.
• Industry, in partnership with Industry Canada, is developing guidelines to assist Canadian SMEs with border compliance issues.
• Industry is launching a supply chain technology pilot project with Sobeys and its SME suppliers with the financial support of Transport Canada.
• An annual report on supply chain e-technology adoption across all industry.