Inventory Mgmt with Perishable Demand

Clorox Expecting Major Supply Chain Improvements with ERP Implementation

Clorox expects to begin realizing gains from migrating its U.S. supply chain to a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with expected productivity improvements through more efficient planning and lower inventory levels.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a software platform that integrates core business processes like finance, HR, manufacturing, supply chain, and sales into a single centralized hub for shared access and streamlined decision making, lessening the need for departmental spreadsheets.

Clorox

By James Kirby Easterling|2026-09-27T03:28:56+00:00September 25, 2026|Tags: cost management, digitization upgrades, efficiencies, ERP, optimization|

WD-40 Faces Middle Eastern Supply Constraints

Prices continue to rise on everyday products that are made—at least partially—with raw materials and components sourced from Iran and neighboring countries.

Americans are feeling a pinch in their wallets as the US-Iranian War continues. WD-40, the globally known manufacturer of lubricating products, is experiencing increases in costs due to chemicals sourced from Middle Eastern countries and associated shipping constraints in the Strait of Hormuz. Gas prices are affected given the Middle East has long been […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2026-08-19T06:58:30+00:00August 23, 2026|Tags: chemicals, constraints, cost increases, petroleum, sourcing|

Fuel Surcharges Push Florists to Optimize Deliveries

Fuel price increases affected delivery businesses in general, and florists in particular ahead of Mother’s Day.

Orders for flower deliveries peak in the days ahead of Mother’s Day. Florists also saw increases from flower suppliers, and fuel and other surcharges from other suppliers, which cut into their profit margin.

To adjust for the cost impacts of rising fuel prices, many florists raised their delivery charges and worked to plan delivery routes more efficiently.

Video Spotlight:

Rising gas prices […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-07-13T03:01:18+00:00July 12, 2026|Tags: delivery, job design, perishable inventory management, sourcing strategy, transportation, work design|

Barcode to Retire in 2027

Virtually every retail product carries a Universal Product Code (UPC) today.

UPCs are a 12-digit barcode used to identify products. Although other predecessors to the barcode existed, the UPC that we know today can be traced back to IBM. The first official use occurred in 1974, when a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum was scanned at Marsh’s Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.

UPC codes hold a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which had the original purpose of speeding up the checkout process […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-01-09T08:54:31+00:00January 9, 2026|Tags: barcodes, inventory management, logistics, QR codes, retail, service processes, supply chain management, technology|