Inventory Management – OM in the News

Managing Demand for Hand Sanitizer and Masks

To unclog retail shelves and warehouses of excess hand sanitizer as the pandemic wanes, retailers such as Target, B&R Stores, and Staples are discounting the anti-germ products or offloading them to auction sites.

However, Gojo Industries is expecting the increased awareness of hygiene practices to last. They added three manufacturing facilities in the past year to continue producing Purell hand sanitizer.

Video Spotlight:

A Look Inside Purell’s Factory After COVID Increased Demand (May 20, 2021, NBC News)

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2021-10-20T05:47:44+00:00October 19, 2021|Tags: demand forecasts, excess inventory, inventory, medical supply chain, sustainability|

Upcycled Food Is Trending

More than one third of the global food production is lost or wasted.

This is a serious problem with humanitarian, economic, and environmental implications. Inadequate handling, storage, and distribution result in food losses while limited shelf life and spoilage of perishable products contribute to food waste. One solution to the problem is the design of new products from waste and byproducts of food processing. The market success of these new products depends on their appeal to consumers and their price.

Video […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2021-07-01T02:18:54+00:00July 6, 2021|Tags: carbon footprint, inventory management, product design, supply chain management, sustainability|

Price Hikes on Toilet Paper and More

Just when it seemed like the toilet paper crisis was finally under control, Kimberly Clark is making headlines again.

The second largest toilet paper manufacturer in the U.S. is planning hikes to its list prices beginning in June 2021. This time, the primary disruptor is commodity prices rather than the pandemic hoarding that stripped shelves bare this time last year.

Video Spotlight:

Toilet Paper Prices Set To Rise, Again (Apr 1, 2021, Today)

This post is based on […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2021-05-26T18:10:46+00:00May 27, 2021|Tags: aggregate planning, external environment, forecasting, inventory management, logistics, MRP, purchasing, sales and operations planning, supply chain|

The Chicken Sandwich Wars Continue

The Great Chicken Sandwich War began on August 12, 2019. Popeyes introduced its new chicken sandwich. Chick-fil-A tweeted about its chicken sandwich being the original. Popeyes responded with, “Y’all good?”

This was the beginning of a social media war that brought a great deal of attention to Popeyes’ chicken sandwich. Other restaurants joined in the social media war, including Wendy’s and Shake Shack.

The attention, along with outstanding initial reviews of the sandwich, led to long lines and shortages of chicken sandwiches […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2021-04-24T23:06:43+00:00April 26, 2021|Tags: efficiency, forecasting, inventory management, process design, product development, supply chain management, waiting lines|