MRP – OM in the News

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|

Multiple Factors Create Auto Industry Aluminum Shortage

A shortage of aluminum is impacting the entire auto industry. Especially impacted are trucks, where aluminum is the key material used in making truck bodies.

The aluminum shortage is attributed to the Iran war, a 50% US tariff, and supplier production outage. Ford, being the auto industry’s biggest aluminum buyer, has the largest exposure in the aluminum shortage, limiting the company’s ability to replenish inventories for downstream retail dealers.

Video Spotlight:

Ford Sees $1.3B Tariff Refund, But […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-06-29T04:02:51+00:00June 28, 2026|Tags: downstream suppliers, global supply chain management, shortage, supply chain disruption, upstream suppliers|

Starbucks Implements Inventory AI for Inventory Counting

Starbucks has implemented the NomadGo Inventory AI in over 11,000 company-owned stores in North America.

The new system streamlines Starbucks’ inventory counting, improving operational efficiency and accuracy by increasing count frequency and inventory accuracy while reducing count time.

Video Spotlight:

How automated counting helps Starbucks partners focus more on craft, coffee and customers (Sept 2, 2025, Starbucks Coffee)
Starbucks & NomadGo: How AI Transformed Inventory Across 11,300 Stores | FSTEC 2025 (Sept 25, 2025, NomadGo Inventory […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2025-11-09T06:36:27+00:00November 9, 2025|Tags: artificial intelligence, efficiency, inventory counting, inventory management, job design|

Hershey Invests $250M in Supply Chain Agility and Automation

U.S. chocolate maker, Hershey, is planning to spend $250 million to build agility and efficiency in its operations through a project called Advancing Agility and Automation Initiative (AAA).

With an ERP integration, Hershey’s AAA is set to digitize and automate its processes, optimize procurement and manufacturing, accelerate R&D, and increase visibility throughout its supply chain.

Video Spotlight:

Unwrapping efficiency: How Hershey leveraged SAP to revolutionize trade promotion (Apr 11, 2024, PwC US)

This post is based on […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2024-11-17T11:12:30+00:00November 17, 2024|Tags: agility, automation, efficiency, ERP, MRP, technology|