#inventory-strategy
(16 articles)One Year After Trump Tariffs: Industries Still Reeling
One year after the implementation of Trump-era tariffs, multiple industries continue to experience ripple effects that extend far beyond initial implementation disruptions. Rather than stabilizing, ma
Businesses Build Buffer Stocks as Supply Volatility Persists
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index reveals a structural shift in corporate procurement behavior: businesses are deliberately accumulating safety stock across their supply chains in preparati
Trade Uncertainty Disrupts Supply Chain Planning Strategies
Trade policy uncertainty has emerged as a significant headwind for supply chain planning and execution. The unpredictability of tariff regimes, trade agreements, and geopolitical tensions creates a ch
Consumer & Industrial Sectors Demand Diverging Supply Chain Strategies
Supply chain leadership teams are confronting a structural challenge: the consumer and industrial sectors are no longer moving in tandem. Consumer demand patterns—characterized by volatility, seasonal
Businesses Build Buffer Stocks Amid Persistent Supply Shortages
Global businesses are actively increasing buffer stock levels in response to persistent supply chain disruptions and heightened expectations of future volatility, according to GEP's Supply Chain Volat
Supply Leaders Build Buffer Stocks Amid Disruption Fears
Supply chain leadership is responding to continued uncertainty by implementing buffer stock strategies across their operations. This proactive shift signals a fundamental change in how companies are a
Why Fuel Prices Rise Fast But Fall Slow: Supply Chain Impact
Fuel price asymmetry—the phenomenon where prices rise sharply but decline gradually—represents a persistent cost headwind for transportation-dependent supply chains. Matthew Muenster, Chief Economist
Lululemon Shifts to Air Freight Amid Asia Port Congestion
Lululemon is strategically increasing its reliance on air freight in response to anticipated congestion at Asian ports, signaling broader supply chain vulnerabilities in retail logistics. This move re
Asian Retail Supply Chains Shift from Crisis Mode to Long-Term Resilience
Asian retail supply chains are undergoing a fundamental transformation as companies move beyond reactive crisis management toward proactive, structural resilience. Rather than treating recent disrupti
Supply Chain Disruptions Fuel Inflation: Mitigation Strategies
Supply chain disruptions have emerged as a significant inflationary pressure across global commerce, with delays, capacity constraints, and logistics bottlenecks translating directly into higher consu
Companies Abandon Just-In-Time for Resilience in Crisis Era
The supply chain industry is witnessing a fundamental strategic pivot away from decades of just-in-time (JIT) inventory optimization. Multiple disruptive "black swan" events—from pandemic lockdowns to
Rising Transportation Costs Challenge Lean Inventory Models
The ITS Logistics Distribution + Fulfillment Q1 Index highlights a significant tension emerging in modern supply chain strategies: rising transportation costs are directly challenging the lean invento
Shipping Delays Force Supply Chain Rethink on Just-In-Time Model
Prolonged shipping delays are forcing manufacturers worldwide to fundamentally reconsider their dependence on just-in-time (JIT) inventory models. Companies that optimized operations around predictabl
How importers are adapting cash and inventory tactics to Trump tariffs
In response to escalating tariffs under Trump's trade policies, U.S. importers are fundamentally restructuring their financial and operational strategies. Rather than absorbing tariff costs immediatel
Just-in-Case Inventory Strategy Reshaping Global Supply Chains
The supply chain industry is experiencing a fundamental philosophical shift as organizations increasingly abandon lean just-in-time (JIT) inventory models in favor of just-in-case (JIC) strategies. Th
Chinese New Year 2026: 4-Month Supply Chain Disruption Period
Chinese New Year 2026 will trigger an extended disruption window that extends well beyond the traditional holiday period, lasting through April. This seasonal event represents a critical planning chal