Interview: Automotive Distributors Ltd
Name: Mark Northeast
Job Title: Purchasing Director
Company: Automotive Distributors
Ltd
How long have you worked for ADL?
9 years
How long have you worked as a PD?
3 years
During your time in this field, what changes have you
seen?
Increased complexity within the supply chain. Or perhaps we have
just made the various elements more visible!
Is it very different from when you first started out?
Yes- It cannot be compared although the company has grown
significantly therefore the numbers and actions have bigger
ramifications.
How has your job changed as a result?
Increase staff put pressure on your systems, training and
processes. We now spend less time doing more time planning.
What is your opinion on the future of Supply Chain
Planning?
There is a need to improve communication between the
Manufacturing, Purchasing and Sales and Marketing function, too
often this does not happen. Joined up thinking is the way forward
but is often easy to say but difficult to put into practice.
What personal challenges do you face on a day to day basis in
your job?
We work with long lead-times and this always challenges our
planning and forecasting. The lack of accurate delivery dates from
our suppliers causes us daily problems.
How do you overcome these?
The long lead times have forced us to have a wide understanding
of what happens within our business and everything which can
influence our demand. This means that we are constantly questioning
the numbers which is vital. We try to overcome the lack of
information from Suppliers by looking in more detail as to what has
happened in the past.
What software packages do you use to assist you with your
job?
Optimiza
What is your hot tip to others who do a similar job to
you?
Inventory/software packages are just tools to assist you with
the job; they cannot do your job.
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Name: Tracy Leggett
Job Title: Replenishment
Supervisor
Company: Automotive Distribution
Ltd
How long have you worked for Automotive Distributors Ltd?
I have been with ADL for 7 Months.
How long have you worked as a Replenishment Supervisor?
I have been a Replenishment Supervisor for 7 Months, although I
have been in a number of roles within the supply chain arena for
approximately 11 years.
During your time in this field, what changes have you
seen?
System development and investment by the companies that I have
worked for has increased year on year. Resources within
logistics/replenishment departments has also grown significantly
and this is on the back of companies recognising the importance of
these departments. It is the driver of inventory and can make or
break a business. This importance has grown over the years. When I
first started in the arena, Sales and/or Buying were deemed the
money makers and the important players within the business but I
believe this has shifted over the years.
There are also more companies out there developing software or
supplying consultancy support than there were at the start of my
career, giving more choice to business while developing their
supply chains.
Is it very different from when you first started out?
Yes. It was very manual and admin driven when I first joined but
it is now system and process lead. The replenishment area also
seemed to work in isolation from other departments but as time has
gone on the whole supply chain concept has grown within the
companies I have worked for and departments now work in
collaboration with all areas of the business and I think
perceptions have changed bringing the department to the forefront
of all business.
How has your job changed as a result?
It is more encompassing than when I originally started. I now
have to have an understanding of multiple systems and IT. There is
more analysis of data and looking for trends and trying to predict
the future and I therefore have to have an understanding of the
market and what is going on with promotions and pricing. It's not
'sell one, get one'. It's sell one and predict the future.
What is your opinion on the future of Supply Chain
Planning?
Many systems are used to manage different areas of the business
and now there is need to find internet based software that links
all of these areas together. Giving visibility where orders are, by
being able to link with suppliers and software that gives the
visibility of the total procurement cost and the option to open
tender with suppliers.
What personal challenges do you face on a day to day basis in
your job?
Trying to ensure the basics are achieved without being
distracted by jobs that will not help us achieve the objectives. To
ensure that the processes and objectives are all driven from the
same overall plan and the teams objectives are not in conflict. It
is also important to reflect and ensure that urgent issues are
filtered and actioned in a measured way and that change and jobs
are not created unnecessarily and again to not detract us from the
basic functions of the day.
How do you overcome these?
By communicating with the team, management and other
departments.
What software packages do you use to assist you with your
job?
Optimiza,
AS400, Microsoft, Vecta
What is your hot tip to others who do a similar job to
you?
Managing replenishment and inventory can be a thankless task,
too much stock or not enough.
Be focused and don't take it personally.