Advancements & Adjustments in the GE Appliances Supply Chain

Art of Supply

“The way we were running distribution, the processes we were using, it wasn’t a matter of, ‘Well, just incrementally improve what you’ve got.’ “We needed to rethink, take a step back and say, ‘Are we really set up the way we need to be set up?’” - Marcia Brey, VP of Logistics for GE Appliances (via the WSJ)

GE Appliances recently made news for a series of planned investments in their supply chain. As interesting as their efforts are today, they are the next step in an ongoing series of advancements and adjustments… and advancements and adjustments.

Now owned by Haier, a Shanghai-based company, GE Appliances has been on both sides of the outsourcing - reshoring divide. As they respond to macro conditions and competitive pressures, their supply chain is what connects production with customers, and the top line with the bottom, regardless of continual change.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner addresses three key questions about their operation:

• Is GE Appliances really (successfully) reshoring manufacturing?
• How is the Department of Transportation’s FLOW program helping them manage potential supply chain disruptions?
• What role do metrics play in how they manage high stakes decisions about labor and inventory?

Links:

• Kelly Barner on LinkedIn
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