MHD SUPPLY CHAIN
FLEXIBILITY IS THE NEW BLACK:
PROMOTING SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTION UNITY Four supply chain providers have formed an alliance to be more responsive to consumer needs. MHD finds out more about this powerful proposition.
T
he customers supporting the Australian supply chain are more adaptable than ever. A ‘right here, right now’ mindset means they often expect reliable goods availability and fast delivery, Nishan Wijemanne, CEO at Cohesio says. “Mobile technology allows consumers to order a stock item from anywhere at any time. The advent of e-commerce makes it possible for someone to pay without even reaching into their wallet,” he says. Nishan asks why this age of unparalleled digital flexibility, are retail chains, warehousing groups and third-party logistics businesses not reacting fast enough? “Flexibility in the supply chain is critical - without a more versatile approach, overseas competition and the unceasing march of technology will overtake the industry. The vertical approach to enterprise partnerships, dealing with each business along the supply chain in isolation one-byone, simply cannot serve modern
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customers’ needs,” he says. According to Nishan, the bestsuited enterprise model to meet these demands is the flexible partnership – a dynamic alliance of best-in-class businesses united by the common goal of total consumer satisfaction.
ASSEMBLING A SUPPLY CHAIN DREAM TEAM An essay published in the The Asian Journal of Shipping about the value of collaboration in logistics offered startling insight into how the warehousing industry’s competitiveness is restricting wider opportunities. Of the 32 interviewees, 70 per cent claimed the sector’s cutthroat nature feeds into its low financial returns. “Siloing specialist knowledge away from the wider market only weakens the Australian warehousing sector as a whole. Strength comes in unity, not division,” Nishan says. That’s where Cohesio sees an
opportunity for a more flexible, collaborative approach to taking supply chain solutions to the market. “No business can stand truly alone as an expert in every field - leveraging the knowledge of others makes an organisation stronger in the long run, not weaker,” Nishan says. With this in mind, Cohesio decided to assemble a team of enterprise collaborators in a full service alliance. ‘‘It baffles me that no one has tried a flexible, collaborative working approach like this before,’’ Nishan says. ‘‘I want Cohesio to be known as innovators at the forefront of our industry. With the expertise and technology of leading names in the supply chain, we can all learn from one another and develop a truly comprehensive solution for customers.’’ Associate Director for International Sales in Australia and New Zealand Jamie Sterling echoes this excitement, ‘‘HighJump’s
