Blog

Prevailing Through the Trade War: An Optimized Supply Chain is Key

New tariffs and a U.S.-China trade war have flooded headlines ever since a new tax was imposed on solar panels and washing machines, key Chinese exports, at the beginning of the year. In early April, China began to fight back and proposed tariffs against the U.S. in response to the threat of additional tariffs on $100 billion in Chinese goods. Throughout the following months, threats continued to run high, ultimately leading the U.S. to implement duties of 25% on $34 billion of Chinese goods. China retaliated immediately, imposing an equivalent 25% tariff on 545 U.S. products on July 6, which is the move many people regarded as a signal of the trade war’s beginning.

Join NGC Software at Sourcing Journal Summit 2018: Why Slow and Steady Won’t Win the Race

If there’s one factor successful modern-day supply chains have in common, it’s speed. This year, keynote speakers and panelists at the sixth annual Sourcing Journal Summit will discuss the supply chain’s evolution and why a slow and steady strategy won’t win the race. The event, a unique forum for supply chain executives to challenge the status quo and welcome new ideas, is fast approaching on Oct. 11 in New York City.

Technology Boosts Value of Apparel Sourcing

Apparel Magazine produced its 12th annual assessment of the global sourcing market, Sourcing as a Value Center: Winning with Technologies, last month in partnership with Kurt Salmon, part of Accenture Strategy. The report, which incorporates survey data and results from more than 160 companies, includes responses that “were analyzed to determine what it means to excel in global sourcing and identify key trends shaping the apparel sourcing landscape especially those in the applied analytics and technology space.” The survey points to technology investments by sourcing companies as a key trend shaping the industry – a finding that aligns with NGC’s offering of a digital supply chain that allows customers to realize many of the benefits that were outlined in the report .

Proper Onboarding Is Crucial as Impending U.S-China Trade War Looms

U.S. companies that source materials and labor from China may have to make some changes to their sourcing strategies now that the U.S. added 25% tariffs on more than $30 billion of Chinese shipments earlier this month. The tariff spike doesn’t seem to be slowing down either; the Trump administration threatened up to $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, scheduled to take effect after Aug. 30, pending a consultation process.

Sourcing Journal Podcast: Episode 1, Speed Bump

In the first episode of Sourcing Journal’s new podcast, NGC’s Mark Burstein, Robert D’Loren, chairman and CEO of NGC customer Xcel Brands, and John Thorbeck, CEO and founder of Chainge Capital, discuss how retailers can successfully improve speed to market without sacrificing quality by executing a total transformation of the supply chain.

Shift to the Digital Supply Chain to Transform Design Productivity and Reduce Lead Times

Every year, WhichPLM publishes a buyer’s guide, highlighting PLM industry trends and predictions. It comes as no surprise to NGC, that this year, WhichPLM says that the approach to replacing your PLM has shifted. The guide compares the process to “replacing the operating system of a computer that everyone in the office shares: it requires an understanding of not just the capabilities of the different software environments themselves, but the needs of a variety of different stakeholders. Most importantly, it requires an acknowledgement that, to get the most out of a new environment, you need to fully understand the limitations of your existing one from every possible angle, and you need to identify how you and your colleagues visualize things changing in the future.”

Four Capabilities of a Synchronized Supply Chain

Keeping supply and demand in a constant state of perfect equilibrium is the #1 goal of every supply chain team. To deliver the right products at the right time to the consumers who want them, companies must continually rebalance supply and demand, then react with speed and agility to constantly changing demand signals. They must also improve supply chain execution in order to optimize sales, profit and inventory positions.

NGC Software to Speak at PI Apparel New York

Throughout the year, PI Apparel brings together the fashion, apparel and footwear industry to discuss the challenges and technologies disrupting the industry. We’re excited to announce that this month at PI Apparel New York, NGC Software’s VP of Business Development, Ron Grilli, will speak about “PLM’s Role in the Digital Supply Chain.” Ron will discuss how PLM today serves as only part of the entire supply chain and how a Digital Supply Chain can integrate data from legacy PLM systems to use in both upstream and downstream processes.

NGC’s Mark Burstein Named Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s Pro to Know of the Year

Every year, Supply & Demand Chain Executive identifies more than 200 outstanding supply chain practitioners and solutions provider executives for their list of “Pros to Know.” Among those 200-plus industry leaders, the publication identifies a single “Pro to Know of the Year” and this year, we are honored to say that our very own Mark Burstein, president of NGC Software, brought home the honor.

A Lack of Supply Chain Transparency Should Keep You Up at Night

Today’s fashion companies are placing compliance, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), quality and safety as top priorities. That’s because brands know these are crucial in order to mitigate risk, gain consumer trust and protect the brand’s image; these are key reasons why vendor compliance and supply chain transparency are such hot topics today.