Canadian Retailer - The Supply Chain & Logistics Issue - 4

EDITOR'S NOTE

Rethinking the retail
supply chain

Innovating to meet consumer demand
RETAIL is a complex industry. There are a lot of moving parts that

change frequently, requiring operations leaders to recalibrate, readjust and rethink the way they do things on a constant basis.
And...when it comes to complex moving parts, there can be few
other aspects of the retail operation that requires more thought
and innovation than the supply chain and the logistics involved
in getting product from raw goods and the manufacturer to the
store shelves or consumer's front door.
With this in mind, Canadian Retailer has put together its firstever Supply Chain & Logistics Issue in an effort to explore the
chain from A-Z and some of the innovative initiatives being
undertaken by retailers in Canada to tighten their supply chains,
and make them more intuitive and efficient.
Through the Internet of Things is one way retailers are doing
this. Read about the power of data and how it's providing operations
teams with more and better insights into every point of the supply
chain in 'Embracing the Revolution' (page 16). Linking all of that
data, flowing it in real-time so it can be analyzed most effectively is
another critical component in understanding demand. Read about
the "Ten things retailers need to know about APIs" (page 20).
We also take a look at the ways the use of warehouse robotics
and machines (page 28) and collaborative partnerships between
competitors (page 31) are impacting delivery efficiencies and the
bottom line for companies.
And, an issue about the retail supply chain wouldn't be complete without an in-depth look at the last mile and the innovations
happening around it to make sure that all of the good work executed at the front of the chain is not in vain. After all, at the end
of the day, getting the product in question to where it needs to go
by the time it needs to get there is the name of the supply chain
game. In 'Reimagining the last mile' (page 36) we take a look at
how some of the leading retailers operating in Canada are doing
this and how they're continue to push the supply chain envelope.
I hope that the content we offer in this special Supply Chain &
Logistics Issue provides you sand your teams with some inspiration to explore some of these innovations further to maximize
your chains of supply and meet the needs of today's ever-demanding consumer.
Sincerely,
Sean C. Tarry
Editor-In-Chief
Canadian Retailer

SUPPLY CHAIN & LOGISTICS | VOLUME 27 ISSUE 5

publisher

Diane J. Brisebois
S V P C o m m u n i c at i o n s a n d
M e m b e r R e l at i o n s

Caroline Hubberstey

senior director of marketing
a n d c o m m u n i c at i o n s

Branka Stavric

editor-in- chief

Sean C. Tarry
(416) 922-6678, ext. 286
starry@retailcouncil.org
art direction

Scope Media
hello@scopemedia.ca
senior writer

Robert Price

contributors

Robert Coccia, Denise Deveau, Mike Doherty,
Jesse Donaldson, Stuart Foxman, Andrew Hind,
Ken Larson, Craig Patterson, Dave Rodgerson,
Randy Scotland
d i r e c t o r o f p u b l i c at i o n s

Angela Caroyannis
acaroyannis@naylor.com
project manager

Kim Davies
kdavies@naylor.com
sales manager

Bill McDougall
bmcdougall@naylor.com
editorial office

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Phone: (800) 665-2456 | Fax: (800) 709-5551
www.naylor.com
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CANADIAN RETAILER

| THE SUPPLY CHAIN & LOGISTICS ISSUE

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