Logistics, Trade Administration and Supply Chain

When retailers managed inventory, one of the methods for inventory control was to use some form of a trigger-point method replenishment program. That is, when an item in stock is depleted to the level of the trigger point quantity, a purchase order is placed on a vendor to replenish the item. In such systems, retailers make their own forecast and inventory control rules. Alternately, retailers will replenish on a fixed cycle i.e. once a week basis and order an amount to fill designated shelf space for an item. According to the International Mass Retail Association, over 60 percent of hard goods and almost 40 percent of soft goods are under replenishment programs managed by retailers. Although retailer-managed replenishment programs are expected to continue, there are also expected to be a substantial growth in vendor-managed inventory (VMI) that is continuous replenishment. With electronic data interchange (EDI) and point of sale data, vendors can be as aware of what is on the ret...

In the last episode on March 2012 , we had given some brief introduction on what is C-TPAT and now, we are going to continue with the topic today which covers the requirements for importers. C-TPAT Security Criteria for Importers Importers must conduct a comprehensive assessment of their international supply chains based on the C-TPAT security criteria. Where an importer outsource or contracts elements of their supply chain, such as foreign facility, conveyance, domestic warehouse or other elements, the importer must work with those business partners in order to ensure that pertinent security measures are in place and adhered to throughout their supply chain. The supply chain for C-TPAT purposes is defined from the point of origin (manufacturer, supplier or vendor) through to point of distribution and recognizes the diverse business models C-TPAT members employ. C-TPAT recognizes the complexity of international supply chain and endorses the application and implementation of se...