Dialing in business growth solutions in Northeast Ohio rarely involves a single factor, but the strength of a company’s Cleveland supply chain strategies can’t be overlooked.

Simply put, the supply chain is the flow of goods and services both within and among companies, domestically and internationally. It usually begins with raw materials and manufacturing, then onto production, processing and packaging and then transport and distribution – though your firm may only deal directly with one or two aspects. What is often not so simple – especially when that chain crosses state and international borders – is the logistics.

Ensuring goods get from Point A to Point B  intact and on time is the foundation of our entire business model. Logistics management is a $1 trillion dollar industry in the U.S. – and it’s still growing, thanks to e-commerce and advancing technology.

Ohio University analysis shows that in just in the last decade, supply chain management employment has spiked by more than 50 percent – and that’s because business leaders increasingly recognize the upper hand it affords. The Cleveland and Columbus regions are especially active hubs, thanks to their central physical location, population and industry density and access to various transportation modes.

Uninterrupted Supply Chains Central to Gains

Companies that want to grow or even simply stay competitive and avoid shrinkage need smart Cleveland supply chain strategies. Technology, consumer expectations and costs – these elements have always been evolving. But those shifts happen now at a much faster clip than ever before. Even seemingly simple logistics can be dynamic, constantly in flux.

Hiring a third party to oversee the chain of supply allows product-based businesses to grow because company leaders can shift their focus from the minutiae of getting goods where they need to be and instead turn to product innovation and company development. Service-based businesses benefit too because most rely on some type of products.

Key Elements  of Effective Modern Cleveland Supply Chain Management Strategies

It’s been our experience over decades that the most effective Cleveland supply chain management strategies are those developed holistically. It’s a system that can’t be viewed as numerous disjointed parts, but rather critical pieces of a larger puzzle.

Paramount to our strategic goals:

• Technology. New technologies are emerging more rapidly than ever. Being early adopters of certain technological systems can give firms an edge, but these evaluations need to happen on a case-by-case basis. Where it makes sense, leveraging new technology can indeed streamline logistical processes, reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction and offer clients more transparency and control over their chain of supply.
• Constant Improvement. Your Cleveland supply chain management strategies need to be flexible because markets are almost never static. Even when a strategy works well over the course of years, logistics directors must prioritize constant evaluation of the chain – cutting low-value or no-value activities and resolving any ongoing or anticipated problems.
• Resiliency. Four decades of supply chain management experience in a competitive market only comes with resiliency. Our logistics strategies are adaptive, our partners expansive. Plus by offering our own consolidated services of warehouse space, trucking fleet and distribution services, our clients have even more options. This affords them an edge over competitors working with many of the newer, less established third-party logistics firms in Cleveland.

Teaming with a Cleveland 3PL whose supply chain strategies have proven effective time and again puts your firm a step ahead.

If you have questions about our Cleveland supply chain management strategies and solutions, contact On Time Delivery & Warehouse by calling (440) 826-4630 or sending us an email.

Additional Resources:

Supply Chain Management In The Modern World, Ohio University School of Business Administration

More Blog Entries:

Cleveland 3PL Can Lower Client Liability Risk, July 20, 2019, Cleveland Supply Chain Strategies Blog