Another week begins. Here, to get you started on the right foot are some of my favorite industry quotes and inspirations, including many from AAPN members and friends.
The retailers say they want to share information with us but all they do is tell us to enter data - Suzy Ganz
If the customers in the world would start communicating with their suppliers, they can shorten their lead times. The information is available but hardly ever shared. Starting in the late 90's, there has been a shift in power and problem solving in the supply chain from the brand and retailer to the factory - Suzy Ganz
All companies compete as supply chains It is hard to solve a supply chain problem for someone who does not agree they have one – Seth Godin
We still manage the business as though we were all in different businesses - Carlos Arias
Few today know operations, have not worked a stop watch by a sewing machine, have not worked in a factory - paraphrased from Tony Anzovino
Until you have trust you will never have speed - Tom Nelson, VF
It is always cheaper and easier to source from a trusted factory - Randy Harward
I learned this from weapon training, when shooting a pistol, speed is good but accuracy is deadly - Carlos Arias
The problem with computers today is everyone has expensive legacy systems that can not be made to talk to others. This industry does not have field training programs to raise the 'Apparel IQ' of staff. The apparel industry is not rocket science, it's a whole lot more complicated than that. Digitalization cuts across too many operations including ERP/Finance, point-of-sale, supply chain, plants floor and more - Kurt Cavano
The value of the Americas is a marriage of design, supply chain, manufacturing, speed, smaller quantities......the (full) package. - Walter Meck
The value of the AAPN is to generate ideas to make the Americas a better place to manufacture – Mark Green, Walmart
AAPN is the only organization I know of that allows its members to learn from themselves. - Carlos Arias
The next China is not a where, it's a how - Bill McRaith, PVH
We are not an apparel factory. We are an innovation company - Davids Ha, TexOps
The Americas is easier, faster, better, cheaper and safer today - AAPN Retail Member
Just because we have a room full of world class suppliers does not mean we have a world class supply chain in the room - Carlos Arias
It's not do we have good laws, it's do we have work, are we making money - Jim Borneman
The markdown built into the typical price a retailer pays now dwarfs the first cost of sourcing from the Americas. - Barbara Zeins
Retailers are just now figuring out they do not have the answer – this is where you reach out to the people who do know, the professionals. Retailers are stunned when things get stuck in a part of the pipeline they don’t understand, and this crosses all departments like it crosses the whole chain. Retailers don’t know enough to know where the problem is in the chain. - Marshal Cohen