It's the End of the Week!

LIDD Supply Chain
  • 0.0 (0)
  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Supply chain and business insights delivered weekly, on the best day of the week. TGIF.

  1. Behind the Headlines: Nike’s 775 Layoffs & The Strategic Pivot

    4D AGO

    Behind the Headlines: Nike’s 775 Layoffs & The Strategic Pivot

    Nike recently announced the elimination of 775 roles at distribution centers in Tennessee and Mississippi. While the company cites "accelerating automation" as the driver, Charles Fallon and David Beaudet argue that this is a classic case of a strategy shift—specifically, a retreat from an aggressive direct-to-consumer (DTC) model back toward wholesale distribution. In this episode, we explore: How Nike’s distribution centers were built for a "fantasy" of consumer behavior that didn't materialize. The dangers of confusing a vision with a manifestation before demand exists. Why automation is being used as a convenient "spin" for broader business losses.

    9 min
  2. The Human Link: Engineering the Future of Planning with Jeffrey Porter

    FEB 13

    The Human Link: Engineering the Future of Planning with Jeffrey Porter

    What happens when a civil engineer realizes they have a knack for sales and a passion for solving complex inventory puzzles? You get StockIQ. In this episode of The Human Link, Emilio Colangelo welcomes Jeffrey Porter, CMO of StockIQ, to discuss the evolution of supply chain planning over the last 35 years. Jeffrey shares the "circuitous path" that led him from Hewlett-Packard to bootstrapping a leading smart inventory management platform

    25 min
  3. Why Data Ownership Is Critical Before Implementation | The Playbook with Simon Dubuc & Jeff Hamilton

    JAN 16

    Why Data Ownership Is Critical Before Implementation | The Playbook with Simon Dubuc & Jeff Hamilton

    Software implementations are often celebrated for their features, but the underlying data is what truly powers the system. In this episode of It's The End of The Week, Simon Dubuc and Jeff Hamilton discuss why data ownership is the ultimate make-or-break factor for digital transformation. They also break down LIDD’s approach to Digital Transformation Roadmaps—a strategic pre-project phase that helps businesses align their technology ecosystem, budget, and timeline before committing to a specific vendor.00:00 Why data ownership is the missing piece of implementation 03:45 The risk of new features becoming obsolete at go-live 07:05 Balancing ambition with reality: The Seven Levels of WIP trap 12:28 When to use a Digital Transformation Roadmap vs. starting an implementation17:15 Identifying the right size byte for a deployment21:10 Key deliverables: Architecture, requirements, and budget timelines

    22 min

  4. JAN 9

    The 2026 Outlook: Navigating Geopolitical Chaos & the New Growth Playbook

    The first week of 2026 has already started with a bang. From the seizure of oil assets in Venezuela to the shifting role of the US dollar, the "win-win" era of global trade is rapidly transitioning into a fractured, zero-sum game. For small and medium-sized businesses, the old playbook of endless SKU expansion and domestic-only focus is no longer enough to guarantee survival. In this episode, Steve Weyer and Jeff Hamilton look into the geopolitical pillars driving uncertainty this year and provide a roadmap for how enterprise leaders can hardwire their supply chains for resilience. We explore the rise of "State Capitalism," where governments pick winners and losers, and discuss why the most successful companies of the next decade will be those that look toward the high-growth markets of the Global South and Southeast Asia.

    38 min

  5. 12/19/2025

    Unlocking the Power of Vibe Coding | The Playbook with Mathieu Galipeau & Alex Moreau

    Join Mathieu Galipeau and Alex Moreau as they dive into the world of Vibe Coding, exploring how this innovative approach bridges the gap between creativity and technology. Discover how Vibe Coding fits between low code and pro code, enabling seamless app development through natural language. Our discussion covers the benefits, challenges, and real-world applications of Vibe Coding, and how it can transform your development process.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Vibe Coding and AI Integration 01:28 Understanding Vibe Coding: Definition, Use Cases and Risks 07:37 Technical Debt and Governance in Vibe Coding 10:20 Practical Applications: Order Tracking and Container Management 14:46 Building the App: A Live Demonstration 22:05 Conclusion and Future Directions for Vibe Coding

    25 min

  6. 11/21/2025

    Behind the Headlines: Yogurt Fads, Tariff Myths & Amazon's "New" Speed

    In this episode of Behind the Headlines, David and Charles dive into the latest supply chain news to separate the hype from the reality. Is the sudden surge in warehouse demand really about investor confidence in tariff policies, or just a market correction? We also explore why Danone can't keep up with the high-protein yogurt craze and why the food industry’s supply chain is more like fast fashion than you’d think. Plus, we discuss Amazon’s 2025 delivery speed goals—and why auto parts distributors were doing it decades ago—before wrapping up with a debate on what customers actually want: speed or reliability? Tune in for a candid look at the mechanics moving the global economy. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:54 – Warehouse Demand Surge: Tariff Impact or Market Correction?04:22 – Danone’s Supply Chain Struggles: The High-Protein Boom08:22 – Amazon’s 2025 Speed Record vs. The Reality of Distribution13:53 – The Debate: Do Shoppers Want Speed or Reliability?

    18 min

  7. 11/07/2025

    Implement an ERP With the Help of AI | A Conversation With Justin Delisle, Co-Founder & CEO of Tato

    As consultants, our most valuable asset is time. How do we ensure we're spending it on high-value solutioning for our clients, not on clerical work?At LIDD, we are constantly innovating to improve our project delivery. That's why we've been piloting Tato, an AI "virtual colleague" purpose-built for complex IT and ERP implementations. In this episode, we sit down with Tato's CEO, Justin, to discuss our real-world experience and how this technology helps us deliver better, faster, and more reliable outcomes for our clients.We cover how this tool moves beyond simple meeting recaps (like Copilot) to help our teams aggregate data across an entire project , automating everything from documentation and risk tracking to standardized solution blueprints.This means less time on administrative tasks and more time focusing on what matters: your business goals.We also explore: How our team uses Tato as a central "recollection base" Improving the client experience by solving the sales-to-delivery handoff How we ensure accuracy with "drill-to-source" data The future of hyper-specialized AI agents for consulting Learn more about LIDD's ERP & Digital Transformation services: https://lidd.com/Learn more about Tato: https://www.tato.co/enTIMESTAMPS:(00:00:14) Meet Justin, Founder and CEO of Tato (00:00:22) The Origin Story: A "Virtual Colleague" Born from Consulting Pain Points (00:01:15) What Exactly is Tato? (00:02:07) How LIDD is Piloting Tato for its Dynamics Projects (00:03:09) Early Use Cases: A Central Repo for Decisions, Scope, and Recaps (00:04:16) Overcoming Initial Skepticism of AI Tools (00:05:42) The Single Biggest Win: Taming the Documentation Beast (00:06:47) The Big Question: How is Tato Different from Copilot? (00:08:04) The Next Level: Standardizing and Automating Reports (00:09:24) Bridging the "Great Divide": Solving the Sales-to-Delivery Knowledge Transfer (00:11:37) From Project Management to Solutioning: The "Solution Blueprint" Case (00:12:53) The Roadmap for Scaling AI Across the Business (00:14:53) The Future of Tato: Moving from Data Capture to Intelligent Insights (00:17:14) Tackling AI Reliability and the Importance of "Data Lineage" (00:18:25) Why Hyper-Specialized Agents are the Future

    22 min

  8. 10/10/2025

    What's The Deal With Apparel Supply Chains?

    Ever wonder how that shirt you’re planning to buy for next summer is already in production? The apparel industry runs on one of the most complex and fascinating supply chains in the world, operating on a timeline that’s a year or more ahead of the current season. In this episode, we take a look at the world of fashion logistics. We explore the "boom and bust" cycle of seasonal inventory, where warehouses build up massive stock for months only to ship 70% of it to stores in a single push. We also dive into the unique challenges of designing a distribution center that has to handle bulky winter coats one season and small summer dresses the next. From specialized handling systems like monorails for hanging garments to the modern headache of e-commerce returns and unsold inventory, we break down how your clothes truly get from the factory to your closet. Plus, a fascinating story about how RFID technology, once declared a failure, quietly transformed retail inventory management. Sections: (00:13) Introduction: What's Unique About Apparel Supply Chains?(00:49) The Incredibly Long Planning Cycle of Fashion(02:42) How High Fashion Trends Trickle Down to the Mass Market(04:59) The "Boom and Bust" Cycle of Apparel Warehousing(05:25) The Three Phases of Seasonal Distribution: Buildup, Mass Push, and Replenishment(11:00) The Challenge of Volumetrics: Why Warehouses Are Designed for Winter(13:07) Handling and Storing Clothes: Garments on Hangers vs. Flat Pack(16:06) What Are Value-Added Services (VAS) in an Apparel DC?(18:15) The Modern Challenge: E-Commerce Returns and Liquidating Unsold Inventory(21:10) Anecdote: The Surprising History and Modern Use of RFID in Apparel

    25 min
See All (85)

About

Supply chain and business insights delivered weekly, on the best day of the week. TGIF.

Information

  • Creator
    LIDD Supply Chain
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © LIDD Supply Chain
  • Show Website
    It's the End of the Week!