Supply Chain by the Numbers
   
 

-July 8 , 2010 -

   
 

This Week’s Supply Chain by the Numbers for July 8, 2010

   
 

New Supply Chain Initiatives not so Successful; Toyota Adds Quality Time; USPS Jacks Rates; Congress Members Fight China Steel in US
   
 
 
 

2%

The small percentage of supply chain executives who said their supply chain initiatives usually ran smoothly, on-time and on-budget, according to a new survey from England’s Cranfield University. We conclude this means there is room for improvement.
 
 



 

4

Number of weeks of testing Toyota is adding to its new car development schedule, according to its chief engineer this week, as the company tries to recover from its massive quality and recall problems. Toyota hopes to keep total new car cycle time the same, however, by streamlining other steps in the new car process.

 
 
50

Number of members of the Congressional Steel Caucus – US Congress members actively supporting the American steel industry – who wrote last week to the Treasury Department asking that it “thoroughly investigate” the plans for Chinese steel company Anshan Iron and Steel Group to invest in a joint venture that would give it significant ownership of US steel making factories.
 
 
 
 
23%

Average rate increase for standard parcel shipments (those weighing less than 16%) proposed this week by the USPS, following a 16% increase in 2009. Other rates are also increasing significantly, depending on where the parcels enter the USPS network.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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