Supply Chain by the Numbers
   
 

-February. 25, 2010
   
 

This Week’s Supply Chain by the Numbers for Feb. 25, 2010

   
 

Only half of Companies Expect Supply Chain Savings? $350 Million in Fast Ships Mothballed; Home Depot Tools Up Store Workers to Find Inventory; Foreign Investment in China on Rise Again

   
 
 
 

58%

The percent of global corporations that said they expect "significant" or "reasonable" cost reductions from their supply chain operations over the next couple of years. Our question: Can the number really be this low? Seems closer to 100% from our discussions.
 
 



 

$50 million

Approximate cost for each of the seven Maersk B Class ships that were built for the ocean shipper in the mid-2000s to provide fast ocean shipping services at speeds of 30 knots - now mothballed in the face of fuel costs and shipper cost focus over speed. See For Shipping Giant Maersk, Speed Does Not Pay, as World's Fastest Ocean Ships Are Put to Dock

 
 
7.8%
The rise in so-called "direct foreign investment" in China by companies in other countries in January, the sixth straight month of year-over-year increases after a plunge in late 2008 and early 2009 as the financial crisis hit. Direct foreign investment was $8.1 billion for the month.
 
 
 
 
$60 million

The amount Home Depot is going to spend on wireless RF terminals for its stores so that - at last - workers can tell potential customers if a product is in stock on the spot.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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