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by Jeff Moad, MA Editorial Staff Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2007 6:27:35 PM   | Abstract: | A young software company is offering manufacturers a new way to gauge the performances of their suppliers. |
For most manufacturers, supplier performance is a high risk/high reward issue. Having leaned out their production processes and slashed safety stocks, many manufacturers are more dependent than ever on timely, accurate deliveries from suppliers. At the same time, those seeking lower material costs have extended their supply networks to include far-flung partners, introducing a greater likelihood of costly supply disruptions. Apexon Inc., a young, 35-person, San Jose, CA-based on-demand service provider, is helping manufacturers such as Plantronics and the Gap track the performance of suppliers so they can reduce supply network risk and increase the reward. Unlike spend management vendors such as Ariba and Ketera, which manage transactions between suppliers and buyers, however, Apexon is focused on the analytical side of the equation, giving buyers timely insight into which suppliers are performing well and which are not. "Apexon gives manufacturers a clean way to get a handle on who's in their supply base and how well they're performing," says Mark Hillman, a senior analyst at AMR Research in Boston. "Getting that kind of visibility is critical right now at a time when manufacturers are more sensitive than ever about dealing with supply chain risk." [Click to continue] |