NEWS FROM THE CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW CIRCUIT roadtrip
Change your outsourcing game
The University of Tennessee promises that its Vested Outsourcing course will
radically change the way you contract with third-party providers for logistics,
supply chain management, IT support, and facilities management services.
A revolutionary new approach to outsourcing, Vested Outsourcing (VO)
represents a complete rethinking of the way companies structure their agreements with service providers. Instead of paying your supplier to perform specific tasks (like picking or packing), you pay it to achieve specific outcomes or
results. Research has shown that applying the VO approach leads to performance improvements and lower costs.
Course instructors will present a five-step process for transitioning to a VO
model and discuss best practices for implementing these agreements. Program
faculty members include Mike Ledyard and Kate Vitasek of the consultancy
Supply Chain Visions and Karl Manrodt of Georgia Southern University.
The course runs from Aug. 1–3 in Knoxville, Tenn., and will repeat on Nov.
8–10. For more information, visit http://thecenter.utk.edu/. ;
July 19–20
Aimed at users of overhead cranes and
hoists, the Industrial Crane & Hoist
Conference in Houston will address topics like standards, safety, and inspections.
The conference is co-located with the
Reach 2011 Expo. (http://reachex-
po2011.com)
Sept. 19–21
The Consumer Returns 2011 Conference
will look at ways to streamline the returns
management process, drive down return
rates, and optimize asset recovery efforts.
The event takes place in Las Colinas,
Texas. ( www.wbresearch.com/consumer-returnsusa/)
Looking to take your reverse logistics operations to the next level? The Reverse
Logistics Association regularly holds one-day seminars on best practices and reverse
logistics strategies at locations around the globe.
Seminars cover topics like recycling, IT process management, and next-generation
programs. Each session includes a facility tour showcasing some of the industry’s
most efficient return, repair, and service operations.
Upcoming events include a seminar on improving the outsourcing process, which
takes place in Toronto on July 18, and a session on e-waste recovery and recycling,
scheduled for Tampa, Fla., on Nov. 7. For more information, visit http://rltshows.com.;
Right back at you
Oct. 2–5
Under pressure to minimize systems downtime and improve warfighter support, military logisticians are increasingly looking to performance-based
logistics (PBL) as a way to extend the lifespan and improve the reliability of
today’s defense systems. With PBL, the military contracts with suppliers for a
guaranteed level of performance and systems capability (as opposed to goods
or services), which gives suppliers a powerful incentive to ensure the systems
they deliver are high-performing and reliable.
But how do you go about implementing this type of program? To provide
some answers, Worldwide Business Research will hold the Performance
Based Logistics 2011 Conference in Alexandria, Va., on July 25–27.
Presentations will include case studies, success stories, and PBL implementation strategies.
The program is designed for military personnel as well as manufacturers of
military equipment. For more information or to register for the event, visit
http://www.wbresearch.com/pblusa/. ;
Getting started with PBL
Oct. 3–5
LogiPharma 2011 will feature sessions on
lean logistics, tracking and tracing, inventory management, and the green supply
chain. The conference takes place in Boston.
( www.wbresearch.com/logipharmausa)
Oct. 23–25
The Annual APICS Conference & Expo in
Pittsburgh includes educational sessions
on productivity, sustainability, and supply
chain strategy. Plant tours will also be
offered. ( http://apics.org/)
Nov. 2–4
Georgia Tech’s Warehouse/Distribution
Center Layout course will focus on ways
to improve throughput via systematic
layout planning. The class will be held
on the university’s Atlanta campus.
( http://www.pe.gatech.edu/)
