Supply Chain  Management

Our team improves efficiency by reducing waste, optimizing resources, and improving communication and collaboration between suppliers and customers.

overview

Supply chain management (SCM) can improve the efficiency of an organization by reducing waste, optimizing resources, and improving communication and collaboration between suppliers and customers.

SCM can be a complex and challenging process to manage due to the large number of stakeholders involved, the global nature of many supply chains, and the need for real-time visibility and coordination. 

To this end, we focus on the following 5 areas to ensure our supply chain runs smoothly. 

Supply chain management (SCM) can improve the efficiency of an organization by reducing waste, optimizing resources, and improving communication and collaboration between suppliers and customers.

SCM can be a complex and challenging process to manage due to the large number of stakeholders involved, the global nature of many supply chains, and the need for real-time visibility and coordination. 

To this end, we focus on the following 5 areas to ensure our supply chain runs smoothly.

SCM Web Illustration
Five Focus Areas for Managing Epoch’s Supply Chain

1. Planning and Tracking

Our team takes a proactive approach to supply chain management by using a cutting-edge ERP system to carefully plan for all requested materials. This provides us with complete visibility of the process and allows us to react immediately to changes in demand. 

Epoch has enhanced its internal supply chain by augmenting the ERP with a series of in-house-designed interface modules. One of the early modules designed was a “barcode interface module.” This system has allowed the removal of all the manual entry into the ERP system by merely scanning the material as it moves from point of entry to the production floor. This system is integrated with the in-house developed MES system that monitors the movement of the product/material throughout the production stage.

2. Storage and Delivery

The planning team at our company controls inventory levels to provide cost and time savings to our customers. Epoch has implemented a system of smart cabinets in order to reduce the cost of moving raw materials back and forth between inventory and the production site.

The cabinets are located right at the point of use on the production floor, eliminating the need to move materials between the two locations. This also reduces the number of inventory staff, since parts are picked by production staff using the automated locator and FIFO dispensers.

The cabinets are fully integrated with the ERP system, ensuring full control of the inventory. Since the smart cabinet was implemented six years ago, Epoch has doubled the number of inventory items without increasing the number of people on its material management team.

3. Inventory Management

The planning team at our company controls inventory levels to provide cost and time savings to our customers. At Epoch, we operate our inventory from various perspectives. Our cycle stock is linked to our MRP system and procurement in close coordination with the production planner, which re-aligns the delivery date to ensure timely delivery of products needed for manufacturing. With the volatility and long delivery of electronic components, safety stock is always built in to ensure we meet the demands of customers.

We have also established an internal “inventory team” consisting of sales, production, procurement, and material management to oversee the monitoring of the inventory, which brings useful perspectives from various points of view to the table.  The team has generally reached a consensus on the level of safety stock to be built based on potential sales, previous historical data, and supplier delivery, to ensure on-time delivery and monitoring of excess inventory buildup. The team is constantly reassessing its safety stock because of the constant fluctuation in component delivery.

4. Well-Established Supplier Relationships

We manage procurement through a network of global suppliers and have carefully cultivated solid relationships throughout the supply chain. We only partner with the best suppliers to guarantee that the components we receive are of the highest quality. Our team also manages a network of outsourced processes to supplement our core manufacturing.

We are aware that without the complete support of our suppliers, we would not be able to reach our set targets for supply costs. To ensure this close collaboration, we provide suppliers with long lead items and extended forecasts, some as long as six to eight months.

Epoch has also established VMI with many of its major suppliers, and to reduce excess workload for the procurement team, EDI is implemented with suppliers. In the past, a sudden surge in customer demand would mean spot buying of components at higher prices. However, with EDI in place, Epoch is able to better manage its inventory and avoid costly last-minute purchases. 

The fluctuation of component availability and the longer forecast provided to the supplier have allowed us to reduce our inventory costs by around 4%.

5. Optimized Movements of Goods

Epoch’s planning and procurement teams work together with our logistics team to ensure the timely movement of materials in and out of our facility. This is done through a carefully orchestrated movement of goods, in close cooperation with carriers and forwarders.

At Epoch, we are constantly striving to improve our supply chain management solutions. We are always looking for new ways to optimize the flow of goods and resources around the world to meet the needs of businesses.

Get In Touch

Are you in the market for excellent design, engineering, production, and distribution services under one roof? Look no further! Find out how Epoch can work with you to achieve the best results.

At Epoch, Supply Chain Management (S.C.M.) begins with careful planning of all requested materials through the use of our cutting-edge ERP system. We leverage ERP to provide complete visibility throughout the process and react immediately to changes in demand.

Our planning team controls the inventory levels to provide cost and time savings that are passed on to our customers. Procurement is managed through a network of global suppliers. We have carefully cultivated solid relationships throughout the supply chain.

It is through our strategic partnerships with our select base of suppliers that we ensure components received are of the highest quality. S.C.M also manages a network of outsourced processes to augment our core manufacturing.

Epoch’s planning and procurement teams work in tandem with our Logistics team to secure timely movement of materials in and out of our facility through a carefully orchestrated movement of goods, and in close cooperation with carriers and forwarders.

At Epoch, Supply Chain Management (S.C.M.) begins with careful planning of all requested materials through the use of our cutting-edge ERP system. 

We leverage ERP to provide complete visibility throughout the process and react immediately to changes in demand.

Our planning team controls the inventory levels to provide cost and time savings that are passed on to our customers.

Procurement is managed through a network of global suppliers. We have carefully cultivated solid relationships throughout the supply chain.

It is through our strategic partnerships with our select base of suppliers that we ensure components received are of the highest quality. S.C.M also manages a network of outsourced processes to augment our core manufacturing.

Epoch’s planning and procurement teams work in tandem with our Logistics team to secure timely movement of materials in and out of our facility through a carefully orchestrated movement of goods, and in close cooperation with carriers and forwarders.

Man looking at data