Supply Chain World Volume 11, Issue 3 2024 | Page 41

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wiliot
“ Further down the line , it provides the opportunity to move from a supply chain to a demand chain , similar to the operating model used in the vending machine sector . This system shares demand signals from customers , like stock levels and data , directly with manufacturers , which has the potential to revolutionize the supply chain . By being close to customers in today ’ s retail model , we see a future where there ’ s visibility all the way downstream from the manufacturer to the end consumer , and all the way upstream from the consumer to the manufacturer .
“ In recent years , we ’ ve seen a huge battle between stores and omnichannel retailers , and the impact this has had on the restructuring of supply chains . Retailers are demanding a more accurate view of their inventory to eliminate issues with procurement and replenishment . That ’ s where our tags are invaluable , as when they are placed on the product packaging , they relay important data back to manufacturers , such as how full the package is and when replenishment is required .”
Reducing waste
Through connectivity , Wiliot ’ s solutions also provide customers with sustainability benefits . “ Environmental responsibility is a big driver for many of our projects ,” Steve states . “ In the retail industry , for instance , returns are an inevitable part of the operation , but one of the biggest areas of waste . A large proportion of returned items are never resold , but we ’ ve seen a huge reduction in this figure if our IoT Pixels are added to every item at the first stage in the returns process .
“ Waste is also a pressing issue in the food industry , with shocking figures revealing that 40 percent of food is wasted before it gets to the table . Our cloud can analyze factors scw-mag . com 41