How data can unlock what’s critical about your business supply chain

During a pre-lunch talk, Darren told the group how the supply chain solutions company is embracing new innovations in data analysis, such as AI, making it possible to integrate complex, multi-source data and enable faster decision making. He explained how digital technologies are particularly powerful in adding value for supply chain logistics, unlocking opportunities not normally identified and solving specific business problems.

“Every business large or small depends on systems,” Darren said. “If a company suffers one issue it impacts the whole supply chain, so we need to have end-to-end co-ordination.” He added that during the pandemic global supply chains came under significant pressure, but that the solution to understanding these crucial points lay in real-time data: “Insightful data is the answer so we can make critical decisions before they arise. Data and automation, includingAI and machine learning, enable us to react quickly when we need to the most.”

After lunch members were given a tour of one of Unipart’s innovation centres – the Advanced Supply Chain Institute – where it is using digital technology to reimagine supply chains, helping people with solutions to problems that they can’t resolve themselves. “At the Advanced Supply Chain Institute, we are designing supply chains of the future so that the right products are in the right places at the right time in the right quality,” Darren told the group.

Unipart is a multinational company based in 72 locations, 36 in the UK, with operations in manufacturing, logistics and consultancy. A large part of its business is as a supply chain transformation partner – maintaining and managing customer supply chains and employing technology to allow it to do it effectively. It has a wide range of blue-chip companies in the automotive, technology, consumer, healthcare, rail and public transport, aerospace, and industrial sectors. With more than 12,000 employees, it is one of the largest private companies in its sector and one of Britain’s largest employee-owned companies.