Podcast: 4 ways Six Sigma can improve your supply chain

Feb. 20, 2024

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, learn how Six Sigma methodology can optimize your logistics operations.

Jagan Reddy is managing partner for Netlogistik, an integrator of Blue Yonder WMS and TMS solutions. He is a senior executive with more than 20 years of strategy, transformation and P&L management experience in enterprise software businesses. He recently wrote an article for Material Handling and Logistics (MH&L) titled "Supply Chain 101: Six Sigma." In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Adrienne Selko, senior editor for MH&L, shares Jagan's thoughts on how Six Sigma practices can improve supply chain quality and efficiency.

Below is an excerpt from the podcast:

It may come as a surprise to learn that most companies have some form of defect in 10% of their orders. This is a real number that represents not only an economic loss, but also potential damage to a company’s reputation. In a business world that has become more competitive than ever, supply chain quality and efficiency are crucial components in reducing order defects, minimizing costs and ensuring customer satisfaction.

A solution that has become increasingly popular for optimizing supply chain processes involves the use of Six Sigma methodology. Renowned for improving quality and efficiency, Six Sigma can transform your supply chain. This article will take you through four vital Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and illustrate the positive impact Six Sigma can have on supply chain management and logistics operations.

Six Sigma is a set of methodologies and tools used to improve business practices by reducing errors, minimizing variation and increasing quality and efficiency. Six Sigma practitioners use data collection and analysis to optimize business functionality and achieve better quality control by identifying and then correcting mistakes or defects in existing processes.

Implementing Six Sigma in the supply chain involves identifying critical areas for improvement and applying DMAIC methodology (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) for continuous optimization.

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About the Podcast
Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast offers news and information for the people who make, store and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers from chemical producers to automakers to machine shops can listen for critical insights into the technologies, economic conditions and best practices that can influence how to best run facilities to reach operational excellence.