TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION
“ We were the first to move outside the boundaries of Bayer ’ s IT system and use a new , unique platform in order to monitor and track deliveries ”
— Michele Palumbo , Head of Supply Chain Management Italy
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION
A shift towards cloud computing edged Bayer towards the overall goal for its transformation : increased collaborative capability . Now with a centralised platform from which to share and store information , various elements of the supply chain ( warehouses , carriers , agents and customer service representatives ) could pool strands of information in a flexible manner . Even so , with new data streams now open , the company also required a way to leverage this new resource in a method that would allow the supply chain to continually adapt and stay ahead of trends .
This is where data analytics and simulation software come in : “ They are very important when re-engineering the distributive network in a country ,” says Palumbo . “ With this software , I have the ability to redesign it and find out the exact consequences of doing so . I can project ; I can have a clear understanding of the effects on cost and service level of the new distributive asset .”
Added to this is the usage of RFID ( radio-frequency identification ) in a way which Palumbo calls “ unique within the pharmaceuticals industry ”. RFID is a form of identification technology that can enable the unique identification of large volumes of products , assets , people , animals and much more . For a relatively low cost , special RFID labels can be added to items or logistics supports ( e . g . cartons , pallets , etc ,) which give off a readable signal . Each tag has an extensive operational lifetime and emits a unique identifier that can be transmitted over a long distance at a very fast rate , enabling massive and simultaneous
27 www . supplychaindigital . com