Successful companies gear up early for back to school

July 1, 2003
It may seem like a far off occasion for many students coordinating their summer plans, but back to school preparation should be the top priority for many

It may seem like a far off occasion for many students coordinating their summer plans, but back to school preparation should be the top priority for many distribution operations executives. The cyclical nature of the school year schedule causes the rise and fall of demands for school supplies, and savvy operations executives are prepared to handle the market fluctuations that come with cyclical products. The popularity of a variety of products, such as pencils, notebooks, and dorm furnishings, depends on the trends of the season, and the success of companies that supply these products greatly depends on how well these market trends and how effective they are at responding to demand changes. "Back to school means back to a basic focus in the distribution operation," said Rodger Roeser, director of marketing with Forte Industries. "Products will be coming off the warehouse shelves and into to the stores in a matter of months, and while the marketing folks are ramping up, the distribution executives had better take the same cue.

If companies want to avoid a chaotic changeover, the supply chain needs to be prepared for fluid operations." Roeser said executives who are knowledgeable of how to efficiently run the distribution center will get the most out of their operations and their labor force. Those that get products into the stores with the least time and effort and the most profitability will gain a significant competitive advantage. For more information, visit the Web site: www.forte-industries.com