A new steel trading giant is created by the merger of three global players, as John Foster, COO of the US hub Coutinho & Ferrostaal Incorporated explains to Gary Toushek. CCC Steel (Coutinho Caro & Co.), of Germany, Groupo Villacero of Mexico and MAN Ferrostaal AG of Germany combined their global steel trading and supply chain activities on┬á1 January, 2008 to create one of the worldÔÇÖs leading international steel trading companies, Coutinho & Ferrostaal GmbH & Co. KG.

Thomas R. Cutler explains why a warehouse control system (WCS) is well suited to working with a lean six sigma initiative. Warehouse management systems (WMS) are a key part of the supply chain, concerned primarily with controlling the movement and storage of materials within a warehouse and processing the associated transactions, including shipping, receiving, put-away, and picking.

Thomas R. Cutler discovers vendor relationship management (VRM), a relatively new supply chain tool that pays off for all parties. VRM, or vendor relationship management, is the reciprocal of CRM (Customer Relationship Management). VRM provides industrial, distribution, and a wide range of enterprises with the technology and tools for efficient vendor interactions that benefit both parties.  ÔÇ£Until recently, CRM systems took on the full burden of relating with customers,ÔÇØ explained Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.

By Thomas R. CutlerCompanies designing products for customers to their own specifications are part of a unique worldwide club of engineer-to-order (ETO) firms numbering 200,000-plus. Even firms that have been exclusively engaged in repetitive manufacturing are now increasingly finding profitable client demand for customization. Almost 90 percent of these unique one-of-a-kind manufacturers have annual sales of under $50 million and have yet to unify the key parts of the process into an integrated business information system.

Thomas R. Cutler looks at the value of tradeshows, and offers some suggestions for getting a return from the time and money invested in them. The best tradeshow, seminar, expo, or event can be incredibly valuable in gaining knowledge, interfacing with vendors, suppliers, and customers, and developing new clients and sales opportunities.

Marc Schupan, CEO of Schupan & Sons, and his three divisional presidents, tell Martin Ashcroft about the partnership culture that helps the business by helping the customer. ÔÇ£Once we have an opportunity to do business, a mutually beneficial relationship, along with loyalty grows,ÔÇØ says Marc Schupan.┬á  ÔÇ£We try to take a long term look at things,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£You canÔÇÖt necessarily make a profit on everything you do. There has to be some balance.

Eric Greenberg and Dave Campbell tell Martin Ashcroft how Life Line Screening brings reassurance to millions by providing an early warning of the risk of stroke and other vascular disease. ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs important to realize that the medical system we have today is not about prevention,ÔÇØ says Eric Greenberg, vice president of marketing for Life Line Screening. ÔÇ£I get sick, I have symptoms, I go to my doctor and he fixes me.ÔÇØ ThatÔÇÖs all fine and dandy, but what if you donÔÇÖt feel sick and donÔÇÖt have symptoms? YouÔÇÖre not ill, right? Not necessarily.

New customers are always welcome, but companies must have a strategy for understanding and retaining existing ones. Thomas R. Cutler reports on the importance of customer relationship management. The bottom line defines success for most companies. Their mission is to acquire new customers aggressively and grow revenues, often without regard to sustained profitability and tenure. In this environment, the existing customer is easily overlooked.

BridgeStreet Worldwide believes in consistency and controls in processes, and a human touch in customer relationships. President Lee Curtis talks to Keith Regan. Corporate housing provider BridgeStreet Worldwide was formed in 1996 through the roll up of what had been seven separate privately held companies.

A team led by the South African Department of Trade and Industry is working on a plan to rescue the countryÔÇÖs automotive industry. The team, which includes industry and labour representatives, was set up as part of a South African response to the global economic crisis, thrashed out in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).