Compiled ByDeborah Austin "Pull" model supply chains -- such as Make-To-Order (MTO) -- remain elusive for most companies, suggests a recent white paper "Chasing the Make-To-Order Dream." Findings are based on discussion groups -- moderated by ARC Advisory Group, Dedham, Mass. -- with logistics/supply-chain executives at Richmond Events' The Logistics & e-Supply Chain Forum 2001. Biggest obstacles identified:
- Meeting customer MTO expectations while suppliers require more-traditional lead times.
- Existing infrastructure built for scale and volume, not MTO.
- Proliferation of stock keeping units (SKUs).
- Selling MTO to suppliers and customers requiring change in their own behavior.