Supply Chain & Logistics
Best Practices 

Compare AI demand planning and forecasting software in Australia, from Netstock and Slimstock to Kinaxis, o9, Blue Yonder and SAP IBP. Five technology types, 13 vendors, AI features, indicative costs, contract terms and a 7-step selection checklist.

The Australian Supply Chain Stress Index is 67 out of 100 (High) as at 14 October 2026, level with April's 12-month peak. The fuel crisis and rising freight costs on every mode are driving it, while goods are still flowing.

A practical breakdown of AI supply chain use cases ranked by payback, data requirements and difficulty, with real Australian outcomes. Covers demand planning, inventory, freight, warehousing and supplier risk.

The best demand planning and replenishment software for an Australian business depends almost entirely on scale. Enterprise suites such as SAP IBP, Blue Yonder, o9 Solutions and Kinaxis Maestro suit large, complex organisations but commonly take 7 to 12+ months to implement. Specialist platforms such as RELEX, Slimstock's Slim4, ToolsGroup SO99+ and Logility offer deeper forecasting with faster time to value. Mid-market tools such as Netstock, StockIQ and Streamline bring acc

The Australian Supply Chain Stress Index reads 66 out of 100 as at 31 August 2026, placing conditions in the Strained band — unchanged from six weeks ago. The flat headline hides a near-complete rotation underneath it. Global freight and origin manufacturing pressure has eased materially, while Australian domestic cost pressure has climbed to the highest level this index has recorded. For planning teams, the exposure has moved from lead-time risk to freight-cost risk. What is

Machine Learning vs Agentic AI in Supply Chain: What's the Difference, and What Does Each Cost? Machine learning in supply chain means models that predict or recommend — forecasting demand, flagging anomalies, scoring supplier risk — with a human deciding what to do next. Agentic AI goes a step further: it takes the action itself, such as re-ordering stock, rerouting a shipment, or adjusting a plan, within rules a business has set. The practical difference is who (or what) pu

How a structured lean process mapping engagement inside a financial regulatory body's customer complaints operation uncovered significant waiting-time waste and other non-value-added activity — leading to a recommended 25% reduction in end-to-end processing time.

How to choose between supply chain consulting providers in Australia: the five provider types and what they cost, seven selection criteria, ten questions to ask, red flags, pricing models and a six-step selection process.

Australian businesses are operating in one of the most challenging logistics environments in recent memory. Rising fuel costs, driver shortages, infrastructure constraints, and growing customer expectations for same-day delivery are squeezing margins and straining operations. Here are the top logistics challenges we see businesses grappling with in 2026 — and what you can do about them. 1. Last-Mile Delivery Costs Last-mile delivery remains the most expensive and complex part

Supply chain as a service (SCaaS), also called supply chain outsourcing, means engaging an external specialist to run some or all of your supply chain using their people, processes and technology, and paying for the outcome rather than the overhead. For Australian businesses it is generally cheaper than building the same capability internally, and it can be operating in weeks rather than the 12 to 18 months a full in-house build takes. This guide covers what you can outsource

In today's business world, supply chain management is one of the most critical components that businesses need to manage efficiently to...

Leading consultants weigh in on the future global technology trends that will define the advancement of supply chains in 2022. Click here to find out more. This article talks about the macro-economic conditions in the recent few years that have shaped the needs of supply chain executives and teams for the future. Key factors driving future trends are around supply chain instability brought about by increased natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and extreme weather con