Cut supplier lead times by 50 percent--no mirrors, no kidding

Every buying organization wants shorter supplier lead times--a lot shorter. In the past, we have expedited, negotiated supplier-held and consigned inventories, made deals with distributors to stock original equipment manufacturers (OEM) items, and pushed for supplier partnerships. In the end, the ebb and flow of the economy has had, perhaps, the greatest impact on supplier lead times--lower backlogs mean quicker deliveries.