CSCMP China Conference Event Report

The 7th CSCMP China Conference, co-organized by Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and China (Shenzhen) Development Institute (CDI), held in Chengdu on Sep 8-9, 2016, has come to a successful end. Experts, supply chain thought leaders and business executives from more than 10 countries and CSCMP roundtables have gathered there and shared their excellent views and insights with 300 participants in the two-day conference, which focus on the mega trends of the supply chain management in China, covering China’s One Belt and One Road Initiative, innovation of business model, application of technology of Big Data, cloud computing, internet of things, artificial intelligence, robot and automation, genomics, and new energy solutions. 

 1. Thought-leader and business executive insight on mega-trends and managing the most complicated supply chain.

Kevin Smith, Chairman of CSCMP and CEO of Suptainable Supply Chain Consultant, FL, talked about the mega trend in supply chain development in the next ten years. Automation, Internet of thing and block chain are his keywords regarding techniques and technology. Globalization and nationalism are underlined, as well as the trend of infrastructure construction, and the service speed and the power of the new millennium generation. He also points out the constrains in operation, such as labor shortage and radicalism in wage. 

Dr. Binyam Reja, Transport Officer of World Bank China, emphasizes the importance of intermodal traffic. He also shared with participants his experience in low-carbon transportation and energy-conserving logistics through case study of programs he has worked on in China. 

Jon Creyts, Managing Director of Rocky Mountain Institute, shared their latest research results and demonstrated a roadmap for China’s revolution in energy consumption and production to 2050, with specific methods delivered to every department. Ding Junfa, Chief Advisor of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, shares his insight on China’s SCM in the 13th Five-Year Plan Period and the reform on supply side of supply chain. He believes that more attention should be paid to lower the high cost and deregulate the logistics industry to relieve its burden, with efforts put simultaneously in both supply and demand side, as well as optimization of the distribution of public resources. In the speech, he also proposed the Ten Year Supply Chain+ Plan.

Dr. Wang Wei, Director of the Institute of Marketing Economy of the State Council Reach Center of China, explained in a comprehensive theory and practice on why and how to construct an industrial cluster and industrial parks with a detailed introduction to principles of logistics cluster and the development of industrial park and an analysis of case studies in China and Europe.

Jeroen Bolt, President of CSCMP Benelux Roundtable and Owner of Flaus, introduced the concept of horizontal collaboration under a new perspective in development business in EuroAsia. After sharing some methodologies and tools, he also showed how government should act to support horizontal collaboration.

Dr. Zhang Jin, Director of Center of the Logistics Research Laboratory at Southwest Jiaotong University, shared his expertise and experience in SCM in China with participants during the roundtable discussion.

Jan De Meulder, TI’s Director of Supply Chain & Logistics, demonstrated the characteristics, benefits and challenges of the management of global supply chain from a practical perspective based on an analysis of their over 900 global logistics suppliers. Plans on sales and operation
were specially mentioned.

Andrew Hong, the Director of Fast Growing Enterprises with DHL based in Singapore Regional Office, analyzed the potential opportunities and challenges brought by Belt and Road Initiatives from the perspective of global supply chain management, discussed the financing of Belt and
Road Programs and intermodal traffic solutions, and shared DHL’s experience of how a multinational enterprise could participate in Belt and Road. 

Qin Deng, Director of IBM Global Electronic Industry, introduced the concept and practice of IoT enabled supply chain control tower and shared cases of the application of loT to supply chain field. Wang Jianzhi, Deputy Manager of Xianyi SCM, demonstrated their exploration and practice in temperature controlled supply chain.

Yu Tian, Senior Logistics Director of JD.com, and Zhao Liqiang, Logistics Director of Vip.coms Holdings Limited, shared the value of excellent supply chains. During the roundtable discussion, Martin Lockstrom, APAC Head of Purchasing Excellenceat DSM, shared with the participants his experience in low-carbon logistics and green supply chain.

4. Chengdu and Belt and Road Initiative: unlimited opportunities 

As a national logistics hub in China, Chengdu is aiming to become an international leader in Belt and Road initiative, with comprehensive capability to handle materials and resources from all over the world. Empowered with rail lines connecting European and coastal areas, a network of wide coverage of international air routes, industrial clusters of leading-edge technologies, Chengdu makes itself an ideal place to explore new business opportunities and setting up local connections for logistics and supply chain in China. The conference is served as the stage for people to share exclusive views and insight on the frontier and innovations of supply chain, have a comprehensive understanding of the overall trend of industry development, and discuss present most popular issues like Belt and Road Initiative and Internet+, involving not only logistics industry, but also manufacturing, retail and finance. People are enabled to exchange views and opinions, communicate, connect and cooperate.

5. 2016 Award Announced for Excellent SCM Companies & Best Practices in China

27 companies were awarded for their excellent performance and practices in supply chain and SCM in China. Discussions and exchanges of views and opinions enabled by the conference could benefit the whole industry to develop and grow in an all-round manner.