Building the Supply Chain as a vital force for transformation

Because the Supply Chain is changing, the ASLOG is changing and becoming France Supply Chain by Aslog. Simple words but accurately representing the mission that the association has been carrying for nearly 50 years now: representing the Supply Chain, the vital force of transformation, and those who make it.

From the top of the 19th floor of the SAP tower in Levallois-Perret (92), Fabrice Lundy, economic columnist, three members of the ASLOG management committee - Yann de Feraudy, its Chairman, Stéphanie Rott, Production and Supply Chain Director of the LVMH Group, and Pierre Martin Huet, Group Supply Chain Director of Michelin - are meeting for an unprecedented exchange: Supply Chain Day.

The date is September 10, 2020. The world has been experiencing an unprecedented crisis for several months. Having entered into a "VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity)", as Yann de Feraudy reminds us, companies are experiencing multiple uncertainties, at once geopolitical, strategic and climatic, pushing them to make fair and efficient decisions.

"The crisis acts as a revealer. The Supply Chain, by its transversal nature, interacts with all the other activities of the company and is therefore able to implement collaboration and alignment of objectives.Inthis sense, it is a lever for a sustainable world"
demonstrates Stéphanie Rott.

Thus, in this new environment, the Supply Chain and those who make it have shown their importance. After several months of reflection and concrete actions, the time has come for transformation. A profound transformation on the part of the companies but also an intrinsic change for the association: a new name, symbolising its rise to prominence and the pursuit of its ambitions for the sector.

From ASLOG to France Supply Chain

"This name better says who we are, reminds us of our brand, this old lady who is well known, and wears our colours loud and clear", Yann de Feraudy proudly states. These new name and logo are intended to symbolize a meaningful evolution, described as "volcanic" by Pierre-Martin Huet, but which will not fundamentally change the organization of the association: "We will make new things out of old things, keep a winning team and continue our efforts in the same directions. The strength of France Supply Chain will remain the exchange of experience, best practices and the search for solutions", says Yann de Feraudy.

A work that the association carries out in particular through its various LABs. The first one is dedicated to digital, whose vocation is to "guide and clarify", as Jean-Marc Soulier, partner at Wavestone, explains. Use cases, methodologies, webinars, visits, white papers, but also a second Panorama of the digitalization of companies are planned in 2021.

On the HR side, as the very first Guide to Supply Chain Training in France has just been published, three themes will be highlighted this year: attractiveness, skills development and training.

Concerning the Intralogistics LAB, Laurent Sabatucci, associate director of EOL, talks about visits and theoretical work to keep an eye on all the technologies deployed in the warehouse. Finally, Pierre-Martin Huet, spokesperson for the Sustainable LAB "SupplyChain4Good" insists on the importance of "collective intelligence to implement a sustainable Supply Chain. For example, we bring several shippers and logistics service providers around the table with the idea of decarbonising a freight line all together. Another example, during the Covid-19 crisis, the decision was taken to put certain Supply Chains in difficulty, such as the Restos du cœur, back into motion... We are therefore in the real world, not in a pious hope," he emphasizes.

Developing, exchanging and raising awareness on sustainable supply chain issues

And it is precisely with a concern for practicality that France Supply Chain wished to reaffirm its missions and priorities for the years to come. There are three of them, and they are illustrated by a desire to raise awareness of the strategic and vital aspect of Supply Chain - "You have to be present on management committees and influence with trainers and public authorities", Yann de Feraudy explains; to make the sector progress but also to make its concepts evolve.

"France Supply Chain is a forum where we learn from each other. Our deep conviction lies in performance for a more sustainable world in an end-to-end logic, from our suppliers' suppliers to our customers' customers' customers. »

And this conviction infuses the heart of organizations and companies. As proof of this, Gerald Karsenti himself, president of SAP, came to announce the forthcoming entry of the publisher into the association. Because as Supply Chain is becoming more visible, the France Supply Chain network is growing, already federating 450 companies of all sizes (large groups, ETIs and SMEs) and from all sectors of activity. " For the future, we intend to maintain our energy, channel it through our LABs and continue to move forward on this Supply Chain route as a lever for transformation towards a more sustainable world", continues the Chairman of France Supply Chain. " Learning faster and together, this is the purpose of France Supply Chain", concludes Stéphanie Rott.