Press Release

IDC Manufacturing Insights Releases Top 10 Predictions for 2013 Supply Chain

To support the productive enterprise, supply chains must embrace resiliency and become ‘massively multidimensional’

Framingham, MA – December 12, 2012 – Today, IDC Manufacturing Insights hosted a webinar “IDC Manufacturing Insights Predictions 2013: Supply Chain” highlighting the top 10 predictions for the year ahead. Featuring analysts Simon Ellis, Kimberly Knickle, and Leslie Hand, the session provided organizations with insight and perspective on long-term industry trends along with new themes that may be on the horizon. The Predictions Webinar series is designed to help company leaders capitalize on emerging market opportunities and plan for future growth. An audio replay of today's webinar will be available within 48 hours. To access the replay, please visit http://bit.ly/MI_Predictions2013_SupplyChain.

The Top 10 Predictions are:

• Prediction 1 - Resiliency Becomes a Priority for End Users Looking to Master 'Massive Multidimensionality’
• Prediction 2 - On the Supply Side of the Supply Chain, Recognizing the Inherent Cost of Long Lead-Times, Manufacturers Continue to Look at Global Networks Through the Lens of both Regional and Country-Level Sourcing
• Prediction 3 - On the Demand Side of the Supply Chain, Recognizing the Need for Better Service Levels and Mass Customization, Manufacturers Look Again to Postponement Techniques and Data Analytics to Drive More Effective Customer Insights and ‘Smarter’ Fulfillment
• Prediction 4 - End User IT Organizations will have to Support a More Productive Supply Chain Ecosystem
• Prediction 5 - Service Excellence Becomes a Strategic Priority
• Prediction 6 - Supply Chains will Optimize Omnichannel Customer Service and Cost by Enabling Trustworthy, Efficient and Effective Supply Chains (TEE)
• Prediction 7 - End Users Will Focus Efforts to Improve Collaboration Both Upstream with Suppliers and Downstream with Customers to Better Compete in a Faster World
• Prediction 8 - Supply Chains will Invest in Technologies that Enable Visibility, Visualization and Virtualization
• Prediction 9 - The ‘Modern’ Supply Chain Gets ‘Smarter’
• Prediction 10 - The Big Data ‘Era’ Dawns for Supply Chain Organizations

"In 2013, supporting the productive enterprise, the necessity for speed in the context of complexity and data overload will require that supply chains embrace resiliency and become ‘massively multidimensional’,” said Simon Ellis, practice director, IDC Manufacturing Insights. “Supply chain responsiveness is a first principle, including improving forecast accuracy, certainly; while also driving for more flexible and agile factory networks and broader visibility."



For additional information about these predictions or to arrange a one-on-one briefing, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-378-2674 or sarah@attunecommunications.com. Reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact insights@idc.com; reporters should email sarah@attunecommunications.com.

About IDC Predictions

A hallmark of IDC’s offering for three decades, the annual Top 10 Predictions reports provide IDC's outlook on the IT market, across industries, in the coming year. During the next 60 days, IDC will publish dozens of Top 10 Predictions documents for 2013. Please visit www.idc.com/predictions2013 for a complete listing.

About IDC Manufacturing Insights

IDC Manufacturing Insights assists manufacturing businesses and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing asset intensive, brand oriented, technology oriented, and engineering oriented manufacturing industries. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc-mi.com, email info@idc-mi.com, or call 508-988-7900. Visit the IDC Manufacturing Insights Community at http://idc-insights-community.com/manufacturing.

# # #

For more information, please contact: