Sustainability in VMI: Reducing Waste Through Better Forecasting

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) can be an invaluable tool for modern businesses aiming to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and meet global environmental standards. By focusing on better forecasting and embracing technology, companies can create a more sustainable supply chain while maintaining profitability and customer satisfaction.

National Safety Month Tips – Workplace Safety Starts with Commitment and the Right Equipment

Keeping our employees safe is a primary objective here at Austin Hardware, as we expect it to be with many companies. In recognition of June as National Safety Month, we will share some educational content to help you keep your employees safe.

Safety in the workplace starts with a commitment. That commitment must come from both leadership (management) and employees. Management should demonstrate its commitment to safety through its actions, allocating resources to safety training and equipment and encouraging employees to report potential safety issues without fear of reprisal.

Subsequently, employees need to show commitment through involvement. This includes forming committees to identify safety issues, volunteering for training, and helping to develop solutions.

Emergency preparedness requires planning, training, and practice. Companies need to identify potential risks, invest in training, create a communication plan, and practice their plan through regular drills such as fire drills.

Essential Products to Help Your Employees Stay Safe on the Job

Equipment is a major part of a management team’s commitment to providing a safe working environment for employees. Here is a partial list of common items needed for a safe manufacturing environment.

• - Anti-Slip Tape: Commercial grade, high-grit safety tapes for high traction that meet Prop 65, ADA, and OSHA standards.
• - Back-Up Alarms: To notify passersby when a vehicle is moving in reverse.
• - Conspicuity Tapes: Reflective conspicuity tapes for better nighttime visibility of your vehicle.
• - Emergency Reflector Kits: To keep your drivers safe in the event of a vehicle breakdown.
• - Fatigue-Reducing Floor Mat: A fatigue–reducing floor mat can relieve pressure on the knees and backs of your employees who stand for extended periods.
• - Fire Extinguishers
• - Safety Clothing: Gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, earplugs, and more to protect the personal safety of your employees.
• - Ventilators: To condition the air and keep air quality safe in vehicles for drivers in every condition.
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Our Paint Shop Catalog contains many of our Safety products and a full line of MRO consumables.

Q & A with Connor Arney, Austin Hardware and Supply National Sales Manager for VMI 

CA: Vendor-managed inventory is an arrangement between the customer and supplier in which the vendor takes responsibility for managing and replenishing stock levels of agreed-upon parts and products at the customer's customer's location.

The Differences Between VMI and CMI

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and Customer Managed Inventory (CMI) are inventory management programs that differ in responsibility for managing inventory. 

In a VMI program, the vendor (supplier) manages the customer's inventory levels. The vendor collects customer usage data from sales forecasts, inventory levels, or other key metrics to determine when and how much product to deliver. In a VMI program, the vendor takes on the responsibility, and subsequent risk, of maintaining appropriate stock levels to balance inventory with costs for optimal cash flow. The customer benefits from a more streamlined supply chain and reduced inventory holding costs while having to invest less time and personnel resources into inventory management.  

Finding the Right Solutions for Your Supply Chain with Austin Hardware®

The job of securing your business data and ensuring your supply chain runs smoothly is critical. In light of recent world events, that job also has never been more challenging. 

As a source of solutions for your business, we can't be too thorough or too careful, which is why everything we do at Austin Hardware®, from the training of our employees to the safeguards on our e-commerce website, are designed to achieve those goals.

We utilize state-of-the-art inventory management software to provide accurate, current inventory levels, ensuring you have safety stock to avoid crucial line-down situations.  

At Austin, we seek to provide the best solutions for our customers by delivering value-added solutions for various aspects of your business. We are more than just a hardware company. We are a solutions provider.

If you are ready to find the best solutions for your business, read our top 10 ways to help your business run smoothly.

Using Data to Build Your Business

Using data to measure your business's success helps you see a clear picture of where your business stands. Numbers don't lie -- you can tell how your business is doing and set goals based on past and present metrics. These Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help your business stay on track to goals, quotas and let you know where you stand. Austin Hardware® covers this more in-depth here.

Aren't you ready to stop focusing on the small things like purchase orders, supply chain headaches, too many vendors, etc.? It's time to start focusing on what really matters – what new product improvements are needed to drive sales, how vendors can align with you to exceed your corporate or department goals, what manufacturing processes need revisiting. It's time to start building business relationships, setting long-term goals, growing your business, and preparing for future growth.

Austin Hardware's team of experts can help take your business to the next level. If staying on track for your future goals is your concern, keep reading to see how Austin Hardware's use of data analytics and solutions can help your business stay on track this year.

Creating efficiencies within your company, no matter what size, is not only about your bottom line. It is about more. It frees up your time to focus on what matters: building relationships and creating partnerships. Efficiency allows you to streamline paperwork, supply chains, tasks, orders, and many other aspects of your business. 

There are many ways to streamline and create more efficient workflows. Whether you're dealing with a specific pain point or wish to take your company's growth to the next level, Austin Hardware's Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) program is ready to help your business take the next step. We will work alongside your team to create a streamlined, efficient, and well-oiled machine.  

If you’re in the construction or woodworking business, you’re using nails every day. Homeowners often find themselves looking for just the right nail for their DIY projects. Even the core customers of Austin Hardware®, which are in the transportation and metal fabrication businesses, industries in which nails are not a predominant fastener, find the occasional need for nails for different projects such as constructing shipping containers for their products.