We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Apple tops Gartner's best supply chain list again
Forward Thinking

Apple tops Gartner's best supply chain list again

June 20, 2013
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

Apple's supply chain continues to outshine the rest, according to the research firm Gartner Inc.

The consumer electronics company best known for its iPhones, iPads, and iPods ranked number one on Gartner Research's 2013 list of the top 25 supply chains. That's Apple's sixth consecutive year at the top of the supply chain heap.

Gartner's annual report on supply chain leaders, now in its ninth year, ranks companies for supply chain excellence based on execution metrics, including return on assets, revenue growth, and inventory turns, as well as on analyst and peer opinions.

This year's list saw a lot of movement: The restaurant chain McDonald's overtook Web merchant Amazon to claim the number two position. The consumer goods giant Unilever shot up from 10th place last year to the number four spot this year, while Intel climbed two notches from seventh last year to fifth place. Three new companies—Ford, Lenovo, and Qualcomm—joined the top 25 this year.

In its report Gartner identified several major trends among the top 25 companies. Analysts found more movement toward "demand-driven" supply chains that integrate demand, supply, and product to respond to ever-changing demand, said Managing Vice President Debra Hofman in announcing the results. The research firm also noted that more advanced companies are involved in a wide range of supply chain initiatives that include supply chain segmentation, cost-to-serve analytics, multitier visibility, and supply network optimization.

Leading companies also are moving their supply chains away from a focus on efficiency and cost-cutting to one of enabling growth. At the same time, analysts said, top companies are making acquiring, developing, and retaining supply chain talent a major focus area.

Here are the research firm's picks for the top 10.

  1. Apple
  2. McDonald's
  3. Amazon.com
  4. Unilever
  5. Intel
  6. Procter & Gamble
  7. Cisco Systems
  8. Samsung Electronics
  9. Coca-Cola Company
  10. Colgate-Palmolive

The entire list and the accompanying report are available here.

  • Related Articles

    Apple rules Gartner's "Supply Chain Top 25" list again

    Apple's supply chain again considered best of the best

    Penn State tops list of best schools for supply chain management

Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

BrightDrop delivers 150 electric parcel vans to FedEx network

Survey: 90% of procurement leaders will tweak operating models to cope with economic outlook

J.B. Hunt trials self-driving trucks in Texas pilot

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • How to resolve your inventory dilemma

  • Container prices continue to drop

  • Regionalized supply chains: the key to resilience

  • Warehouse vacancy rates sink to 27-year low

  • Empty shipping containers stack up at U.S. port depots

Featured Video

Cccb7d13 710a 4473 8132 da8b6cc286f1

The Sportsman's Guide Case study: Increasing Accuracy & Productivity

Viewer Contributed
Thanks to the Lucas Warehouse Optimization Suite, The Sportsman's Guide has increased productivity, reduced training time, and experienced a boost in accuracy for both full-time staff and seasonal employees. Want to learn how Lucas can help your DC be more efficient, accurate, and safe while reducing labor costs?...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Case Study: Peak Teams helps boost headcount quickly on a short-term project

  • Breaking Bad: Conducting Full Truckload RFPs in the Age of Digital Freight Procurement

  • Omnitracs One – Last Mile Solutions

  • The enterprise shipper's guide to building a smarter truckload RFP

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2022. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing