The Impact of Direct Digital Manufacturing on Supply Chains

Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Business economics - Supply, Production, Logistics, grade: A, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, language: English, abstract: Companies that will be leaders in futures business are those companies that achieved cost leadership and service leadership. Therefore companies are looking for supply chain solutions that help to increase the value to the customer while reducing costs in order to get competitive advantages. One solution could be the technology of DDM, where customized products can be printed at the point of demand. DDM has 'the power to change business radically and have significant positive or negative effects for an industry or single company' At first this report will illustrate the impact of DDM on supply chains by using supply chain concepts. After that approaches to gain competitive advantage for a global logistics company will be advised before ending with a conclusion.