The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) is forming a new nonprofit association, the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM). In an announcement made Monday (Oct. 1), APICS announced the formation of the ASCM as a unit to support supply chain management, innovation and progress in the industry.
“ASCM is the leader for end-to-end supply chain management, bringing corporations and professionals the latest ideas and proven best practices to help transform supply chains,” said APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE in a statement. “With ASCM, we recognized an exciting opportunity with this new association to expand our reach and elevate our position even further. Something special is happening in supply chain.”
The unit will provide businesses with APICS certifications and trainings, the announcement noted, while ASCM will augment APICS’ existing offerings with new supply chain management services and products. Those offerings include a global network of supply chain collaborators, as well as what it calls “the first comprehensive corporate designation” that allows businesses to analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of their supply chains based on key metrics of sustainability, competitiveness and scalability. The ASCM will also offer its Supply Chain Learning Center with on-demand resources for industry players.
The press release noted that the ASCM will roll out additional features and services moving forward, with a full launch of the Association expected for early 2019.
“As supply chain practices rapidly evolve, organizations need accessible tools and resources from an unbiased partner,” Eshkenazi continued. “ASCM is ready to make a powerful impact on the industry, corporations and their workforces.”
A 2016 survey from the APICS Supply Chain Council and Michigan State University found key issues, including the need to invest in new equipment and availability of resources to scale up, as top concerns weighing on the minds of corporate executives.