Efficient and effective supply chain management is fast becoming the most important factor in gaining a competitive advantage, achieving overall business success, and increasing shareholder value.

Successful supply chain management, whether domestic or global, is grounded in strong contractual relationships, from raw materials purchases to end user sales. Efficient technology application, use, licensing and protection are key. So are strong purchasing, transportation, financing and risk management.

Supply chain management has evolved from basic contracts to strategic partnering arrangements with suppliers all along the supply chain.  Every step in the supply chain is critical, and a failure -- of performance or documentation at any step -- negatively impacts the bottom line.

Womble Carlyle’s supply chain management team helps companies work through important supply chain issues such as:

• visibility -- how to share sensitive data along the supply chain while maintaining an adequate level of protection
• technology implementation – sharing proprietary software applications while protecting valuable intellectual property rights
• resilience -- developing policies and procedures to minimize the effects of an HILP disruption
• risk management -- forecasting and mitigating the risks of disruption

Our experience in supply chain management issues includes:

• counseling foreign and U.S. companies in the legal, tax and political analysis of locating headquarters, manufacturing and distribution facilities, including a major computer manufacturer’s newest assembly plant in the Southeastern U.S.
• negotiating vendor and customer contracts on behalf of major manufacturing companies, including pharmaceutical, building supply, furniture, textiles, transportation equipment and computers and peripherals
• negotiating long term outsourcing agreements for warehousing, distribution and delivery of goods on a global and national basis
• negotiating, structuring and closing acquisitions and other strategic transactions involving the assets of warehouse, distribution and delivery businesses