The UAE is making a concerted move to place the region at the centre of the pharmaceutical manufacture and export…

The UAE is making a concerted move to place the region at the centre of the pharmaceutical manufacture and export chain. Dubai Science Park already boasts 19 factories producing around 1,500 different types of medication and medical instruments and the park is aiming to achieve a total of 36 factories by 2021.

Fresh new startup, Supplycompass, has entered the market in a bid to help organisations set up reliable supply chains seamlessly and efficiently. The technology-powered startup is described by one of its founders, Gus Bartholomew, as a ‘design-to-delivery sourcing platform for fashion, accessories and brands’. Another startup, Roadie, has just achieved backing from Home Depot, bringing the company’s fundraising total to $US 62 million. This forms part of the startup’s $37 million Series C funding announced at the LINK2019 conference.

In the USA, Bristlecone, an organisation specialising in supply chain transformation, announced a strategic partnership with Tradeshift, a global supply chain payment and marketplace solution. The partnership is focused on automation and collaboration to drive supply chain efficiencies and simplify payments and procurement.

Smithfield Foods has announced changes to its grain supply chain that are aligned with sustainable farming and reduced costs. The company has engaged with 80 percent of its grain supply chain in these sustainable practices, exceeding is original goal of 75 percent and making a significant step towards reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2025.

Kraft Heinz stock dropped by as much as 28 percent in spite of the use of zero-based budgeting and investments in supply chain technologies designed to help curb costs. The company has showed impressive innovation in the supply chain space and this may yet see it turn around over the course of the year.

Tive announced the arrival of the Tive Solo, a brand new tracker product for the supply chain. The Tive Solo’s features include the ability to measure and report temperature data every 15 minutes along with shipment location, plus a 30-day battery life.

Also in the news: Mastercard, Amazon and Accenture announced a partnership that’s focused on building a transparent blockchain supply chain; General Electric has sold its life sciences unit for $US21 billion; Primark reveals a strong performance and profits; and Brexit continues to be top of mind for firms as they prepare for its impact – both BASF and Bunzl are among those in the pre-Brexit news today.

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