Red Wing Shoe Receives Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award

Red Wing Shoe Receives Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award

Red Wing Shoe Company, the parent of Vasque, was named a recipient of the Manufacturing Executive 2015 Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award (ML 100).  Red Wing Shoe Company was recognized for its outstanding achievements in the supply chain Leadership category. Winners in this category have undertaken efforts to revamp and optimize their supply chain and related processes, with a focus on accelerating new product introductions and delivering maximum value to customers.

The ML100, presented by Manufacturing Executive and in its 11th year, honors manufacturing companies and individual manufacturing leaders who help shape the future of global manufacturing. The ML100 judges evaluated nominations on the following four criteria: process impact, business impact, strategic impact, and use of technology. In addition, the judges based their selection on projects which have helped set each company apart from the competition, delivered a clear and compelling return on investment, and have rethought and reengineered how they source, produce, and deliver products to customers in dynamic global markets.

Red Wing Shoe Company is a leading purpose built footwear and workwear manufacturing and retail company, specializing in work and outdoor products that can withstand conditions around the world, from the Middle East oil fields to the Midwest cornfields. As the company’s product portfolio, volume and retail network grew, it became clear the processes in place would not support its continued success. Red Wing Shoe Company needed a better forecast to more efficiently position inventory, improve its Sales Inventory Operations Planning (SIOP) process and to effectively collaborate with its global suppliers.

Red Wing Shoe Company set out to overhaul its supply chain processes and at the heart of this was establishing the company’s S&OP process, what Red Wing refers to as SIOP. The SIOP process is critical to Red Wing Shoe Company’s ability to align operations with corporate strategy. The company turned to Logility Voyager Solutions™ as the foundation for its supply chain and this transformation. Since implementation, the company has significantly accelerated its SIOP process, reducing the planning time by 50 percent. Within just four months, the company, along with its suppliers and retail customers, began to achieve tangible benefits based on more detailed and accurate information, increased visibility and longer planning horizons, better aligned inventory and improved service levels.

“We congratulate the entire team at Red Wing Shoe Company for this prestigious recognition,” said Mike Edenfield, president and CEO, Logility. “The S&OP process has become integral to Red Wing Shoe Company’s management philosophy to help align its strategic, tactical and operational goals, and to drive improved customer service with lower inventory investments. We are honored to be a partner in Red Wing Shoe Company’s success and look forward to helping them achieve additional benefits in the future.”