The global supply chain continues to face the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, with new challenges arising in real time as the industry prepares to emerge. For mills and manufacturers in particular, these challenges affect operations and resources as well as relationships with brand and retailer partners.
The question of “tomorrow” and the long-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic are certainly top-of-mind for supply chain decision makers. They will need to adopt new strategies related to cost, time and quality to secure the future of supply chain operations.
But what can mills and manufacturers do in the near-term to better set their businesses up for post-pandemic success, and even drive profits today?
Given Covid-19 travel, meeting and operating restrictions, solutions to maximize operational value might seem less feasible without traditional resources and tools. However, COTTON USA has developed a program that can help decision makers identify short-term solutions for immediate implementation—even in a virtual world—that positively position their businesses for long-term success: COTTON USA SOLUTIONS®.
For mills and manufacturers utilizing U.S. cotton, COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® is the first-of-its-kind technical consultancy in the cotton supply chain. It provides cutting-edge data and technology offerings, led by a group of world-class mill experts, to evaluate and advise your business operations.
One of the most relevant program offerings for today’s virtual environment is the Virtual Mill Doctor™—an easy, remote way to access the one-to-one Mill Consult solution that has proven cost savings of 10 to 25 percent. Using Microsoft Remote Assist technology, COTTON USA’s world-class mill experts can visit an operation remotely. COTTON USA provides the latest Microsoft HoloLens headset to livestream on-the-ground footage from an operation, and COTTON USA technical experts tune in for a robust analysis.
The mill expert team will help identify a specific issue or area of focus to evaluate and solve. The customized output of the in-depth, virtual analysis is two-fold:
• First, an immediate strategy review from COTTON USA’s virtual visit and some preliminary optimizations.
• Then, after two to four weeks, a formal, data-driven recommendation with customized best practices for your operation to achieve guaranteed lower costs and increased efficiencies with U.S. cotton.
For example, data collected and evaluated through the Virtual Mill Doctor™ solution might determine that a mill isn’t gaining the yield it could expect from the type of U.S. cotton purchased. COTTON USA’s expert team will further investigate through additional testing, ultimately establishing a baseline for waste percentage levels and developing measurable recommended optimizations.
Recently, COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® activated the Virtual Mill Doctor™ for a large mill operation that faced this same challenge. By implementing the recommendations from the technical team, this mill forecasts significant financial impact by increasing overall yield by 4.5 percent—even amid the global pandemic.
In today’s remote business world, innovative offerings such as the Virtual Mill Doctor™ enable the global connectivity of and value exchange with COTTON USA. The COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® program is a testament to the added value COTTON USA brings to its customers and its commitment to establishing relationships of trust and transparency along the supply chain.
To qualify for COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® offerings such as the Virtual Mill Doctor™ and reap the benefits for your business, we invite you to learn more and contact us by reaching out to the COTTON USA representative near you. COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® offerings are complimentary for qualified COTTON USA™ licensees with a U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol® membership.
About COTTON USA
Cotton Council International (CCI) promotes U.S. cotton around the world using our COTTON USA™ trademark. We’re dedicated to spreading the message of how our family farmers are employing innovative precision agriculture techniques for a kinder, greener world. Click here to learn more.
About the case study
In 2020, COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ conducted an in-depth analysis for a mill that is a COTTON USA™ licensee and COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ member. The analysis was conducted as part of the Virtual Mill Doctor™ offering. The proprietary techniques for evaluation and data collection resulted in a customized recommendation to lower costs by more efficiently using U.S. cotton in the mill, which resulted in significant financial impact. The name of the mill and exact data is confidential at this time.