CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--APICS and Supply Chain Council announced today that the boards of directors of both organizations have approved an agreement under which Supply Chain Council (SCC) will merge with APICS upon ratification by SCC member vote.
The merger unites two industry leaders with complementary offerings to create the premier global provider of supply chain research, education and certification programs. Together, SCC and APICS offer a single-source solution for individuals and corporations looking to evaluate and improve supply chain performance.
Following the close of the transaction, APICS intends to integrate Supply Chain Council with its existing operations. Abe Eshkenazi will remain the chief executive officer of APICS with Joseph Francis, executive director of Supply Chain Council, serving as executive director of the APICS Foundation. Through the end of the year, there will be an expanded, transitional Board of Directors with board members from each organization’s Board.
"This agreement reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure that SCC’s and APICS’s content and capabilities remain at the forefront of our industry, providing our members, customers and the supply chain community at large the most up-to-date, relevant and complete body of knowledge in supply chain and operations management," said Jason Wheeler, chair of the APICS board of directors.
"It’s a brilliant combination that will give us a broader portfolio of products and services to address two of the most important topics in the global economy today ─ elevating supply chain performance and developing supply chain talent," said Eshkenazi. “APICS and SCC both focus on providing programs that advance supply chain excellence, innovation and resilience. Together we are a powerhouse poised to quickly realize the benefits of this combination, and offer greater value to our members, volunteers, partners, customers and employees."
"We are excited to join forces with APICS because it makes sense for our members and customers," commented John Sells, chair of the Supply Chain Council board. "This combination makes it easier for individuals to advance their professional knowledge and for companies to strategically and systematically improve supply chain performance, which improves business performance and ultimately customer satisfaction."
Strategic Rationale of the Combination
Both APICS and SCC believe that this combination creates a global leader in supply chain solutions, poised to benefit members, customers, partners and employees in several ways. Specifically, the merger:
- Creates the industry-leading portfolio of brands. The combination unites entities ranked #1 (APICS) and #2 (SCC) recently by SCM World, each holding the most respected brands in the markets they serve. The SCC SCOR® model and SCOR Professional (SCOR-P) brands will be leveraged along with APICS’s Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation brands.
- Ensures investment, improvement, innovation and continued relevancy of training, standards, certifications and intellectual capital. The combination offers greater resources and access to an expanded network of subject matter experts and volunteers committed to maintaining the organization’s reputation as the source of industry standards, benchmarks and thought leadership.
- Strengthens global competitive position. The unified entity offers greater resources and creates more opportunities to distinctively serve members, customers, corporations and partners in over 100 countries around the world.
- Builds strong platform for growth. The combined product portfolio offers significant cross-sell and global expansion opportunities including the marketing of SCC's highly-respected training programs based on the SCOR model to APICS's clients, as well as the marketing of APICS's industry-leading courseware and designations to SCC's clients.
- Captures significant operational efficiencies. The combination is expected to identify operational efficiencies and greater economies of scale primarily in back-office and support areas and through the sharing of technology platforms.
About Supply Chain Council
Supply Chain Council (www.supply-chain.org) is a global non-profit management organization that helps members make dramatic and rapid improvements in supply chain processes. SCC maintains the Supply Chain Operations Reference-model (SCOR®), the supply chain management community's most widely accepted framework for evaluating and comparing supply chain activities and performance.
About APICS
APICS is the leading professional association for supply chain and operations management and the premier provider of research, education and certification programs that elevate supply chain excellence, innovation and resilience. APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designations set the industry standard. With over 37,000 members and more than 250 international partners, APICS is transforming the way people do business, drive growth and reach global customers. For more information, visit http://apics.org, join the APICS LinkedIn group at apics.org/linkedin, and follow APICS on Twitter at http://twitter.com/APICS.
About APICS Foundation
APICS Foundation advances supply chain and operations management and innovation through research, publications, education and talent development. Organizations and academic programs gain access to the information they need to contribute to the success of supply chains and meet enterprise goals through the foundation’s exceptional network and resources. For more information, visit apicsfoundation.org.
