Infrastructure at various states of breakdown, empty store shelves, and high pollution levels may sound like a movie about a post-apocalyptic world, but these issues, together with the lack of basic services and resources, forms the reality of a world without efficient supply chain management.

Supply chain management is much more than just procurement or just logistics and transportation of goods. It is the function that takes an integrated look at how to balance the supply of goods and services with the demand of customers. As simple as this sounds, the expertise required to plan and maintain this balance is highly complex, as is evident from the topics that have been presented over the past 37 years on the programmes of the Annual SAPICS Conference for Supply Chain Management Professionals.

The 38th Annual SAPICS Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for 12-14 June 2016 in South Africa, will explore topics that will help delegates to overcome the challenges supply chain management professionals face on a daily basis. Energy and water shortages, technological developments, labour and skills demands, and environmental concerns are just some of the issues that supply chain professionals need to take into account when planning and executing profitable supply chains.

The speaker line-up for the 2016 conference will include a number of highly sought-after international speakers. SAPICS aims to provide the South African supply chain community access to the latest in supply chain thought leadership while keeping costs in line with the declining local economy.

Speakers who would like to share their supply chain stories with delegates can submit their proposals until 15 January 2016.

Significant savings on delegate registration fees are available until 29 February 2016, and preferential accommodation rates have been made available to SAPICS.