Richard Chaplin

Background

About Richard Chaplin

Relentless Supply Chain and Materials Management Leader who delivers results—not excuses. With 25+ years driving operational excellence in automotive, manufacturing, and logistics, I own the entire supply chain from sourcing to delivery. I don’t just manage processes—I optimize, streamline, and cut waste until performance and profitability climb. I’ve consistently turned challenges into measurable wins: Slashed material costs by 30% through aggressive vendor negotiations and precision demand planning. Increased inventory accuracy by 45%+ by deploying Lean, JIT, and Kanban principles. Captured $394K in annual savings by reengineering packaging and restructuring global logistics flows. Boosted team efficiency by up to 65% by building accountability, data-driven decision making, and continuous improvement into daily operations. I thrive where speed, accuracy, and cost control decide the winners. My approach is direct, data-backed, and relentlessly focused on execution. If it impacts the bottom line, I make it better. Specialties: Supply Chain Strategy | Materials Management | Procurement | Inventory Optimization | Logistics | Lean Manufacturing | ERP/MRP Systems (SAP, Oracle)| JIT | Kanban | Vendor Management | Continuous Improvement | Team Leadership