Blue Silk Consulting

What Blue Silk Consulting does

Blue Silk Consulting is a privately held professional services firm headquartered in Los Gatos, California, specializing in global supply chain management and expert witness consulting. Founded by former executives of Answerthink/Hackett and KPMG, the firm operates with a senior-executive delivery model: each engagement is led by a principal consultant with 25+ years of supply chain domain experience, including roles at SAP, KPMG Peat Marwick, Answerthink, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Cymer, and the U.S. Navy Supply Corps. Service lines span supply chain strategy, import/export compliance, China sourcing, SAP ERP implementation, field service optimization, global manufacturing strategy, procurement and sourcing, contract negotiation, logistics, and reshoring advisory. The firm also provides forensic litigation support and expert testimony for disputes involving global supply chains, Chinese manufacturing, counterfeits, IP, and contract manufacturing matters.

Revenue is generated through professional services engagements priced per project or on a multi-year basis, with no published rate card or tiered pricing; the senior-executive delivery model implies premium billing rates. Customer segments span three primary verticals: enterprise manufacturers undertaking reshoring or global sourcing initiatives, law firms and legal clients requiring expert witnesses, and private equity and venture capital firms conducting operations due diligence. The firm claims 80+ cumulative clients and has served industries including high technology, software, chemicals, healthcare, consumer products, industrial products, food distribution, transportation, publishing, retail, oil and gas, and automotive.

The firm has no proprietary software platform and operates without SaaS, APIs, or external integrations. Distribution runs exclusively through direct enterprise sales, supplemented by extensive thought leadership: five Amazon.com best-selling books authored by President Rosemary Coates, a weekly podcast (Frictionless Supply Chain), FreightWaves TV segments, white papers, and recurring keynote appearances at ASCM, ISM World, SEMI, MD&M, and the Women in Manufacturing Summit. The firm is WBE (Woman-Owned Business Enterprise) certified and operates in close collaboration with the Reshoring Institute, a separate 501c3 nonprofit where the President serves as Executive Director. Geographic reach spans North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, delivered without foreign offices through principal-level engagement.

Name

Blue Silk Consulting

Legal name

Blue Silk Consulting

Website

https://bluesilkconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue Silk Consulting is a Los Gatos, California-based professional services firm providing senior-executive global supply chain consulting, China sourcing advisory, reshoring strategy, SAP implementation, and expert witness services to enterprise manufacturers, law firms, and PE/VC clients across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supply Chain Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services (541614), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain & Procurement Consulting (BPAHACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Global Trade & Customs / Trade Compliance (BPAHAHAG), Supply Chain Planning (S&OP/IBP, Demand & Inventory) (BPAHAHAD)

Keywords

• Supply chain consulting
• Import export compliance
• China sourcing advisory
• Reshoring strategy consulting
• Expert witness services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Gatos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Supply Chain Consulting: Professional consulting services for global operations, manufacturing strategy, sourcing, import/export, field service optimization, and ERP systems (SAP). Engagements include project management, process improvement, and systems implementation.
2. Expert Witness Services: Legal consulting and expert testimony for cases involving global supply chain disputes, Chinese manufacturing issues, counterfeits, IP protection, quality problems, and contract manufacturing matters. Includes forensic analysis, document review, and expert testimony.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blue Silk Consulting delivers senior-led advisory services in global supply chain management, including supply chain strategy, import/export compliance, China sourcing and supplier management, SAP ERP systems implementation, field service optimization, reshoring feasibility studies, and expert witness/litigation support for supply chain disputes. The firm sells discrete consulting engagements and expert testimony retainers rather than software products, complementing services with five Amazon.com Best Seller books and a hosted podcast.

Product overview

Blue Silk Consulting is a global supply chain consultancy offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The core consulting offerings include Supply Chain Strategy, Import/Export Compliance, China Sourcing, SAP Implementation, Field Service Optimization, Expert Witness/Litigation Support, Reshoring Consulting (in partnership with the Reshoring Institute), Global Manufacturing Strategy, Procurement and Sourcing, Negotiation Strategies, Supply Chain Contracts, and Logistics and Distribution. Additionally, the firm produces thought leadership content including five published Amazon.com Best Seller books (42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China, 42 Rules for Superior Field Service, The Reshoring Guidebook, Legal Blacksmith, and Negotiation Blueprinting for Buyers), downloadable white papers, and the Frictionless Supply Chain Podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Supply Chain Consulting Strategic consulting services for global supply chain optimization, helping enterprise clients solve global supply chain challenges with over 25 years of experience.
• Import/Export Consulting Expert guidance on international trade compliance, customs procedures, and import/export regulations for global commerce.
• China Sourcing Consulting Specialized consulting for sourcing and manufacturing in China, including supplier qualification, quality management, and factory evaluation.
• SAP Consulting ERP systems project management and implementation services, including operations and systems consulting for SAP deployments.
• Field Service Consulting Consulting to optimize field service operations, improve customer loyalty, and increase profitability in service delivery.
• Expert Witness Services Forensic expert and litigation support for legal cases involving global supply chains, manufacturing disputes, and counterfeiting issues, including expert testimony.
• Reshoring Consulting Collaboration with the Reshoring Institute to develop global manufacturing strategies and help companies return production to America, including location studies, total cost analysis, and supply base redevelopment.
• Global Manufacturing Strategy Strategic consulting for global manufacturing decisions including location studies, competitive analysis, and total cost of ownership evaluation.
• Procurement and Sourcing Strategic procurement consulting and supplier management services for optimizing sourcing decisions.
• Negotiation Strategies Consulting Expert guidance on negotiation approaches and contract strategies for supply chain and procurement.
• Supply Chain Contracts Consulting Contract development and review for supply chain agreements, including terms and risk mitigation.
• Logistics and Distribution Consulting Consulting on logistics optimization and distribution network design for global operations.
• 42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China (Book) Amazon.com Best Seller book - A practical guide to finding, qualifying, and managing Chinese manufacturers.
• 42 Rules for Superior Field Service (Book) Amazon.com Best Seller book covering keys to profitable field service and customer loyalty.
• The Reshoring Guidebook (Book) Step-by-step guide to reshoring manufacturing operations back to the United States.
• Legal Blacksmith: How to Avoid and Defend Supply Chain Disputes (Book) Comprehensive guide to help executives, supply chain professionals, and attorneys handle difficult supply chain issues and disputes.
• Negotiation Blueprinting for Buyers (Book) Fact-based negotiation guide with case studies for procurement and sourcing professionals.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Reshoring InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Silk Consulting works in collaboration with the Reshoring Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on expanding U.S. manufacturing supply chains. Rosemary Coates serves as Executive Director of the Reshoring Institute. The organizations collaborate on research, graduate student intern programs, and assisting companies with reshoring initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Hackett Group: A publicly listed advisory firm focused on benchmarking and best-practice implementation across supply chain, procurement, and finance functions. Closely comparable to Blue Silk's benchmarking, supply chain strategy, and operational transformation offerings, though operating at materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Reshoring Institute: A 501c3 nonprofit (where Rosemary Coates serves as Executive Director) focused on research and advocacy for returning manufacturing to the U.S. Strategic partner of Blue Silk and an indirect competitor in reshoring advisory and thought leadership.
• Slalom (Supply Chain & Operations Consulting): Mid-sized consulting firm with a supply chain and operations practice serving mid-market and Fortune 1000 enterprises. Overlaps in supply chain advisory, SAP-adjacent work, and operations consulting.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company (Operations Practice): Global strategy consultancy with a dedicated Operations Practice covering manufacturing strategy, supply chain transformation, and procurement. Competes for high-end enterprise supply chain advisory work and serves as a benchmark for premium positioning.
• Accenture (Supply Chain & Operations): Global consulting and systems integration firm with large-scale supply chain transformation capabilities including SAP implementation, sourcing optimization, and digital supply chain. Overlaps directly with Blue Silk's SAP and operations work.
• Deloitte (Supply Chain & Network Operations practice): Big Four consulting practice with deep supply chain transformation, reshoring strategy, and trade-compliance offerings. Competes with Blue Silk on enterprise supply chain mandates and acquired Chainalytics to bolster this capability.
• West Monroe (Supply Chain practice): U.S. consulting firm with a dedicated supply chain and operations practice covering sourcing optimization, procurement, and trade compliance. Serves as a comparable for mid-sized boutique advisory competing against larger firms.
• Bain & Company (Operations & Supply Chain): Global strategy consultancy with an Operations practice that addresses sourcing, manufacturing footprint, and procurement. Competes for enterprise manufacturing strategy and reshoring engagements at the C-suite level.
• Alvarez & Marsal (Operations & Performance Improvement): Global professional services firm with operations and performance improvement offerings serving under-performing and transforming enterprises. Comparable in targeting operations leadership within distressed or transitional companies.
• KPMG (Supply Chain & Operations practice): Big Four firm with a global supply chain and operations consulting practice covering sourcing, manufacturing strategy, and trade compliance. Overlaps directly with Blue Silk's KPMG Peat Marwick DNA and competes for the same enterprise RFPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/207319042437
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-silk-consulting

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Silk Consulting