Introduction
This global aluminum packaging company offers customers around the world innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, with annual revenues of approximately $2.7 Billion and boasting nearly 8,000 employees with 60+ locations all over the globe. Besides the standard aluminum cans, they utilize a number of shaping technologies, including mechanical expansion and blow molding, to develop
standard and custom shapes based on specific product and customer brand requirements. Their product catalog extends through 9+ different markets using over 100+ patents that are owned, while always preaching innovation and sustainability in every product they make.
Challenge
Our client had been forecasting demand and supply strictly using custom-made Excel spreadsheets. Given the growth of the company aided by increased demand for aluminum products because of the pandemic, they were ready to invest in technology to keep up with the new supply chain marketplace dynamics. Using our unique Agile Deployment Methodology (ADM) & Toolkit™, Plantensive completed full technical go-live of the solution in less than 7 months and under budget.
Our Solution
Plantensive led the transformation initiative to implement Blue Yonder (JDA) Demand, Demand 360 and Enterprise Supply Planning solution across its North American supply chain consisting of 7+ Plants and 10+ Warehouses. Given the significant leap in technology, Plantensive engaged with the management team to define new forecasting, inventory planning, safety stock policies, production changeover planning and manufacturing planning processes to enable the transition from Excel spreadsheets to latest Blue Yonder technology while leveraging Plantensive’s proven supply and demand best practice processes.
In addition, Plantensive worked with IT to define interface requirements, data mapping, integration unit testing and systems integration testing to enable a new planning process that is more dynamic and responsive given the significant pressures of demand since the pandemic began. Plantensive also worked with the client’s supply chain organization on end-user training and knowledge transfer while leveraging Blue Yonder’s Cloud Services.
Our Results
There were many benefits realized which included improvement in forecast accuracy, increasing inventory turns, reducing inventory mark downs, optimizing procurement buys while balancing against service level objectives and using a “manage by exception” planning process.
Overall, the lasting impact of the project increased our client’s supply chain maturity by successfully moving them to the next generation retail supply chain solution on Blue Yonder’s Cloud.
Results Highlight
- Improved Forecast Accuracy
- Increased Fill Rates
- Improved Safety Stock Signals
- Reduced False Signal Makes & Buys
- Reduced Changeover Costs
- Streamlined Distribution Approval Process
- Drove Towards “Manage by Exception Planning Processes
- Leveraged BY Cloud to Drive Agility
- Project Delivered Under Budget
