Reduce cost and inventory while improving customer service

Whether sourcing overseas or manufacturing locally, all supply chains must seek to balance the delivering of high service-availability of product to its customers while minimising inventory and cost.

The Solution
The WCI approach is to apply the principles of Lean and world-class manufacturing in a practical way to achieve sustainable change in the workplace.

Forecasting and Sales & Operations Planning processes need to be put in place to ‘condition’ the supply chain to meet expected demands. Planning & Control frameworks must be implemented; linked to the S&OP process, these will often be based on pull—replenishment and kanban methodologies. Shopfloor operations must be simplified to enable small batches to be produced, or even one-piece flow, on very short leadtimes. With these enabling processes in-place, the structure of the supply chain can be challenged, stock holdings can be consolidated, inventories be minimised, and warehousing and distribution activities optimised.

The Benefits
The benefits of supply chain transformation are always quantifiable, and normally closely linked to direct financial savings. Service availability will increase to near 100%, thereby retaining customers and helping to drive sales. Inventory levels will be cut, sometimes by 50% or more. Direct costs of production, distribution and warehousing will fall as waste is eliminated.