Wholesale & Distribution
Thousands of SKUs, long lead times, A-customers with rush orders
High service level - without overflowing stock. Clean MTS/MTO split, timely replenishment, A-customers in view.
What we see in wholesale
Lots of stock yet the one item is missing. Rush orders scramble priorities.
MTS and order-based sourcing in parallel: standards to stock, specials to order - without rules it turns chaotic.
Service level vs. working capital: safety stock helps but costs. Blanket buffers waste capital.
Typical challenges
- Long global lead times - re-planning is limited
- Multiple suppliers with varying lead times - coordination becomes complex
- Excel limits at scale - manual maintenance, point forecasts without uncertainty
- Service-level pressure - each extra percent is disproportionately costly
Portfolio steering
Control thousands of SKUs individually, not with blanket rules
MTS/MTO balance
Coordinate stock vs. order-based sourcing
Lead times & MOQs
Account early for long supply and minimum quantities
Customer patterns
See A-customers and outliers in time
What planning is about
From Excel jungle to systematic control
Order the portfolio
Steer items by ABC/XYZ classes.
Automated procurement
Automate reorder points by class.
Lead times & MOQs
Plan MOQs, lead times and containers.
Timely replenishment
Proactive reordering instead of reactive ordering.
We put in place rules & parameters:
- Target service levels per item class instead of blanket goals.
- Automated ordering rules per product group.
- Disposition by lead-time classes; buffers per class rather than blanket.
- Respect MOQs/lot sizes & transport constraints.
- A-customer monitoring: detect outliers early in order history.
- Away from single Excel: put planning logic into the system, lists only for checks.
What improves in daily business
Stock where lead time is long
Buffers placed deliberately, not everywhere
Automated procurement
Less manual ordering work
Transparent service-level control
Balance availability and cost
A-customers in view early
Spot pattern changes before revenue slips
Additional benefits
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