End-to-End-Supply Chain optimization

The goal of holistic supply chain optimization is to coordinate all relevant functional areas of a company in such a way that costs are minimized, throughput times are reduced, and customer satisfaction is increased. To achieve this, several key elements must be taken into account and harmonized:

Planning systems and processes

• Sales and inventory planning: Accurate forecasts of demand and inventory levels are essential to avoid overstocking or understocking. Scenario analyses, safety stocks, service level definitions, and portfolio management play a key role here.
• Demand and capacity planning (sales and operations planning, SOP): Integration of sales, production, procurement, and finance to ensure a realistic margin between demand forecasts and operational capacity. Regular coordination allows bottlenecks to be identified early and countermeasures to be coordinated.
• Production and procurement planning: Long-term and medium-term planning of production capacities, batch sizes, delivery dates, and procurement strategies. The goal is to achieve a balance between costs, flexibility, and delivery reliability.

Order management and order-to-cash (O2C)

• Order processing: From order entry and resource planning to picking, packing, and shipping. Transparent status information throughout the entire process increases customer satisfaction.
• Working capital and cash flow implementation: Optimization of accounts receivable terms, payment terms, and invoice processing to secure liquidity.
• Customer service and transparency: Real-time tracking, clear delivery windows, and proactive change management when needed.

Lean supply chain approach in inbound, intra, and outbound

• Reduction of unnecessary handling and inventory stages: Flow-oriented logistics principles, Kanban systems, just-in-time delivery, and minimization of detours reduce costs and error rates.
• Inbound logistics: Optimization of procurement, goods receipt, and quality assurance to identify surpluses or bottlenecks at an early stage.
  Intra-logistics: Warehouse logistics, order picking, packaging, and internal transport are designed synergistically to reduce throughput times.
• Outbound logistics: Shipping logistics, distribution, last-mile delivery, and returns processing, taking into account delivery reliability and costs.

Holistic integration and design approaches

• Big-picture approach: The starting point is a clear vision of the overall planning, followed by a detailed analysis of all relevant planning and control processes.
• Process and value stream design: Value stream design methods are used to streamline material flows, identify bottlenecks, and eliminate waste.
• End-to-end optimization: Consistent optimization requires reliable data, standardized processes, and close integration of planning, execution, and controlling.

Knowledge, data, and IT support

• Information and material flow knowledge: Successful optimization is based on a deep understanding of how data is generated, transformed, and used, as well as on robust material flow concepts.
• Planning and control: Competence in the holistic coordination of demand, capacity, production, and distribution is crucial.
• ERP and SCM systems: The respective applications must not only function, but also communicate seamlessly with each other. Interfaces (APIs, EDI, integrative modules) and data models must be consistent and up-to-date in order to support real-time analyses and simulation-based decisions.
• Data quality: A clean, consistent database is a prerequisite for accurate forecasts, optimizations, and dashboards.

Methods, tools, and metrics

• Modeling and simulation: Scenario analyses, Monte Carlo simulations, and network simulations help to understand potential risks and test strategies.
• Lean and supply chain design methods: Principles such as value stream mapping, kaizen, takt times, and pull principles support the reduction of waste.

Contact us now and find out how ebp-consulting can support you as a supply chain management consultant!