Supply Chain Management & Logistics Planning

Supply chain design and implementation: development and implementation of a sourcing strategy. Prepare make-or-buy decisions.
Supply chain risk management and resilience: assessing logistics risks. Design of resilient structures. Supply chain stress testing.
Supply chain sustainability: analysis of the CO2 footprint. Calculation of the sustainability maturity level. Selection and evaluation of sustainable suppliers.
Supply chain control, monitoring and inventory management: supply chain analysis and evaluation. Definition of optimization measures. Implementation support.
Digital supply chain: process analysis and monitoring. Process standardization (e.g. for SAP EWM). Interface connection (e.g. EDI). Integration of a digital twin.
Logistics conception: preparation of master planning. Drafting of rough concepts. Detailed planning and vendor selection. Implementation support. Acceptance through performance and availability tests.
Warehouse planning and dimensioning: technology selection (e.g. miniload, high-bay warehouse, shuttle). Dimensioning of capacities, dynamics and resources. Inventory optimization.
Production logistics: technology selection (e.g. tugger train, AGV). Definition of material supply processes. Dimensioning via logisticsTM. Planning of the infrastructure (e.g. for navigation).
Automation of logistics processes: Identification of automation potentials. Implementation of smart automation solutions. Automation of information and material flows.

Example 1

Introduction of a fully integrated IT system and a robust logistics organization.

Supporting a vehicle project in the start-up phase and simultaneously designing and introducing a new IT system including logistics processes – and all this in a company network spanning three countries! The long-term goal: an A rating with an automotive OEM. The consultants from alphaX were able to help with this challenge. Planning, programming, implementation and testing were processed in a structured manner in an interdisciplinary team in agile Scrum mode.

Example 2

Logistical start-up support for new vehicle projects (parts lists and call-offs)

In order to secure the production start-up of seats for several new vehicle models, the alphaX experts developed various tools together with the parts list engineers at the supplier and then used them in their daily work. For example, it is now possible to compare the customer’s parts lists with the supplier’s parts lists. The goal was to obtain the BOMs in the right quality and to establish a precisely fitting communication between the BOM engineers and the customer. By means of various key performance indicators (e.g. on BOM accuracy), a weekly performance review was introduced. In addition, a LAB tool was developed to compare delivery schedules over a longer period of time and to check them for reasonableness using tailored criteria: Are the number of left and right seats the same? Are the part numbers correct? Do the limit values, e.g. the maximum number of seats that can be called off, fit? This analysis enabled communication toward the customer to be optimized and any inconsistencies to be eliminated.

Example 3

Design, planning and implementation of logistics and production-related measures to increase efficiency in an Eastern European plant for customized automotive wiring harnesses.

How do you get a grip on a large foreign site with structural economic problems? In this situation, a global automotive supplier relied on a team of consultants with a wide range of skills – including and responsible for the entire operations part: a team from alphaX. For six months, we intensively examined all operational production and logistics processes. Together with the operational managers, measures were defined and implemented that increased efficiency in almost all areas by double-digit percentages.