Customer
INEOS
Styrolution
Styrolution
Industry
Chemicals
Key expertise
SAP IBP
Go-live
03/2020
Country
Germany
INEOS Styrolution wanted to overhaul its planning systems. The company’s supply and demand planning processes were not fit to meet the demands of a leading global styrenics supplier and needed to be reconfigured. Westernacher came on board to implement an integrated planning system with the SAP IBP platform. Notable results have been achieved such as a significant reduction in time needed for data collection by sales representatives and much improved forecast accuracy.
Creating consistency and order.
INEOS Styrolution is a leading global styrenics supplier, providing applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries. Headquartered in Germany, it employs about 3,500 people and operates 20 production sites in 10 countries. For such a large supplier, their demand and supply planning was disjointed and lacked harmonization across departments and regions.
The company’s forecast and demand planning was performed through the consolidation of Excel files received from sales representatives around the world. Various tools, systems and spreadsheets were used across the company, with little consistency in how demand was consolidated and translated in supply requirements.
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reduction in time needed for field sales data collection
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stock reduction
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improved forecast accuracy
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time reduction in demand planning cycle
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production plan accuracy
Consolidated platform.
The company required a solution that would bring together all stakeholders—from sales representatives to demand and operations planners—in a unified platform. Westernacher implemented an integrated system that supports mid-long-term planning (S&OP process). The IBP Excel and Web user frontends helped to ensure buy-in and reduce resistance to change, as templates were created as close as possible to the excel files used by the planners. This ensured the user acceptance of the new system.
The new planning platform has seen INEOS Styrolution reap significant rewards. The time it takes to collect sales data has been reduced by 80% and there has been a 25% time reduction in the demand planning cycle. With management now better able to analyze demand and supply with web analytics, the company has seen an 80% improvement in forecast accuracy. Production planning accuracy is also up by 75%, with the added benefit of a 2% reduction in stock.
Westernacher has transformed our planning processes. We are now working together across all regions on one platform and are able to optimize our planning to meet global supply and demand.
Vaibhav Sareen, Global Business Process Manager, Supply Chain Management –
Global Process & Digitalization at INEOS Styrolution
INEOS Styrolution now have a unique set of data shared among all stakeholders, as well as standardized planning processes across all regions.
Westernacher’s strong relationship with INEOS Styrolution continues with our consultants providing ongoing post-implementation AMS support.
Westernacher’s strong relationship with INEOS Styrolution continues with our consultants providing ongoing post-implementation AMS support.
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