The supply chain must be configured correctly to deliver product according to the customer requirements at a cost that is acceptable to the supplier.

For many businesses, one supply chain does not fit all. Different customers and different products require differing levels of service and responsiveness, and businesses must ensure that their operations can meet these varying needs. At the extremes, a single supply chain is designed to be either efficient or responsive. The efficient chain is the lowest cost design, that often smoothes operations over limited capacity and tends to deliver from stock. A responsive chain involves excess, or more expensive, capacity so it can react to short term market changes and maintain higher levels of customer service, often at a higher cost.

We help businesses to identify the different channel needs and design their supply chains accordingly. Sometimes this is achieved within the existing infrastructure, and even, for manufacturing clients, on the same production line. Other solutions involve new operations with different performance characteristics.