In a recent article in Lube Magazine, “People, Process and Tools — Ensuring Supply Reliability,” Ursula Thakkar, head of global supply chain and planning at Infineum notes, “the use of state-of-the art technology solutions coupled with strong processes frees up time for team members to innovate and drive the business forward.”

Infineum, a world leader in the formulation, manufacture and marketing of additives for the fuel and lubricant industry, embarked on a supply chain transformation initiative and shared their advice on three components of success; people, process and tools.

1. People are the most important component of success. Ensure the team is motivated to invest the time to learn and embrace new processes and technologies. Each individual is an ambassador to motivate the rest of the team.
2. People drive the process and only through process change can you move beyond the status quo. The process must align with corporate objectives and have the buy-in of the team. For Infineum, this was the start of its sales and operations planning (S&OP) process to drive greater customer service while reducing the imbalance between supply and demand.
3. Adoption of advanced technology (tools) is essential to stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape. Infineum has turned to Logility Voyager Solutions (read more) to improve the company’s inventory targeting system and reduce working capital while enhancing service levels.

Additional Reading:

• eBook: The Inventory Optimization Handbook
• White Paper: Getting to S&OP Success
• Press Release: Infineum Selects Logility to Optimize Supply Chain Performance