Inventory Optimization

Inventory management has an interdisciplinary function along the entire value chain and has to meet various requirements: whereas controlling only requires a low level of inventory management, sales on the other hand needs a much higher degree of supply reliability. Logistics staff also have to coordinate stocks with external suppliers.

Fraunhofer IPA balances out the various conflicting demands of inventory management. Together with our customer’s logistics workers, we optimize individual inventory situations in companies cost-effectively and sustainably. We do this by drawing on the skills we have acquired through many years of experience in industry and innovative research.

The road to optimum stocks

The aim of lean inventory planning and control is to minimize stocks while ensuring supply reliability and deliverability at the same time. To achieve this, the following hurdles generally have to be overcome:

• Insufficient inventory transparency
• Uncoordinated processes in the supply chain
• Rapid company growth and acquisitions
• Unreliable information regarding customer requirements

Inventory managers can regulate stocks more effectively by implementing a cross-company strategy. Such concepts take all supply requirements into account and create a balance of interests. The project team at Fraunhofer IPA identifies any weaknesses in your value network right up to the end-customer and systematically develops optimization measures.

The advantages of an integrated inventory concept

Companies benefit from optimized inventory management in the following ways:

• Lower capital commitments and higher liquidity,
• Improved supply capability,
• More efficient warehousing and
• Shorter delivery times