Supply Chain Organisation and Optimization

Manufacturing companies often have well-established structures within their own production networks and supply chains. Systematic configuration of the supply chain makes processes clearer and creates reliable interfaces.

We organize and optimize your supply chain in the following ways:

Development of supply chain strategies
If a company exploits global markets or practices international supplier relationships (global sourcing), the requirements of supply chain management become much more complex. Fraunhofer IPA develops supply chain strategies, configures supply chains and synchronizes customer-supplier relationships.

Optimization of structures in production networks
Many companies operate in value networks which have become established over a long period of time. As a result, value is not evenly distributed among the various company locations. Fraunhofer IPA has developed methods and software tools it for optimizing production networks and their value distribution.

Global value stream management
For the majority of companies, value stream management ends at their company boundaries. Fraunhofer IPA shows you how the tried and trusted method of value stream management can be implemented beyond corporate limits, enabling you to exploit potentials.

Supply chain risk management
A pro-active risk management process is essential for any company operating within a global supplier network. With an acceptable amount of effort, many risks can be minimized, controlled, transferred or even eliminated by implementing supply chain risk management (SCRM).

Visualization of supply chain potentials
Depending on the task at hand, different methods can be applied to visualize company and supplier networks, enabling you to identify potentials that have not yet been tapped. This forms a sound basis for new supply chain concepts and the future development of your production network. To support this process, Fraunhofer IPA generates not only virtual models but also mathematical optimization models. In this way, we help you create a supply chain that is more efficient than the sum of all of your suppliers, production sites and distribution channels added together.