Plan to Win: Assume Control and Thrive

With trade barriers and tariff concerns, automotive supply chain decision-makers face increasing challenges. Due to changes in demand patterns and product mix, automotive parts are sourced from global suppliers that form the supply chain network. Adding to the complexity, each stage of the supply chain comprises multiple processes with stakeholders in different roles. And yet, over 50% of manufacturers lack end-to-end supply chain visibility. Without visibility, there is a higher risk of silos, often resulting in stakeholders having different objectives and non-aligned KPI targets.

Having complete visibility from a single source of truth supports the tracking of demand and inventory levels across the entire supply chain. This information helps in optimizing inventory by reducing stockouts and avoiding overstock. Additionally, supplier performance monitoring enables supply chain decision-makers to review supplier performance, identify bottlenecks, and assess supplier reliability.

Supply chain management can only thrive if it's powered by an intelligent system that will help decision-makers:

• Understand exposure and vulnerabilities
• Calculate the impact of disruptions
• Flag problems that need resolution
• Generate solutions and alternative plans
• Highlight the impact of decisions on KPIs
• Manage constraints and restrictions on every level

Using optimization technology for decision support ensures that plans can be quickly adjusted and quality can be maintained. Dassault Systèmes' supply chain optimization solution leverages advanced configuration capabilities to fit the specificity of your supply chain perfectly. The solution is powered by:

• Advanced algorithms
• Mathematical programming
• Constraint programming
• Graph and path optimization 

A supply chain's critical information – from requirements and deliverables to schedules and resources – is often managed in siloed legacy systems. Manually updating and consolidating this information is time-consuming and inefficient.

The absence of real-time information about the supply chain will severely decelerate decision-making and jeopardize inventory levels and factory capacity usage. On the other hand, digital continuity and traceability will ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards. Maintaining a detailed record of any change in materials, suppliers and processes is essential for audits and maintaining product quality regardless of disruptions.

To scale up resilience, decision-makers can opt for Dassault Systèmes' APS solution, which is powered by advanced algorithms and an optimization engine. With these capabilities, manufacturers can optimize production and supply chain operations. The solution improves manufacturing efficiency through real-time visibility, scenario simulation, capacity planning, optimization algorithms and inventory management.

Integrating data from supply chain projections, financial reports and strategic plans will help align the supply chain with manufacturing production, operations planning and other sales and operations functions. Dassault Systèmes' IBP solution also connects global stakeholders from product design to manufacturing, enabling the entire value chain to proactively plan ahead and collaborate to improve business innovation and build resilience against disruptions.

Accurate demand planning is crucial to meet customer expectations, minimize inventory costs and drive operational efficiency.  Dassault Systèmes' demand planning solution enables demand sensing and scenario analysis. With these capabilities, decision-makers can simulate various what-if scenarios, evaluate potential impact and make informed decisions to optimize inventory, production lines and supply chain operations.

Dassault Systèmes’ supply planning solution supports the optimization of the entire supply planning process – covering distribution, manufacturing and procurement operations. The solution supports proactive measures to mitigate disruptions by seamlessly integrating supply planning with operational plans and aligning these plans with sourcing, distribution, production and inventory management.

Working on an integrated platform enables decision-makers to commit to an accurate and realistic MPS on an operational planning level. With Dassault Systèmes’ MPS solution, decision-makers can factor in business goals measured by key performance indicators like increased resource efficiency, reduced lead times, improved service delivery and lower inventories.

Optimal detailed production scheduling can increase productivity and delivery performance while reducing inventory, materials and labor waste. Short-term optimization capabilities on the platform will enable supply chain decision-makers to quickly create high-performance schedules and follow through with production steps to improve business KPIs.

Integration is key to improving collaboration and building a resilient supply chain that will reduce downtime and improve first-time yield, labor efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness. Real-time data insights from the factory floor will help optimize factory planning systems. Decision-makers gain improved visibility to respond faster and resolve disruptions, which can adversely impact plant productivity and cause a ripple effect throughout the supply chain. For example, machine downtime, missing personnel and material quality issues.