Strategic Planning Software
SLIM (Strategic Logistics plannIng systeM) provides powerful and flexible supply chain optimization tools for managing distribution and transportation networks at the tactical and strategic levels. SLIM provides a wide range of advanced strategic planning software tools, including strategic supply chain optimization, strategic network optimization, supply chain planning, intermodal logistics optimization, sales territory management, logistics capacity planning and strategic modelling tools.
Typical applications include:
- strategic optimization of delivery/collection routes and trunking operations
- planning transport schedules and driver rotas
- optimizing the location of a new warehouse, factory or depot
- calculating the optimal assignment of products to manufacturing sites
- strategic planning & analysis of logistics resources and third party logistics contracts
- intermodal freight logistics planning
- territory planning (e.g. sales territory management)
- supply chain capacity planning
- optimizing supply contracts and replenishment orders
- strategic supply chain planning and network optimization
Strategic Supply Chain Optimization
Given forecast or actual demands by customer site or delivery point, SLIM can allocate delivery points to production or distribution centres based on supply price and transport cost. A typical example would be the supply of petrol from terminals to retail sites. Based on the supply price at each terminal, the positions of the terminals relative to the petrol station, and the total capacity of each terminal, SLIM assigns the supply to each petrol station to the best terminal.
SLIM can operate in two modes:
- Use existing storage capacities, rules and constraints by product group (or agreed maxima and minima to be delivered from RDCs) to calculate a constrained solution; or
- Run unconstrained by supply, allowing the strategic planning model to calculate the ideal volumes to be taken from each RDC or production site, as well as advising on minimum/maximum stocking levels at branches and intermediate distribution points.
Commonly SLIM is used as a price negotiation tool for situations where several suppliers offer the same product at different prices from different locations. Through consideration of transport costs, available volumes and current/projected demands, SLIM may be used to optimize the allocation of orders to suppliers. This may be done on a daily basis to make best use of existing contracts, or at a strategic level to make informed decisions about new agreements.
Strategic Network Optimization
MJC˛'s advanced planning and modelling tools can be used to address complex strategic network optimization problems. Our systems include powerful optimization algorithms which can be configured to model specific operational rules and constraints to ensure accurate results. Typical applications of SLIM in this area include:
- Where is the best place to build a new production facility?
- What is the ideal location for a new depot, national distribution centre, regional warehouse or consolidation centre?
- How should resources and assets be distributed throughout the network?
- How many more vehicles would be required to service a 10% uplift in demand?
- What is the impact of new driver regulations on the network?
SLIM can model a wide range of businesses and operations, including logistics networks, transport operations, freight/express networks, retail distribution, field service operations, etc. Integrated GIS analysis tools and demographic profiling modules allow incorporation of marketing strategies. SLIM is designed for very large, highly complex networks which cannot be modelled by conventional optimization software, and for which it is necessary to model all rules and constraints accurately to obtain real strategic benefits.
Supply Chain Planning
SLIM provides powerful supply chain planning functionality which enables integrated manufacturing, logistics and supply chain management. Our lean supply chain optimization toolsets can model global operations with multiple and complex vendor-purchaser relations. Characteristics such as large SKU range, extended lead times, tight customer service level constraints, complex manufacturing constraints (by site/region), multi-modal logistics and alternative/contingency supply nodes are taken into account by the SLIM program.
SLIM optimizes the assignment of work to factories and logistics centres based on factors such as cost and service level, and enables the user to consider alternative scenarios such as increased supply chain logistics costs, variations in demand, unexpected closures of production centres, new product lines, alternative raw materials sources, changes to labour costs, etc. User-friendly and flexible supply chain analysis tools allow the user to manipulate large, complex data sets easily, and configurable reports and charts display the results of the optimization in an intuitive manner. SLIM's supply chain logistics management modules integrate with execution systems to enable real-time refinement of the strategic plan in response to changing conditions.
Intermodal Logistics Optimization
To achieve efficient use of the different transport modes on their own and in combination (co-modality), logistics operators need powerful tools to strategically manage networks, plan shipments and to control the implementation of such strategies and plans. SLIM provides sophisticated intermodal logistics optimization software systems which assist transport stakeholders in establishing common end-to-end planning of transportation processes.
MJC˛'s strategic supply chain logistics management systems can model all the complexities of intermodal operations, including factors such as freight consolidation, trunking, changeover points and staging locations, fixed or variable timetables for rail, maritime, inland water and air freight movements, European corridors and freight highways, etc. Our logistics management software can schedule all aspects of the co-modal supply chain, including transport, terminal operations, port activity, warehousing and driver scheduling.
Sales Territory Management
Our strategic planning toolsets are ideally suited to territory planning and sales territory management. SLIM's distribution logistics modules enable optimized allocation of territories to distribution depots, production sites or retail site locations, while our workforce planning systems automatically optimize the allocation of customers to sales personnel.
SLIM includes powerful sales territory GIS mapping and site location analysis tools to enable the user to view and manipulate complex territory design datasets. Our territory planning software is designed for very large distribution, retail or service networks which have to manage complex product portfolios and high customer service expectations.
Logistics Capacity Planning
SLIM allows long-term planning of logistics resources (e.g. vehicle fleet sizes and profiles, driver contracts, 3PL agreements) and warehouse/depot capacity (floor space, docks, product profiles) based on historical trends and forecast demands. Our strategic capacity planning tools enable optimization of the logistics network to find the ideal balance of own vs contractor resources, taking into account factors such as seasonality, weekly/daily demand variances, service levels, warehousing constraints, etc. SLIM uses an integrated logistics optimization model to ensure that network capacity planning constraints and business rules are modelled accurately, and that resulting plans can be executed at an operational level.
Strategic Modelling Tools
The SLIM toolset contains powerful optimization systems and vehicle simulation tools which can be used to schedule even highly complex networks with many thousand distribution points and hundreds of supply points and depot locations. As with all our systems, SLIM is fully configurable, allowing all business rules and operational constraints to be precisely defined and implemented.
SLIM is driven by a top level graphical display of the relevant country or region, from which all data can be accessed and edited. SLIM can easily access data from other databases, and reports can be produced to suit the needs of the user, allowing company-specific management measures to be introduced and reported. Parallel 'what if' planning can be used to model the effect of different pricing strategies, new supply contracts or changing depot capacities.
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