The need for agile and sustainable supply chains is more critical than ever before. Climate change, policy changes and evolving consumer demands force supply chain leaders to reconsider the sustainability of their network designs. Also on the transformation agenda, modal shift and supply chain circularity offer valuable opportunities for reduced costs and emissions. However, many leaders face uncertainty when it comes to implementing these transformations.
The rise of e-commerce has also driven a surge in demand for many organisations. To manage this, supply chain leaders must expand and optimise their distribution networks for greater speed and agility. Unfortunately, most supply chains haven’t been designed for efficiency, sustainability or resilience. By optimising distribution networks, leaders can transform inefficient, emissions-heavy routes and enhance overall performance. Ultimately, this drives consistent improvements in customer satisfaction and net promoter scores.
Despite this, many businesses still use outdated network design tools that cannot handle the complexities of modern networks. Built from linear programming, these tools rely heavily on inputs and steers. Supply chain leaders using these tools must therefore assume what they’re trying to find out, limiting any capacity for innovation. Consequently, they then miss out on opportunities for optimisation.
Decades of assumption-based decision making can bake inefficiencies and points of fragility into supply chain and logistics networks, causing value leakage over time.
Breaking free from these constraints will put innovative supply chain leaders ahead of their competitors. By leveraging network design technology that enables unconstrained search, they can uncover optimised structures for reduced emissions, enhanced resilience and transformative cost-savings.
The hidden costs of fragile and inefficient networks
Inefficient networks have high costs, heavy emissions and often limit growth. Leaders relying on outdated, one-size-fits-all network design tools struggle to drive transformation.
As our world becomes increasingly more volatile, unforeseen disruptions also expose inefficiencies within networks, forcing leaders to firefight to maintain CX. Inefficient network designs have many points of fragility and heightened sensitivity to prediction errors. This means they often require expensive reactionary solutions to maintain KPIs like OTIF. These reactive measures drive up costs and add further strain to an already fragile supply chain.
But, the main problem? Supply chain leaders often base strategic decisions on ‘how it’s always been done’, without retracing steps to explore better alternatives. This inertia to change creates blind spots, preventing any form of innovation.
The power of advanced network design technology
A groundbreaking new approach to network design is here - one that empowers leaders to unlock the full potential of their supply chain and logistics networks.
Unlike traditional network design tools, this innovative new approach leverages unconstrained search to challenge legacy assumptions and uncover hidden optimisation opportunities.
Similar to the principles of natural selection in biological evolution, genetic algorithms iterate a process of crossover and mutation, generating high performing network structures that align with an organisation’s transformation goals.
By defining transformation parameters and setting rules for simulations, leaders can test proposed innovations in a virtual replica of their network that is highly configured to handle unique complexities and guide desired transformation. This powerful network design technology that we use generates thousands of optimised network designs in just minutes, quickly finding ways to significantly reduce costs, emissions and fragility.
Maximising value through customisation and expertise
Every supply chain is different, so a one-size-fits-all approach to network design simply doesn’t cut it. Unlike many off-the-shelf solutions, our network design technology addresses the complexities of each network, offering full configurability.
We provide a unique consultative approach to help clients maximise the value of our technology. Our data-efficient system very quickly delivers results. We have a team of world-class experts who work closely with our clients to seamlessly integrate the technology, guide the simulations and deliver valuable insights.
This network design technology saves our clients hundreds of millions each year, while priced at a fraction of the cost of less innovative, highly constrained network design tools.
By delivering an initial proof of concept, we help clients quickly see value with minimal commitment of time and resources. This also helps win board level buy-in for proposed transformations. Through these early stages of collaboration, we build trust and form long-term partnerships with our clients while helping them de-risk their investment.
Groundbreaking network design technology, unparalleled innovation
In this era of rapid digital transformation, we must recognise the severe impact that inefficient network designs have on business performance. To unlock efficiencies, meet Net Zero targets and drive change, supply chain leaders must challenge outdated assumptions and reconsider the strategic design of their networks.
We’re revolutionising network design with our technology for unconstrained search. Our digital models enable our clients to test proposed innovation in a risk-free environment and uncover hidden opportunities for optimisation, helping them drive transformative ROI.
If you’re interested in optimising and de-risking strategic transformation for your network, book a demo with us to see our groundbreaking network design technology in action.
