Streamline Your Supply Chain Operations with Our Expert Planning Services
Whether your industry is in retail, manufacturing, services or pharmaceuticals, forecasting customer demand is key to driving a demand-driven supply chain.
Demand Planning, Advanced Planning Systems (APS), Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) & Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Solutions by Trace Consultants
In today’s volatile and fast-moving business environment, accurate demand planning, seamless sales and operations planning (S&OP), and integrated business planning (IBP) are critical to ensuring profitability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Many organisations struggle with:
❌ Poor demand forecasts leading to stock shortages or excess inventory
❌ Siloed decision-making between sales, finance, and supply chain teams
❌ Inefficient S&OP processes that lack real-time visibility
❌ Manual, spreadsheet-driven planning instead of using Advanced Planning Systems (APS)
At Trace Consultants, we help organisations implement world-class demand planning, APS, S&OP, and IBP frameworks that enable smarter, data-driven decision-making, optimised inventory, and seamless collaboration across functions.
Why Demand Planning, APS, S&OP & IBP Matter
📊 Unpredictable Market Demand – Demand patterns are becoming harder to predict, requiring AI-driven forecasting models and data-driven planning frameworks.
📦 High Inventory Costs & Service Failures – Poor demand planning leads to stockouts, lost sales, and excessive working capital tied up in inventory.
🤝 Siloed Business Functions – Without a strong S&OP/IBP process, supply chain, sales, finance, and operations struggle to align, leading to missed opportunities and inefficiencies.
🖥 Technology-Driven Planning Advantage – AI-powered APS solutions and advanced analytics are transforming demand planning, helping organisations predict and respond to changes faster than ever.
With the right demand planning, APS, S&OP, and IBP processes, organisations can:
✅ Improve forecast accuracy and demand visibility
✅ Reduce excess inventory and working capital requirements
✅ Enhance cross-functional collaboration for better decision-making
✅ Increase supply chain agility and responsiveness to demand changes
Demand Planning, Advanced Planning Systems (APS), Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) & Integrated Business Planning (IBP)
Our Demand Planning, APS, S&OP, IBP & MRO Supply Chain Service Offerings
1. Demand Planning & Forecasting Strategy
Effective demand planning is essential to ensuring the right inventory availability, production schedules, and supply chain responsiveness. We help businesses:
✔ Implement AI-driven forecasting models to improve demand accuracy
✔ Optimise forecasting techniques (e.g., statistical, causal, machine learning)
✔ Improve collaboration between sales, operations, and supply chain teams
✔ Integrate demand planning into a broader S&OP and IBP process
Key Benefits of Demand Planning Optimisation:
📉 Reduce inventory costs by preventing overstocking and obsolescence
📊 Improve revenue forecasting for better financial planning and decision-making
🚀 Increase customer service levels by reducing stockouts
2. Advanced Planning Systems (APS) Selection & Implementation
Many businesses struggle with manual, disconnected planning tools that limit their ability to forecast accurately and optimise supply chain performance. We assist organisations in:
✔ Selecting and implementing APS solutions tailored to business needs
✔ Integrating APS with ERP, WMS, and TMS systems for real-time planning visibility
✔ Automating supply chain decision-making with AI-driven planning tools
✔ Improving demand-supply balancing using digital twin modelling
APS Technologies We Help Implement:
📊 AI-Driven Forecasting & Demand Sensing Platforms
🔗 Supply Chain Digital Twins & Scenario Planning Models
🤖 Automated Inventory Optimisation & Order Planning Tools
3. Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Transformation
An effective S&OP process bridges the gap between supply chain, finance, and commercial functions, ensuring alignment between demand, supply, and financial goals. We help businesses:
✔ Design and implement structured S&OP frameworks for end-to-end visibility
✔ Enhance scenario planning capabilities to respond to demand shifts faster
✔ Integrate S&OP with financial planning for revenue and margin optimisation
✔ Implement S&OP best practices for improved decision-making cadence
Key Outcomes of an Effective S&OP Process:
📉 Reduce supply-demand imbalances leading to excess stock or stockouts
📊 Increase forecast reliability through structured cross-functional collaboration
⚙ Enhance agility to respond to market volatility faster than competitors
4. Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Implementation
IBP elevates S&OP by fully integrating financial, commercial, and operational planning into a single, strategic framework. We help organisations:
✔ Develop an IBP framework that aligns strategy, finance, and operations
✔ Implement digital IBP platforms for real-time scenario modelling
✔ Ensure cross-functional accountability for financial and operational goals
✔ Automate data collection and reporting for faster decision-making
5. MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations) Supply Chain Optimisation
MRO supply chains are critical for asset-intensive industries, including manufacturing, mining, utilities, and healthcare. Many organisations struggle with excessive spare parts inventory, unplanned downtime, and inefficient procurement. We help businesses:
✔ Optimise MRO inventory management to balance availability and cost
✔ Implement AI-driven predictive maintenance planning to reduce asset downtime
✔ Improve MRO procurement strategies to enhance supplier performance
✔ Integrate MRO planning with demand forecasting and IBP processes
MRO Supply Chain Challenges We Solve:
🔧 Excessive stock of spare parts tying up capital
📉 High downtime costs due to poor MRO inventory visibility
🚀 Inefficient supplier management and procurement processes
Why Work With Trace Consultants?
1. Industry-Specific Supply Chain Planning Expertise
We have deep expertise across retail, FMCG, manufacturing, healthcare, and government, ensuring tailored demand planning, S&OP, and IBP strategies.
2. Data-Driven & AI-Powered Planning Solutions
We leverage AI-driven forecasting, APS solutions, and predictive analytics to ensure fact-based, automated, and future-ready planning capabilities.
3. Hands-On Implementation, Not Just Advisory
Unlike traditional consulting firms that stop at strategy, we execute and deliver real transformation, from process redesign to technology implementation.
4. Proven Track Record in Planning Optimisation
We have helped businesses increase forecast accuracy, optimise inventory, and improve cross-functional collaboration, delivering:
📉 Up to 30% reduction in inventory carrying costs through improved demand planning
📊 20-40% improvement in forecast accuracy using AI-powered APS solutions
🚀 Significant improvements in S&OP effectiveness through structured governance frameworks
Our consultants can help your business optimize operations in several areas, including supply chain operations, forecasting and demand planning and consulting, warehousing and distribution, workforce scheduling, customer experience, and strong organisational designs backed by processes. We pride ourselves on being Australia’s benchmark boutique advisory firm specialising in creating resilient and sustainable supply & service chains. Contact us to begin working on your business's supply chain strategy today.