Oliver Wight gives Simplot second helpings of success

Food manufacturer, Simplot Australia, has rolled out Oliver Wight’s Integrated Business Planning (IBP) across its organisation with phenomenal results. Service levels are up at 98% and inventory has been dramatically cut. The company has been recertified Class A for Capable Planning & Control and now received Class A accreditation for Capable Integrated Business Planning.

Manufacturer of some of Australia’s most iconic food brands, including Chiko, Birds Eye and John West, Simplot has re-embarked on its journey with business improvement specialists, Oliver Wight, transforming its operations. Awarded Class A Planning and Control, back in 2001, Simplot has been recertified using the Sixth Edition Checklist and has also rolled out Integrated Business Planning across its organisation to fantastic success. With improvement in every plant and division, reduced inventory, optimised lot sizes, bigger profits, and hugely successful product innovation, Simplot has become the supplier of choice over its key competitors.

“Our service levels are so good because IBP allows us to forecast the business two years out and we now have a much better process of identifying risks and opportunities,” says Deahnne Spencer, Simplot’s Strategic IBP Manager. “With weather conditions affecting the levels of raw material, controlling inventory levels has been a constant challenge, but we are now much better equipped to manage these volatile market conditions.”

In addition to its improved agility, which has proved vital as supermarkets discount products with little or no warning, Simplot has also greatly improved its product portfolio management. “We have a really good forum for prioritising projects; re-addressing every month if we’re on track and if not, why not, and where we can put our efforts to drive innovation and profitability.”

Simplot Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of J R Simplot, the US-based food and agricultural giant. With a turnover exceeding $1.5b and employing over 3,000 people across Australia and New Zealand, it is ranked one of the top food companies in Australia – and Spencer says they intend to keep it that way. “The Class A journey is part of a continual commitment to become a world class company, provide excellent customer service, drive innovation and retain competitive advantage,” she concludes.

Oliver Wight has a 40 year track record of delivering business improvement to some of the world’s best-known organisations. With a team of professionals offering a wealth of experience, Oliver Wight is the largest consultancy of its type, with offices throughout Europe, South Africa, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific region. We believe that sustainable business improvement can’t be delivered by external consultants but only by our clients’ own people, so unlike other consultancy firms, we transfer our knowledge to them, helping deliver performance levels and financial results that last.

Integrated Business Planning
At the leading edge of management thinking and practice, our Integrated Business Planning (IBP) model lies at the heart of our clients’ journey to outstanding business performance. Oliver Wight are the originators of sales and operations planning (S&OP) and IBP can most simply be described as advanced S&OP. However, unlike S&OP, IBP brings a truly strategic perspective, integrating diverse processes - in the extended supply chain, product and customer portfolios, customer demand and strategic planning - into one seamless management process.

Supply Chain Optimisation
In an uncertain business climate, volatile demand and unpredictability can expose weaknesses in supply chain performance. Supply Chain Optimisation helps companies improve sub-standard systems and processes, delivering a significant return to the bottom line.

Meeting the Class A Standard
The Oliver Wight Class A Checklist is the longest standing and most successful business assessment tool. The latest, Sixth Edition, raises the bar, and sets ever more demanding standards for companies on their journey to business excellence and the Oliver Wight Class A standard.

Yolanda Muser
Oliver Wight AP
+61 (0) 3 9596-5830
YMuser@oliverwight-ap.com
www.oliverwight-ap.com

Oliver Wight Asia/Pacific
131 Martin Street
Brighton
Victoria 3186
Australia

This release was published on openPR.