Unilever in North America Selects SmartOps Multistage Inventory Planning & Optimization (MIPO(TM)) Solution
PITTSBURGH, June 3 -- SmartOps Corporation, the leading provider of enterprise-class inventory optimization solutions, announced today that Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer products companies, will be implementing SmartOps' Multistage Inventory Planning & Optimization (MIPOTM) solution in North America to achieve significant inventory reduction goals and improve supply chain performance.
"Our goal is to continue providing excellent order fulfillment at even lower levels of inventory. This is possible because of SmartOps multi-stage approach for calculating optimal time-varying inventory targets for every item and location throughout our supply chain," says Stephanie Beal, Unilever, director of best practices, Home and Personal Care, NA. "Furthermore, MIPO enables us to automate the process and drive replenishment through our existing systems."
"For large CPG organizations like Unilever, creating value in the supply chain requires the right degree of visibility into the drivers of supply chain performance," says Dr. Sridhar Tayur, CEO and founder of SmartOps. "MIPO gives them that visibility, by using their existing data to analyze and quantify the real costs and benefits of various initiatives, implement the best solutions, and achieve significant and sustainable results."
MIPO enables customers to achieve both a rapid return on investment and a long-term competitive advantage by determining the best possible inventory and product availability plans given inherent uncertainties, time-varying data, multi-location and inventory stage complexities, and aggressive customer service goals of today's real world supply chains. MIPO dynamically generates optimal inventory targets for each stage of the supply chain while providing visibility into each inventory requirement -- including safety, cycle, pre- build, pipeline and merchandising stock requirements, by item or stock-keeping unit (SKU) -- to meet desired service levels. MIPO's optimized inventory targets serve as critical inputs for enterprise resource planning and advanced planning & scheduling systems, so they deliver better intelligence for inventory planning and execution.
About SmartOps
SmartOps, the market leader in enterprise-class inventory optimization solutions, enables companies to more effectively manage the uncertainty of complex, multi-stage supply chains to achieve rapid return on investment and long term, sustainable value. Deploying SmartOps' practical and powerful solutions has dramatically improved critical, key planning targets leading to reduced working capital and increased profitability at Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies in heavy automotive, consumer durables and packaged goods, technology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, distribution, and retail industries. Contact SmartOps at 412-231-0115 or http://www.smartops.com/ for more information.
About Unilever
Unilever , one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.
In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Eternity by Calvin Klein, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating approximately $10 billion in sales in 2004. For more information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/ .