Aluprint S.A. to use demand planning solution as the centerpiece of S&OP process in Mexico operations
Belmont, Mass., September 12, 2013 – Smart Software, Inc., provider of industry-leading demand forecasting, planning, and inventory optimization solutions, today announced that Aluprint S.A. a subsidiary of Constantia based in San Luis Potosi & Monterrey, Mexico, purchased its flagship product, SmartForecasts®. Aluprint manufactures and sells metallic paper and printed packaging materials for the consumer products industry, and has two factories, two distribution centers, and a warehouse in Mexico. The sale was made by Grupo de Outsourcing Tecnologico, S.A (GOTSA), Smart’s reseller in Mexico and Latin America.
In a quest to produce more accurate forecasts for its products, Aluprint evaluated forecasting solutions and chose SmartForecasts with its patented intermittent demand forecasting technology to be the heart of its Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. Not only was SmartForecasts more accurate, it solved a major planning problem for the company. 65% of Aluprint’s 4,000 SKUs have hard-to-forecast intermittent demand and are only needed sporadically but have spikes in usage occurring randomly. SmartForecasts will enable Aluprint to accurately forecast intermittent demand, as well as generating accurate service level-driven inventory stocking estimates over a replenishment lead time.
GOTSA was instrumental in helping Aluprint implement SmartForecasts and integrate its forecasts and inventory stocking recommendations with SAP by developing a universal interface to the SAP system, and instituting processes for cleansing demand data.
Aluprint has three goals for SmartForecasts. First, it wants a better view of the future through its S&OP process, and more accurate forecasts is a vital component of the process. Second, the company needs a solution that can easily integrate with its SAP ERP system. And third, it must be able to collaborate with customers and suppliers to produce accurate forecasts.
“We are very pleased with the way SmartForecasts integrates with the way we work,” said Francisco Javier Carrera, S&OP manager at Aluprint. “We see the forecast as more than a number, and the accurate results we get from SmartForecasts and the seamless way it integrates with our SAP system helps us improve our ability to address and incorporate demand changes in a more effective way. Gotsa has also done a great job enabling and improving our S&OP efforts with their support.
SmartForecasts helps demand planners handle sales seasonality, promotions, new and aging products, multi-dimensional hierarchies, and intermittently demanded service parts and capital goods items. It also provides inventory managers with accurate estimates of the optimal inventory and safety stock required to meet future orders and achieve desired service levels. It integrates with Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and IBM DB2, and virtually any ERP or supply chain planning system including solutions from SAP, Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Sage and Epicor.
About GOTSA
Grupo de Outsourcing Tecnologico S.A., based in Mexico City, specializes in providing enterprise demand forecasting, planning, and inventory optimization systems for manufacturing and distribution companies. GOTSA resells and supports SmartForecasts in México and Latin America as a standalone demand forecasting and inventory optimization solution, as well as a best-in-class solution integrated with a company’s ERP or supply chain planning system.
For more information, please contact Eduardo Mendoza, Grupo de Outsourcing Tecnologico, S.A., Mexico City (52) 55.62.72.77.44 or emendoza@gotsa.com.mx
About Smart Software, Inc.
Founded in 1981, Smart Software, Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise-wide demand forecasting, planning and inventory optimization solutions. Smart Software’s flagship product, SmartForecasts, has thousands of users worldwide, including customers at mid-market enterprises and Fortune 500 companies, such as Abbott Laboratories, Metro-North Railroad, Siemens, Disney, Nestle, Nikon, GE and The Coca-Cola Company. Smart Software is headquartered in Belmont, Massachusetts and can be found online at www.smartsoftware.wpengine.com .
SmartForecasts is a registered trademark of Smart Software, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For more information, please contact Smart Software, Inc., Four Hill Road, Belmont, MA 02478.
Phone: 1-800-SMART-99 (800-762-7899); FAX: 1-617-489-2748; E-mail: info@smartsoftware.wpengine.com
