Blain Supply Implements Demand Management Solution

Logistics services provider for Blain's Farm & Fleet stores aims to reduce inventory costs and improve forecasting capabilities with Catalyst solution

Logistics services provider for Blain's Farm & Fleet stores aims to reduce inventory costs and improve forecasting capabilities with Catalyst solution

Milwaukee — June 26, 2006 — Blain Supply Inc., the company responsible for providing a variety of logistics services, such as receiving, management, merchandising and distribution services for Blain's Farm & Fleet stores, has recently partnered with Catalyst International, a provider of supply chain execution (SCE) and management (SCM) solutions, to implement a demand management solution.

Blain Supply was looking for a way to improve its inventory forecast accuracy, especially on promotional items. Prior to implementing CatalystConnect Demand Management, Blain's experienced low forecast accuracy, high user intervention rates in replenishment quantities and insufficient maintenance of inventory target levels.

The specialty retailer needed to find a way to carry the right inventory and quantity at the right time and location. Blain's learned of the Catalyst solution at the 2005 Catalyst Supply Chain Forum and ultimately made its selection due to Catalyst's expertise, the solution's extensive capabilities, the speed of implementation and competitive pricing, according to Catalyst.

The implementation, completed in the beginning of 2006, went smoothly and Blain's has now found itself on its way to seeing higher inventory turns, automated replenishment and more accurate on-hand product levels. Although it is too early to confirm the results, Blain's is confident that it will realize the reduced inventory costs and better forecasting capabilities it was looking for.

"CatalystConnect Demand Management was the obvious choice as it met all of our requirements for a fast, reliable, cost-effective solution," said Brian Ziegler, vice president of management information systems at Blain Supply. "Although the solution was only recently implemented, we've already seen improvements and have every reason to believe that our expectations will be exceeded."

Founded in 1955, Blain's Farm & Fleet is a specialty discount retailer with 33 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.


Additional Articles of Interest

— For the latest facts, figures and benchmarking data from the supply chain industry, read the "Running the Numbers column in the April/May 2006 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

— For a quick-read update on supply chain enablement projects and solutions for the busy executive, read the "Supply Chain Executive Briefing" in the April/May 2006 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.


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