Centralised supply chain master planning employing advanced planning systems

Higher expectations on supply chain performance force organisations to reinvent themselves in order to cut costs and increase customer service, all to gain competitive advantage. Pursuing the best network of manufacturing, supply and distribution facilities relative to the marketplace is therefore on top of many managers' ‘most wanted’ list concerning supply chain management. Supply chain planners are thus in need of decision support to be able to establish feasible and sufficient plans. This article discusses how decision support through advanced planning systems (APS) can assist tactical supply chain planning. A case study is presented showing how APS can act as an enabler in adapting logistics and supply chain principles, as well as reducing costs through streamlining the supply chain. The purpose of this article is primarily to present findings from a case study regarding supply chain planning with the aid of a master planning APS module. The case study emphasises that APS in the scope of logistics management have several positive effects on supply chain performance.