Supply chain software enables power tool company to predict future demand and then, based on activities that occur in the marketplace, re-adjust the supply plan on a nightly basis.

Black and Decker, a global marketer and manufacturer of quality products used in and around the home and for commercial applications, is the world's largest producer of power tools and accessories. It is also a major supplier of information systems and services to government and commercial clients world-wide. With products marketed in over 100 countries and production facilities in 11 countries, Black and Decker operates an enormously complex supply chain.

To optimise the total supply chain, the company embarked on its 'Power Chain' initiative, an ambitious plan to implement a foundation for global, enterprise-wide supply chain management in order to continue to shorten supply chain reaction time and ensure consistently high customer service levels.

The company knew that this would require the ability to better predict demand and adjust the supply plan nightly.

In addition, they wanted the ability to plan the entire supply chain from one set of data on a single platform for their SAP R/3 ERP systems and Manugistics advanced planning systems.

* Solution - for the initiative, Black and Decker chose Manugistics solutions for their proven capabilities and rapid implementation.

Further, Black and Decker had previously collaborated with Manugistics on a mainframe forecasting and VMI solution, as well as the Manugistics Transportation Management solution.

From experience, Black and Decker knew it could rely on Manugistics' commitment to both its clients and its long-term vision for supply chain solutions.

Also, it made good business sense to leverage its existing Manugistics implementation.

As Black and Decker embarked on the ERP implementation (SAP R/3), the company initially implemented Manugistics to its legacy environment.

Black and Decker now maintains one planning environment within EMEA, with a single platform of SAP, and a single platform of Manugistics.

The integration between the two systems was easy and it now enables the company to maintain the data required to run the business on a daily basis.

Facing high stock levels and low forecasting accuracy, the company wanted to make sure that it had a solid demand forecasting and supply chain planning foundation for the overall project.

Employing Manugistics NetWORKS Demand, NetWORKS Fulfilment, and dynamic deployment capabilities, Black and Decker moved from a weekly planning cycle to a daily planning cycle.

Now, when a demand planner updates a forecast, the supply planner sees it instantly and can act rapidly and flexibly.

Wilfred Eijpen, EMEA manager of supply chain systems at Black and Decker EMEA, said: 'Manugistics is easy to integrate with other ERP systems.

Previously, we have integrated it with our mainframe, and now also with SAP.

Currently we have got one Manugistics environment within EMEA and we have one single platform of SAP.

It is very easy to integrate between the two systems, making sure that we update our demand and update our supply chain information and master data on a daily basis.' Eijpen said: 'Planners are not tied to a structured weekly process, they are able to plan for whatever day of the week it happens to be.

We have also used it to remove highly customised batch processing and therefore enabled planners to actually maintain the parameters for the process themselves.

They are now empowered to use the system to greatest advantage.

It is a very user-friendly tool.' * Results - today, Manugistics enables Black and Decker to predict future demand and then, based on activities that occur in the marketplace (i.e., changes in customer orders, projections of promotional events), re-adjust the supply plan on a nightly basis.

It also helps to identify potential constraints in the system on the supply base side.

The solution's integration has had a valuable impact on the planning process, enabling Black and Decker to plan its entire supply chain from one set of data.

And because planning is done nightly instead of weekly, Manugistics has helped take time - a non-value added activity - out of the replenishment process.

As a client of Manugistics for over 10 years, Black and Decker EMEA looks forward to expanding this relationship.

The company is now considering using Manugistics NetWORKS Collaborate to collaborate internally and engage key account managers, demand planners, and finance in the planning process in order to create one single consensus forecast going forward.

* About Manugistics Group - Manugistics powers the synchronised supply chain.

Clients depend on Manugistics to position them one step ahead of demand.

With Manugistics' unparalleled supply chain and revenue management solutions, clients achieve maximum forecast and inventory accuracy, leverage industry leading pricing and yield management solutions to maximize profits while ensuring constant supply for constantly changing demand.

Its clients include industry leaders such as AT and T, BMW, Boeing, Caesars Entertainment, Canadian Tire, Cingular, Circuit City, Coca-Cola Bottling, Coty International, Delta Air Lines, DHL, Diageo, Dixons, DuPont, Eurostar Railway, Georgia-Pacific, Great North Eastern Railway (GNER), Harley-Davidson, Harrah's Entertainment, HJ Heinz, John Deere, LL Bean, Limited Brands, Kraft Foods, Marriott, McCormick, Nestle, Nissan, RadioShack, The Scotts Company, Sears, Sinotrans, Unilever and Wickes Building Supplies.

* About Black and Decker - Black and Decker is a global marketer and manufacturer of quality products used in and around the home and for commercial applications.

It is also a major supplier of information systems and services to government and commercial client's world-wide.

With products marketed in over 100 countries and approximately half of its revenues from outside the United States, Black and Decker's product lines hold leading market share positions in their industries.

Black and Decker is the world's largest producer of electric power tools, including electric lawn and garden tools, and residential security hardware.

Black and Decker is the world's largest supplier of power tool accessories.

The company's products and services are marketed in more than 100 countries, and it has manufacturing operations in 14 countries.