Holistic supply chain management
We transform your supply chain into a proactive value-creation engine. Through our specialised Supply Chain Management Consultancy We sync your end-to-end processes, sustainably reduce your logistics costs, and decrease working capital by up to 20 %. We don't deliver mere slide decks, but measurable results directly in your P&L – pragmatic, data-driven, and with strong implementation.
In volatile markets, supply chain agility dictates business success. We identify hidden inefficiencies and create a resilient foundation for growth.
However, agile working doesn't arise in a vacuum. It requires a no-holds-barred disclosure of all processes, cost structures and information flows from supplier to end customer. Often, historical silo structures, outdated data or a lack of system integration prevent the necessary overview. Our Performance Check is the „X-ray“ of your end-to-end supply chain. We use data to analyse your maturity level in procurement, planning, manufacturing and logistics and benchmark it against best-in-class standards from over 2,000 successful projects. This allows us to precisely identify the pain points that unnecessarily tie up your liquidity and reduce your margin. In this way, we directly transform transparency into measurable return potential.
Key Facts of the Klöpfel Methodology:
- Liquidity Boost: Freeing up tied-up capital through intelligent inventory management.
- Resilience Guarantee: Hedging against supply chain disruptions with multi-sourcing strategies.
- EBIT Impact: Direct earnings improvement through optimised process and freight costs.
- Future-proofing: Integrating AI and sustainability KPIs (ESG) into standard operations.
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Strategy & Network Design
An efficient network is the foundation for cost-effectiveness and service quality. We assess your global setup not just by transport costs, but by the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. In doing so, we not only consider current goods flows but also anticipate future market developments and regulatory changes in order to make your supply chain crisis-proof in the long term. The aim is a resilient ecosystem that reacts flexibly to volatility and permanently secures your global competitiveness through optimal location selection.
Strategic Realignment of Your Footprint:
- Location Portfolio Analysis: Examination of the geographical location of your production and warehousing facilities, taking into account personnel costs, customs duties, freight routes, and tax aspects.
- Resilience and Risk Mapping: Identification of critical nodes in the chain and development of scenarios for nearshoring or regionalisation.
- Green Supply Chain: Integration of decarbonisation strategies into network design to meet ESG goals and the Supply Chain Act.
Planning & Control
A lack of transparency in planning leads to expensive emergency measures and high stock overages. We are establishing a data-driven planning culture that systematically breaks down silos between sales, purchasing, and production. We are creating a „single source of truth“ that ensures all departments operate on the same valid data and pursue common goals. Through this close synchronisation, we transform reactive processes into proactive control that identifies bottlenecks before they affect your delivery capability.
Integrated Planning Processes (S&OP)
- Sales & Operations Planning: Introduction of a monthly rhythm to align sales forecasts with capacities and financial targets.
- Advanced Demand Forecasting: Using historical data and market indicators for precise demand forecasting to eliminate the „bullwhip effect“.
- Stock Engineering: Defining dynamic safety stocks and optimising batch sizes to minimise capital tied up.
- S&OE (Execution): Short-term operational control for agile response to daily deviations.
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Manufacturing & Production
Production is at the heart of value creation in your company. We optimise your depth of manufacturing and ensure that waste is consistently eliminated – while simultaneously increasing asset availability. Our focus is on the seamless integration of production into the entire supply chain flow, in order to radically minimise lead times and buffer stocks between process stages. We empower your on-site teams to independently identify inefficiencies and sustainably increase productivity through standardised processes and modern management methods.
Manufacturing Operational Excellence
- Lean Manufacturing & KVP: Introduction of methods such as 5S, Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen to reduce lead times.
- Shopfloor Management: Establishing visual control systems for real-time problem-solving directly at the point of action.
- Smart Manufacturing: Consulting on phased digitalisation (Industry 4.0), from data acquisition to predictive maintenance.
- Interface Engineering & Procurement: Moderation between Development and Procurement to reduce manufacturing costs through Design-to-Cost.
Logistics Management
Logistics is a critical cost block and, at the same time, a central service promise to your customers. We optimise the physical flow of goods from the supplier's ramp to final delivery to the end customer. We use state-of-the-art analysis tools and benchmarks to uncover hidden cost drivers in the transport chain and within your warehousing. By intelligently bundling freight flows and optimising last-mile logistics, we increase your service levels while significantly reducing process costs.
Holistic Logistics Optimisation
- Freight Cost Management: Benchmarking and tendering of transport services (road, sea, air) using our extensive databases.
- Intralogistics & Warehouse Excellence: Optimising Layouts, Automation Levels and Picking Strategies to Increase Pick Rates.
- Customs & Foreign Trade: Legally compliant organisation of customs processes and utilisation of preferential agreements to avoid unnecessary duties.
- Last Mile & Transport Control: Implementation of Transport Management Systems (TMS) for real-time tracking and optimised route planning.
Structural optimisation
The best processes are in vain if the organisation and the people behind them don't come along. We create structures that transfer responsibility to where it provides the greatest operational benefit. We transform rigid hierarchies into agile organisational units that actively live the end-to-end concept and put an end to functional turf wars. By precisely aligning competencies, roles, and responsibilities, we ensure that your workforce is optimally prepared for the challenges of digital transformation.
Sustainable organisational structures:
- Target Operating Model (TOM): Redesigning the organisational structure towards process-oriented end-to-end responsibilities.
- Roles & Competency Profiles: Definition of clear task profiles (RACI) and identification of skill gaps within your teams.
- Change Management & Training: Actively supporting change and ensuring knowledge transfer through targeted coaching.
- KPI Systems: Building dashboards that provide predictive control metrics instead of purely historical values.
FAQ: Important Questions about Supply Chain Management
Strategy & Network Design: How do we find the balance between cost-efficiency and resilience?
A resilient network doesn't necessarily mean higher costs due to massive buffer stocks. We use scenario analyses to find the „sweet spot“ between local flexibility (e.g., nearshoring) and global cost-efficiency. The goal is a dynamic network that can switch quickly in the event of disruptions, without jeopardising long-term profitability.
Planning & control: What is the first step in moving from reactive to forward-looking planning?
The key lies in establishing functioning Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP). We are introducing a „single source of truth“ where sales, production, and finance plan on the same data basis. This way, we eliminate the bullwhip effect and ensure that your capacities are always deployed where actual market demand lies.
Manufacturing & Production: How do we increase productivity without directly investing in new equipment?
Often, the greatest potential lies not in the hardware, but in the processes and control. Through lean methods and active shop floor management, we reduce idle times, optimise setup times, and increase overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). We empower your employees to independently identify waste and organically increase productivity.
Logistics Management: How can freight costs be stabilised despite volatile markets and rising levies?
We rely on a combination of data-based benchmarking, intelligent freight tendering and process optimisation (e.g. shipment bundling). By optimising your logistics structures and selecting the right partners, we create transparency and negotiating security that goes far beyond mere price negotiations.
Structural optimisation: Why is organisational change so crucial for success?
The best digital tools and processes are useless if the organisation thinks in silos. We break down ingrained structures and define clear end-to-end responsibilities (RACI). Only when employees understand the new strategy and have the competence to implement it, will optimisation remain sustainably effective even after the project has ended.
When does a holistic supply chain management consultation typically pay for itself?
Thanks to our focus on quick wins, many projects achieve savings that cover the consultancy costs within the first 4 to 6 months. Typically, the return on investment (ROI) for a holistic project is realised within the first year, as we address both the cost side (OPEX) and liquidity (working capital).
How do you handle the complexity when implementing new SCM software?
We act as a bridge between your specialist departments and IT. We ensure that the software follows the optimised processes - and not the other way around. Our team accompanies you from the creation of the specifications to the go-live to ensure that the systems ultimately offer real work simplification and maximum transparency.
We optimise your supply chain efficiently, quickly and sustainably.