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Creating a Flexible Supply Chain at Western Digital
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Demand Planning & Forecasting
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Data Science Services
The Challenge
Western Digital Corporation, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, was facing challenges with its resource-intensive spreadsheet-based planning process. The process involved four-week planning cycles with only basic planning assumptions. The company wanted a daily integrated supply chain plan that includes demand, material supply and capacity constraints and utilization, allocation and execution objectives. They also wanted visibility into demand and supply across the entire organization, including the inventory in each segment and channel, promotion plans and supply and production plans. Furthermore, they wanted to use customer segmentation and a multilayered postponement strategy to reduce overall inventory levels while better positioning products and materials to support improved customer service.
About The Customer
Western Digital Corporation (formerly SanDisk) is a global leader in flash memory storage solutions. Their products can be found in many of the world’s largest data centers, embedded in advanced smartphones, tablets and PCs and at hundreds of thousands of retail stores worldwide. As their business grew, they needed to migrate from homegrown, spreadsheet-based planning tools to robust, scalable solutions that would support their expanding original equipment manufacturer (OEM) channels and retail presence. They sought an integrated advanced planning solution that would help them maintain profitable growth and maximize margins while continuing to meet customer demand and increase customer satisfaction.
The Solution
As Western Digital’s business grew, they needed to migrate from homegrown, spreadsheet-based planning tools to robust, scalable solutions that would support their expanding original equipment manufacturer (OEM) channels and retail presence. They chose Blue Yonder’s Luminate™ Planning solution to transform their planning processes. Western Digital leverages Blue Yonder’s advanced planning capabilities to manage demand, compute statistical forecasts and translate sell-through forecast data and actuals to sell. This allows them to effectively identify optimal inventory levels and stages and manage silicon allocation. The solution is also used to manage complex demand prioritizations, optimize supply and demand responses based on material, capacity, cost and service levels and support re-planning multiple times per day based on demand signals and what-if analysis. Western Digital leverages Blue Yonder’s Planning suite to profitably balance supply to meet demand through deployment of its carefully planned manufacturing and inventory postponement strategy.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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