Material Replenishment Reinvented
Material Replenishment Reinvented: Real-Time Inventory Requests for a Major Manufacturer
The Challenge
Operators at a major manufacturing facility faced frequent production delays due to a manual, reactive approach to material replenishment. Workers often had to leave their stations to request materials by tracking down supervisors or using radios, resulting in:
- Lost production time
- Bottlenecks on production lines
- Unnecessary floor traffic
- Guesswork-based replenishment from material runners
- Complete line stoppages due to late deliveries
The Solution
We implemented Replenishment, a real-time material request solution designed to improve flow and reduce downtime. Key capabilities included:
Operator-Driven Requests – Operators submit material requests directly from their workstations
Location-Specific Fulfillment – Requests specify the exact delivery location on the floor
Flexible Fulfillment Options – Supports both manual delivery and AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) integration
Full Visibility and Traceability – Tracks all requests and deliveries within the MES platform
The Results
- Dramatically reduced time operators spend requesting materials
- Faster, more reliable material deliveries
- Full transparency of material movement and replenishment activities
- Increased production throughput by minimizing stoppages
- Optimized workforce deployment and reduced floor congestion
