Strengthening Supply Chain Efficiency Through Real-Time Data Integration
The Challenge
A long-standing Engineered Profiles customer managed a large SKU portfolio with fluctuating inventory levels and tight replenishment timelines. To meet their own sales commitments, they required inventory restocks within one to two weeks—along with the flexibility to modify order quantities and mixes right up until placement.
This dynamic demand created constant pressure on scheduling and production planning. When last-minute sales spikes occurred, Engineered Profiles had limited visibility into the customer’s actual demand, often receiving data too late to adjust production efficiently. The result was a supply chain vulnerable to stockouts, excess inventory, and costly manual coordination.
The Solution
To improve visibility and responsiveness, Engineered Profiles integrated directly with the customer’s ERP system, enabling early access to purchase order (PO) activity in near real time.
Our engineering and IT teams collaborated to develop a custom algorithm that continuously analyzed PO data and forecasted demand. This connection provided a proactive signal—one to two weeks earlier than traditional communication—allowing our team to dynamically adjust extrusion run sequences and production priorities before formal orders arrived.
Connect earlier, plan smarter.
Integrating live demand data directly into your production workflow can dramatically improve accuracy, reduce inventory costs, and eliminate the guess work from supply chain management.
The integration automated what had once been a manual, reactive process—delivering faster, data-driven decisions and optimizing run sizes without inflating inventory costs.
The Result
With support from the customer’s IT department, Engineered Profiles implemented a nightly automated data exchange that refreshed every 24 hours with the latest sales demand. While not fully real time, this near-continuous update cycle proved far more accurate than previous manual reports.
The result:
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Stockouts reduced to nearly zero
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Total inventory requirements lowered
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Replenishment accuracy significantly improved
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Manual intervention virtually eliminated, freeing up time for both teams
Through advanced data connectivity and smart production alignment, Engineered Profiles delivered a leaner, more reliable supply chain that supports flexibility and customer growth.
