Inventory Prediction Model – Shimano Europe

 Overview

Company Description

On high level Shimano develops, manufactures and markets products that give people the opportunity to enjoy nature around them through cycling, fishing and rowing.

Project Description

Project description:

Within Shimano we want to improve the management of our stock levels & product availability. To get in better control we want gain insight in our supplier lead times (accuracy/reliability) and/or our sales forecast accuracy and know how this impacts our inventory management. Develop a model that shows the relationship between defined variables, such that we know if we improve supplier lead times (reliability) or forecast accuracy by X, we can reduce our stock levels by Y to maintain product availability Z.

Goals of the project:

• Define & quantity the relation between supplier lead times or forecast accuracy and stock levels (and possible other variables)
• Gain insight in our current and historic performance with regard to the defined variables
• Recommendations how to (1) monitor the influencing variables, (2) predict the impact on inventory and (3) solutions directions how to reduce inventory.

Deliverables:

• Scope
• Define variables for inventory model, including how to measures (can be Shimano current measures, but maybe there are better Industry standards)
• Analysis of situation as-is
• Inventory model & reporting
• Recommendations

 Essential student knowledge:

• Inventory Management courses
• Being able to deal with lots of data
• Expertise on SQL is a plus

More information: escf@tue.nl