Shining Bright: How Alliance Consumer Group Transformed Supply Chain Planning with ketteQ
ACG enhances forecasting and inventory planning with ketteQ, streamlining operations and improving delivery precision.
Overview
Alliance Consumer Group (ACG), a leading multinational consumer products company, designs and distributes some of the most recognizable brands in the market, including NEBO flashlights, TRUE pocket tools, Skeeter Hawk pest defense, and iPROTEC firearm accessories. With a distribution network spanning 50,000 retail locations and operations in over 50 countries, ACG needed a modern supply chain planning solution to enhance visibility, optimize inventory, and improve demand forecasting.
“With ketteQ’s cloud-based offerings, we’ve unlocked unparalleled flexibility and scalability in our sales and operations planning (S&OP). Between seamless integrations and an intuitive user interface, we can now streamline our processes, adapt swiftly to market demands, and drive sustainable growth while also delivering superior service to our customers and retail partners.”
Challenge
As ACG expanded its footprint, legacy planning tools struggled to keep pace with its complex and fast-moving operations. The company faced:
- The need for real-time promise dates to take orders and ensure on-time and in-full (OTIF) order fulfillment.
- Inaccurate demand forecasts, particularly for new product introductions.
- Inefficiencies in replenishment planning, leading to either excess inventory or stockouts.
- A lack of real-time visibility into supply chain operations, making it difficult to anticipate and react to market shifts.
Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, ACG’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer, Phil Laster, sought a solution that could integrate seamlessly with Salesforce while delivering adaptive, AI-powered planning capabilities.
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Solution
Phil Laster discovered ketteQ on the Salesforce AppExchange and immediately saw the potential for transformation. ACG partnered with ketteQ to deploy its cloud-based supply chain planning platform, leveraging AI and machine learning to drive real-time decision-making and automation.
With ketteQ’s PolymatiQ™ solver, ACG gained:
- Real-time promise date generation – As soon as an opportunity in Salesforce Sales Cloud reaches a certain stage, ketteQ instantly calculates and assigns an accurate promise date, empowering the sales team with reliable delivery commitments.
- Improved fulfillment decisions and process – ketteQ takes the planning analytics into the execution process at the end of the supply chain to best deliver changing priorities and commitments
- Enhanced demand forecasting – AI/ML-driven forecasting techniques provided deeper insights into demand patterns, especially for new product introductions and demand sensing.
- Optimized inventory planning – The system automatically balances stock levels to ensure high fulfillment rates while reducing excess inventory.
- Seamless collaboration – Integration with Salesforce allowed for improved coordination between sales and operations teams, ensuring alignment between forecasts and actual demand.
According to Phil Laster, “We transitioned from static reports to real-time data, enabling salespeople to make reliable commitments to customers.”
Results
ACG’s adoption of ketteQ’s supply chain planning solutions delivered transformative results:
- Improved Forecast Accuracy – AI-driven insights provided better predictions, reducing demand variability.
- Increased Sales & Service Efficiency – Instant promise dates streamlined operations and enhanced customer satisfaction.
- Faster Decision-Making – Automated scenario modeling enabled ACG to proactively adjust to market shifts.
- Scalability & Growth – ACG is now positioned for further expansion, with opportunities to scale Salesforce licenses and optimize additional operational areas.
Phil Laster emphasized the importance of process over technology, stating, “It became more about the process and the people and less about the tool. The tool became an enabler.”
Additionally, the ability to run multiple scenario simulations was a game-changer. “We love the scenario opportunities to run multiple scenarios, look at sensitivities, and make informed decisions as a group,” Laster noted.
Why It Matters
ACG’s success underscores the power of AI-driven, adaptive supply chain planning. By integrating ketteQ’s technology, the company not only modernized its operations but also established a competitive edge in a dynamic global market.
“With ketteQ’s cloud-based offerings, we’ve unlocked unparalleled flexibility and scalability in our sales and operations planning (S&OP). Between seamless integrations and an intuitive user interface, we can now streamline our processes, adapt swiftly to market demands, and drive sustainable growth while also delivering superior service to our customers and retail partners.” — Phil Laster, COO and CIO, ACG Brands
Looking Ahead
As supply chain challenges continue to evolve, ACG’s investment in AI-powered planning ensures long-term agility and resilience. With ketteQ, the company has transformed its supply chain from reactive to proactive, setting a new standard for operational efficiency and customer service in the consumer goods industry.
For companies still relying on legacy planning tools, ACG’s journey is a compelling case for the future of supply chain planning. The time to modernize is now.
Discover how ketteQ can help your business transform its supply chain at ketteQ.com.
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