Blain Supply Implements CatalystConnect Demand Management to Reduce Inventory Costs and Improve Forecasting Capabilities

Catalysts expertise and robust product offering provides fast, reliable and cost-effective solution

Blain Supply Inc., the company responsible for providing a variety of logistics services, such as receiving, management, merchandising and distribution services for Blains Farm & Fleet stores, has recently partnered with Catalyst International, a leading global provider of supply chain execution (SCE) and management (SCM) solutions, to implement a comprehensive demand management solution.

Blain Supply was looking for a way to improve their inventory forecast accuracy,especially on promotional items. Prior to implementing CatalystConnect Demand Management, Blains experienced low forecast accuracy, high user intervention rates in replenishment quantities and insufficient maintenance of inventory target levels.The specialty retailer needed to find a way to carry the right inventory and quantity at the right time and location. Blains learned of the Catalyst solution at the 2005 Catalyst Supply Chain Forum and ultimately made their selection due to Catalysts expertise, the solutions extensive capabilities, the speed of implementation and competitive pricing.

The implementation, completed in the beginning of 2006, went smoothly and Blains has now found themselves well on their way to seeing higher inventory turns, automated replenishment and more accurate on-hand product levels. Although it is too early to confirm their results, Blains is confident that their original project goals will be met. The results so far indicate that Blains will quickly realize the reduced inventory costs and better forecasting capabilities they were looking for. CatalystConnect Demand Management was the obvious choice as it met all of our requirements for a fast, reliable, cost-effective solution, said Brian Ziegler, Vice President of Management Information Systems, Blain Supply Inc. Although the solution was only recently implemented, weve already seen improvements and have every reason to believe that our expectations will be exceeded.

Catalysts strategy to build a full componentized supply chain execution suite remains on track, said Michael Eleftheriou, President and CEO of Catalyst. We are proud to have extended our customers original warehouse management application with an incremental supply chain efficiency solution.