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Tag: Kinaxis

Tariff Response Solution Helps Supply Chains Adapt to Disruption

Posted on by Keith McKinley

As ongoing tariff pressures and trade uncertainty continue to reshape global supply chains, Kinaxis®, a leader in real-time supply chain orchestration, has launched Kinaxis Tariff Response – a new offering that helps companies simulate tariff exposure, run strategic scenarios, and make data-informed decisions quickly.

Built on the company’s AI-powered Maestro™ platform and delivered by Kinaxis supply chain experts, the service can be live in as few as 21 days, giving planners access to tariff modeling without the cost or complexity of building it internally. The solution meets rising demand for scenario planning – providing a faster, more accessible way for companies to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive orchestration.

While AI-powered what-if scenario planning has long been a core capability of Maestro, Kinaxis Tariff Response builds on that foundation with a focused solution for trade disruption. It combines tariff-specific inputs, sourcing logic, pricing levers, and demand modeling so companies can assess margin risk, test strategies, and evaluate trade-offs in seconds, not days or weeks.

“We’re already using Maestro scenario planning to model the impact of disruptions across our supply chain including tariffs and trade compliance policies,” said Colton Porter, manager, supply chain planning systems at furniture manufacturing and design company MillerKnoll. “It helps us evaluate sourcing options, anticipate risks, and align our team’s strategy before those changes affect our margins or customer delivery commitments.”

“Global supply chains aren’t operating by the old rules anymore,” said Fabienne Cetre, EVP EMEA at Kinaxis. “Tariffs are hitting faster, with broader consequences, and our data shows just how disruptive they’ve become. When trade policies shift overnight, companies need more than spreadsheets. With Kinaxis Tariff Response, they get visibility into cost, demand, and sourcing implications in real time, giving them the confidence to act with speed and precision.”

Supply chain data surging

Many Kinaxis customers already rely on Maestro’s scenario planning to stay ahead of supply chain disruptions. Over the past year, usage spiked significantly around key tariff discussions, showing how companies are turning to simulation to evaluate risks and respond faster:

• 124% scenario usage spike after the June 2024 presidential debate that first mentioned tariffs
• 112% increase following the January 2025 White House tariff memo
• 15% month-over-month rise ahead of the April 2 tariff announcements
• 24% increase in scenario planning usage quarter-over-quarter (Q1 2025 vs Q4 2024), with automotive, oil & gas, and consumer packaged goods leading the surge in anticipatory orchestration
• 4.5x daily activity in the auto sector alone during the final week of March 2025.

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US Trade Tariffs’ Supply Chain Disaster

 

Partnership for global supply chain network solutions

Posted on by Will Priestman

Nulogy and Kinaxis have unveiled a strategic partnership aimed at developing innovative solutions for global supply chain networks within brand manufacturing. This collaboration is set to accelerate the performance of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and life science brands by enhancing digital transformation across their supply chains, leading to optimized costs, service, and revenue.

By integrating Kinaxis’ supply chain orchestration expertise with Nulogy’s external manufacturing collaboration platform, the partnership will empower customers to seamlessly share forecasts and order details with suppliers while accessing real-time inventory and capacity information. This fusion of technologies is designed to increase supply chain agility and responsiveness.

Nulogy’s platform, already trusted by global brands like L’Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive, and Church & Dwight, extends its capabilities to support a wide network of suppliers and manufacturing sites across the globe. “In today’s fast-changing market, digital synchronization between brands and suppliers is more crucial than ever,” said Jason Tham, CEO of Nulogy. “We are excited to collaborate with Kinaxis to enhance the efficiency of supply chain networks worldwide.”

Kinaxis Maestro, an AI-powered supply chain orchestration platform, plays a pivotal role in the partnership by providing enhanced visibility, control, and collaboration with key suppliers. “Our collaboration with Nulogy integrates critical supplier data into Maestro, allowing customers to improve simulations, digitize planning, and connect with their supplier networks more effectively,” said Bill Walker, Senior Director of Partner Solutions Extensions at Kinaxis.

This partnership is set to drive significant improvements in supply chain efficiency, empowering brands and their suppliers to operate more cohesively and effectively in a volatile global market.

A Recent Example of Similar Innovation: P&G and Microsoft Collaboration

In a related development, Procter & Gamble (P&G) recently partnered with Microsoft to enhance its supply chain operations using artificial intelligence and cloud computing. This partnership aims to revolutionize P&G’s manufacturing lines by enabling predictive maintenance, increasing production efficiency, and reducing waste. By integrating Microsoft’s AI and cloud solutions into their operations, P&G seeks to optimize their supply chain responsiveness and sustainability, echoing the broader trend of digital transformation in the manufacturing and supply chain industries.

Such collaborations highlight the increasing importance of technology-driven solutions to navigate the complexities of modern supply chains, a trend further demonstrated by the Nulogy-Kinaxis partnership.

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Transforming Global Supply Chains with AI-Driven Solutions

Posted on by Will Priestman

Brother Industries has announced its collaboration with Kinaxis to transform its supply chain management through the use of AI-driven technology. With operations in over 40 countries and a diverse product portfolio, Brother needed a solution to handle intricate logistics and improve supply chain visibility. Kinaxis’ RapidResponse platform was chosen for its ability to enhance demand forecasting, scenario planning, and real-time decision-making.

“From the beginning, Kinaxis demonstrated a clear understanding of our business and all its complexities. From there we formed a partnership based on trust and a passion for innovative solutions, like their unique approach to supply chain orchestration, which made the decision to go forward with this transformation easy,” said Kosaku Sakai, Production Strategy Planning Department Manager at Brother Industries, LTD.

This partnership aligns with Brother’s goal of streamlining operations and delivering superior service. “Our aim is to build a resilient and agile supply chain that meets our customers’ needs,” said Hiroshi Ikematsu, a senior executive at Brother. The move also aligns with broader industry trends toward smart logistics, where AI-driven technology offers improved demand predictions, optimized inventory management, and faster adaptation to disruptions.

John Sicard, CEO of Kinaxis, remarked, “We’re excited to support Brother Industries in optimizing their supply chain strategies to better serve their global customer base.” This deployment reflects Brother’s ongoing focus on digital transformation, ensuring it remains competitive while maintaining high service standards.

In addition to optimizing supply chain efficiency, the partnership with Kinaxis also seems to reflect Brother Industries’ broader commitment to digital transformation and sustainability. By leveraging AI-driven tools, Brother can reduce waste, minimize resource usage, and ensure more sustainable practices across its global operations. This focus on sustainability is increasingly important as the company adapts to shifting industry trends and regulatory demands. As Brother continues to innovate, this collaboration marks a significant step toward not only improving logistics but also achieving long-term environmental and operational goals.

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Ensure EWM Changes aren’t the Weak Link in your Supply Chain

Pharma firm Selects Kinaxis to Cure Supply Chain Headaches

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX: KXS), a global leader in end-to-end supply chain orchestration, has announced that Servier, a global independent pharmaceutical group, has selected Kinaxis to help revolutionize its supply chain planning capabilities with a view to accelerating time to market for its portfolio of life-saving drugs.

One of the world’s preeminent pharmaceutical companies, Servier has nearly 22,000 employees and a presence in 150 countries, with medicines targeting cancers, diabetes, as well as immune-inflammatory, neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, and venous diseases. The company’s unique status as a laboratory governed by a non-profit foundation sees it invest upwards of 20% of its revenue each year from brand-name medicines into research and development, a strategy that has enabled it to accelerate research to discover new treatments faster for the benefits of patients.

As part of the deployment, Kinaxis will enable Servier to plan more effectively and gain end-to-end visibility of its supply chain; a vital requirement as competing jurisdictional regulations, demand variability, and increased global disruptions play havoc with the pharmaceutical industry’s mission to deliver high-quality products to customers at the lowest cost and with the shortest lead time.

“One of Servier’s principal ambitions is to be a resilient, growing, and sustainable company that’s focused on a few areas where we can make the greatest impact globally for patients,” said Xavier Morelon, head of supply chain at Servier. “To do so, we know we should rely on best-in-class partners like Kinaxis which are so critical to helping us become more agile and ensuring our supply chain can enable us to hit this lofty objective.”

Supply Chain Headaches

“From making sure patients have the right medications when they need them to keeping up with regulations, expiry dates, and patent cliffs, no industry can compare to life sciences when it comes to complexity,” said Fabienne Cetre, regional vice president, Central Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Belgium) at Kinaxis. “We’re thrilled to be working with Servier and are confident our deep industry expertise will enable everyone from their C-suite to their planners and analysts to see more clearly through these challenges so that they can focus on what they do best – delivering products to help people live longer and healthier lives.”

With the addition of France’s second largest pharmaceutical company to its growing customer base, Kinaxis continues to cement its leadership within the life sciences industry, which provides the brand-name and generic medicines that countless patients rely on.

Kinaxis’ AI-powered software allows companies to orchestrate their supply chain network end to end, from strategic planning to last-mile delivery. Kinaxis’ technology helps companies that supply the agricultural industry with 40% of the world’s tractors, that keep more than 110 billion teeth clean each year, and that ensures more than 35 million pets are fed nutritious meals each year.

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Kinaxis Drives Digital Transformation for Volvo

 

Concurrent Planning – Know what’s going on

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Concurrent planning and execution can be achieved with the right supply chain software. David Priestman spoke to Tom Rhoads, Global VP of Sales for Kinaxis.

“Focus on quality in order management,” Rhoads declares. “Higher level customer orders require multi-tier inventory management and multimodal TMS. We provide one solution, highly secure with a single code base.” Logistics departments are very lean these days. They need many ways to communicate, in real time. Kinaxis has about 300 customers, many of them third party logistics (3PL/LSP) operators like DSV, Ceva and Geodis, as well as household names like Unilever, P&G and Ford. “We’re number 1 in planning,” Rhoads states.

“Now that memory is cheap we can do a lot more computing than before, so we can be fast and powerful. The speed of connections is key for customers,” he tells me. Kinaxis’ software platform can manage six modes of freight transport, including barge and parcels. The company’s proprietary concurrent supply chain techniques give users end-to-end orchestration capability across time horizons, business processes and organizational boundaries.

Trust in sharing data

“We help customers optimise orders in real time and maximise supply chains by decomposing an order into multiple shipments, from sourcing inventory, using different modes of transport,” Rhoads explains. “They can then take on their own micro supply chains and manage them holistically. We monitor visibility.” Companies should embrace sharing supply chain data, he advises.

Tom Rhoads, Kinaxis

But, as we all know, logistics is a movable beast and things do not always go to plan. There are black swans. What then? “Once a plan is published it’s outdated,” Rhoads accepts. “How can we adapt is the question. The product is already en route, perhaps on a ship. Our execution system can adapt via rapid response planning. Customers can automatically make a new plan, including changes, re-routing, new locations and then synchronising that.”

Create accuracy

“With labour disputes, cyber-attacks and the escalation of conflicts in global hotspots like Eastern Europe and the Middle East all threatening the movement of goods globally, businesses have never had a greater need for supply chain solutions that enable them to prepare for and respond to unexpected disruptions,” Conrad Mandala, senior vice president of global partner organization at Kinaxis, said. “The investments we are making in our PartnerLink program will strengthen our position to capitalize on this demand and deliver on our global growth objectives by ensuring our partner ecosystem has the tools they need to help customers achieve supply chain resiliency no matter what risks appear on the horizon.”

Supply chains need to reduce waste, eliminate buffers and keep costs down. “Just-in-time is the perfect world,” Rhoads informs me. “Consumers want instant gratification, so we must know where inventory is, in real time, optimise sourcing and fulfilment. It’s not about knowing or predicting with regards to inventory. It’s about scenario planning in advance, with pre-defined highways of alternative routes. 80% of our customers automate everything. It’s glass box, not black box – know what’s going on!”

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Webinar: SCM – Striking a Balance between Speed & Accuracy

 

Kinaxis Selected by Harley-Davidson as SCM Platform

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kinaxis Inc. , a global leader in end-to-end supply chain orchestration, has announced that Harley-Davidson, the world’s most iconic motorcycle brand, has selected Kinaxis to accelerate the transformation of the company’s global supply chain.

“We’re so proud to be part of this legendary company’s journey to transform its supply chain performance,” said John Sicard, president and CEO of Kinaxis. “I’m eager to contribute to its continued success and embark on this exciting journey together.”

Kinaxis provides end-to-end supply chain transparency and improved demand planning capabilities to adapt and respond to any demand changes, faster and with more accuracy. The company was selected due to its trusted reputation within the automotive industry, with global brands such as Volvo, Ford, Subaru and General Motors, all of which have deployed Kinaxis in pursuit of supply chain resiliency.

With more than 40,000 users in 100+ countries, Kinaxis works with some of the world’s biggest brands in sectors such as CPG, automotive, high tech, life sciences, and more. Its AI-powered technology and patented concurrency technique allows companies to orchestrate their supply chain network end to end from strategic planning to last-mile delivery. Kinaxis’ technology helps companies that supply the agricultural industry with 40% of the world’s tractors, that keep more than 110 billion teeth clean each year, and that ensures more than 35 million pets are fed nutritious meals each year.

Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration. The company serves supply chains and the people who manage them in service of humanity. Its software is trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. Kinaxis combines patented concurrency technique with a human-centered approach to AI to empower businesses of all sizes to manage their end-to-end supply chain network, from multi-year strategic planning through down-to-the-second execution and last-mile delivery.

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Webinar: Supply Chain Management

 

PartnerLink Program for Supply Chain Challenges

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kinaxis, a global provider of supply chain management solutions, announced a strategic expansion of its PartnerLink program, designed to fortify the supply chain resilience of businesses worldwide.

Launched in 2021, the PartnerLink program has rapidly evolved into a leading network of over 170 partners and 2,500+ certified consultants, offering unparalleled expertise in supply chain transformation. This expansion introduces a suite of enhancements including:

• Partner Relationship Management Portal – this new portal will serve as a dynamic, all-in-one communications hub with customizable dashboards to access valuable sales resources, marketing and deployment support, training and certification information, event news, product materials and more.

• First-Ever Global Partner Roadshow – a series of exclusive, in-person events across APAC, EMEA and North America with industry-specific deep-dive presentations from Kinaxis and industry thought leaders and a first-hand look at key product roadmap innovations.

• New Certifications – expanded list of certifications will ensure highly-skilled consultants remain on the cutting edge of new technological developments and implementation best practices.

• New Tiering System – a comprehensive tiering framework will provide access to various financial and business benefits, from training and tools to market development funds, partner advisory councils, sandbox demo environments and more. Partners will automatically enter the Silver tier and upon meeting revenue, certification and specialization requirements, graduate to higher tiers.

Supply chain orchestration

These initiatives are set to equip Kinaxis‘ partners with advanced tools, resources and knowledge, enabling accelerated deployment and optimization of supply chain solutions.

“With labour disputes, cyber-attacks and the escalation of conflicts in global hotspots like Eastern Europe and the Middle East all threatening the movement of goods globally, businesses have never had a greater need for supply chain solutions that enable them to prepare for and respond to unexpected disruptions,” said Conrad Mandala, senior vice president, global partner organization at Kinaxis. “The investments we are making in our PartnerLink program will strengthen our position to capitalize on this demand and deliver on our global growth objectives by ensuring our partner ecosystem has the tools they need to help customers achieve supply chain resiliency no matter what risks appear on the horizon.”

Read more here:

Kinaxis Drives Digital Transformation for Volvo

 

Brita Optimizing Supply Chain Process with Kinaxis

Posted on by David Priestman

BRITA SE, a German water filtration company, has selected Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX: KXS), a leading supply chain management platform, to bring concurrent planning to its supply chain. Founded in 1966, BRITA SE invented the household water filter jug and now develops, produces, and distributes a wide range of water products for both private and commercial uses.

Recently, the company experienced significant growth, which added pressure to its demand planning and operations. With Kinaxis, BRITA SE will achieve end-to-end transparency into the entire supply chain and improved demand planning capabilities to adapt and respond to any demand changes, faster and with more accuracy.

“BRITA has continued to grow, both in our number of business segments as well as our geographical reach, so being able to understand how disruption in one area could affect the entirety of our supply chain immediately is invaluable,” said Oliver Schilling, Group Director Supply Chain Management at BRITA SE. “We’re committed to the highest standards of customer service and to our growing business, with the help of both Kinaxis and 4flow.”

With RapidResponse® BRITA SE will be able to run multiple scenarios simultaneously, giving its planners the flexibility to react to changes in demand and market volatility. Having these insights will allow BRITA to make the smartest decisions for its supply chain, faster.

“Supply chains, at their core, exist to serve humanity. BRITA provides people all around the world with filtration products providing their customers with filtered water, reducing the need for plastic water bottles,” said Claire Rychlewski, executive vice president of global field sales at Kinaxis. “We’re excited to help BRITA transform their supply chain and find resiliency, and to help them better serve humanity.”

For the implementation of RapidResponse, BRITA SE will work with 4flow, a global leader in supply chain optimization services and partner of Kinaxis to support the digitization of the supply chain.
“With our deep understanding of global supply chains and the associated IT infrastructures, we are able to support customers in partnership with Kinaxis, accelerate decision-making and break down silos,” said Dr. Marc Schleyer, Partner at 4flow and Head of Digital Practice. “We’re excited to help BRITA with a successful implementation and ensure a sustainable transformation of supply chain operations.”

Kinaxis Drives Digital Transformation for Volvo

Posted on by David Priestman

Kinaxis (TSX: KXS), a global leader in supply chain management, is bringing its patented technique of concurrency to Volvo Cars, leading the Swedish-manufacturer’s supply chain operations into a new era of safety, innovation, and electrification – a ‘Digital Transformation’. The Kinaxis RapidResponse® platform will empower Volvo Cars’ supply chain professionals to make faster and more accurate decisions – even as the automotive industry continues to face uncertainty.

Kinaxis is trusted by top automotive brands and demonstrates a robust understanding of the unique pressures facing the industry through its solution offerings. The global shift to electric vehicles is a current industry focus, as companies need to balance the adoption of electric vehicles with regional sustainability policies. It is critical for automotive organizations to have end-to-end visibility to understand customer demand, maximize resource allocation, and minimize waste.

Digital Transformation

“We take pride in working with industry leaders like Volvo Cars and playing a role in their commitment to creating safe, innovative vehicles that strive to do better for the planet,” said Claire Rychlewski, executive vice president of global field sales at Kinaxis. “We’re excited to work together in helping them continue to deliver their premium customer experience.”

Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain management. We serve supply chains and the people who manage them in service of humanity. Our software is trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. We combine our patented concurrency technique with a human-centered approach to AI to empower businesses of all sizes to orchestrate their end-to-end supply chain network, from multi-year strategic planning through down-to-the-second execution and last-mile delivery.

Webinar: Supply Chain Management

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The latest Webinar from Logistics Business, brought to you by Kinaxis, is available to watch here free. Entitled “Supply Chain Management: Striking a Balance between Speed and Accuracy”, Editor Peter MacLeod talks to Matt Spooner, Industry Thought Leader at Kinaxis, about how with the right tools and expertise, businesses can optimise both supply chain agility and accuracy.

Bringing together the seemingly disparate worlds of cycling and supply chain management, Spooner provides insight and practical know-how. They talk about balancing supply chain accuracy and agility, learning, surprisingly, what this has in common with cycling.

The use of AI and data optimisation played a part in Spooner’s ‘ultra bike’ event – what was the importance of this and what were its limits?

Webinar: Supply Chain Management

Kinaxis is transitioning from supply chain planning to a supply chain management organisation business – what is supply chain management and what does it mean? Watch it now here.

Watch any of our Webinars here.

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Webinar: Digital Transformation to Optimise Transport Operations

 

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