Bayer Implements OMP Demand Planning Worldwide

Global biotech and pharmaceutical leader Bayer has successfully completed the worldwide rollout of Unison Planning™, OMP’s software. Implementing demand planning in this way enhances how the company manages its supply chain, with AI-powered forecasting capabilities, now used by more than 250 Bayer planners around the world.

Accurate demand planning is critical to the success of any business. In 2019, Bayer’s Consumer Health division embarked on its digital transformation journey with OMP, aiming to replace its existing APO system. With a forward-looking vision, Bayer sought to orchestrate its data and integrate its systems into an AI-driven forecasting framework to effectively address the challenges of an increasingly volatile and competitive market. Following successful pilot projects in Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Turkey in 2021 and 2022, Bayer has now implemented Unison Planning globally in its Consumer Health and Pharma divisions in 2022 and 2023.

Improved forecast accuracy rates

While integrated worldwide, the solution has been set up to accommodate the local market and availability of qualitative data. This approach enables Bayer to run a more efficient and transparent forecasting process, with a much broader usage of statistical forecasting and better management of risks and opportunities. With over 250 Bayer demand planners efficiently collaborating through Unison Planning™, the organization maximizes its forecasting capabilities.

OMP’s planning solution extends beyond optimizing Bayer’s product supply. It incorporates business objectives into road map planning, forecasts diverse needs across sectors and industries, and empowers the team to make well-informed decisions. According to Bayer’s supply chain management, Unison Planning is highly user-friendly, featuring an intuitive interface and clear data flow overviews.

Ambitions made reality

Christophe Lederrey, Bayer’s Head of Global Supply Chain Digital Projects, states, “With Unison Planning, OMP proved that our vision of a powerful, reliable, and flexible demand planning solution was both ambitious and realistic. It was a pleasure to work with innovative experts who lived up to their promise.”

Matteo Vidale, Bayer’s Digital Lead of E2E Supply Chain Planning, adds: “I’m particularly excited about the potential to further automate and increase the accuracy of our forecasting, leveraging OMP’s deep learning and machine learning capabilities embedded in the solution, on top of the solid base we built to date. Studies so far are showing a significant potential to explore further.”

“A few months after the rollout, a Bayer supply chain executive told us that OMP is the first demand planning system that functions the way they think,” says Kurt Gillis, Director of Business Development at OMP. “There is no better compliment we could ask for. It is a testament to our team’s hard work and vision and motivates us to keep optimizing our solutions and processes. Collaborating with leaders like Bayer keeps us at the forefront of supply chain excellence.”