Life science

The life sciences industry is currently facing three major trends – with significant implications for supply chain management. These three challenges are:

• Rising demand: Certain segments of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries face increased stock-keeping units (SKUs) and related quantity increases.
• Shorter lead times: Customers expect shorter lead times for delivery and higher service levels for offers in the last mile.
• Structural market changes: Medical institutions have formed conglomerates and specialized laboratories have merged, resulting in a consolidated customer base.

Rethink and redesign your life sciences supply chain

It’s time for businesses to rethink their network design, distribution infrastructure, and order management strategically and operationally. Plus, throughput capacities and lead times need to be improved to meet customer demands while also considering the conflicting goal of cost efficiency.

4flow has developed the fulfillment excellence approach to take supply chains for life sciences to the next level. 4flow’s three-step approach includes:

1. Designing a purpose-driven network structure

4flow gathers a holistic view of your business’s distribution flows and uses innovative network design methodology to identify and design the optimal multichannel network structure.

2. Optimizing your distribution infrastructure

4flow implements best practice solutions to identify lean principles and suitable automation measures to efficiently process required throughput KPIs.

3. Streamlining order management

4flow works with your business to create a target strategy that aims to enhance your customer’s transformation process and reduce non-value adding activities.

4flow’s fulfillment excellence service offerings include:

• Strategic network design
• Optimization of the customer journey
• SCM maturity review of processes and IT
• End-to-end process harmonization and optimization
• Distribution center planning and upgrade
• Automation roadmap planning and implementation
• Advanced tracking and tracing capabilities
• Integrated business case