Ensuring global supply continuity for a major pharma portfolio across multi-site operations

A global healthcare leader required support for global supply chain planning activities related to its established products portfolio. The objective was to ensure efficient coordination of supply, demand, and inventory across multiple production sites worldwide. ALTEN supported the client’s supply planning team in managing key processes and ensuring alignment between demand forecasts, production, and distribution. 

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The challenge 

The project involved managing end-to-end supply chain activities at a global level, requiring continuous coordination between demand, production, and external partners. Key challenges included: 

• Coordinating API order management across multiple production sites worldwide 

• Maintaining visibility on demand and forecast changes and their impact on the supply chain 

• Balancing inventory levels from finished goods to API 

• Managing out-of-stock risks and communicating with affiliate teams 

• Collaborating with contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) to adjust supply based on demand variability 

The solution

ALTEN provided dedicated supply chain planning expertise to strengthen coordination across the client’s global manufacturing network. Acting as a central interface between production sites, CMOs, and affiliate teams, our consultants implemented a structured planning and governance approach to improve decision-making and supply visibility. Our support focused on: 

• Integrated supply planning: Consolidating demand, inventory, and production data to anticipate supply constraints and support balanced planning decisions across the network 

• Risk-based inventory management: Identifying potential supply disruptions, assessing their impact, and defining mitigation actions to maintain service levels 

• Cross-functional coordination: Facilitating communication between production sites, CMOs, supply planners, and commercial stakeholders to ensure alignment on priorities and supply requirements 

• Performance monitoring: Leveraging SAP APO, SAP BW, SAP ECC, and SAP Business Objects to analyze supply chain performance, track key KPIs, and support data-driven decision-making 

• Supply continuity management: Proactively managing demand fluctuations and order adjustments to ensure product availability while optimising inventory levels 

Through this structured approach, ALTEN helped the client enhance planning reliability, improve responsiveness to demand variability, and maintain continuity across a complex global supply chain network. 

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Results & benefits

ALTEN’s support ensured effective execution of global supply planning activities and improved visibility across the supply chain. This contributed to: 

• Better alignment between demand forecasts and supply planning 

• Improved inventory management and stock balancing 

• Enhanced monitoring of supply risks and service levels 

• Focus on key performance indicators such as OTIF, inventory days, and cost-to-serve 

Key project takeaways 

This project demonstrated that supply continuity is not driven solely by planning tools, but by the ability to connect stakeholders across the entire value chain. By combining data visibility, proactive risk management, and close collaboration between manufacturing sites, CMOs, and commercial teams, the supply chain organisation was able to respond more effectively to demand variability while maintaining inventory control and service performance.