How to synchronise the multi plant supply chain

The art of production scheduling is in balancing demand with capacity. Any SME or larger enterprise and its partners need to be synchronized, time aware, flexible and highly organised. This is where a scheduling software solution can prove to be an invaluable investment, and additionally, something that can deliver a rapid return on investment (ROI). With demand, capacity and supply chain flow, a finite capacity scheduling (FCS) or advanced planning and scheduling (APS) package can ensure each supplier, customer and internal department has the appropriate information to hand in transparent, up to the minute form. Many companies fail to consider the availability of capacity as a key factor in determining delivery, which can be even more complex when multiple plants/facilities are part of the supply chain. In this paper, the author discusses the importance of capacity in supply chain management.