ASR - Actively Synchronized Replenishment
July 23rd, 2008Manufacturers in challenging environments that rely on ERP/MRP software packages for materials synchronization in support of a stand-alone ERP implementation or a Lean manufacturing implementation regularly encounter a frustrating obstacle - shortages of materials, parts, and components.
The impact takes the form of disrupted schedules, reduced fill rates and product availability, weakened productivity, increased expenses associated with expediting, and workarounds that people turn to in a futile attempt to deal with the problem.
Actively Synchronized Replenishment (ASR) is a new technology, with a nod to traditional Replenishment techniques and the Theory of Constraints technology, that works with ERP/MRP systems to deal directly with the shortages problem.
ASR also offers companies an opportunity to to use Strategic Inventory Positioning to compress lead times in environments where a reduced lead time translates into a competitive edge for the company and potentially the whole supply chain.
