Private Equity Firm Receives Assistance in Logistics & Supply Chain Analysis

Reduced delivery time
Increased inventory turnover
12% reduction in operational cost.

CLIENT CHALLENGES

The client – a US-based leading private equity firm – was managing a diverse portfolio of companies in various sectors. One of its significant investments was in a mid-size logistic and supply chain company operating in North America. The midsize company, with comprehensive warehousing, transportation and inventory management services, was facing challenges in optimising operations and reducing cost to maintain its profitability.
The client sought Acuity Knowledge Partners’ assistance in identifying inefficiencies, benchmarking against industry best practices and offering actionable insights to help improve the company’s operations and reduce cost.

OUR APPROACH

We largely focused on assessing warehousing operations, transportation and delivery, and operational costs, adopting the following approach:
Initial desk research: We began with comprehensive desk research to gain insights into the current logistic and supply chain landscape. This involved reviewing industry reports and market studies, analysing benchmarking metrics and competitors’ performance and studying technological advancements in the industry and their impact.
Data collection: To collect data, we combined qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies, which included :
- Online surveys among 150 employees at different levels in warehousing, transportation and management departments
- In-depth interviews with 20 key decision-maker stakeholders, including C-suits, senior management, and operations and logistics managers
- Collection and analysis of three years’ operational data, including delivery times, inventory levels and costs structures.
Data analysis and reporting: Upon collecting data, we conducted a rigorous analysis to identify bottlenecks in operations, which included:
- Detailed mapping of current processes and visualisation of workflows to identify redundant steps
- Benchmarking of company’s performance metrics against industry standards and best practices
- Root cause analysis to identify underlying drivers of inefficiency.
We submitted a report to the client, highlighting key actionable insights on operational inefficiencies and our strategic recommendations for improvement.

IMPACT DELIVERED

Our tailored approach and meticulous process analysis helped the client identify key operational inefficiencies and:
- Provide strategic recommendations to streamline warehousing and transportation operations, leading to improved service levels
- Provide strategic recommendations to cut costs by approximately 12%
- Help the company gain a competitive edge by enabling it to adopt best practices and advanced technologies to improve operational efficiency.

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