Case Study: Alcoa Leverages Oracle to Enable Its Demand Planning and S&OP Processes

Case Study: Alcoa Leverages Oracle to Enable Its Demand Planning and S&OP Processes 5 February 2009 Tim Payne Gartner RAS Core Research Note G00162550 This research examines the successful sales and operations planning process implementation at Alcoa Global Primary Metals for its North American smelting facilities. Overview Technology is important in supporting a timely sales and operations planning (S&OP) process, but organizational and change management issues must feature strongly as well. This case study examines how Alcoa Global Primary Metals went about implementing its successful S&OP process, leveraging its operational demand and supply planning processes. Key Findings • Alcoa Global Primary Metals' ERP implementation proved to be a good platform for its subsequent S&OP process deployment. • Alcoa Global Primary Metals expanded the use of Oracle's Strategic Network Optimization solution to add an operational focus to its existing S&OP process. • Alcoa Global Primary Metals demonstrated how an effective S&OP process can be a source of significant business value. Recommendations • Walking before you run helps with change management, as well as scoping out the requirements for supporting technology. • Keep a strong focus on the processes and organization, not just the technology, in deploying an S&OP process. Make the connection between your operational planning processes and S&OP process as active and explicit as possible. http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/oracle/article62/article62.html