Overview
A top provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, based in Europe, recognized the need to enhance supply chain visibility and optimize their processes to tackle the pandemic-driven challenges in the semiconductor supply chain and meet the sudden increase in demand. By partnering with aioneers, a leading provider of advanced supply chain technology, the company successfully addressed these pain points. The unprecedented disruption caused by the pandemic significantly impacted global supply chains, particularly in the semiconductor industry. Increased demand for electronic devices and complex supply chain dynamics further exacerbated the global semiconductor shortage. Through its collaboration with aioneers, the company positioned itself for long-term growth and success amidst these challenging circumstances.
The Challenges
The company operates as an equipment manufacturer for the semiconductor industry specializing in MOCVD and OVPD technologies, catering to applications in power electronics and optoelectronics. However, given the complex and rapidly evolving nature of the semiconductor industry, the company faced significant supply chain challenges. Sourcing raw materials, components, and subsystems from suppliers around the world presented a heightened risk of delays and potential revenue loss.
The COVID-19 pandemic further amplified sourcing and supply issues, while increasing customer demands and new product launches added to the complexity. Additionally, the company was challenged with semi-automated processes and functional silos that resulted in inefficiencies and a lack of transparency along the supply chain which hampered the company's ability to respond effectively to the growing supply chain vulnerabilities.
To address this complex array of challenges, it was crucial to establish reliable operations, enhance supply chain transparency, and implement automation in planning and execution activities.
The Solution
The European company chose aioneers for its cloud-enabled control tower, the AIO Supply Chain Command Center (AIO SCCC) which uses the closed-loop performance management approach to help businesses gain forward-looking transparency and build a resilient supply chain.
First, an as-is assessment of the company’s existing data and business intelligence systems was performed, evaluating performance levels with transactional and planning data. This enabled near-real-time visibility of daily operations using an automated data pipeline. Furthermore, the Insights Control Tower of the AIO SCCC enabled the company to conduct a root-cause analysis by improving the visibility of functional areas and breaking down organizational silos. With this, the company could not only analyze its existing supply chain operations in depth, but also gain actionable recommendations to implement corrective measures in the most appropriate way.
By implementing the AIO SCCC, the company successfully combined data from multiple semi-automated systems into a single source of truth. This enabled multiple stakeholders to stay informed and collaborate effectively on various supply chain processes. With a clear overview of their supply chain, the company was able to identify gaps in demand and take steps to improve their service level.
Key Benefits
- Full process transparency on key supply chain elements such as bottle-neck identification, procurement cockpit and shipment tracking.
- Forward looking transparency, cross functional- and root cause-problem solving.
- Single-source-of-truth enabled higher efficiency, minimal errors, and increased supply chain visibility.
- Semi-automated processes replaced with the cloud-enabled control tower to minimize manual activities and improve decision-making.