Case Study: Nisbets guarantees next‑day delivery and cuts inventory 19% with Demand Solutions

Supplier Fulfills Next-Day Delivery Guarantee

Nisbets, the UK’s largest catering equipment distributor with 13,000 SKUs and supplier lead times ranging from one day to six months, needed to guarantee next-day delivery to restaurants, hotels and institutions while avoiding excess stock. By 2006 their Excel-based planning was no longer sufficient, so Nisbets selected Demand Solutions’ Forecast Management and Requirements Planning (including its Service Level Optimizer) to handle complex lead times and protect their delivery promise.

Demand Solutions implemented demand forecasting, requirements planning and scenario tools that identified seasonality and overstocked items and optimized safety stock levels. Within seven months Nisbets cut inventory by 19% (1.9 million pounds / USD $3.1M) and achieved full ROI in months; out-of-stocks fell from 4% to 1.5% and safety stock for items like tea towels dropped from six weeks to two. Nisbets credits Demand Solutions with improving service levels, enabling faster decision-making on large orders and supporting international expansion.

Nisbets

Matthew McMahon

Inventory Control Manager