OBI Group is deploying Blue Yonder’s demand planning and replenishment capabilities across its European retail network, with the rollout ultimately planned for more than 660 stores and the group’s distribution centres.
The home and garden retailer is replacing multiple planning systems with a single scalable platform. It will connect demand forecasting with replenishment decisions between distribution centres and stores, supporting product availability for millions of customers.
Machine-learning capabilities are intended to improve forecasts across different assortments and planning horizons. OBI also expects more consistent processes, greater visibility of demand drivers and higher planner productivity.
The platform will support store- and channel-specific requirements while helping the business react to demand shifts, disruptions and changing customer expectations. Centralised data is expected to provide a common basis for planning and inventory decisions.
Implementation was led by Blue Yonder Professional Services in partnership with OBI experts and data scientists. The teams created forecasting models for different planning needs, standardised workflows and transferred knowledge to OBI’s staff.
Andreas Roesmann, OBI’s senior vice president of supply chain, said the migration followed the design of a target operating model. The approach was intended to deliver broader operational benefits rather than a straightforward technology replacement.
OBI operates in 10 European countries. The project provides a platform for further supply-chain planning and execution improvements as the retailer manages seasonal demand and regional variation at scale.
