Recent global events have highlighted the importance of supply chain resilience
Metcash and Microsoft have today announced a strategic supply chain transformation initiative with the newly announced Microsoft Supply Chain Platform. As part of the initiative, Metcash will leverage Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management as its core Enterprise Resource Planning system of record, with advanced order management capabilities in Microsoft Supply Chain Centre to drive more efficient order orchestration and fulfillment.
The partnership will see Metcash – one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading wholesale distribution and marketing companies – adopt the new Microsoft Supply Chain Platform as part of its multi-year digital transformation.
Powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365, the Microsoft Supply Chain Platform harmonises data across an organisation’s supply chain data estate without the need for net-new enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management or point solution investments.
The Microsoft Supply Chain Platform’s Supply Chain Centre enables companies to proactively predict and mitigate supply chain risks, while optimising order fulfillment by:
- ingesting data from Dynamics 365 and other ERP providers, including Oracle and SAP
- delivering native experiences from leading transportation, logistics and planning partners like C.H. Robinson, FedEx, FourKites and Overhaul
- providing built-in intelligence to identify and mitigate disruptions to supply and demand
- quickly coordinating with external suppliers using Microsoft Teams’ collaboration capabilities to communicate the upstream and downstream impacts of disruptions.
David Reeve, Chief Information Officer at Metcash, said the company will focus on leveraging the Microsoft Supply Chain Platform to enhance order fulfilment and distribution capabilities across its supply chain expected to be completed in the next 12 months.
“Metcash is an integrated cog in the supply chain of thousands of independent businesses across Australia and New Zealand,” Reeve said.
“By using our data more effectively, we see this as a real opportunity for us to drive better interactions with our suppliers and our customers to create a much more efficient supply chain.”
Ray Smith, Vice President of Supply Chain Business Applications at Microsoft, said: “Recent global events have highlighted the importance of supply chain resilience. This requires companies to have a modern data strategy that enables greater visibility, agility and connectivity across their supply chain solutions and processes.
“Through our new Microsoft Supply Chain Platform, we are proud to be empowering customers such as Metcash to transform their supply chain for more resilient, efficient and sustainable operations.”
Metcash’s adoption of the Microsoft Supply Chain Platform is part of the company’s multi-year, whole-of-business Project Horizon digital transformation program. The program commenced in July 2021 in partnership with Microsoft and KPMG.
As part of Project Horizon, Metcash is replacing its ERP system with Dynamics 365 for Finance and Dynamics 365 for Supply Chain Management; deploying Microsoft 365’s modern workplace applications across the business, including Teams; migrating legacy environments to Microsoft Azure; and loading data into Azure Synapse Analytics.
“Project Horizon is about making us a frictionless, easy-to-do-business-with enterprise for our suppliers, our customers, and ultimately, our shoppers,” said Reeve.
