Control Tower Strategy

Visibility is necessary to establish end to end supply chain optimization.

Technological developments and the fast globalization of business result in supply chains that are becoming more and more complex to manage. Companies are looking for solutions that can help them to manage this complexity and avoid risks and uncertainty.

Control towers have gained traction over the last years as an appropriate answer to these challenges. A control tower is an organization that overlooks all parties in a supply chain, and is powered by processes and technology to support execution, continuous improvement initiatives and better decision making across the supply chain.

Supply chain visibility is a necessary condition

Recent disruptions such as the bankruptcy of a large shipping line or natural disasters clearly demonstrate the need to have supply chain visibility and to react quickly to events and to inform all partners in the supply chain. Control towers add value because better decisions can be made regarding to the selection of the transport modality, AND the alignment related to inventory, production and demand planning can be improved. This requires visibility on order or SKU level throughout the supply chain.

Supply chain control towers

Control towers exist in different forms and with different levels of maturity. More and more companies are implementing control towers either by outsourcing this to a 4PL or LLP (Lead Logistics Partner) or by developing an in-house capability.

Next generation control towers need to be anticipating rather than reacting. They need to focus on the end to end supply chain concept and combine and integrate the transactional excellence with the tactical and strategic competences of a control tower.

Control tower strategy & BCI advice

BCI makes a clear distinction between transportation focused control towers and end to end control towers. We can support in developing and implementing both. Our service offering includes:

  • Feasibility assessment - Conducting a strategic review of the benefits of a control tower and its requirements. This includes the development of a business case which is based upon an opportunity assessment and BCI’s control tower maturity framework which encompasses elements relevant to control tower development such as organizational processes and IT
  • Concept design and Make vs Buy decision - Assessing the proposed organization, processes, IT blueprints, financial and qualitative aspects of insourcing the control tower or outsourcing to a LLP/4PL or operating a hybrid model (mix between own operated control tower and a LLP/4PL)
  • IT tool selection - Based upon a proven RFI/RFP process
  • LLP/4PL partner selection - Based on BCI’s knowledge of the market place and a proven RFI/RFP process
  • Implementation support - supporting our clients in the implementation process of both End to End Control Towers as well as Transportation Control Towers

Learn more about Control Tower Strategy?

  • ABB – Control tower feasibility assessment for various geographies and divisions
  • Alpargatas – Control tower strategy development and assessment to set up and run own control tower or to outsource
  • Amazon – Control tower development
  • Aviko – Control tower feasibility assessment
  • Hyster-Yale – Control tower strategy and RFP development
  • Samsung – Control tower strategy development for inbound and outbound flows including event management, process development and implementation support
  • SC-Johnson – Control tower feasibility assessment and benchmarking
  • Takeda – Control tower feasibility assessment and selection of TMS providers
  • Wartsila – Control tower feasibility assessment

Cases