The Consortium chooses ToolsGroup for Integrated Business Planning

LONDON, Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading independent supplier to the education and care markets, The Consortium, has chosen ToolsGroup's SO99+ supply chain software to enable its new Integrated Business Planning processes.

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The Consortium provides organisations with all the supplies and services they need to deliver the curriculum, care for their residents and to operate their premises. Via its catalogues and website, it offers more than 40,000 products, ranging from learning resources to cleaning products, including well-known brands and its own brand and value ranges.

Central to The Consortium's success is the business's promise to provide customers with the highest quality service. It has been recognised as Supplier of the Year at the Education Resource Awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Its award-winning services include free delivery, bulk buy discounts, next-day delivery on stock items and advice on getting the best value.

To ensure these high standards are maintained and improved, The Consortium is implementing Integrated Business Planning and will use ToolsGroup's SO99+ solution to release working capital and improve customer service.

Jan Steenberg, The Consortium's supply chain director, said: "Our customers depend on us to deliver: we have high standards to maintain and ambitious plans to drive forward further improvements. We chose SO99+ because of its successful track record in demand planning, inventory optimisation and replenishment. We are pleased to be working with ToolsGroup, whose flexible staff has shown a real understanding of the challenges we face."  

Managing Director of ToolsGroup UK, Martin Woodward, said: "We understand organisations like The Consortium whose success depends on their ability to consistently deliver high standards of customer service. We are delighted to be able to support them as they put their plans for supply chain improvements into action."

About ToolsGroup
ToolsGroup (www.toolsgroup.co.uk) is a global provider of "Powerfully Simple" supply chain planning and demand analytics software. Our customers overcome volatile demand and challenging supply chains to generate accurate forecasts and outstanding customer service levels with less global inventory. Reliable behind-the-screen technology and scalable statistical models enable highly intelligent data-driven decision making, combined with ease of use. ToolsGroup's solutions span key supply chain planning areas such as Demand Forecasting and Collaboration, S&OP, Demand Sensing, Promotion Forecasting and Multi-Echelon Inventory Optimization.

About The Consortium
The Consortium has been serving organisations and businesses delivering public services for over 40 years. It currently works with over 30,000 customers from the education, early years and care sectors providing them with all the supplies and services they need to operate on a daily basis. As a customer-led business, The Consortium brings together a wide range of disparate products, presents them in an easy to access way and delivers a first class service. This is the essence of their Buying Made Easy formula which is so popular with customers. The Consortium includes education supplier, West Mercia Supplies, and is part of the Smiths News Group, whose strong financial and commercial base supports and underpins its future growth.

• Winner: Education Resources Supplier of the Year Award 2010, 2011 & 2012
• Winner: Education Investor Product Supplier of the Year 2012
• 'One to Watch': The Sunday Times Best Companies Survey 2012
• Finalist: European Supply Chain Awards 2010

The Consortium can be contacted on 0845 330 7780 or www.theconsortium.com

Media Contacts
Jill Hemmings
For ToolsGroup
07738 907466 or 020 7434 4429
[email protected]

SOURCE ToolsGroup