Nampak Flexible is First African Company to Gain Oliver Wight Class A Accreditation

GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND, April 28, 2011 (Press-News.org) Africa's leading flexible packaging supplier, Nampak Flexible, has become the first South African organisation to gain Oliver Wight Class A accreditation for Integrated Business Planning (IBP).

Operations and Supply Chain Director, Grant Page, says that since implementing the Oliver Wight IBP programme, doing business with Nampak has become much smoother for its customers. "Lead times have reduced significantly, inventory has almost halved and service levels are much higher. IBP has become the way we do business; it's part of our culture and has produced great communication between people and departments, resulting in end to end quality."

Now, well in to its journey to business excellence, Nampak has reached the stringent levels required for Class A accreditation for Capable IBP, a significant step towards full Oliver Wight Class A status. IBP can most simply be described as advanced sales and operations planning (S&OP). However, unlike S&OP, it brings with it a truly strategic perspective. It allows senior management to plan and manage the entire organisation over a 24 month horizon or more, aligning the strategic and tactical plans each month, and allocating critical resources - people, equipment, inventory, materials, time and money - to satisfy customers in the most profitable way

Oliver Wight partner Lloyd Snowden says the company could not have achieved its success without the commitment of the leadership team: "Nampak Flexible is well advanced in many areas, including supply chain management and strategic planning, which is helping it create closer partnerships with its clients. Its performance really is top class."

Nampak Flexible is part of the R18.5 billion Nampak Group, Africa's largest packaging company with a presence in more than 20 countries. A publicly listed company, Nampak provides a wide range of metal, glass, paper and plastic packaging; including plastic bottles to the UK dairy industry. Nampak Flexible which employs around 1,000 people has received Class A accreditation for IBP across all three of its sites, situated in Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Nampak Flexible's Cluster Strategy Manager, Monte Maritz, believes the Class A award has also brought added credibility to the business: "It gives our customers increased confidence because they know our business processes have been independently audited by an international thought leader like Oliver Wight," he says.

Managing Director, Robin Moore agrees. He says that successful assessment against the renowned Oliver Wight Checklist is a sought-after goal for any company with a serious commitment to high standards. "This is a significant milestone for our business," he says. "It proves to our customers that we are not only the best choice supplier, but a valuable strategic partner."

About Oliver Wight

Oliver Wight has a 40 year track record of delivering business improvement to some of the world's best-known organisations. With a team of professionals offering a wealth of experience, Oliver Wight is the largest consultancy of its type, with offices throughout Europe, South Africa, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific region. We believe that sustainable business improvement can't be delivered by external consultants but only by our clients' own people, so unlike other consultancy firms, we transfer our knowledge to them, helping deliver performance levels and financial results that last.

Integrated Business Planning
At the leading edge of management thinking and practice, our Integrated Business Planning (IBP) model lies at the heart of our clients' journey to outstanding business performance. Oliver Wight are the originators of sales and operations planning (S&OP) and IBP can most simply be described as advanced S&OP. However, unlike S&OP, IBP brings a truly strategic perspective, integrating diverse processes - in the extended supply chain, product and customer portfolios, customer demand and strategic planning - into one seamless management process.

Supply Chain Optimisation
In an uncertain business climate, volatile demand and unpredictability can expose weaknesses in supply chain performance. Supply Chain Optimisation helps companies improve sub-standard systems and processes, delivering a significant return to the bottom line.

Meeting the Class A Standard
The Oliver Wight Class A Checklist is the longest standing and most successful business assessment tool. The latest, Sixth Edition, raises the bar, and sets ever more demanding standards for companies on their journey to business excellence and the Oliver Wight Class A standard.

More information

Carol Collins
Oliver Wight EAME
carol.collins@oliverwight-eame.com
http://www.oliverwight-eame.com

Steve Lipscombe
RONIN Marketing Limited
+44 (0) 20 3326 5040
stevel@roninmarketing.co.uk
http://www.roninmarketing.co.uk