But for years, its exceptional service levels came at a cost for the company in the form of elevated inventory levels and planning decisions made with limited end-to-end visibility into its supply chain, which impacted agility and growth.

Recognizing the need for change, AstraZeneca began by rethinking its global supply chain planning. Rather than pursuing an off-the-shelf solution, the company sought a partner that could support a broader transformation that aligned technology, processes and people. That journey led AstraZeneca to supply chain planning software provider OMP.

Working together, the two organizations translated AstraZeneca’s planning challenges into a constraint-based planning ecosystem. For the first time, planners could see true capacity and material limitations reflected directly in the plan, enabling more confident decisions and reducing the need to rely on excess inventory as a safety net.

By removing noise and low-value exceptions, planners were able to shift their focus to areas with the greatest impact on service and performance. As a result, decision-making has become faster, more informed and more strategic.

As the partnership matured, AstraZeneca and OMP began pushing boundaries even further by exploring how artificial intelligence and AI agents could enhance the planner’s role rather than replace it.

Today, the collaboration stands as an example of what’s possible when technology providers and global manufacturers operate as true co-innovation partners. It further reveals how AstraZeneca transformed its supply chain planning into a strategic enabler by positioning the organization for future growth in an increasingly complex, AI-driven world.