Wipak Group to Improve End-to-End Manufacturing Planning with RELEX Solutions

Global packaging manufacturer will deploy integrated planning capabilities across 10 production sites to improve forecasting, inventory optimization, and production planning

Wipak Group, part of the Wihuri Group, has selected RELEX Solutions, with NTT DATA supporting the implementation, to improve end-to-end manufacturing planning across its 10 production sites in Europe and China.

Wipak produces flexible packaging for food and medical applications and manages a portfolio of around 25,000 SKUs. Its operations span multiple production stages, from extrusion to conversion, creating interdependencies across sites and planning horizons. Until now, planning has been managed via manual processes, limiting visibility, coordination, and advanced optimization across the network.

To address these challenges, Wipak will implement end-to-end supply chain planning capabilities from RELEX, connecting demand, inventory, and production plans in one system. Machine learning-based forecasting will provide accurate visibility into demand across its portfolio, giving teams greater confidence in their decisions. These insights will feed directly into inventory and production planning, allowing Wipak to set more balanced stock levels and create production schedules that work across its multi-site manufacturing network.

With this more connected approach, Wipak aims to improve forecast accuracy and reduce finished goods inventory while shifting more stock toward semi-finished goods where appropriate. The company also expects to improve service levels and lead time reliability, while reducing costly changeovers through better production sequencing.

The company selected RELEX for its manufacturing-specific planning capabilities, ML-based forecasting, and ability to support complex, multi-stage production across multiple sites. The decision also builds on an existing relationship within the Wihuri Group, where RELEX is already used in wholesale operations.

“Accurate demand visibility and coordinated planning are essential in our manufacturing environment,” said Marko Obrknezev, Group Supply Chain Director at Wipak. “We looked for a solution that could support multi-site planning and help us balance service levels, inventory, and production efficiency. RELEX gives us the capabilities to improve planning across our network.”

“Wipak operates in a highly specialized manufacturing environment with significant complexity across products and processes,” said Juha Martikainen, Managing Director, Europe at NTT DATA. “By combining RELEX capabilities with our experience in packaging and manufacturing, we can support a smooth implementation and help Wipak build a strong basis for long-term planning improvements.”

“Many manufacturers still rely on fragmented planning processes that make it difficult to respond to change and balance competing priorities,” said Stefano Scandelli, SVP Manufacturing, RELEX Solutions. “Wipak is taking a more connected approach by aligning decisions across demand, inventory, and production. That visibility will help teams make faster decisions, reduce unnecessary stock, and improve production efficiency across sites.”