Author: dennis.brouwer

Our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

Today, we shine a spotlight on Ron Schreiner, a seasoned Senior MP&L Leader at Modine, whose innovative strategies have revolutionized their inventory management processes. Ron’s dedication and vision have earned him a well-deserved spot as our next Supply Chain Hero.

Navigating Inventory Challenges

Ron and his team faced a significant hurdle: accessing critical inventory information quickly and efficiently. He recalls the struggle to obtain “quick access to key information on inventory such as inventory value, inventory forecasting, part number demand variability, target quantities, daily/monthly demand,” the list goes on. This lack of accessible data made proactive decision-making a challenge.

The team had previously built reports from Excel using data from SAP. However, this was done at the plant level, often taking resources away from their standard work. Because each plant created, manipulated, and interpreted reports differently, there wasn’t a unified approach across Modine.

Inventory Optimization Across Plants

With the implementation of LeanDNA, Ron and his team at Modine have seen a reduction in critical shortages, an increase in Clear to Build (CTB) percentage, a reduction in inventory, and overall better visibility for their plants. These outcomes directly reflect  their enhanced inventory optimization strategy.

“We were able to achieve these results by effectively rolling out LeanDNA across numerous plants worldwide, by incorporating LeanDNA tools within our team members standard work, by utilizing LeanDNA reports/dashboards during meetings, and by constantly working with the LeanDNA Team to tweak or enhance reports and train our Teams on new enhancements and areas we are struggling with.” – Ron Schreiner

Looking Ahead: Goals and Opportunities

In the next six months, Ron aims to bring two more plants online with LeanDNA, develop more LeanDNA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and increase engagement from buyers, planners, and suppliers within LeanDNA. To achieve these goals, they plan another successful launch with LeanDNA’s help, develop a training program to create SMEs in each plant, and set up continued training for all LeanDNA users.

“We’ve onboarded an additional 5 plants within the last 6 months into LeanDNA. We’ve utilized LeanDNA to greatly reduce inventory levels by fiscal year end while also driving down our past due backlog and increasing our OTD by utilizing CTB, LOB and the shortage report.”

A Tip from the Hero

We like to ask every Supply Chain Hero the same question. What is the most valuable thing you have learned that you would want to share with other supply chain professionals?

“LeanDNA has been a great collaborative partner to work with, quickly and painlessly incorporating into our facility—and most importantly, proving to be a game changer for Modine.”

Ron emphasizes the value of collaboration and the transformative impact of effective tools. He emphasizes that LeanDNA has enabled buyers and planners to do their jobs more efficiently, allowing for quicker analysis and decision-making based on sound data. The elimination of creating numerous spreadsheets has allowed them to focus on their standard work. Additionally, the data available to suppliers, procurement teams, materials managers, plant managers, and executives has enabled better business decisions.

Ron Schreiner’s leadership and commitment to innovation have driven significant improvements at Modine. His journey serves as an inspiration for supply chain professionals everywhere.

Our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

When it comes to managing inventory across a large, global manufacturing network, complexity is the norm — and at Flowserve, John Rodriguez is on the front lines of tackling it head-on. As Senior Regional Planning Manager for Flowserve, John serves as the bridge between multiple manufacturing sites, users, and LeanDNA itself. He’s the champion who ensures that sites understand the platform’s value, while also advocating for Flowserve’s priorities to ensure the technology has the maximum impact.

Flowserve faced a complex challenge: multiple ERP systems across its global network, each with different instances and processes. This fragmentation made it difficult for facilities to get a unified view of their inventory and perform cross-site analytics. The lack of visibility extended to MRP messages as well, making it difficult to see when materials would arrive and how they flowed through production.

“LeanDNA has helped bridge the gap and made it possible for Flowserve to have all their Inventory Data in one place with actionable solutions. The Line of Balance logic now allows our sites to receive a clear profile as to when material will arrive on site.”- John Rodriguez, Senior Regional Planning Manager at Flowserve

From Fragmented Data to Unified Visibility

Prior to LeanDNA, Flowserve had tried other platforms, including Power BI, to track manufacturing KPIs. While useful for certain metrics and still used to track Manufacturing KPI’s, these tools couldn’t deliver the real-time, actionable insights needed for inventory optimization across multiple ERPs. 

Driving change across such a complex network required a leader who could connect teams, champion a new way of working, and guide sites through the transition. John’s leadership in change management and his ability to rally teams around a shared vision for better inventory visibility made the adoption of new tools both possible and impactful.

“LeanDNA helps standardize the inventory optimization and shortage management processes across different groups and ERPs. The flexibility and broad capability of LeanDNA’s Inventory Optimization platform  is a tremendous value add for Flowserve.” – Lily Djuniarti, Customer Success Manager at LeanDNA

Looking Ahead: Optimized Stocking, Lean Operations

Flowserve’s vision goes beyond just visibility. The team anticipates reaching optimized inventory levels while meeting customer demand, using LeanDNA’s Plan for Every Part tool to fine-tune stocking strategies and run leaner operations.

In the next six months, John is laser-focused on dramatically reducing inventory levels by following MRP messages closely and avoiding near obsolete, slow-moving, and excess (OSMI) situations. This focus positions Flowserve to operate more efficiently and strengthen its ability to respond to customer needs.

A Tip from the Hero

John’s success has reinforced the value of using advanced tools to tackle complex challenges and uncover new opportunities in supply chain management.

“Intelligent Supply Chain Solutions are at the forefront of our business even in today’s environment. These modern tools enable customers to make quicker analytical decisions while reducing the workload to reach said decisions. This technology can be used to supplement a facility’s inventory management strategy — or help create one.”

By unifying data, standardizing processes, and championing change across Flowserve’s network, John Rodriguez is proving that supply chain heroes aren’t just solving today’s challenges — they’re building the foundation for smarter, more connected operations in the future.

Our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

Supply chain leaders are often tasked with balancing two seemingly opposing challenges: keeping inventory lean while ensuring production lines never stop due to shortages. For Jessica Zhao, Materials Planner at Johnson Controls Wuxi Compressor, these challenges were front and center and she rose to meet them head-on. Through her leadership, determination, and a focus on supplier collaboration, she has transformed how her team manages inventory and supplier performance.

The Challenge of Manual Supplier Management

Before implementing LeanDNA, Jessica and her team were overwhelmed by two major challenges: high imported parts inventory and frequent material shortages. Both were so widespread that prioritization became a daily battle.

Managing suppliers with high-volume demand was another hurdle. Some suppliers require 100+ weekly PO confirmations, creating significant operational strain. Manual tracking of orders, changes, and commitments becomes error-prone and inefficient.

The team had tried to solve this in the past by managing confirmations manually, sending Excel-based PO lists for due date validation, then re-entering responses into SAP. But this approach introduced its own problems. “It was highly prone to delays and missed updates, as suppliers and internal teams struggled with version control,” Jessica said. “And data entry errors often led to incorrect information or inventory gaps.”

Transforming Supplier Collaboration

The disconnect changed when Jessica championed the adoption of LeanDNA’s Supplier Workbench and Supplier Connect. Instead of relying on error-prone spreadsheets and manual updates, the team now has automated, real-time synchronization with SAP.

“LeanDNA eliminates risks by automating PO tracking and supplier collaboration, ensuring real-time SAP synchronization—so changes are captured instantly, and exceptions are flagged proactively.” – Jessica Zhao, Materials Planner at Johnson Controls Wuzi Compressor

The impact was immediate. With automated visibility into supplier confirmation rates, her team could drive meaningful performance improvements and focus their energy on strategic action instead of manual firefighting.

“With LeanDNA’s Supplier Workbench, we now have clear visibility into supplier confirmation rates, enabling data-driven performance improvements.” – Jessica Zhao

LeanDNA Customer Success Manager, Abinaya Nagaraju noted just how influential she was in making this transformation possible: 

“Jessica was instrumental in rolling out Supplier Connect across three different sites. Her preparation and training delivery across all suppliers for these sites were straight on point, simple, and easy for suppliers to follow and understand. She went the extra mile on this initiative to deliver the training for all three sites.”

Leading the Way to Inventory Accuracy

By strengthening supplier collaboration and ensuring real-time visibility, Jessica laid the groundwork for more accurate inventory management across the sites. With suppliers aligned and processes streamlined, her team was able to shift focus from chasing updates to driving meaningful improvements in accuracy and efficiency.

Already, Jessica has achieved notable accomplishments, including:

• Rolling out Supplier Connect across three sites with strong supplier adoption 
• Clearing expired demands in the system 
• Improving buyer proficiency and engagement with the platform 
• Expanding adoption of the CTB report for clearer work order visibility 

And they aren’t stopping there. Over the next six months, the team plans to continue prioritizing supplier collaboration to optimize inventory accuracy and eliminate shortages. Their roadmap includes:

1. Optimizing safety stock and purchasing strategies 
2. Improving supplier delivery performance for high-shortage materials 
3. Increasing inventory accuracy through ABC-classified cycle counting

A Tip From the Hero

For Jessica, one of the biggest takeaways from her journey so far is that supply chain success requires agility and adaptability. 

“Demand is always volatile, forecasts are never perfect. A skilled buyer’s job is to adapt quickly, stay agile, and ensure the right materials arrive in the right quantity, at the right place, and at the right time. Just embrace uncertainty, respond fast, deliver precisely.” – Jessica Zhao

It’s this mindset that has fueled her team’s ability to shift from manual firefighting to proactive supply chain leadership.

When it comes to investing in modern supply chain solutions, Jessica is confident: the outcomes are undeniable.

“LeanDNA empowers businesses with real-time supply chain visibility, enabling data-driven decisions to optimize inventory levels. By leveraging its intelligent analytics, companies can reduce excess inventory by 20–30%, minimize stockouts and shortages, and improve on-time delivery by aligning inventory with actual demand signals.”  – Jessica Zhao

Her advice is simple: “With LeanDNA, you gain actionable insights to eliminate waste, lower costs, and enhance operational efficiency—all in real time.”

A True Supply Chain Hero

Through her leadership, Jessica Zhao has turned supply chain complexity into an opportunity for efficient workflows, lean inventory, and supplier collaboration. By championing new ways of working and empowering her team to adapt, she has shown what it means to be a true supply chain hero.

Our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

For Tanya Lance, Materials Manager at Special Products & MFG (SPM), driving efficiency and innovation has always been about finding better ways to empower her team. In the fast-paced world of precision manufacturing, she recognized that the company’s existing tools were creating more complexity than clarity.

Tackling Challenges Head-On

The team’s ERP system generated massive amounts of data, but translating that into actionable insights was a challenge. Buyers relied on ERP reports, spreadsheets, and supplier feedback. These methods lacked consistency and failed to account for different commodity types that required unique buying strategies. Without reliable visibility into metrics like min/max levels or supplier performance, the team was stuck in reactive execution rather than proactive improvement.

Before LeanDNA, Tanya and the team tried to bridge these gaps by developing custom SQL and PowerBI dashboards. While helpful in the short term, these tools required significant internal resources to maintain and rebuild for each new analysis. Lacking AI-driven insights, the team couldn’t proactively identify operational  improvements.

Shifting to a Smarter Solution

Recognizing the need for a smarter approach, Tanya and the team chose to implement LeanDNA and quickly began to see measurable results.

“We can now identify potential shortages well in advance, enabling smarter purchasing decisions and better resource planning.” -Tanya Lance, Materials Manager at SPM

SPM saw improvements in Clear-to-build percentages and PO confirmations, and min/max inventory management became far more accurate. More importantly, the team had clearly defined, actionable tasks that free them from constant firefighting.

“In recent months, we have reduced shortages, improved supplier on-time delivery, and reallocated buyer time toward strategic initiatives. These improvements have not only enhanced day-to-day efficiency but also created opportunities to focus more on cost savings and supplier development.”

Building Toward the Future

Tanya and the SPM team are already looking to the future. Their next priority is leveraging LeanDNA’s AI-driven min/max recommendations to further refine inventory strategies. They plan to start comparing current min/max settings with LeanDNA-generated insights and factoring in practical considerations like lot sizing, skid quantities, and minimum order values. They are working toward a balanced approach that improves inventory accuracy without compromising on-time delivery or inventory turns.

For Tanya, the journey has reinforced one key lesson:

“One of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned is that solving supply chain challenges doesn’t always require additional headcount. It requires smarter processes and better tools.”

By directing her buyers toward actionable tasks through LeanDNA, Tanya has created opportunities for cross-training, cost reduction initiatives, and more meaningful supplier performance conversations. This shift has allowed her team to move beyond reactive PO follow-up and focus on activities that drive long-term success.

A Tip From the Hero

When asked what she would share with other supply chain leaders, Tanya points to the importance of embracing intelligent solutions.

“Intelligent supply chain solutions like LeanDNA, with built-in AI analysis, elevate procurement beyond simply supplying materials; they enable proactive, strategic decision-making.”

Through her vision and leadership, Tanya has turned challenges into opportunities for SPM. By championing LeanDNA and shifting her team toward proactive, value-added work, she’s demonstrating how one supply chain leader can create lasting impact, not only for her team, but for suppliers and customers alike.

At Daikin our Supply Chain Heroes program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

Supply chain leaders today are balancing the pressure to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and build resilience all while maintaining operational excellence. Nicolas Moreno-Cely, Senior Director of Materials Planning and Operational Excellence and Homero Garza, Procurement Manager at Daikin, are leading this transformation by driving smarter decision-making, increasing visibility, and empowering teams to take faster action with LeanDNA.

Gaining Control with Visibility 

Before implementing APEX by LeanDNA, Nicolas and Homero faced a common challenge: a lack of visibility into inventory performance and no clear, actionable roadmap to reach target levels. The time it took to analyze data prevented them from any quick action. 

“Filtering noise in exception messages to identify what really mattered was difficult. We had plenty of data, but not enough clarity or prioritization to translate that data into meaningful action.” -Nicolas Moreno-Cely, Senior Director of Materials Planning and Operational Excellence at Daikin

The team initially turned to manual methods, relying on spreadsheets and early ERP implementation efforts to bring order to the process. While those efforts provided a temporary structure, they needed to find a long term solution. 

“They were partially successful,” said Nicolas. “The ERP implementation was still in progress, and LeanDNA accelerated that transformation by highlighting the key pain points.”

Accelerating Transformation with Smarter Workflows

Since adopting APEX by LeanDNA, the Daikin team has already achieved impressive results. Inventory levels have dropped by more than 10%. 

“It’s still early on, but inventory levels have dropped by 10+% while gaining operational efficiency through buyers’ collaboration.” 

Beyond an inventory reduction, on time PO placing has improved and impacted the production line. 

“Production lines have noticeably improved. Now any impact  we have in the production line is due to supplier performance issues and not due to opportunities on our processes.” -Homero Garza, Procurement Manager at Daikin.

A major catalyst in that early success has been the use of workflows in APEX Procurement Management, which have helped the team standardize and streamline their processes. Instead of buyers sifting through manual spreadsheets to make buying decisions, they have prioritized actions that allow them to focus on the highest impact decision first.

The result: a more efficient, agile, and aligned supply chain organization, where buyers can focus on high-value actions that move the business forward.

Looking Ahead: Driving Supplier Collaboration 

As Daikin continues its journey toward operational excellence, the next phase of Nicolas and Homero’s strategy is centered around improving communication with suppliers to further optimize production flow and making smarter decisions regarding inventory policies. 

“Increasing supplier collaboration is our next big opportunity,” Nicolas said. “We’re focusing on enhancing forecasting frameworks, incorporating advanced PFEP capabilities from APEX, and ensuring operational excellence through Supplier Connect.”

By connecting supplier performance directly to materials planning insights, the team aims to strengthen relationships, improve reliability, and reduce disruptions.

A Tip from the Heroes: Measuring What Matters Two Levels Up

With a career dedicated to improving operations and empowering teams, Nicolas and Homero have learned that successful transformation isn’t just about metrics, it’s about measuring what matters most.

“As people who are obsessed with measuring everything, focusing on metrics that matter two levels up can make the difference between adoption or project failure.”

That philosophy has become a key part of their strategy. Instead of tracking performance solely through supply chain KPIs like inventory turns or shortage reduction, the team now anchors their success to broader business outcomes such as working capital optimization, production throughput, and on-time delivery to customers.

By connecting supply chain metrics to business goals, Nicolas and Homero have created a stronger line of sight between day-to-day execution and overall business performance. This alignment not only drives better decision-making but also helps elevate the supply chain’s strategic importance within the organization.

Nicolas, Homero, and the Daikin team are building a stronger foundation for the future where visibility drives confidence, collaboration fuels performance, and every decision moves the business closer to operational excellence.

“Bringing a new platform into your process is not always easy, but having a weak foundation in your data and processes can kill your business. Embrace the rapid change in which the world is adopting new technologies.”

Our Supply Chain Hero program recognizes and celebrates the hard work of LeanDNA customers who optimize inventory, reduce shortages, and empower their companies to operate more efficiently. Every hero has a story, and we’re here to tell them.

Meet our latest Supply Chain Hero, Mohamed Abarghaz, Supply Chain Project Manager at Safran Electrical & Power. Mohamed is a true expert in business processes and SAP who has become a champion for standardized excellence within his organization. Known for his calm, supportive nature, Mohamed has gone above and beyond to ensure his teams have the tools and training they need to succeed.

Overcoming Manual Reporting and Data Silos

To better support the procurement teams and optimize inventory management, Safran deployed several Power BI tools. However, developing dashboards tailored to the specific needs of schedulers and planners proved challenging, mainly due to the large volume of data being processed. Given the ongoing global supply chain pressures, the support functions (Program, Industrial Brand, Purchasing, etc.) have been—and remain—particularly demanding when it comes to information, analysis, KPIs, and reporting. This situation increased the workload for the procurement teams and sometimes made communication between the various stakeholders more difficult. To address these challenges, Safran sought a solution that would provide greater fluidity, better management of large data volumes, and enhanced visibility across all departments.

Driving Impact Through Rapid Implementation

The Safran Electrical and Power team decided to implement APEX by LeanDNA, an AI-enabled supply planning and inventory optimization solution. Mohamed demonstrated exceptional change management skills by successfully managing the deployment of APEX across his entire division. He implemented the new system in six factories in the span of just one year. He personally visited every site to lead data validation and training, spending hours supporting the teams on the ground.

The results of this dedication are clear. By leveraging APEX, Safran has achieved:

• Improved Visibility: Teams now have access to real-time dashboards for shortages, excess, and obsoletes.
• Reduced Analysis Time: Automation has replaced manual Excel work, allowing for faster decision-making.
• Stronger Collaboration: Communication between different supply chain roles has been strengthened through a unified platform.
• Standardized Processes: The deployment led to improved action tracking and more efficient workflows across the division.

“LeanDNA has improved visibility and reduced analysis time. Teams now access real-time dashboards for shortages, excess and obsoletes, and action tracking. Collaboration between supply chain roles has strengthened.” — Mohamed Abarghaz, Supply Chain Project Manager at Safran Electrical & Power

Building a Foundation of Data Quality

As Mohamed looks toward the next six months, his goals are focused on continuous improvement. He plans to further reduce shortages and lower excess inventory by expanding LeanDNA usage and improving SAP data quality. By utilizing weekly dashboards and monthly performance reviews, he aims to standardize workflows and ensure long-term success.

For Mohamed, the most valuable lesson he has learned is the critical link between data and performance.

“High quality data and strong visibility are essential for effective supply chain performance. With standardized processes and accurate information, teams can anticipate issues, prevent shortages, reduce excess, and make faster, more informed decisions.”

A Tip From the Hero

When asked what advice he would give to other supply chain professionals, Mohamed emphasizes that while technology is a powerful enabler, it must be paired with strong fundamentals.

“LeanDNA is a tool that helps reduce analysis time, support faster decision-making, and improve collaboration. However, the core work must still be performed in our ERP system to ensure strong data quality.  LeanDNA delivers its full value when the data in the ERP is reliable, accurate, and consistently maintained.”

Mohamed’s expertise and his phenomenal support for Safran users make him a standout leader in the field. His commitment to training others and his mastery of both SAP and LeanDNA continue to drive meaningful transformation for his company.