In many manufacturing organizations, planning and scheduling operate in parallel but rarely in sync. Plans are created at a strategic level while schedules are built on the plant floor. For companies that operate in the highly volatile market of fast-moving consumer goods, any disconnect between planning and scheduling can create highly inefficient operations. When disruption hits, those impacts are compounded.
Reckitt, a global consumer goods leader, recognized these patterns in its teams. Planners were creating weekly plans and “throwing them over the wall” to scheduling teams, says Vivek Bhat, Global Process and Technology Director E2E Supply Planning & Analytics. Integrating planning and enterprise scheduling on a single platform would close this gap, accelerate supply chain performance, and improve KPIs across the business.
[Read more: Proactive planning: How Reckitt unlocked the power of Enterprise Scheduling with Kinaxis]
Connecting planning and execution
By implementing enterprise scheduling within its broader supply chain planning environment, Reckitt brought planners and schedulers onto the same platform. Instead of working in silos, teams could:
- Align production schedules directly with supply plans
- Factor real-world constraints into planning decisions
- Simulate tradeoffs in real time
- Respond faster to demand or supply volatility
This integration turned scheduling from a reactive activity into a strategic lever.
Measurable manufacturing impact
The shift didn’t just eliminate silos. It increased schedulers’ opportunities to optimize for business outcomes. “Because we have more stable, realistic schedules, our overall equipment effectiveness has improved. We have more efficient production transitions, which minimizes downtime between products,” says Vivek.
Reckitt improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) through better line utilization and fewer disruptions. Optimized sequencing reduced unnecessary changeover time, unlocking additional capacity without capital investment. With clearer visibility into both constraints and priorities, the organization also reduced inventory buffers while maintaining service levels, improving agility and working capital performance.
A foundation for smarter supply chain execution
Reckitt’s success highlights an important shift happening across manufacturing: enterprise scheduling is a critical component of integrated supply chain planning and execution. When teams share the same data, constraints, and priorities, organizations move from reacting to problems to preventing them. They gain the ability to evaluate scenarios instantly, make confident decisions faster, and drive continuous operational improvement.
For manufacturers looking to improve OEE, reduce changeovers, and strengthen supply chain resilience, Reckitt’s journey shows what’s possible when planning and scheduling operate as one.
Learn how Enterprise Scheduling in Kinaxis Maestro can help your organization create feasible, executable schedules to better meet business objectives.
