{"id":11146,"date":"2025-03-05T13:43:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T12:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/optano.com\/?p=11146"},"modified":"2026-01-20T11:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T10:37:43","slug":"freeing-up-capital-through-optimal-inventory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/optano.com\/en\/media\/insight\/1\/kapital-freisetzen-durch-optimalen-bestand\/","title":{"rendered":"Freeing up capital through optimal inventory"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Freeing up capital through optimal inventory<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mathematical optimization for ideal stock levels<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

There has been a lot of talk about vulnerable supply chains in recent years. During the coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns and border closures put international supply chains under enormous pressure. Geopolitical events and wars meant that supply chains became increasingly vulnerable and companies were forced to take action in order to continue production.<\/p>

One countermeasure that many companies have taken was to increase safety stocks in the warehouse. But it is precisely this that is now leading to new difficulties. In this article, we show what these are and how mathematical optimization can be used to counteract and prevent them.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Vulnerable supply chains lead to full warehouses<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Unstable supply chains were and remain a major problem for the manufacturing industry. As a result, full warehouses have made a comeback: those with more material in stock are logically less dependent on functioning supply chains. However, these high stock levels tie up a lot of capital that is lacking elsewhere. In addition, the current high interest rates are increasing the cost of capital enormously, which is putting many companies under additional pressure.<\/p>

However, in many industries, a lot of capital is needed right now in order to respond to current requirements and remain competitive in the long term. The switch to renewable energies to achieve defined climate targets and the switch to the production of electric cars in the automotive industry are just two examples of the high level of investment required.<\/p>

So how can the capital tied up in inventories be sensibly released without jeopardizing secure production and, if the worst comes to the worst, being exposed to vulnerable supply chains again?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Stock vs. readiness to deliver<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The best solution for both requirements<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Optimal stock levels are primarily dependent on two factors: the reliability of the supply chain and the desired readiness to deliver. The more reliable the supply chain is, the lower the safety stock in the warehouse can be in order not to jeopardize the readiness to deliver. Conversely, the higher the desired level of readiness to deliver, the higher the safety stock levels in the warehouse and the reliability of the supply chain should be.<\/p>

It is therefore necessary to determine the best trade-off between the lowest possible inventory level (and therefore higher cash flow), supply chain security and a high degree of readiness to deliver. In some cases, it will be necessary to lower the level of readiness to deliver slightly in order to achieve a reduction in safety stock. In other cases, however, the current safety stock levels are so high that a reduction in stock levels can even be achieved without any loss of readiness to deliver.<\/p>

In a further step, the costs of lost sales can be quantified. This involves determining how much profit is lost if the delivery readiness level is reduced and therefore potential sales cannot be serviced. The optimum stock level can be determined by comparing the costs of lost sales with the expenses that would be incurred to avoid the lost sales.<\/p>

This becomes a complex task that can no longer be solved manually, especially if you have many different products with different requirements and availabilities - and perhaps even have to consider the capacity of your warehouse. But with the right technical support, there is a simple solution for this too.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t