Akcoat, the leading global manufacturer of chemical coating materials, partnered with ICRON to tackle material planning complexities, decrease planning time, and enhance reporting. Since the beginning of this partnership, Akcoat has achieved a 37% decrease in material inventory value. ICRON provides AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for accelerated response time, improved planning, and elevated collaboration among fragmented planners.
Founded in 1979, Akcoat is a global leader in chemical coating materials, specializing in five main product groups: enamel, ceramic, glass, non-stick decorative coatings, and pigment solutions. Akcoat is a partner of global brands that add value to the white goods, kitchenware, oven, ceramic, and glass industries. Akcoat is part of the Akkök Holding Group of Companies. Akcoat has always prioritized innovation and customer satisfaction across its diverse product lines.
With a growing presence in over 65 countries, Akcoat sought to maintain its competitive edge and implement solutions to support its expansive operations. Akcoat identified the need to enhance its material planning and procurement processes. The company aimed to transition from disconnected spreadsheet-based planning methods to automated systems, improve material ordering times, effectively track inventory levels, and control procurement costs. The following goals were central to Akcoat's strategy for streamlining operations and sustaining its growth trajectory.
Implementing digital tools to transition from disconnected spreadsheet-based to automated planning, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in material management.
Streamlining procurement workflows to expedite order placements, ensuring timely availability of materials for production.
Utilizing real-time inventory monitoring systems to maintain optimal stock levels and prevent production disruptions.
Employing strategic sourcing and spend analysis to minimize expenses and maximize value in the procurement process.
Establishing an Automated Planning Process
Implementing digital tools to transition from disconnected spreadsheet-based to automated planning, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in material management.
Reducing Material Ordering Time
Streamlining procurement workflows to expedite order placements, ensuring timely availability of materials for production.
Tracking Material Inventory Levels
Utilizing real-time inventory monitoring systems to maintain optimal stock levels and prevent production disruptions.
Controlling Procurement Costs
Employing strategic sourcing and spend analysis to minimize expenses and maximize value in the procurement process.
As a global producer of specialty chemicals and performance coatings, Akcoat’s operations involve managing a wide variety of raw materials, regional market requirements, and complex product formulations. With growing demand and increasing product diversity, Akcoat needed to confront persistent material planning bottlenecks that were slowing operations and inflating inventory. To achieve the goals, Akcoat and ICRON worked together to identify the most pressing planning challenges across their procurement and materials functions –
Relying on manual planning consumed excessive time and effort for the Akcoat team, increasing the risk of human error. Even small data entry mistakes could derail production schedules and create cascading operational setbacks.
Ensuring up-to-date and accurate data was a growing challenge. In a manual environment, delays and inconsistencies in data updates led to planning decisions based on outdated or incomplete information, putting operational efficiency at risk.
Simulating alternative planning scenarios was slow and inefficient. Without the ability to quickly model and compare different options, Akcoat lacked the agility needed to respond proactively to market or production shifts.
With Excel-based tools used across departments, there was no real-time integration between planning systems and operational platforms like ERP or MES. This siloed approach made collaboration difficult and led to duplication of work and delays.
Planning knowledge was heavily tied to specific team members, making the process fragile and unsustainable. If key individuals were unavailable, continuity and consistency were at risk.
Due to the manual nature of data collection and validation, reacting swiftly to urgent changes was nearly impossible. Critical decisions were delayed, affecting everything from procurement to production continuity.
Manual Workload and Risk of Error
Relying on manual planning consumed excessive time and effort for the Akcoat team, increasing the risk of human error. Even small data entry mistakes could derail production schedules and create cascading operational setbacks.
Data Integrity and Timeliness Issues
Ensuring up-to-date and accurate data was a growing challenge. In a manual environment, delays and inconsistencies in data updates led to planning decisions based on outdated or incomplete information, putting operational efficiency at risk.
Inflexible Scenario Planning
Simulating alternative planning scenarios was slow and inefficient. Without the ability to quickly model and compare different options, Akcoat lacked the agility needed to respond proactively to market or production shifts.
Disconnected Data Ecosystems
With Excel-based tools used across departments, there was no real-time integration between planning systems and operational platforms like ERP or MES. This siloed approach made collaboration difficult and led to duplication of work and delays.
Dependence on Individuals
Planning knowledge was heavily tied to specific team members, making the process fragile and unsustainable. If key individuals were unavailable, continuity and consistency were at risk.
Slow Response Time
Due to the manual nature of data collection and validation, reacting swiftly to urgent changes was nearly impossible. Critical decisions were delayed, affecting everything from procurement to production continuity.
Given the complexity of Akcoat’s global operations and the urgency to modernize its planning capabilities, the ICRON team recognized the need for a robust and intelligent platform that could streamline material planning, unify fragmented workflows, and enhance responsiveness across the board. Akcoat was seeking not just a solution, but a strategic partner to help embed AI-powered decision intelligence into its operations. ICRON responded with a suite of technologies designed to meet these challenges head-on and turn Akcoat’s goals into measurable results.
ICRON’s AI-driven planning solutions have reshaped how we manage material planning and procurement. What once took days now happens in hours, with better accuracy, clearer inventory visibility, and faster execution. We've reduced excess stock, gained full control over material requirements, and significantly improved our planning agility. Most importantly, we achieved sustainability through digitalization. ICRON didn’t just provide a tool—they became a partner in helping us evolve our processes for the better.
ICRON Demand empowers businesses to navigate uncertainty through accurate forecasting using AI-driven methods that take into consideration historical data, reaTime updates, and fast adaptation to changing market conditions and disruptions.
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