Supply Chain Network Optimisation
The right network design — not the one you inherited
Most supply chain networks weren't designed — they evolved. Warehouses were added when capacity ran out. Distribution centres were placed where leases were cheap, not where the freight analysis said they should be. Over time, the network becomes the single biggest driver of cost and service performance — and the hardest thing to change without proper analysis.
Synergic Technologies delivers supply chain network optimisation using quantitative modelling, scenario analysis, and deep New Zealand supply chain experience. We help you understand what your network is actually costing you, model alternatives, and build the business case for change.
Why Network Optimisation
Network design is the highest-leverage decision in supply chain management. Get it right and everything downstream — transport, inventory, service — gets easier. Get it wrong and no amount of operational improvement can compensate.
Your Network Grew Organically — Not Strategically
Warehouses were added when capacity ran out. Distribution centres were placed where leases were available, not where the freight analysis said they should be. The network you have today is the product of twenty years of reactive decisions — not a deliberate design.
Transport Costs Keep Climbing
Freight is your fastest-growing cost line, but you can’t pinpoint why. Routes were set up years ago and never revisited. You’re running trucks that aren’t full, serving customers from the wrong DC, or paying premium rates because your network forces it.
Service Levels Are Declining Despite More Inventory
You’ve added safety stock, opened new holding locations, and still can’t hit delivery targets consistently. The problem isn’t how much inventory you hold — it’s where you hold it. Inventory is in the wrong place because the network wasn’t designed around customer demand patterns.
What We Deliver
Network optimisation is analytical, not theoretical. Every recommendation is backed by data, modelled against your actual costs and volumes, and tested for implementation feasibility.
Network Modelling & Scenario Analysis
Quantitative modelling of your current network — nodes, flows, costs, service levels — then scenario analysis to test alternative configurations. What happens if you consolidate two DCs? Add a regional hub? Shift fulfilment closer to demand? We model it so you can decide with data, not gut feel.
Warehouse Location Analysis
Centre-of-gravity analysis, demand mapping, and total-cost-to-serve modelling to determine optimal warehouse and DC locations. Considers freight costs, labour markets, lease economics, customer proximity, and service level requirements.
Transport Route Optimisation
Analysis of current routing, carrier performance, load utilisation, and delivery frequency. Identifies opportunities to consolidate routes, improve load fill, reduce empty running, and renegotiate carrier contracts based on actual volume and lane data.
Inventory Positioning
Where should stock sit in the network to balance service and cost? We model inventory placement across echelons — from central warehouses through regional DCs to forward stock locations — based on demand variability, lead times, and service level targets.
3PL Evaluation & Transition Planning
Independent assessment of third-party logistics providers — capability, capacity, pricing, and fit. Whether you’re selecting a new 3PL, renegotiating an existing relationship, or evaluating insource vs outsource, we provide the analysis and recommendation.
Industries We Work With
Network optimisation applies wherever physical goods move through a supply chain. The specific constraints differ by industry — we bring the domain knowledge to model them correctly.
FMCG & Food and Beverage
High-frequency replenishment, chilled and ambient distribution, national coverage with tight delivery windows.
Manufacturing
Inbound raw material flows, finished goods distribution, multi-site production allocation, make-vs-buy network decisions.
Distribution & Logistics
Multi-client network design, hub-and-spoke vs direct models, carrier selection, 3PL network rationalisation.
Primary Sector
Seasonal volume peaks, export logistics, port proximity, cool chain requirements, rural collection networks.
How We Work
Our ALIGN → PILOT → SCALE-UP methodology applies to network optimisation the same way it applies to every engagement — start with understanding, prove the value, then implement at scale.
Understand the Current Network
Map the existing network — nodes, flows, costs, volumes, service performance. Identify where the network is working and where it’s costing you. Define the business objectives the optimised network must deliver.
Model and Test Scenarios
Build a quantitative network model and run scenarios — consolidation, relocation, new nodes, changed flows. Each scenario is evaluated on total cost to serve, service level impact, risk, and implementation feasibility. The recommended option comes with a clear business case.
Implement the Optimised Network
Phased implementation plan — site transitions, carrier changes, inventory rebalancing, system configuration. We manage the transition to minimise service disruption and ensure the modelled benefits are realised in practice.
Related Services
Network optimisation often connects to other supply chain improvement areas. Changing the network creates opportunities — and requirements — across planning, inventory, and warehouse operations.
SC Maturity Assessment
Structured assessment of end-to-end supply chain capability — often the starting point that identifies network design as a priority.
Inventory Optimisation
Right stock, right place, right time. Network and inventory optimisation go hand in hand — changing the network changes where inventory should sit.
Warehouse Design & Optimisation
Once the network is right, each node needs to be designed for efficiency — layout, slotting, flow, automation.
S&OP & Demand Planning
Demand and supply planning drives the volume forecasts that underpin network design decisions.
Visibility & Traceability
End-to-end visibility across a multi-node network — tracking inventory as it moves between sites.
Load & Pack Optimisation
Maximise load utilisation across the network — fewer trucks, lower freight costs, better sustainability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you model our supply chain network?+
We build a quantitative model of your network using actual data — shipment volumes, freight costs, warehouse costs, demand by location, service level performance, and inventory holdings. The model maps every node (warehouses, DCs, cross-docks, customer clusters) and every flow between them. We then run scenarios to test alternative configurations against your business objectives. The modelling is done by senior supply chain consultants who understand the operational realities behind the numbers — not by software that optimises in isolation.
How long does a network optimisation project take?+
A typical network optimisation engagement takes 4–8 weeks depending on the number of sites, data availability, and complexity of the scenarios being modelled. For organisations with clean data and a well-defined scope, the ALIGN phase (current-state mapping and objective setting) takes 1–2 weeks, scenario modelling takes 2–3 weeks, and the recommendation and implementation plan takes 1–2 weeks.
What data do you need from us?+
At minimum: shipment data (volumes, origins, destinations, costs), warehouse operating costs, inventory holdings by location, customer delivery requirements, and current service level performance. Most of this comes from your ERP, WMS, and TMS. We help you extract and clean the data — we don’t expect a perfect dataset on day one.
Can you help with 3PL selection and transition?+
Yes. 3PL evaluation is a common component of network optimisation — especially when the analysis shows that your current 3PL arrangement is driving cost or constraining service. We provide independent assessment of 3PL capability, pricing, and fit, and can manage the transition planning if you decide to change providers. We also evaluate the insource vs outsource decision where that’s relevant.
Ready to Optimise Your Supply Chain Network?
Your network is either working for you or working against you. Talk to our supply chain team about what a properly designed network could deliver for your business.