Infor and Kinaxis Unveil Advanced Enterprise Planning Solution for Discrete Manufacturers
Infor, a leading industry cloud company, and Kinaxis, a global leader in end-to-end supply chain orchestration, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing enterprise planning for midmarket discrete manufacturers. The collaboration brings together the strengths of Infor’s industry-specific cloud solutions with the advanced supply chain orchestration capabilities of Kinaxis, particularly its Maestro™ platform.
As part of this partnership, the companies have introduced Kinaxis Planning One for Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise, CloudSuite Automotive, and CloudSuite Aerospace and Defense. This new solution integrates Infor’s robust suite of tools tailored for discrete manufacturers with Kinaxis’ cutting-edge supply chain management technology, enabling businesses to align their supply chain strategies more effectively with their overarching business objectives.
Addressing Challenges in Discrete Manufacturing
Discrete manufacturers—particularly those in the automotive, industrial, consumer durables, high-tech, and aerospace and defense sectors—face complex challenges in today’s global marketplace. These industries operate in dynamic environments where supply chain disruptions, fluctuating demand, and regulatory requirements create an ongoing need for agile and responsive planning.
Kinaxis Planning One for Infor CloudSuites is designed to tackle these challenges by providing a unified platform that seamlessly connects operational, tactical, and strategic planning processes. By integrating real-time data across supply chain networks, the solution creates a single source of truth, ensuring that manufacturers can make informed decisions based on accurate and up-to-date information.
Key Features and Benefits of Kinaxis Planning One for Infor CloudSuites
One of the standout aspects of this new enterprise planning solution is its comprehensive approach to supply chain orchestration. Below are some of the key benefits that discrete manufacturers can expect from this integration:
1. Unified Demand, Inventory, and Supply Planning
Kinaxis Planning One consolidates demand forecasting, inventory management, and supply planning into a single, holistic view. This integration allows manufacturers to balance supply and demand dynamically, preventing bottlenecks and reducing excess inventory costs while ensuring that production schedules align with customer expectations.
2. Advanced Scenario Modeling
One of the major advantages of this new solution is its powerful scenario management capability. Manufacturers can model various demand and supply scenarios, evaluating outcomes based on different drivers such as revenue, cost, time-to-market, and sustainability. This enables decision-makers to proactively assess potential disruptions and choose the most efficient course of action.
3. Improved Agility and Resilience
Supply chain volatility has become a critical issue for manufacturers, especially in the wake of recent global disruptions. The integration of Kinaxis’ advanced analytics with Infor’s CloudSuites helps businesses quickly adapt to changes in demand, supplier constraints, and logistical challenges. By providing real-time insights, the solution enhances agility, enabling manufacturers to respond proactively to disruptions rather than reacting after the fact.
4. Industry-Specific Cloud Technology
Unlike generic supply chain solutions, Kinaxis Planning One is specifically designed for discrete manufacturing industries. The partnership with Infor ensures that customers receive a cloud-based platform tailored to their unique industry needs, incorporating best practices for sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and high-tech manufacturing.
5. Enhanced Collaboration Across Supply Chain Networks
By integrating planning processes across the supply chain, the solution fosters better collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, and other stakeholders. This alignment improves overall efficiency, reduces miscommunications, and helps organizations build more robust supplier relationships.
Strategic Vision and Leadership Perspectives
Both Infor and Kinaxis have underscored their shared commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions.
Conrad Mandala, EVP, Go-To-Market and Strategic Operations, Global Partner Organization at Kinaxis, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, particularly for midmarket manufacturers:
Our shared commitment to innovation and driving the best outcomes for our customers will have a significant impact on the manufacturers we’ll support together. Manufacturers in the midmarket don’t have the same ability to cushion complexities, like large tariffs, in the same way as bigger companies do. We’re thrilled to partner with Infor to help manufacturers be more agile and resilient in the long term.”
This perspective highlights how midmarket companies often lack the financial and operational buffers of larger enterprises, making agility and precision in supply chain management even more critical. By leveraging Kinaxis Planning One, these businesses can gain the strategic advantage of real-time data insights and proactive decision-making.
Andrew Kinder, Senior Vice President, Industry and Solution Strategy at Infor, echoed this sentiment, pointing to the increasing pressure on discrete manufacturers to deliver with greater speed and efficiency:
As discrete manufacturers face increased pressure to satisfy customer demands faster, and with more agility and efficiency, building and maintaining resilient supply chains can only be achieved with industry-specific, cloud-based technologies. Our collaboration with Kinaxis is grounded in our shared commitment to equipping customers with the best tools to achieve supply chain excellence against the challenges of a complex and unpredictable landscape.”
These statements reinforce the idea that digital transformation is no longer optional—it is essential for discrete manufacturers looking to maintain competitiveness in an unpredictable market.
Expansion and Deployment Strategy
The partnership between Infor and Kinaxis includes a dedicated midmarket sales team focused on North America and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa). This team will engage with customers to ensure seamless deployment of the cloud-native solution, providing industry-specific expertise and support tailored to the needs of discrete manufacturers.
By leveraging a focused go-to-market approach, both companies aim to accelerate adoption and ensure that midmarket manufacturers can quickly realize the benefits of this innovative planning solution.
The Future of Supply Chain Planning in Discrete Manufacturing
With the increasing complexities of global supply chains, manufacturers must embrace digital tools that enhance efficiency, reduce risks, and drive long-term resilience. The partnership between Infor and Kinaxis represents a significant step toward equipping discrete manufacturers with the technology they need to navigate today’s challenges and anticipate future disruptions.
Kinaxis Planning One for Infor CloudSuites enables businesses to move beyond traditional, siloed planning approaches and embrace a fully integrated, data-driven decision-making framework. By leveraging cloud-based solutions designed specifically for discrete manufacturing, companies can enhance their agility, improve profitability, and maintain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving industry.
