Achieving Results with LMA Consulting: Client Success Story

As organizations grow, supply chains inevitably become more complex. An expanded and complex network of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers, larger product portfolios, and increasing customer expectations create new challenges that can strain even the most experienced teams. For Armacell, a global leader in insulation solutions, maintaining high customer service levels across multiple manufacturing plants and distribution centers required a new approach to supply chain planning and execution. By partnering with LMA Consulting Group, Armacell transformed planning processes, improved inventory management, strengthened SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning), also known as Integrated Business Planning (IBP) execution, and aligned teams across the organization. The result was a dramatic improvement in service performance, rising from approximately 38% to more than 85%, with multiple periods exceeding 90%.

The Challenge: Complexity Was Limiting Performance

Armacell operates a sophisticated network of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers serving customers across North America. As the business expanded, supply chain complexity increased.

The organization faced challenges related to:

  • Customer service performance
  • Inventory positioning
  • Distribution center replenishment
  • Cross-functional communication
  • Capacity planning
  • ERP utilization
  • Consistent planning processes across facilities

Compounding these challenges, the company was still recovering from a significant cyberattack that had disrupted systems and created numerous workarounds and spreadsheet-based processes. While teams worked hard to support customers, disconnected processes and inconsistent planning practices made it difficult to achieve desired service levels. Leadership recognized that sustainable improvement would require a comprehensive approach rather than isolated fixes.

Diving Into the Data

One of the first things Geoff Michalak, Integrated Business Planning Manager at Armacell appreciated about LMA Consulting’s the willingness to dig deeply into the organization’s data, systems, and processes. Rather than recommending a predefined solution, the team focused on understanding Armacell’s goals, challenges, and operational realities.

This included reviewing:

  • Customer service processes and service agreements 
  • Inventory management practices
  • Production planning routines
  • Distribution center replenishment strategies
  • ERP system utilization
  • Supply chain reporting
  • Planning workflows

The objective was to identify opportunities to improve service levels while simultaneously enhancing inventory performance and working capital management.

Breaking Down Organizational Silos

Supply chain success depends on coordination across multiple functions. LMA worked closely with customer service, production planning, replenishment, inventory management, IT, and leadership teams to create stronger alignment and accountability throughout the organization.

The goal was simple:
Eliminate silos and ensure that everyone understood how their responsibilities impacted supply chain performance.

The result:
By improving communication and establishing common processes, teams were able to make better decisions and respond more effectively to customer needs.

This cross-functional alignment became a critical component of the transformation.

Optimizing Inventory and Distribution Performance

With four manufacturing facilities and six distribution centers supporting customers across multiple regions, inventory positioning played a major role in service performance.

LMA helped Armacell evaluate:

  • Inventory deployment across the network
  • Replenishment strategies
  • Slow-moving inventory
  • Working capital opportunities
  • Regional customer demand patterns
  • Distribution center stocking practices

The team focused on ensuring that inventory was positioned where customers needed it most while maintaining appropriate inventory levels throughout the network. This improved service performance while supporting better inventory utilization and working capital management.

Strengthening ERP Utilization and Process Consistency

Another major focus area involved helping teams better leverage their ERP system. Over time, various facilities had developed different planning approaches and workarounds. LMA worked with the organization to establish more consistent planning practices and improve utilization of system capabilities. The process began with the company’s largest facility and expanded across the network, creating standardized processes and training that could be sustained long-term. By combining technology improvements with process discipline, the organization created greater consistency and visibility across operations.

Building a More Effective SIOP Process

LMA also helped strengthen Armacell’s SIOP process. The objective was to create greater ownership throughout the supply chain while improving visibility into:

  • Demand plans
  • Capacity constraints
  • Production requirements
  • Inventory strategies
  • Cross-functional dependencies

Rather than viewing planning activities as isolated responsibilities, teams gained a clearer understanding of how their decisions affected other parts of the organization. This improved accountability, collaboration, and decision-making across the business. To learn more about rolling out SIOP effectively, download LMA’s complimentary eBook.

Turning Data into Action

A key differentiator of the engagement was LMA’s ability to transform data into actionable insights. The team worked through complex reporting challenges, combined information from multiple sources, and developed practical tools that helped leadership and planners make better decisions. Instead of relying on disconnected spreadsheets and fragmented information, the organization gained access to more meaningful reporting and visibility. This enabled teams to identify opportunities, address issues proactively, and continuously improve performance.

The Results

The impact of the engagement was significant.

Key outcomes included:

  • Service levels improved from approximately 38% to more than 85%
  • Multiple periods exceeding 90% service performance
  • Improved customer satisfaction
  • Better inventory management
  • Stronger replenishment processes
  • Enhanced ERP utilization
  • More effective SIOP execution
  • Improved cross-functional collaboration
  • Greater visibility across the supply chain
  • Stronger working capital management

Additionally, the organization developed sustainable processes and capabilities that continue to support performance improvements today.

Creating a Foundation for Long-Term Success

Supply chain transformation is rarely about a single project or technology implementation. Sustainable success requires alignment across people, processes, systems, and data. By improving planning processes, strengthening inventory management, enhancing ERP utilization, and connecting teams across the organization, Armacell created a stronger, more resilient supply chain capable of supporting future growth.

At LMA Consulting Group, we help manufacturers and distributors improve planning, operational performance, inventory management, and technology utilization to drive predictable growth, customer service excellence, and long-term profitability.

 

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Published: September 12, 2022 | Updated: June 2, 2026