Blue Yonder

Blue Yonder enables NUPCO deliver high-quality, affordable medical supplies

Saudi Healthcare Supply Chain Company digitizes demand and supply planning, inventory optimization

The National Company for the United Procurement of Medicines, Devices and Medical Supplies (NUPCO), a health care supply chain entity serving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has now successfully implemented several digital supply chain solutions with Blue Yonder.

Fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), NUPCO is the leading provider of medical procurement, storage, and distribution services for medicines, devices, and medical supplies to 400 hospitals in the Kingdom.

To achieve its goals related to Vision 2030, NUPCO is working with its hospitals and suppliers to advance toward supporting a new business model and new approach to healthcare, all through the power of integrated technology and connectivity, the company said in a press communiqué.

Manual to digital

The company was looking to move from manual to digital planning processes and to utilize a single Warehouse Management System (WMS) to unify the operations of all its warehouses. The company is therefore leveraging Blue Yonder’s Luminate Planning Portfolio and Warehouse Management System (WMS).

With Blue Yonder, NUPCO will now be able to provide low-touch statistical forecasts for all hospitals and increase collaboration with these customers; offer long-term visibility into demand and inventory for planning purposes, increasing customer satisfaction and improve collaboration between internal stakeholders to determine optimal demand and supply plans for hospital customers, according to a press communiqué.

“Blue Yonder stood out as the one supply chain solutions provider who understood our needs and could provide these end-to-end capabilities on a single platform,” emphasized Fahad M. AlButhi, Chief Operating Officer, NUPCO.

Planning solutions

With Blue Yonder, NUPCO now has planning solutions that can seamlessly connect to its warehousing system, offering confidence and better control of its entire supply chain, ensuring end-to-end visibility of products to right-size inventory and guaranteeing supplies are getting to the hospitals that need these to provide care. The WMS greatly simplifies the management of complex warehouse operations, provides real-time responsiveness against disruptions, and optimizes every move in its warehouses to improve throughput and agility.

“We are looking forward to continuing the relationship with NUPCO as they continue to seek out and implement additional solutions to meet their vision,” commented Johan Reventberg, EMEA President, Blue Yonder.

Panasonic completes acquisition of Blue Yonder

Acquisition values Blue Yonder at US$ 8.5bn

Panasonic Corporation recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of Blue Yonder, the leading end-to-end digital fulfillment platform provider.

Panasonic has now purchased the remaining 80% of shares of Blue Yonder, adding to the 20% which Panasonic acquired in July 2020. The investment values Blue Yonder at US$ 8.5bn, it was revealed in a press communiqué.

Since Panasonic’s announcement to acquire all shares on April 23, 2021, the acquisition has completed antitrust clearance procedures and received approval of regulatory authorities in the US and other countries.

This unique end-to-end offering provides customers with unlimited visibility, control, and orchestration, allowing them to pivot operations in real-time, provide superior customer experiences, and deliver more profitable business outcomes.

“Panasonic’s Edge technology with Blue Yonder’s AI/ML capabilities combines IoT devices and an AI-powered platform to gather and analyze data more quickly and with greater insight,” explained industry analyst Simon Ellis, Programme Vice President, IDC.

This acquisition enhances Panasonic’s own digital transformation and customer-centric focus. The Panasonic Group will shift to a holding company system on April 1, 2022, focusing on strategic businesses in key areas such as providing supply chain innovation and automation.

The Blue Yonder brand will be retained and the business will function within the Panasonic Connected Solutions Company. Blue Yonder CEO Girish Rishi and the entire leadership team will remain with the company, the press statement concluded.