By partnering with James Ross Consulting, the business successfully implemented changes that now deliver €12M in recurring annual savings, alongside measurable sustainability benefits.
The client’s network spanned factories across Europe, supported by distribution centers that handled both full pallet and case-picked deliveries. Some shipments also went direct to customers. Over time, however, the system became tangled. Different factories produced the same SKUs but with varying capabilities, often limited by historical constraints on pack sizes, loading formats, and equipment. Distribution centers, meanwhile, operated with different cost allocation methods and processes, reflecting local rather than regional decisions.
The commercial teams added yet another layer of complexity. They negotiated inbound formats directly with customers, agreeing on a wide variety of palletization and case-handling options. With little pushback from the business, the result was a patchwork of formats and processes that satisfied customer preferences but undermined operational efficiency.
The client knew their supply chain was less efficient than it could be. What they lacked was a clear, data-driven view of where improvements were possible, and how those improvements could be implemented without jeopardising customer relationships. They turned to James Ross Consulting to uncover hidden opportunities in both packaging and logistics, and to create a pathway for measurable savings.
James Ross Consulting began by consolidating data on SKUs, costs, routes, and volumes from the client’s SAP system. This information was fed into PackDevPro (PDP), James Ross Consulting’s proprietary modelling tool. PDP made inefficiencies visible and allowed us to test a wide range of “what if” scenarios.
The modelling covered both network and packaging options. On the network side, we simulated a series of palletization strategies: shifting to tall single-stack pallets with a variety of height options, moving to full double-stacks, or trialing hybrid approaches optimized by weight per cubic meter.
We also explored channel-specific formats such as de-topping, where pallets are partially adjusted to suit customer requirements. On the packaging side, PDP examined the impact of subtle dimensional changes – what if the length, width, or height of a pack shifted by just one to five millimeters? These seemingly small changes could unlock significant gains by enabling more cases per layer, more layers per pallet, and fuller truckloads.
The results were striking. PDP identified up to $14M in savings under current network constraints. When modelling scenarios that assumed long-term structural changes such as standardising pallet heights and upgrading equipment across factories and warehouses, an additional $40M in potential savings emerged.
Turning theory into practice required careful prioritization. James Ross Consulting worked closely with the client to focus on high-volume, high-value SKUs where the biggest impact could be made quickly. Acting as an extension of the client’s R&D team, we established testing protocols, validated changes, and used PDP’s risk analysis capabilities to ensure that adjustments to pack formats or palletization would not compromize product integrity.
By blending data science with practical implementation, we transformed abstract scenarios into tangible actions. This approach gave the client confidence that savings could be delivered safely and sustainably, without disrupting customer relationships.
The programme delivered €12M in recurring annual savings and significant sustainability improvements, reducing transport volumes and waste. Beyond the numbers, it also reshaped internal thinking. For the first time, the client questioned how inefficient pallets and formats had been approved in the first place. James Ross Consulting’s review of their processes revealed that packaging development teams, faced with as many as 8,000 possible variables affecting route-to-market, often defaulted to the lowest-risk option rather than the most efficient one.
As a follow-on, JRC developed new Pack Development Standards designed specifically for supply chain efficiency. These were embedded into the client’s R&D platform, ensuring that future packaging design decisions would be made with efficiency and sustainability at their core.
What began as a cost reduction project became a transformation in supply chain design. James Ross Consulting helped an industry leader achieve double-digit millions in annual savings while embedding new processes and standards that will continue to generate value for years to come. The project not only improved the bottom line but also strengthened sustainability credentials and reshaped the organization’s approach to packaging and logistics.
“Our role was to bridge the gap between data and delivery. By working hand-in-hand with the client’s teams, we turned complex modelling into practical actions that delivered quick wins.”Ross CollinsDirector James Ross Consulting
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