Ford South America Partners with RELEX to Streamline and Automate Supply Chain Planning
Ford South America Automates Supply Chain Planning with RELEX to Drive Efficiency and Dealer Satisfaction In a strategic move to enhance its aftermarket auto parts supply chain operations, Ford South America has partnered with RELEX Solutions, a global leader in unified supply chain and retail planning software. The collaboration marks a significant transformation initiative aimed at streamlining operations, improving service levels for dealerships, and leveraging advanced technologies to drive forecasting accuracy and inventory optimization across a highly complex and geographically dispersed supply chain.
A Step Toward Intelligent, Automated Planning
Ford South America’s decision to implement the RELEX AI-driven supply chain platform represents a significant upgrade from its previous planning systems. The company, which manages a sprawling aftermarket parts operation across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Colombia, will now benefit from a unified solution designed to meet the challenges of modern, fast-paced distribution networks.
RELEX Solutions will enable Ford to automate and optimize its supply chain planning processes—from demand forecasting and inventory management to supplier collaboration and scenario modeling. With RELEX’s advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, Ford will reduce its dependence on manual planning while increasing visibility and agility across the supply chain.
“RELEX’s AI-driven approach will help us make smarter, faster decisions, improve forecast accuracy, and boost service levels for our dealers while controlling costs,” said Carlos Laprega, Senior Manager of Parts Aftermarket Logistics at Ford South America. “They will help Ford support our strategic goals of efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
Managing a Vast and Complex Supply Chain Network
The scale of Ford South America’s operations is extensive. The company oversees a logistics network involving more than 600 suppliers, 10 distribution centers, and over 150,000 unique stock keeping units (SKUs). This network supports around 400 authorized dealerships across five countries in South America.
This level of operational complexity presents multiple challenges: ensuring part availability, reducing excess inventory, responding to shifting demand patterns, and maintaining cost efficiency. In particular, slow-moving inventory can tie up valuable capital, while stockouts may lead to customer dissatisfaction and increased vehicle downtime.
By adopting the RELEX platform, Ford aims to address all of these issues in a comprehensive manner. The system’s capabilities include demand sensing using multiple regressors, integrated planning, and AI-powered forecasting. These features will allow Ford to anticipate market needs more accurately and ensure that the right parts are available at the right place and time.
Dealer-Centric Strategy: Reducing Downtime and Enhancing Customer Experience
At the core of this supply chain transformation is a commitment to Ford’s network of dealerships and their customers. When aftermarket auto parts are unavailable, service delays can result in longer vehicle downtimes—frustrating customers and diminishing brand loyalty.
The new supply chain system is designed with this in mind. With RELEX, Ford South America will ensure that dealers have access to accurate forecasts and real-time inventory updates, allowing for more reliable service appointments and faster vehicle repairs. This in turn improves the overall customer experience and strengthens Ford’s position in the competitive Latin American automotive market.
The implementation is expected to drive higher fill rates, minimize backorders, and reduce lead times across Ford’s regional distribution hubs. These improvements will have a direct impact on customer satisfaction, operational cost savings, and dealer network performance.
Leveraging AI and Automation for Strategic Planning
One of the key value propositions of the RELEX platform lies in its ability to leverage artificial intelligence to automate routine tasks and improve strategic decision-making. By minimizing the need for manual data entry and spreadsheet-based planning, Ford’s supply chain teams can focus on higher-value tasks such as strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and network optimization.
Scenario planning is another critical capability provided by RELEX. It allows Ford to simulate various demand and supply conditions, test alternative supply chain strategies, and prepare for disruptions. Whether faced with a supplier delay, a change in demand, or geopolitical uncertainties, Ford will be better equipped to respond swiftly and effectively.
The system also supports supplier collaboration by providing shared visibility into forecasted demand and inventory positions. This will help Ford strengthen its supplier relationships, align production schedules more closely with market needs, and mitigate the bullwhip effect that often plagues supply chains with limited transparency.
A Partnership Approach: Implementation Backed by Regional Expertise
To support the implementation and rollout of the RELEX platform across South America, Ford has enlisted the support of Demandtex, a RELEX-certified partner known for its expertise in complex supply chain deployments. Demandtex will play a central role in ensuring that the transition is seamless and tailored to the specific requirements of each of the five countries involved.
Emre Sener, CEO of Demandtex, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. “We are excited to partner with Ford South America on this transformation. Working alongside RELEX, we’ll help Ford optimize inventory, automate operations, and strengthen supplier collaboration, ultimately driving better performance across their supply chain.”
Demandtex’s regional insights and hands-on experience with RELEX implementations will be crucial in customizing workflows, training users, and integrating the new system with Ford’s existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) and logistics platforms.
Delivering Long-Term Strategic Value
From a long-term perspective, Ford’s adoption of RELEX is expected to unlock substantial strategic value. In addition to driving immediate improvements in forecast accuracy and inventory efficiency, the system sets the stage for future innovation. As the platform continues to learn from historical and real-time data, its predictive capabilities will become even more refined, allowing Ford to evolve from reactive to proactive supply chain management.
Carlos Victoria, Senior Vice President of Sales for Latin America at RELEX Solutions, commented on the significance of the partnership. “RELEX is proud to support this iconic brand in transforming their supply chain operations. Our collaboration will help Ford unlock new levels of agility, efficiency, and resilience across their network. We’re excited to deliver rapid, measurable value that supports Ford’s long-term success.”
Setting a Benchmark for Automotive Supply Chain Modernization
Ford South America’s supply chain transformation effort represents more than just a software implementation—it reflects a broader industry trend toward digitalization and automation in the automotive sector. As vehicle manufacturers seek to reduce costs, respond faster to market changes, and improve service delivery, investments in intelligent planning systems are becoming increasingly critical.
By embracing cutting-edge technology, Ford South America is setting a benchmark for other regional and global automotive players. The partnership with RELEX demonstrates how legacy organizations can successfully modernize their operations while staying true to their core values of quality, innovation, and customer service.
As Ford South America embarks on this major supply chain modernization initiative, the company is poised to realize significant operational and strategic benefits. Through its collaboration with RELEX and Demandtex, Ford is automating critical supply chain processes, improving dealer service levels, and enhancing its ability to meet customer needs in a dynamic market environment.
This transformation is not just about improving current performance—it’s about building a smarter, more resilient, and more customer-centric supply chain for the future.