On the threshold of a new era in manufacturing, it is clear that traditional forecasting methods have reached their limits. Reliance on historical data for production planning has led to unlinked sales execution and unrealistic forecasts, especially for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The paradigm is changing and TCP is at the forefront, bringing a revolutionary concept to the world of SMEs: Demand Sensing.

Historically, attempts to bridge the gap between sales execution and manufacturing planning have fallen short, often neglecting the operational separation between the processes. While some demand-driven material requirements planning solutions - Demand Driven MRP - focus on adapting manufacturing operations to planning variations, the core challenge remains unaddressed: connecting actual demand with manufacturing planning.

As 2024 arrives, TCP is innovating and breaking new ground by dynamically integrating ERP and CRM systems, creating a seamless flow of real-time information for sales and customer service representatives. This overcomes the challenges of providing access to crucial data such as orders, shipments and inventories, which are available to promise (offer) based on the production schedule and supply chain, among others. However, this is only a stepping stone to our next innovation (initiative).

The real game changer lies in the integration of forecasting and sales funnels with AI-analyzed manufacturing planning and scheduling. Imagine having full visibility and control of every variable tailored to the specificities of each customer: sales phase, probability of closing and customer buying behaviors analyzed by automatic pattern analysis. The goal is clear: plan production based on what's ahead, not what's behind.

In 2023, TCP laid the groundwork for cloud-hosted integration services between Epicor Kinetic and SugarCRM, two leaders in the manufacturing world. Now, in 2024, the promise of Demand Sensing-based forecasting connected to production planning and scheduling is within reach for our customers. This marks a paradigm shift in the way manufacturing is approached - demand-based planning in today's scenarios, not in the past.

The traditional tension between sales and operations, especially in manufacturing teams, is not disappearing, but transforming into productivity. Armed with the right tools, sales and operations can measure performance impact in new ways, from accurate forecasting of supply and sales opportunities to optimal production and supply chain execution, all driven by a single, integrated data stream.

To realize this vision and deliver on the promise of execution excellence, TCP continues to leverage the purpose-built infrastructure provided by Epicor Kinetic and SugarCRM. The journey began in 2023 with the cloud-hosted integration service, and now, with this foundation, the era of Demand Sensing in manufacturing is just around the corner.

Join us in embracing this revolutionary approach, where planning is driven by what's ahead, not what's in the rearview mirror. The future of manufacturing is demand sensing, and TCP is leading the change. Are you ready to be part of the transformation?