ACRELEC

This week I had the opportunity to visit ACRELEC France, spending time at the manufacturing plant, the distribution centre and HQ with the group supply chain team. The focus of the visit was on how we continue to strengthen and centralise stock control while improving end‑to‑end visibility across the supply chain. We received a better understanding on the introduction of new tools for forecasting, planning, and delivery, supported by richer data and enhanced insights to enable more informed and effective decision‑making. It was great to see the combination of technology alongside skilled, hand‑crafted processes within the factory. The balance between automation and human expertise plays a key role in maintaining quality while supporting scale and flexibility. We also discussed how new technologies are being embedded into the operation, including the use of chatbots and AI, to better support teams with information access, parts identification, and overall operational efficiency. Sharing experiences, challenges, and best practices with peers from other markets reinforced the importance of collaboration and knowledge‑sharing as we continue to evolve our approach to centralised stock management. Seeing the full end‑to‑end flow, from manufacturing through to distribution and meeting the teams behind it all provided context and a shared understanding of both the opportunities and challenges ahead. These changes are required to ensure we provide the best levels of service to our customers, especially during the challenging times with global shortages of PC components. A big thank you to the ACRELEC France team for the transparency, collaboration, and hospitality throughout the visit.