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Clear the road and navigate volatility with confidence

With Ahead, Sintel brings suppliers to the the next level in automotive demand management

In the automotive supply chain, speed and accuracy aren’t just competitive advantages — they’re essentials for survival. But in a sector marked by disruption, many suppliers still rely solely on OEM forecasts, without questioning whether those projections reflect past patterns or real demand signals.

What history often reveals, when properly analyzed, are repetitive planning errors, stock excess, and reactive decisions that drive up costs and reduce flexibility.

That’s where Ahead, Sintel’s new smart planning platform, comes in.

Why forecasting alone falls short

Volatility is no longer the exception — it’s the new normal.
Automotive suppliers are under pressure from all sides:

Constant changes in OEM planning
Global and local supply chain disruptions: from regional instability to on-the-ground execution failures
Compressed planning windows for procurement and delivery
Continuous cost control demands — without compromising performance

Meet Ahead: From Complexity to Clarity

Ahead was built to elevate demand planning by making sense of what’s already happening in real time. It automates, structures, and interprets the flow of information to bring clarity and speed to decision-making.

In this scenario, traditional tools fall short — not because they lack data, but because they don’t connect the dots between past, present, and future.

Ahead was built to take demand planning to the next level — not by trying to predict the future, but by making sense of what’s already happening.
It automates, structures, and interprets the flow of information to give you clarity and agility — turning complexity into confident action.

How Ahead Works

By combining Automation, Analytics, and AI-powered Intelligence, Ahead transforms scattered data into a continuous stream of insights:

Automation

Captures, validates, and integrates customer forecast data — including non-EDI sources like emails, spreadsheets, and portals.
It checks for volume gaps, validates minimum thresholds, and ensures complete visibility before any data reaches your planning system.
→ Result: Planning starts from a clean, trusted data foundation.

Analytics

Applies advanced BI tools to detect forecast deviations, phase-out trends, and demand variations across part numbers and timeframes.
→ Result: Changes are identified early, and strategies can be adjusted in time.

Intelligence

Delivers AI-driven forecast simulations — conservative, aggressive, and likely — helping planners define the most realistic and resilient plan.
Decisions made at vehicle level are automatically converted to part-level precision.
→ Result: Greater forecast accuracy and smarter decisions — based on scenarios, not assumptions.

Whether or not your company uses Ahead, Sintel helps optimize your ERP environment for scalability and consistency.

Seamless integration with ERP protection built in

Ahead was developed on top of Sintel’s deep industry knowledge and integration experience.
It acts as a smart layer between external data and your ERP — importing only validated, structured, business-ready information.

No complex customizations. No bad data. Just secure, fast integration with SAP or any ERP.

Key Benefits:

Global SAP template alignment
Accurate, scalable EDI mapping
Continuous updates to OEM rules
Real-time data visibility for faster decision-making

Even if your company hasn’t yet adopted Ahead, Sintel’s integration services help maintain visibility, control, and governance across your entire ERP environment.

Global Operation Center: clarity that never sleeps

Reliable data flow is just as critical as the data itself. That’s why Sintel’s Global Operation Center (GOC) provides 24/7 monitoring and support, ensuring that every message, transaction, and connection flows as it should.

GOC Services include:

Continuous connectivity and message flow management
Proactive detection of anomalies
Root-cause resolution of incidents
Real-time communication oversight with OEMs and suppliers

Sintel keeps your operation running even when you’re off the clock.

See What’s Ahead

Join us at the Odette Conference 2025 and be the first to experience Ahead in action.
Discover how AI-powered planning helps suppliers move from reactive adjustments to proactive, scenario-driven decision-making.

For more information visit Odette Conference 2025 website.