Free Webinar
Redefining the Role of Forecasting: How Digital Twins and DDMRP Are Reshaping Supply Chain Management
September 25, 2025 | 9:00 AM ET
Is your supply chain struggling with:
- Constant stockouts despite high inventory levels?
- Unpredictable lead times causing production delays?
- Excessive expediting and firefighting?
- Poor forecast accuracy despite significant investments?
- Inability to adapt quickly to market changes?
Traditional supply chain planning methods weren’t designed for today’s volatile business environment. That’s why forward-thinking companies are turning to Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning (DDMRP) and Digital Twin technology for a more adaptive approach.
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What is DDMRP and Digital Twin Technology?
What is DDMRP?
DDMRP represents a fundamental shift from forecast-driven to demand-driven planning. This methodology strategically positions inventory buffers at critical points in your supply chain, creating stability and responsiveness that traditional methods can’t match.
Companies implementing DDMRP consistently report:
- 30-42% inventory reductions
- 95% improvements in on-time delivery
- 55% increases in supplier performance
- Significant reductions in expediting and firefighting
What is a Digital Twin?
Digital Twin technology creates a virtual replica of your supply chain for risk-free testing and optimization. This advanced simulation environment allows you to:
- Test different buffer positions and sizes
- Simulate various demand scenarios
- Identify potential bottlenecks
- Optimize inventory levels across your network
All before making changes to your actual supply chain.
The Power of Integration
When DDMRP methodology is combined with Digital Twin technology, supply chain managers gain unprecedented capabilities:
- Test and validate DDMRP buffer positions before implementation
- Visualize the impact of demand changes in real time
- Simulate various scenarios to identify optimal strategies
- Continuously optimize buffer sizes based on actual performance
This webinar bridges the gap between theory and implementation by showcasing how Digital Twin technology creates a virtual testing ground for DDMRP implementation.
Webinar Highlights: What You’ll Learn
DDMRP Fundamentals
Learn why Demand Driven MRP represents a fundamental shift from traditional forecasting approaches and how it creates stability in volatile markets. Chad Smith, co-founder of the Demand Driven Institute, will explain:
- The five components of DDMRP implementation
- Why traditional planning methods struggle with volatility
- How DDMRP creates stability in uncertain environments
Digital Twin Integration
Discover how Digital Twin technology provides a risk-free virtual environment to test and validate DDMRP implementation strategies. Christine Watson from Simio will demonstrate:
- How to create a digital replica of your supply chain
- Methods for testing different buffer positions and sizes
- Techniques for simulating various demand scenarios
- Approaches for identifying potential bottlenecks
Implementation Blueprint
Gain insights into the practical steps for evaluating DDMRP in your organization, including:
- How to identify strategic buffer positions
- Methods for determining optimal buffer sizes
- Techniques for managing dynamic adjustments
- Approaches for measuring performance improvements
Performance Metrics
Understand the key performance indicators that improve with DDMRP implementation:
- Inventory levels (typically reduced by 30-42%)
- Service rates (improvements of up to 95%)
- Operational costs (reductions of 10-30%)
- Planning accuracy (improvements of 35-72%)
Risk Mitigation Strategy
Learn how Digital Twin simulation minimizes implementation risk by allowing you to:
- Visualize impacts before making changes to your actual supply chain
- Test different scenarios to identify optimal strategies
- Validate buffer positions and sizes before implementation
- Identify potential issues before they occur in the real world
Case Study Analysis
Explore real-world examples of companies that have achieved remarkable results:
- JELD-WEN: 95% reduction in past-due units, planning accuracy improved from 35% to 72%
- Wipaire: On-time delivery improved from 40% to over 90%, inventory reduced by 28%
- Oregon Freeze Dry: 97% on-time delivery with 45% less inventory
About Simio and Digital Twin Technology
Simio’s advanced simulation platform creates intelligent Digital Twins of your supply chain, enabling you to test and validate DDMRP implementation strategies before deployment. Our technology:
- Gathers data from your ERP, WMS, and other systems to create an accurate virtual replica
- Provides a safe testing ground for operational changes
- Reduces implementation risk and accelerates results
- Enables continuous optimization based on actual performance
With deep expertise in supply chain simulation and optimization, Simio has helped companies across industries achieve significant improvements in inventory management, service levels, and operational efficiency.
Who Should Attend
This webinar is specifically designed for supply chain professionals who are facing persistent challenges with inventory management, service levels, and demand volatility. Whether you’re new to DDMRP or exploring ways to enhance your current planning processes, you’ll find valuable insights and practical solutions.
This session is ideal for:
- Supply Chain Directors and VPs seeking strategic approaches to reduce inventory while improving service levels
- Operations Managers struggling with constant expediting and firefighting
- Inventory and Planning Managers looking for more effective buffer management strategies
- Demand Planners frustrated with forecast inaccuracy and its downstream effects
- IT and Digital Transformation Leaders evaluating supply chain technology investments
No prior knowledge of DDMRP is required—the webinar will provide a comprehensive introduction while also offering valuable insights for those already familiar with the concepts.
About the Presenters
Chad Smith – Partner (Demand Driven Institute)
Chad Smith is the co-founder and partner at the Demand Driven Institute (DDI), which he established in 2011 alongside Carol Ptak to advance the Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning (DDMRP) methodology. With over 25 years of supply chain expertise, Chad has pioneered methodologies that have fundamentally transformed traditional planning approaches. Before founding DDI, he served as Managing Partner at Constraints Management Group (1997-2015), where he led implementations for industry giants including Boeing, Intel, and Siemens.
Chad is a prolific author whose influential publications have shaped modern supply chain thinking, including “Orlicky’s Material Requirements Planning, Fourth Edition,” “Demand Driven Performance – Using Smart Metrics,” and “Precisely Wrong – Why Conventional Planning Fails and How to Fix It.” His implementations have consistently delivered remarkable results, including lead time reductions from 90 to 14 days and dramatic inventory cost reductions.
As a globally recognized thought leader, Chad has keynoted major conferences including Demand Driven World and numerous international supply chain symposiums. His methodology has been implemented across diverse industries with documented successes—Jamestown Container Companies achieved 60% inventory reduction and 300% operating profit increase, while other implementations have consistently shown service level improvements to over 95% with significant inventory reductions.
Chad is a certified expert in all disciplines of the Theory of Constraints, having studied directly under Dr. Eli Goldratt. He holds degrees in Business Administration and continues to develop comprehensive educational initiatives through DDI’s workshops and certification programs that have established global standards in demand-driven methodologies.
Christine Watson – Senior Solution Specialist, Manufacturing Digital Twin, Simio
Christine Watson serves as a Senior Product Specialist at Simio, where she brings over three decades of experience in simulation technology with a specialized focus on Digital Twin implementation for supply chain optimization. Her 16-year tenure at Simio since the company’s inception has established her as a leading authority in simulation-driven supply chain transformation and DDMRP implementation strategies.
With academic foundations from Penn State University, Christine has developed significant expertise in creating Adaptive Process Digital Twins—sophisticated 3D simulation models that replicate complex physical processes to enhance decision-making. Her comprehensive knowledge spans discrete event simulation platform development, process optimization through digital transformation, and the integration of DDMRP methodologies with Digital Twin technology.
Christine is a recognized speaker in the simulation and modeling community, presenting at prestigious industry events including the Simio User Conference, where she delivered a keynote on “Optimizing Operations with Simulation,” and the 2023 Simio Sync conference, where she co-presented on “Data-driven modeling for moveable asset logistics.” Her recent publication “Implementing DDMRP in a Bottling Plant Using Simulation” (Winter Simulation Conference 2024) demonstrates her ongoing contributions to the field.
Throughout her career progression at Simio—spanning technical support, consulting, and technical sales & marketing—Christine has consistently demonstrated her ability to translate complex simulation concepts into practical business solutions. Her work has significantly contributed to the advancement of DDMRP implementation methodologies, the development of practical applications for Digital Twin technology, and the enhancement of simulation-based decision-making processes across manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain operations.
Gerrit Zaayman – Vice President, Manufacturing Digital Twin Solution, Simio
Gerrit Zaayman is the Vice President of Manufacturing Digital Twin Solutions at Simio, where he leads initiatives in design and business integration of advanced simulation technologies. With a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering and specialized expertise in process simulation, business process reengineering, and artificial intelligence, Gerrit has pioneered the development of Adaptive Process Digital Twins and led groundbreaking collaborations between Simio and the Demand Driven Institute.
His career spans over 25 years in supply chain technology, beginning at i2 Technologies where he led supply chain planning software implementation for major enterprises in South Africa. Gerrit has authored significant works including “Simio Manufacturing Digital Twin” and multiple publications on Industry 4.0 integration. He is recognized for his expertise in integrating DDMRP principles with digital twin technology to create agile platforms supporting digital transformation.
Gerrit is a sought-after speaker on DDMRP implementation through simulation, known for his comprehensive demonstrations of how digital twin technology creates virtual testing grounds for supply chain strategies. His presentations offer unique perspectives that bridge theoretical concepts with practical implementation.
Handré Dreyer – Director: Operational Technologies | Simulation Division, 4Sight Holdings Limited
Handré Dreyer serves as Division Director for Operational Technologies Simulation at 4Sight Systems, where he leads simulation technology initiatives and operational efficiency improvements. With a Master’s degree from Stellenbosch University and over 12 years of experience in simulation, consulting, and training, Handré has established himself as an accomplished entrepreneur and business improvement specialist.
His expertise spans multiple sectors including healthcare, mining, manufacturing, and logistics, with a particular focus on integrating Digital Twin technology with DDMRP processes. Handré specializes in real-time data integration for system monitoring, advanced simulation capabilities for scenario testing, and predictive analytics for forecasting and risk management.
A recipient of the Healthcare Entrepreneur of the Year award (2014), Handré has managed global projects across Africa, South America, USA, Canada, Australia, Russia, and India. He is a regular presenter at industry conferences, including recent workshops at SAIIE32 Annual Conference on “Introduction to Advanced Planning and Scheduling using Simio” and ISEM2023, where he led an interactive production operation system simulation focused on system optimization and team problem-solving.