Letter from the Editor

IBF’s recent benchmarking report, Benchmarking New Products Forecasting and Planning, revealed a continuation in the major headwinds facing companies today. The shift in consumer demand has forced companies to innovate and release new products like never before, with this category now making up 17% of all products. With this comes in creased costs, shorter planning horizons, and greater forecast error. Combine this with increased volatility and the complexity of plan-ning for multiple channels, the role of demand planner is arguably the hardest it has ever been. In spite of these unprecedented challenges, two-thirds of companies report operating margins and revenue growth of 15% or more. The question is, what tools and methodologies are behind this remarkable growth, and how can they be translated into greater efficiency and profitability?