From Overstocked to Optimised: Birlea’s Supply Chain Turnaround

Birlea Furniture partnered with AGR to bring greater visibility and control to their growing supply chain. Since implementing the platform, they’ve reduced inventory by over £1.4 million while increasing product availability by 19%. With smarter forecasting and real-time insights across their UK warehouses, the team has embraced a more data-driven way of working. This case study shows how Birlea is building a more agile, efficient supply chain to support continued growth.

The Challenge

Birlea Furniture Limited, a family-run UK-based furniture wholesaler, offers a diverse portfolio including mattresses, beds, sofas, and bedroom furniture. As the business expanded—both in product range and global ambitions, with plans to enter the Middle East and US markets—significant supply chain challenges emerged

Overstocking issues

Inventory levels had grown to approximately £1.9 million, resulting in high holding costs and operational inefficiencies.

Limited visibility

Reliance on complex and time-consuming Excel spreadsheets made accurate forecasting difficult and decision-making slow.

Internal resistance to change

Leadership and staff were initially skeptical of adopting new systems, preferring traditional, familiar methods.

The results

Since adopting AGR, Birlea Furniture Limited has seen measurable improvements.

Inventory levels dropped from £1.9 million to £500,000—freeing up capital and reducing storage costs.

Enhanced stock accuracy led to improved fulfilment rates and customer satisfaction.

The team overcame initial scepticism, moving confidently away from Excel and toward a more agile, tech-driven approach.

“We weren't going to regress back to using complex, time-wasting Excel forecasting sheets. We needed a system that was simple and could deliver the results we needed—and AGR has done just that”

The solution

In 2021, Birlea implemented AGR’s inventory optimisation software to streamline operations and address supply chain inefficiencies. Dean Powell, Head of Supply Chain, inherited the system upon joining and played a key role in embedding it into the company’s daily processes. Key features leveraged include:

Connected Items: Helped manage transitions and variants, critical for a product range that is regularly updated.
Automated Forecasting: Replaced manual spreadsheets, significantly improving forecasting accuracy and operational efficiency.
Real-Time Data Access: Enabled a consolidated, live view of inventory across Birlea’s two UK warehouses, supporting faster and better-informed decisions.

Looking ahead

As Birlea Furniture Limited continues to grow—particularly with international expansion on the horizon—the focus remains on:

Managing Geopolitical Risk: With all products imported, global disruptions can have significant effects. AGR’s tools will be key in mitigating these risks.
Optimising Safety Stock: Fine-tuning stock levels to strike the right balance between availability and cost efficiency.
Exploring AGR’s Advanced Capabilities: Unlocking additional features to boost responsiveness and resilience across the supply chain.