July 14th, 2025

Last week saw the culmination of FLOW 2025, Slimstock’s North American customer event, this time organised at the top of the Niagara Falls.

More than 60 supply chain professionals came together overlooking one of the world’s most breathtaking natural landmarks for FLOW 2025, an event built to celebrate everything supply chain planning, and especially the people making it all possible.

If you didn’t make it this time… here is a summary of this one-of-a-kind event.

 

Why FLOW?

FLOW symbolises supply chain’s capability to move, change and shape our world, just like water. When challenges arise, supply chains don’t stop—they shift, reroute, and forge a new path toward their goals.

So, where better to bring this concept to life than Niagara Falls? Standing above the rushing waters, watching nature carve its unstoppable course over the cliffs. An insane 168,000 liters of water falling every minute (or 5,090 20-ft shipping containers). Like the falls themselves, supply chains are unyielding, ever evolving, and undeniably powerful.

 

Two days of community, ideas and fun

FLOW wasn’t just about scenic views. It was a packed two-day experience filled with thought-provoking sessions, hands-on workshops and some much-needed human connection.

We kicked off with a Forecasting Masterclass led by Steven Pauly, where attendees sharpened their planning skills and explored new approaches to navigating demand volatility. It set the tone for what would become a deep dive into the most pressing challenges and biggest opportunities in the supply chain world today.

From there, we zoomed out for a look at Slimstock’s future vision—where we’re headed over the next five years, what customers in North America can expect, and how our ongoing growth will translate into even stronger partnerships and tools for our clients.

We also lifted the curtain on what’s next for Slim4. Our roadmap presentation wasn’t just a sneak peek, it was a promise. A promise that we’re constantly improving, refining and evolving our solutions with your day-to-day needs in mind. Think smarter planning, AI-powered insights, and small-but-mighty changes that make a big difference.

And speaking of AI…

 

 

Riding the AI wave (without getting swept away)

One of the most talked-about sessions explored AI in the Supply Chain, and not to just the hype. We dug into the real, tangible ways AI is changing the game. From automation and predictive analytics to smarter forecasting and decision-making, it became clear: AI isn’t coming, it’s here. And those who learn how to use it strategically will have an edge.

 

Rethinking the role of supply chain

Our session on Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) emphasized the need for supply chain planning teams to leverage S&OP as their strategic frontier. Historically, supply chain departments were often the behind-the-scenes players, serving more “strategic” departments like marketing or product development. But those days are behind us.

As we shared in this session, supply chain is now the strategic frontier. With more competition, more complexity, and more sales channels than ever before, organizations that elevate supply chain to a strategic role will set themselves apart. And S&OP is the way to make this happen.

 

 

Workshops that made it real

If the sessions sparked ideas, the workshops turned them into action. Attendees got their hands dirty (figuratively) in sessions like:

  • From Data to Decisions, where they learned how to translate information into smarter actions using Slim4’s BI toolsets.
  • The Secret to Optimal Ordering, where they fine-tuned ordering quantities and uncovered efficiencies that are often hiding in plain sight.
  • Building a Day-to-Day Routine, which focused on creating stability through structure, because a well-run supply chain is a stable supply chain.
  • The workshop Balancing Cost & Availability focused on strategies to optimise the trade-off between inventory and customer service.

 

A summit with a view

Of course, no recap would be complete without mentioning the location. Niagara Falls provided a breathtaking backdrop—not just for selfies, but for moments of connection.

Whether it was conversations over coffee, networking dinners, or discussions sparked during a session break, the summit reminded us that real change happens when people come together. Face to face. Idea to idea. Flowing forward, together.

 

 

See you next time?

To everyone who joined us—thank you. You made FLOW 2025 a true success.

And if you weren’t there? Don’t worry, this was just the beginning. FLOW will return, and this time you don’t want to miss it.

Until then, keep moving forward. Keep adapting. Keep flowing.