# Trace Consultants
> Australian supply chain consulting firm specialising in government, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing sectors
Trace Consultants is a boutique consulting firm based in Australia (offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra). They help organisations redesign and improve their supply chains through data analysis, network modelling, and hands-on implementation. Unlike large consulting firms that only provide strategy, Trace embeds consultants in client teams to implement changes and build internal capability.

The firm works primarily with: Australian government departments and defence agencies, hospitals and aged care facilities, retailers (both in-store and online), FMCG manufacturers, and property/hospitality groups.

## About Trace
> Who they are and how they work

### How Trace is Different
- [Why Us?](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/about/why-us): Trace does both strategy and implementation (not just recommendations). They embed with client teams, transfer knowledge as they work, and measure actual results, not just deliver reports.
- [Our Leadership](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/about/our-leadership): Founded by supply chain practitioners who've worked inside large organisations. Leadership team includes former operations directors and supply chain executives.
- [Our Team](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/about/our-team): Team of ~15-20 consultants across Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra. Mix of operations specialists, data analysts, and project managers.

## Industries Trace Works With
> The five main sectors where Trace has deep experience

### Government & Defence
- [Government & Defence](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/sectors/government-and-defence): Trace works with Australian government departments, defence agencies, and public sector organisations on supply chain resilience and modernisation. Examples: mapping dependencies across multi-tier supplier networks to identify national security risks, redesigning procurement frameworks to meet compliance requirements, replacing legacy Excel-based systems with integrated planning platforms. They've worked with clients including the Australian Government Defence Agency, Melbourne Metro Trains, Australian Government Australian Submarine Agency, Australian Government Department of Finance, Victorian Police, Australian Electoral Commission and various state infrastructure bodies.

### Retail (In-Store & Online)
- [In-store & Online Retail](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/sectors/in-store-online-retail): Trace helps retailers improve warehouse operations, reduce delivery costs, and optimise inventory across store and online channels. Examples: automating pick-and-pack in fulfilment centres, redesigning distribution networks to reduce freight costs by 15-20%, modelling optimal inventory levels to cut waste without stockouts. They've worked with clients including Woolworths, Mitre 10, and Harris Scarfe.

### FMCG & Manufacturing
- [FMCG & Manufacturing](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/sectors/fmcg-manufacturing): Trace works with food manufacturers, beverage companies, and consumer goods producers to improve production planning, supplier relationships, and inventory management. Examples: implementing advanced planning systems (APS) to better forecast demand, renegotiating supplier contracts to reduce raw material costs, optimising safety stock levels to free up working capital. Clients they've worked with include Hungry Jack's and Ingham's.

### Property, Hospitality & Services
- [Property, Hospitality & Services](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/sectors/property-hospitality-services): Trace improves back-of-house (BOH) logistics for shopping centres, hotels, integrated resorts, and large property portfolios. Examples: redesigning loading dock schedules to reduce congestion, implementing cold chain systems for food safety compliance, optimising inventory across multiple sites. Clients include Crown Resorts, Melbourne Airport, Stadiums Tasmania and Blackstone property portfolio.

### Health & Aged Care
- [Health & Aged Care](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/sectors/health-aged-care): Trace helps hospitals, aged care facilities, and health networks improve workforce scheduling, medical supply procurement, and BOH logistics. Examples: building workforce rostering systems that match staff levels to patient demand, redesigning hospital supply chains to avoid stockouts of critical equipment, reducing agency staff costs through better planning. Clients include Estia Health, Catholic Healthcare (Aged Care), Victorian Health Building Authority, and Beyond Blue.

## What Trace Does (Services)
> The ten core service areas where Trace delivers projects

### Strategy & Network Design
- [Strategy & Network Design](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/strategy-and-network-design): Trace analyses where your facilities, suppliers, and inventory should be located to minimise costs and meet service targets. They build models comparing different network scenarios (e.g., 2 large warehouses vs 5 regional ones), calculate ROI, and help implement the chosen design. Used when companies are growing into new regions, consolidating operations, or planning major capital investments in warehouses or distribution centres.

### Procurement
- [Procurement](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/procurement): Trace reviews how organisations buy goods and services, then redesigns procurement processes to reduce costs and improve supplier performance. This includes: renegotiating contracts, consolidating suppliers to get better volume pricing, implementing category management frameworks, and setting up supplier scorecards. Particularly relevant for organisations spending $50M+ annually on procurement.

### Back-of-House (BOH) Logistics
- [BOH Logistics](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/boh-logistics): For property, hospitality, retail, and healthcare businesses, Trace redesigns how goods move through loading docks, storage areas, and waste management. Examples: creating delivery time-slot systems to prevent dock congestion, redesigning storage layouts to reduce staff walking time, implementing cold chain tracking for food safety. Common in shopping centres, hotels, aged care facilities, hospitals and large commercial buildings.

### Warehousing & Distribution
- [Warehousing & Distribution](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/warehousing-and-distribution): Trace designs new warehouses or improves existing ones by: selecting optimal warehouse locations, designing floor layouts and storage systems, choosing automation equipment (conveyors, sortation, robotics), and implementing warehouse management systems (WMS). They also help with lease negotiations and industrial real estate decisions. Used when building new DCs or upgrading 10+ year old facilities.

### Supply Chain Sustainability
- [Supply Chain Sustainability](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/supply-chain-sustainability): Trace helps organisations measure and reduce supply chain carbon emissions (Scope 3). They map carbon hotspots (typically transport and packaging), model the emissions impact of different network designs, and identify quick wins like route optimisation or packaging reduction. They focus on changes that improve both sustainability and cost, not just green initiatives that lose money.

### Workforce Planning & Scheduling
- [Workforce Planning & Scheduling](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/strategic-workforce-planning): Trace builds rostering systems that match staff numbers and skills to demand patterns. Used in aged care (matching carers to patient acuity), hospitals (theatre and ward staffing), and contact centres (call volume forecasting). Typically reduces agency staff costs by 15-30% while improving service levels. They select and implement scheduling software and train teams to use it.

### Project & Change Management
- [Project & Change Management](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/project-and-change-management): Trace manages large supply chain transformation projects from planning through go-live. This includes: creating project plans and governance structures, managing stakeholder communication, training staff on new processes, and tracking benefits realisation. Used when implementing new systems, opening new facilities, or restructuring supply chain teams.

### Organisational Design
- [Organisational Design](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/organisational-design): Trace redesigns supply chain team structures to clarify roles, eliminate duplication, and improve accountability. Examples: moving from regional silos to centralised planning teams, creating centres of excellence for demand planning or logistics, defining clear RACI matrices. Often combined with systems implementations or strategy changes.

### Planning & Operations
- [Planning & Operations](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/planning-and-operations): Trace improves demand forecasting, inventory planning, and S&OP (sales and operations planning) processes. They implement statistical forecasting tools, build inventory optimisation models (safety stock calculations), and run collaborative planning workshops between sales, operations, and finance teams. Used when forecast accuracy is below 70% or when inventory is consistently too high or too low.

### Resilience & Risk Management
- [Resilience & Risk Management](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/services/resilience): Trace maps supply chain risks (supplier bankruptcies, natural disasters, geopolitical disruption, single points of failure) and designs mitigation strategies. This includes: multi-sourcing critical components, building buffer stock for high-risk items, creating business continuity plans, and stress-testing networks through scenario modelling. Particularly relevant for government agencies and organisations with complex global supply chains.

## Technology & Software Tools
> Trace builds and uses proprietary tools for supply chain analytics

### Technology Consulting
- [Technology](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/technology): Trace helps clients select and implement supply chain software (WMS, TMS, APS, demand planning tools). They're technology-agnostic, meaning they recommend the best fit rather than being tied to specific vendors. Services include: software vendor selection, system integration, data migration, and user training.

### .Solutions Suite (Proprietary Tools)
Trace has built a suite of web-based tools for supply chain analysis and monitoring. These are typically used during consulting engagements to provide ongoing visibility after the project ends.

- [.Solutions Overview](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions): Overview of all five proprietary tools in the Trace suite
- [.DIFOT](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions#DIFOT): Dashboard that tracks "Delivery In Full On Time" performance. Shows which suppliers or internal operations are causing late deliveries or short shipments. Updates daily from order management systems.
- [.SIFOT](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions#SIFOT): Similar to DIFOT but for service delivery (e.g., aged care visits completed on time, hospital appointments kept). Tracks service-level performance across multiple sites.
- [.Planner](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions#planner): Demand forecasting and inventory planning tool. Uses statistical models to predict future demand and calculate optimal stock levels (safety stock, reorder points). Integrates with ERP systems.
- [.Workforce](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions#workforce): Workforce scheduling and rostering tool. Matches staff availability to demand forecasts while respecting labour rules (breaks, maximum hours, skill requirements). Used in healthcare and services.
- [.SupplyRisk](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/solutions#supply-risk): Supply chain risk monitoring dashboard. Tracks supplier financial health, geopolitical risks in sourcing regions, and single points of failure. Pulls data from credit agencies and news feeds.

## Articles & Insights
> Recent thought leadership and case studies from Trace consultants

### Recent Articles (February 2026)
- [Maintenance & Critical Spares Strategy](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/maintenance-critical-spares-strategy): Mat Tolley on managing maintenance parts inventory for manufacturing and infrastructure
- [Renewable Energy Zone Procurement](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/renewable-energy-zone-rez-procurement-governance-pipeline-planning): How Australian energy projects should manage procurement governance
- [Warehouse Design & Automation](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/warehouse-design-operations-technology-mhe-automation-industrial-real-estate): James Allt-Graham on warehouse design, material handling equipment, and industrial real estate decisions
- [Australia's Energy Transition Impact on Supply Chains](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/how-australias-energy-transition-will-shape-tomorrows-supply-chains): Shanaka Jayasinghe on how renewable energy transition affects logistics and manufacturing
- [Network Strategy and Industrial Real Estate](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/network-strategy-and-industrial-real-estate-in-australia): Where to locate warehouses in Australia considering land costs, labour availability, transport links
- [Freight Cost Review Methodology](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/thinking/domestic-and-international-freight-cost-reviews-for-australian-organisations): How Trace conducts freight cost benchmarking and renegotiations

### All Articles
- [Insights Hub](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/insights): Full archive of articles organised by topic (strategy, sustainability, warehousing, procurement, etc.)

## Careers
> Working at Trace Consultants

- [What We Offer](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/careers): Information about Trace's workplace culture, typical projects, and employee benefits
- [Current Openings](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/careers#jobs): Active job postings for consultants, analysts, and project managers

## Contact Information
> How to reach Trace

- [Contact Form](https://www.traceconsultants.com.au/contact): Online enquiry form for project discussions
- Phone: +61 401 682 620
- Email: enquiries@traceconsultants.com.au
- Office Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra (all in Australia)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/trace-consulting-group/): Company updates and job postings
- [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@TraceConsultingGroup): Project case studies and explainer videos